I don’t doubt what you say about the practicality of a minivan for people hauling.
But one of the main reasons we went 4Runner was the traditional design - BOF construction with RWD and longitudinal-mount engine.
RWD for handling and driving dynamics (I’ve really enjoyed the handling of my Tacoma - I’ve always said it steers like a sports car), also makes any transmission maintenance much easier (though, with the Aisin A750 that my Taco has, and shares with the 4Runner, as well as the Land Cruiser, GX, earlier-Gen Sequoia and Tundra, all of which have or had V8 options, the only transmission maintenance that will be required will be periodic fluid swaps).
And the engine being mounted the correct orientation is much more pleasant to do maintenance on than a transverse V6 setup.
If we outgrow the 4Runner as a family vehicle, I’d be more likely to go with something like the Nissan full-size van. I like that its BOF/RWD, and that it’s also not a cab-over design. Pretty much took a Titan and put a van body on it.
There are even a few outfits retrofitting Titan 4x4 (not that I need 4WD - I don’t) systems into them out in Colorado for ski resorts and such. Pretty neat, and they look really tough with a lift, aggressive wheels and tires, and a big roof rack.