This guy must be a hater and a jeep fan boy.

I've never heard of any tranny issues with 4 runners. Matter of fact, the part number is the exact same as my 06 tundra. Curious as to how many reaches this guy put in this article.

https://www.hotcars.com/things-toyota-4runner-owners-keep-quiet-about

 

The guy is a gal and it is nothing but clickbait

 

Definitely clickbait, but I fell for it.


#10: "dated interior" - Who cares? Being old technology is one of the things a lot of people here like about it.

#9: "Transmission issues" - I have been on this forum for 4 years and haven't heard of any issues, aside from occasional complaints about it being outdated.

#8: "Bad fuel economy" - Yeah, we know, and we largely don't care. I'm looking forward to a more efficient 6th gen. But, I'm not bitching about the fuel economy because I didn't expect good fuel economy.

#7: "Creaky and unpleasant ride" - What? It rides like a truck. A simple suspension upgrade fixes the mushy ride.

#6 - "Rust issues" - Not as bad as the Tacos. But, I'll give them this one.

#5- "the horn suddenly stops working" - Another issue I haven't read about, that I can recall.

#4 - "electrical system material attracts rodents" - isn't this every car?

#3 - "the 4Runner accelerates on its own" - wasn't that the Highlander, Lexus RX, and maybe the Sienna?

#2 - "unsafe airbag system" - another thing I haven't read about here. Maybe I missed all of the airbag thread??

#1 - "it's the worst option between the competition"

From the article:

"There is no denying it - the Toyota 4Runner has to be upgraded in many different areas if it wishes to remain with its head above water in the competitive SUV market in 2024 because now it is certainly one of the worst options when compared to its competitors, such as the Jeep Wrangler, Honda Pilot, Ford Bronco, not to mention Toyota's very own Highlander and RAV4."

The only one listed that's significantly more capable off-road is the Wrangler, and those suck ass in other ways.

The Bronco might have an edge off-road, but has other problems, in addition to being ugly.

The rest of the listed vehicles are crossovers, so not even competition for the 4Runner.

 

A quick look at that site reveals they are soliciting people to write pieces for them. It looks like what Newsweek has turned into, a site that will pay virtually anybody $100-$150 to write a piece of clickbait nonsense, whether they have any credentials or not. It's a lot cheaper than having legitimate journalists on the payroll. They put a piece of unsubstantiated garbage allegations like this one on their site, but claim they have a vigorous fact checking process.

 

Let this idiot blab on. She’ll thin the herd and the ones who truly want the 4Runner will have the chance to purchase one without greedy dealer add-ons. Then the band-wagon people can go back to their Jeeps and whatever other piece of junk they worship and buy cheesy hats for.

 

Stuff like this should be illegal.

 

Seems to be getting harder and harder to trust the media without first researching who/what is creating/writing these articles.

 

Agreed. As a classically trained journalist, it's a joke who and what is allowed to "publish" actual stories these days.

And I don't know what I like more....your screen name, or your avatar picture. Both are 100% wins.

 

The author of this piece is Brazilian. According to her Linked In profile, she was educated in Brazil (journalism) and all her jobs have been in Brazil. She has written 2 pieces for this website. 4Runners aren't even sold in Brazil.

 

Typical "hit piece" in which each issue is based on something semi-factual, and opinion is treated as fact.

Even the title, "10 Things Toyota 4Runner Owners Keep Quiet About" is an attempt to vilify all 4 Runner owners implying that we collude to hide information from the car buying public.

 

I doubt she's a Jeep fanboy. Jeep folks have a helluva lot more to keep quiet about than 4R folks. I've had 4 of them (2 tj's, a wj, and a jk), and while I don't know everything about Jeeps or 4Runners, I know enough to be confident in my statement above.

 

I read that clickbait garbage last night. It was amusing.

 

The only measure of success for a piece like this as far as the author and website are concerned is how many clicks it generates, because that determines ad revenues. I read an article about free lance writers who get paid by the piece for Newsweek and they know virtually in real time how many clicks their pieces are generating. Don't generate enough clicks in your first few pieces, you're done. The author of this piece is actually claiming this e-rag as her employer since April 27 on her Linked In page. So she's probably in the market for a real job.

 

TJ versus T4R blah blah. The only 2 places that either of mine will not go to, is to the opposite dealer to get worked on.
I've had my TJ since "new" with 19 miles on it. And in those miles, it was just to test drive with the new or added drive train components. An Atlas II, D60/44, DC driveshafts, suspension lift and PP Welder. All before I took ownership.
And I won't take my 4R to a Chry/Fiat dealer.

 

So, supposedly the author is from Brazil. Maybe, maybe not. I actually think it’s a machine generated article.

The technology behind Chatbot gtp is licensed and sold to all sorts of businesses to do this sort of thing. This “piece” is an example of how machine-generated articles can make money out of thin air. No need to hire people, just query gpt with the right seed information, and it spits something out.

If you actually read a few samples of gpt machine generated content, it becomes pretty easy to spot. It’s usually got a pretty basic 1,2,3 structure to the organization. It usually has words that flow and sound good “to the ear”, until you realize that there are chunks of text that don’t actually mean anything. There tends to be lots of superlatives in the text, sometimes where it comes off as overly dramatic. But the big “tell”, is the kind of errors it makes. If the reader knows nothing about the content you might not spot the errors, but if you have a just a little knowledge on the topic, you’ll spot some pretty glaring errors quickly (on the first pass, no fact-checking necessary). This little section shows what I mean:

“But what happens when you can't make it work properly? Unfortunately, that's the case for the Toyota 4Runner, which is known for having harsh shifting with its excessive five-speed automatic transmission. So, no matter if the car is brand-new, you're going to be wasting transmission fluid and riding loudly like any other junker”

The errors in articles like this also show that these are in no way “traditional journalism”. These are put out automatically, there are no real people looking at these articles before they are “published” on sites like this. They just get spit out on a schedule.

The aim is to sell advertising. And apparently it works, at least for now. Eventually, real businesses might figure out that low quality audiences (low quality in terms of how the viewer engages with the content) will not get them the kind of exposure they want. Unfortunately, it looks like the advertisers on these kinds of sites are more of the same fake-ass businesses lol. It’s a hall of mirrors.

I don’t mind the idea of ad-revenue supported content. But it’s not a fair trade if you don’t give me any actual content to view! There are a couple of youtubers that I dont mind subjecting me to ads. Clicking “skip” on the ads is a fair trade for videos that offer good knowledge. I wish there was more of it in written form though…seems it’s all going to video.

 

Why post a link of stuff like that and end up giving more clicks?

 

You may be right. The column reads as a poorly written regurgitation of some of the standard criticism of 4Runners by publications like Car & Driver - it's outdated in the interior, with the 5 speed automatic transmission, navigation/audio features, etc. But there's some added nonsense, like "wasting transmission fluid" - the 4Runner has a sealed transmission that you can't even add fluid to unless you service the transmission.

 

1. Everybody doesn't know how garbage pieces like this are generated, so a discussion of it can be educational about how many things on the internet are disguised as legitimate journalism.
2. It's a trivial number of clicks.

 

Yeah, "wasting transmission fluid" completely erased the author's credibility.

 

At least I won't have to replace a Chrysler/Fiat transmission at 100,000 miles.

 

Clarissa Santos must be a very ugly guy. Someone should report the really bad article to there Fact checking editor: editorial@HotCars.com nothing she states is accurate.

 

Apart from the obviously bad journalism, this article displays another common problem, perhaps also stemming from the lack of actually doing the research. That problem is that many people have a poor sense of which vehicles the 4R should be compared to. Even when there's a nod to its more substantial off-road capabilities, they always seem to end up focusing on comparisons with crossovers and other vehicles meant primarily for on-road use. Sure, if my primary application were commuting and highway road trips, the 4R isn't really a contender. However, if I'm considering an application where E-range or even C-range tires are of interest, few of those crossovers are real competition.

 

OMG, that didn't even register with me. Based on the number of lies, she must be related to George Santos. Or maybe it's George under yet another identity. He better watch out, it's only been about a month since he struck a plea deal with Brazilian authorities for buying $1300 worth of clothes with stolen checks.

 

OK, you may be onto something here.

In less than 10 seconds, with only this request "Write a negative summary of the down sides to owning a fifth generation 4 runner", Chat GPT came up with the following in blue.

The fifth generation Toyota 4Runner is a popular SUV known for its off-road capabilities and rugged design. However, there are also several downsides to owning this vehicle that should be considered before making a purchase.

Firstly, the 4Runner's fuel economy is poor, with an average of only 16-19 mpg depending on the model. This can add up to a significant expense for drivers who use their vehicle for daily commutes or long trips.

Additionally, the 4Runner's handling and maneuverability can be challenging, especially in tight spaces or urban environments. The vehicle's large size and weight can also make it difficult to park or navigate through narrow roads.

Another issue with the 4Runner is its outdated technology features. The vehicle's infotainment system is not as advanced as those found in newer models, and the lack of smartphone integration can be frustrating for tech-savvy drivers.

Furthermore, the 4Runner's ride quality can be bumpy and uncomfortable, especially on rough roads or off-road terrain. The vehicle's suspension system is not as refined as some of its competitors, which can lead to a less smooth driving experience.

Finally, the 4Runner's price point is relatively high compared to other midsize SUVs on the market, which may not be worth it for drivers who prioritize fuel efficiency, technology features, or a smooth ride over off-road capabilities and ruggedness.

Overall, while the fifth generation Toyota 4Runner has its strengths, potential buyers should carefully consider its downsides before making a purchase.

 

Uh huh! Exactly.
Perhaps Chat GPT is just jealous because it will never own and drive a 4Runner.

 

As a Packers fan, I take both mild offense and humble pride at the term ‘cheesy hats’.

 

I think this illustrates my point perfectly. ChatGPT created this by digesting a mountain of published material that oversimplifies its market niche as "mid-sized SUV", as if it were a badly implemented Highlander, Pathfinder, Explorer, or Blazer.