2021 vs 2022 4Runner

The current 2021 4Runner maintains the same driveline as earlier. Supposedly, the 4Runner is due for a complete update either for the 2022 model, or sometime during 2022 for the 2023 model year. Has anyone read which ?

Thanks. Rick

 

Oh god.

The 2021 just arrived and we going spread rumors about the 2022 already.

I heard its going to have a I6 Diesel.

 

Even though these things are already, what, 13 years old by design? I wouldn't change a damn thing if I was Toyota.. they selling like hot-cakes. Why fix what ain't broke? I just purchased my first truck ever, and trust, the 4Runner barely had any competition. Is there even another body-on-frame SUV left? I bet they'll milk another year or two at least out of the 5th Gen. As long as gas prices stay low, why not? Once the election is over and the sheeple move on from BLM, maybe global warming will come back up again and Toyota will nerf the 4Runner like all the other vehicles out there these days. Until then, I doubt there will be any other major changes.

 

It seems to me that things are going the other way and manufactures are re-introducing vehicles like the 4Runner back into the marketplace because of consumer demand (albeit with a twist). Toyota has damn near perfected the hybrid drivetrain and introduced it into the Sienna and soon (from all reports) the Tundra. If they can comfortably introduce this setup into these vehicles then I would feel confident that they would introduce it into the 4Runner before axing one of their more popular vehicles because of demands of more efficient vehicles. They also have the 3.5 powertrain from the Tacoma they could foreseeably use (I hope they don't) or some variation of the v6 hybrid from the upcoming Tundra. It seems that to me Toyota is slow to move, but methodical.

 

I think it's going to come in '22 for the '23 model year. I thought I had read that the new Tundra would be released first.

Personally, I would love the Hybrid option IF they execute it well.

Otherwise, the 3.5 could work if they tune it better than the Taco tune. The rumored turbo 3.5 would be fantastic, but I won't hold my breath.

I don't think we'll see an electric 4runner for awhile yet, and I'm fine with that.

 

Yeah, all credible rumors seem to point to a 6th gen coming out in Fall 2022 as a 2023 model year.

The universal frame that they have built for their future BOF vehicles will be able to incorporate a hybrid system.

As of right now, I'm guessing the non-hybrid versions will be a 4cyl turbo, although I'd love for it to be a 6cyl turbo.

Hopefully the new 4Runner comes with some weight savings so it doesn't feel underpowered.

 

Full model change as 2023 looks more likely. Toyota will release Tundra FMC first as 22MY.

 

I heard the new Tundra and LC will have a twin turbo V6 for MY22. The 4Runner and Sequoia for MY23, unknown engine. New Taco in MY24.

 

Jeep Wrangler. Plus most of the fullsizes.

I don't get the obsession with BOF. I could care less about that. In fact, since Toyota is apparently incapable of designing a frame that won't turn to swiss cheese, maybe a unibody construction would be an improvement.

 

The turbo 4 Ford is using in the Ranger and Bronco makes more power than our 4.0 V6. I would imagine the 4runner would be similar if they go that route.

For off-road strength. If you don't off-road, a unibody crossover would be a better choice.

If you "could care less" about it, you might have bought the wrong vehicle.

And, the 4runner frames have not been anywhere near as problematic as the Tacoma frames, as best I can tell. My previous '03 had 15 Wisconsin winters without any special treatment, and the frame was solid when I traded it in.

 

Heh. To me a Jeep is a Jeep. It really doesn't have any competition. It's like the roadster of trucks, as opposed to an SUV. I think a Jeep would be awful to live with as a daily but would be a super fun toy, whereas the 4Runner is a fantastic compromise for those of us who cannot afford multiple vehicles. From my experience, Jeeps don't drive as well and they're also a lot louder in the cabin.. but sure that comes with some fun goodies.

 

I have rented them during my business travels a number of times and while fun to drive they are funner to give back and get back in your own vehicle. I thought it would be fun to remove the roof section over the driver last summer on a trip in Alberta and I lasted about 20 minutes before I pulled over and put it back on so I could hear myself think.

 

I will say I think it is pretty cool that Jeep offers a V8 engine, while I would not attest to the quality of it over a Toyota by any means a V8 would be a lot of fun.
Personally I am not a fan of these turbo engines, I don't think the long term quality has been proven and they definitely do not sound cool.

A few people I work with have the Ford Raptor F150 which is sweet, but the one with the V8 sounds great and like man's truck. The new turbo V6 looks awesome as well but just lacks the grunt and sound that one would expect from such a vehicle.

Everyone is different though

 

My thought behind this is that in typical Toyota fashion, they would de-tune it for reliability purposes.

 

Good point, fair enough. I actually really wanted a Jeep, but went with the 4Runner for all the reasons that you mentioned. I still think the Jeep is a cooler vehicle, no one will ever convince me otherwise, LOL. But for a jack-of-all-trades daily driver type vehicle, the 4Runner is probably a better choice for your only vehicle. The Jeep is definitely a great second or third vehicle. Actually read a while back Jeep did a study, and they found that's typically what they were purchased as, not daily drivers.

 

I bought the vehicle that checked off my needs/wants. If the 4Runner was exactly the same except it was a unibody, that wouldn't have deterred me from buying it.

XJ, ZJ,and WJ would probably disagree with you about a frame being needed for off-roading. My old ZJ was a unibody, with a straight front axle, and definitely more capable as a trail rig. Yes, with extreme wheeling long-term strength of the unibody can be a concern, however they can be stiffened. On the other hand, how many 3rd gens went to the boneyard because of frame issues? I was looking for one for a while, couldn't find one that didn't have a bad frame.

IMO, suspension travel and low range are more important than having a frame for offroad (at least the kind of off-roading that one would do with a late model 4Runner) unless you're building a rock crawler and welding on all kind of custom suspension and roll cage.

I also briefly considered the Grand Cherokee, but I didn't like that you needed to buy the Limited model in order to get low range, and the fact it has IRS as well as IFS. On the plus side you can get the Hemi V8 in them, and they're rated to tow a few K lbs more that the 4R. They do have a lot less interior space than the 4Runner, so that's a negative as well.

 

This is exactly (one reason) why I want them to stick with full frame. I met a guy last year who snapped part of his suspension off his frame on a rock climb that I have done twice now in my 4runner. I plan to keep doing things like this, and don't want to be concerned about parts of my chassis breaking off.

Lots of folks here have armor and rock sliders and use them. I think you'd be surprised what some of the guys here put these things through. What would we attach these things to if it didn't have a frame?

There are plenty of unibody options out there. I would be pretty disappointed if the 4runner followed the footsteps of the Nissan Pathfinder, among others. I bet I'm not alone on this, either.

 

I do agree that a Wrangler would win as a trail toy. I'm in the same boat, where I wanted something with good off-road capability and didn't suck as a daily driver.

 

I had sliders on my ZJ. They bolted to the "frame rails" of the unibody structure, as well as behind the rocker. I hi-lifted both wheels off the ground from the sliders on a few occasion, they were plenty strong. Full aftermarket skids were available too, though I ran the stock ones.

I also have sliders and skids on my 4R.

I wasn't trying to say people don't offroad 4R's, I was just referring to the fact that most are just not doing extreme rock crawling or the "Hammers" type wheeling with them.

I'd be disappointed as well if it went the way of the Pathfinder, that thing basically turned into a minivan. Or that travesty that Chevy calls the Blazer. Perfectly good little SUV I'm sure, but way to squander a once great name.

I'd actually like to see Nissan bring back the Xterra, those were pretty cool too. I actually prefer the way the Nissan 4.0 feels to the Toyota 4.0, but not sure I'd trust it long term.

 

I guess I just like feeling like I'm driving a tank. I have more confidence in the strength of a full frame than a unibody.

I have seen a few new Blazers, and it looks more like a Rav4 than the Blazers of the past. Xterras are definitely cool. I don't know about their 4.0, but I'm impressed with their smaller V6's they use in the Maxima and Z.

 

The new Blazer has more to do with the Rav4 of today than the Blazer of yesteryear. Front wheel drive unibody crap.

Also regarding a couple other posts up there:

What I'd be interested in seeing is more of the "uniframe" design of the second (and maybe first?) generation of the Jeep Liberty. For all the crap the Liberty got, it definitely had a leg up on the old Cherokee it replaced in the frame regard. It was unibody, but the parts that would have a traditional frame were reinforced to be very frame-like. Maybe I wouldn't want to see this on the 4Runner, but if other SUVs wished to try this to bridge the gap between something like a Rav4 and a 4Runner, then I think it could be good.

I liked my old Wrangler TJ as a daily driver back before it got wrecked. Yes, I was a young single man which helped to make it work as well as it did, but it really worked well for me. I still want to get an old TJ as a toy and a learning experience. And I can use my 4Runner to flat tow it! Yay!

 

I had a Frontier quad cab as a rental a few years back in Utah, and the first time I drove it I was surprised at how gutsy it felt. I actually had fun driving it through the mountains. "Gutsy", is never a reaction I had with my 4Runner's 4.0, haha.

That was really the only thing I liked about it though, the interior looked sooo dated and felt very cheap. Coarse grained hard plastic EVERYWHERE. One of the reasons I didn't consider the Xterra very long.

 

I think it's going to come in '22 for the '23 model year.
Yeah, all credible rumors seem to point to a 6th gen coming out in Fall 2022 as a 2023 model year.
Full model change as 2023 looks more likely.

Thanks guys for ALL your comments. Much appreciated. As mentioned, with the current sales of the 4Runner, I can easily see Toyota keeping the current 5th Generation through at least the 22' Model year. So I could probably keep my 10' FJ Cruiser for another year. But I won't. I'll trade it in for a 2021 TRD/ORP in mid-January. That way I'll be sure of getting the exact same drive train as in my FJ. Plus, they are willing to discount that trim level. And I can get at least half of what I paid for my FJ as a trade-in.

I'm sure most members on this Forum are owners of a 4Runner. But it also shows the value of this Forum even BEFORE the purchase. Sure been a big help for me. Thanks again to all and have a great Thanksgiving.

Rick