Would you buy a 5th Gen (for occasional driving/distance future use)

Currently driving a 2019 Tacoma. It's been good, but it's the 5th gen 4R 4.0L Pro that gets my juice flowing. I suspect the way Toyota's going with the pressure to keep the MPGs up, the 6th gen might be inferior (I mean just look at the Tacomas year change model when a prestine '15 go for more than a new '16.)

I don't want to trade the Taco in. It's very useful with the house renovation.

Would you, as a current 4R owner? Pros? Cons?

 

proven powertrain, the last of its kind, flying off the shelves, amazing resale value, I wouldn't buy one (cause we are thinking about buying a second one)

 

Well if you looking for new better make a decision fast.

No cons to me. Some grumble about the lack of new features.

But nothing beats having a truck with a bed. Hope you can swing having both. I miss the hell out of my Tundra.

 

I own a couple of classic cars, love the hell out of how simple thing was. Not gonna complaint about a larger screen in Toyotas, which I never use anyway.

 

Buy one and get a trailer for your house renovations

Edit, your title though ... you plan on using it very little, I guess? If you need a vehicle at all, even for infrequent use, you may as well get the one you want. I also hardly drive mine, it gets more use moving it around my driveway than it does on the road... but I still wouldn't get rid of it.

 

We have both but use the Taco far more (17k miles in 7 months of ownership vs 9k in nearly a year). So far I've had no issues with the power train of either. The only thing I really like about the 4.0L vs the 3.5L is the sound on cold starts. But the 3.5L has better MPG and more HP. It is under geared though which gives it the aenemic feel. However, the engine has actually been around for quite a while.

 

Both.

 

I traded my 15 brand new Tacoma sport in on my 17 4runner Pro. But now have a 2020 AG pro 4runner. If I could have kept the Tacoma I would have. The last year of the best 2nd Gen. When I bought my 15 the 16’s were out. I would never buy the first year production truck or car. Even my Toyota salesman told me Toyota shouldn’t have changed the Tacoma with that new motor and trans. Talk to people that work on them they will tell you the 2nd Tacoma is way better than the 3rd Gen.

 

Would you guy even consider a Limited (May be the nightshade?) Love everything about the 4R except the scars face. I think the limited has class. I mostly do beach dunes offroad to go fishing. Not rock crawling much.

 

I think you need to buy what works best for you. I think you cannot go wrong with either one. I moved to the 4runner because of the comfort better than the Tacoma. I don’t need a truck bed. If I’m going to haul anything I would rent a trailer and use my 4runner.

 

You be glad to know Toyota didn’t fuck the 3rd Gen first model that much, if at all. My father in law is driving a 2016 and it is his first. He couldn’t understand what people was bitching about. It’s a fine solid truck. Toyota know they were the king of the segment and they didn’t dare. Mostly people were expecting the same solid feel of the 4.0L but time has changed. I just wanted a 4runner because it’s just so badass.

Im gonna wait a little to see what Toyota is doing with the 6th Gen. if it’s a hot pile of you-know-what I will jump in the 5th Gen before all the new one disappeared off the lot. Heck I might even get some model year end discounts.

 

That’s good that he’s has had good luck with it. Just my opinion because I’m on the forum a lot and read a lot about all the complaints about the new Tacoma and also the 4runner. No vehicle is perfect. I have owned a lot of Toyota’s over the years. For some of the complaints you read about I would be unloading that vehicle if I was not happy with it. I have made out very well with Toyota’s. Yes I understand a lot of times people cannot unload or trade it in because they will take a beating on the numbers.

 

12 years of Kaizen on the 5th Gen. I’ve got a feeling it will be hard to persuade me into a first year 6th Gen. I’m keeping a lookout for it to entertain some options though.

 

Sounds like a Limited will be more than capable for your purposes. Plus it's easier to mod a Limited into an off road beast than to mod an SR5/ORP into something with the Limited's features.

Limited Pros:
- Full time 4WD, so it's always ready when you need it and you don't have to worry about drivetrain binding on surfaces that aren't super slick or mucky. This was a big selling point for me.
- Convenience features like leather, ventilated seats, power seat with memory, nice sound system, rear window and door locks you can control from buttons on the hatch, real time tire pressure monitoring of all five wheels (i.e. inc the spare), etc.
- XREAS, which is very effective at reducing brake dive and body roll
- No silly fake hood scoop

Limited Cons:
- No rear locking diff or crawl control, for those few times they might come in handy during serious off roading
- Maybe a small MPG penalty from full time 4WD (though the EPA numbers are the same)
- The price. From a bang-for-the-buck perspective, the SR5 is a much better deal cause it's just as real of a truck for a lot less money. If you value luxury more than toughness, you'd do a lot better with something like a Highlander or Telluride.
- XREAS, which will leak at some point and is prohibitively expensive to replace with another XREAS system (most people just throw on aftermarket shocks, which arguably are better to begin with)
- All that chrome...

 

I think you’re underestimating the value of a locker and ATRAC.....

 

Appreciate your inputs @Singleminded. Look like I have a lot of homeworks to do on the 4runner's features and weight my options. $50K plus is a lot of clams so I wanted to make sure I'll get exactly what I wanted.

 

I've got a trailer, actually 3. I do get where you're coming from though, having two expensive vehicles that almost overlapping when I can get away w/ a trailer and an SUV. Small price to pay.

I've got to say the bed is such a perk to have, I can run off picking things up and not having to worry about hooking up a trailer, mpgs and all that jazz.

May be get a loaded 4runner and trade the '19 Tacoma in and get a used beater pickup for abuses...That sounds like some sound financial decicions.

Edit: Not a native English speaker, some typos and grammars corrected.

 

The Limited has ATRAC.

I defer to the real off road experts on the forum, but I've seen a heck of a lot of posts on this site where folks say they do just fine without a locker. Even the locker enthusiasts say they end up using it only rarely. The Limited does have a center diff locker and the OP indicated he doesn't plan on much rock crawling.

PS check out this guy. He likes having the Limited features and full time 4WD and has modded his into something to rival a PRO.

https://www.4runners.com/threads/daytonaviolet’s-blizzard-pearl-build.11655/

 

Is there comprehensive post can I go and learn all these features? It's like you guys are speaking in codes.

 

I tried that. I bought a used standard cab manual Taco as a beater. Problem is, you got reg, insurance, storage. I have some version of OCD that won't let me keep things that I don't use often enough. I had it for a few months and then it being around and costing me money without being used enough started bothering me. Hell, I can't even follow my own advice as I don't have a trailer... I rent one as needed cause I wouldn't use it enough to justify owning it.

 

I'm sure but apologies I can't find it at the moment. Perhaps the below will help -- I'd bookmarked it from another site.

Regardless, bottom line is you can't go wrong with any 4Runner. If you love it and want a real truck, get it. Any model that appeals to you will be awesome.

If you're worried about gas mileage then get a crossover like the Highlander or Telluride.

Let's start with the H4F, H4L, and L4L, since these have to do with the transfer case/ center differential states which dictate the usage of the other 3 TRAC, VSC, and A-TRAC.

So H4F is High 4 Free or Full. This is your standard driving mode basically acts like an AWD vechicle, allowing from the front and rear drive shafts to spin at different spins in turns. This means that if you lose traction in one wheel all the power will be sent to that wheel and you won't move (not really because your center differential is a torsion diff which will try to limit this)

H4L is High 4 Lock, as in the center differential is locked making the front and rear drive shaft spin at the same speeds. This is used in more off road situations with lose traction, dirt, sand, snow, mud etc. You don't want to use this on pavement because it will try to force your front and rear drive shafts to spin at different speeds and cause damage to the drive train. In this mode you will have to lose traction in 2 wheels, one in the front and one I the rear before you get stuck.

L4L is Low 4 Lock. The center differential is locked and your transfer case is in low range. Low range will allow you to have more torque at your wheels, but lower speed. This is for more technical off roading as in climbing over obstacles, going through ruts etc. It's gives you more control going at slow speed. You don't want to give it too much gas, get over the obstacle then have to immediately switch to your brake to control your descent. This helps with that.

Now, TRAC, is just traction control for normal use while cruising. When you're on pavement but there may be intermittent traction loss, e.g. rain, snow, or ice, and one wheel loses traction, using the speed sensors, ABS, and brake force distribution, also also throttle control (there is a motor which controls the throttle instead of a cable) so the computer can cut power, and modulate the brakes to maintain vehicle in a safe trajectory.

VSC is vehicle stability control. This, similar to TRAC, uses the same systems, but depending on the vehicle will also use yaw sensors to make sure the car is going in the direction intended. (Is the car turned going in this direction based on the steering wheel) This could happen when the car is in a turn and you lose traction, or say you make an evasive maneuver on the highway to avoid an object you make a quick right then over correct and turn the wheel left. This could cause the rear end to whip out and you spin out. VSC is detect wheel spin and steering angle, cut throttle, and apply brakes to the appropriate wheel to make sure it doesn't spin out.

A-TRAC is Active Traction. This is used when off roading. On the 4runner, you can only engage it when in L4L. This is similar to Electronic locking differential, or limited slip nomenclature, but the concept is the same. Say you're going over and obstacle, and you've lost traction in 2 wheels, front left and rear right. (Say you cross a long dip at an angle, your suspension is at Max articulation and the 2 wheels are in the air) You can activate A-TRAC, it will detect wheel spin, apply the brake to those wheel, and apply the brake. The power from the engine will be forced to the other wheels which have traction. This will allow you to get the vehicle out.

 

I didn't realize the Limited had ATRAC, in that case I retract my previous statement. I have rarely used my locker on my Taco, ATRAC works so well and is safer.

 

I had a 2019 Tacoma A/C V6....3rd radiator, brake shake, interior noise, etc....Mind you I had nothing but Tacomas or Toyota small pick-ups since the early 90's. I put 200,000 miles on them and trade-in for new. Only in 2019 I discover the 2dr base 4cly man trans is no more, I brought the above listed 2019 mistake.

I now own a 2021 4 runner WOW what a difference. Hate to say it but "made in Japan" is better. I have a trailer so didn't need a pick-up anymore. Other benefit is that it fits in my garage much better than the 2019 Tacoma.

 

Like Scotty Kilmer said, There's something about Toyotas made in Japan.

 

Best vehicle I’ve ever owned. The build quality is simply exceptional. I plan on keeping mine for 20+ years, even after I’ve made the switch to an EV daily driver