I don't like it! A three-time 4Runner owner rant

Nice! I had a 2018 Tacoma TRD Pro but it rode like a tank and my knee couldn't do the manual anymore so moved on the 4Runner.

 

Something I heard on a fortnine video resonated with me "I don't want more bike for the same money, I want the same bike for less money". The 3rd and 4th gen 4runners were fine proportioned vehicles that served the intended purpose. I'd be happy if the modern one was the same size as an older one, but Toyota used production technology to make it cost less money while still being high quality.

When you look at the modern 4runner, Toyota is trying to sell a vehicle that passes more stringent smog than ever before, is safer than ever before, is more efficient than ever before, and is larger than ever before, all while costing the same adjusted for inflation as a compact 3rd gen 4runner.

The only saving grace of the 5th gen was it was sold for so long Toyota perfected production and didn't make many costly changes to the process.

 

Maybe they (Toyota) could get some input from consumers (us) and start developing the 7th Gen right now. It could be in production by 2027........Lol.

I haven't driven a new 4th-gen Taco or the new 6th-gen 4Runner yet, but I would like to. I'm kind of happy with my 2019 4Runner right now.

Thanks for your honest feedback.

 

Nice upgrade. I drove the new Tacoma and didn't like it as much as my 18, we stopped by Nissan and I drove a Pro 4x Frontier. It's a nice truck, better ride and quieter, if the dealers weren't so shady I would be driving one of those and probably hating it by now. I love my 4Runner, it's my 8th and final one, first 5th gen.

 

The Landcruiser is hybrid only, so the fuel economy comparison is only relevant to hybrid 4Runners.

It's also taller and heavier than even the hybrid 4Runners, so I'd expect the 4Runner to perform a little better.

The 4th gen is larger than the 3rd gen. It's basically the same size as the 5th gen.

 

The Hybrid 4runner is actually 95 lbs heavier than the Land Cruiser.

 

Not according to Toyota...

 

Interesting, I looked at 3 different sites, none Toyota, and they all had the 4Runner Hybrid a little heavier than the Land Cruiser. It's really negligible, 100ish pounds isn't going to make much difference. So far the LC doesn't seem to be getting close to the mpg's promised, according to real world stats on Fuelly.

 

100 pounds seems negligible if you are just talking about mpg. But considering the limited payload capacity of the 5th gen, that's ~12.5% of the payload gone. Not sure if the payload of the 6th gen is similar or not.

 

Agreed. I always find it funny when folks go with aluminum skids over steel for concerns about fuel economy. I bet you'd never notice a difference.

I was just pointing out that the 4Runner might do a little better due to a lower roof and slightly lower curb weight.

True. But, on average, all of the '24's on Fuelly are under 4K miles. So, there's a chance it might improve a little bit. I know mine improved after a few thousand miles. I could be wrong, though.

I also think a lot of people drive too aggressively to get the advertised fuel economy. I'd love to drive one for a month and see how it does. I'm generally a pretty conservative driver, unless I'm merging onto the freeway, passing, or driving cross country and trying to save time.

 

I usually drive pretty conservatively, especially when the wifey is in the car. I don't know how I'm able to drive by myself, she always tells me if I'm going too fast, where and how to park, where to go, all things I don't know how to do on my own. When she's along I get 19 - 21 mpg, when she isn't, I couldn't care less what I get.

 

Made me think of this:

https://youtu.be/ynRWWy2sWyQ?si=zf9uABmEJhtWjhbf

 

We have some new products I just remembered another thing I didn't like.... No hood struts. It's a stick and it doesn't hold the hood open very high. Argh!

 

The adjusted for inflation argument is lame. Other vehicle manufacturers are not having these massive price increases and neither are other products. Toyota thinks they are selling eggs or toilet paper.

 

what do you have?
I get 36 mpg on mine but I wouldn't trade a single mpg for the amount of fun it is

 

Let’s start a list of the items that were taken away even though the price is much higher. Some are only available on premium models now. This is what I have seen so far.
Hood struts
Metal skid plates
Full size spare
Power seat
Mechanical e brake
Roof rack cross bars
Engine cover
Hood sound isolation

 

well done

 

I hate that they removed the slider to adjust airflow for air vents (unless there's another way to do it?)

PS: I actually don't mind them replacing hood strut by an actual stick so at least it won't fail on me (had that happened on my lexus, easy to change but annoying nonetheless)

 

2024 Ninja 650 KRT

 

Generation after generation, a parent's taste in music will ALWAYS be better than their children's.

 

I think crossbars can be crossed off the list. I've seen plenty with them on the crappy 6th gen forum site. Many SR5's come with crossbars. But, with that being said, if all those options were included. It's still hard to justify the price increase especially with markups.

 

No memory functions for seats on a 50k +++ truck!!

 

The price to value ratio on the 6th gen’s is criminal but then again if people are stupid enough to buy them. SR5 being the same twice as a 5th gen TRD Off Road premium is just wild.