I feel the same way as you. I will be turning 69 later this summer. This past November, I bought my first ever 4RUNNER- a 2022 SR5 Premium 4WD, from our local Toyota dealer, a certified / pre-owned unit.
I had sold, privately, my trusty 2006 Tundra SR5 4WD Double Cab, TRD Off Road, that I had bought new for myself back in '06.
I had been wanting to get in to a 5th gen T4R for well over a couple of years. I first started looking at T4Rs during the scamdemic / plandemic, but I quickly learned that then was a very bad time to try to buy a vehicle. (Incidentally neither my wife or I have ever yet come down with covid. We went ahead and got the first two covid shots early on, but have had no additional "boosters"(?) since then. Call me skeptical, but I quickly became suspicious and untrusting of them trying to railroad people into getting so many repeat "boosters" SO FREQUENTLY!
But anyways, I digress- By the time last November, 2023 came around, I found that things had "calmed down" some price wise, and I found I was able to negotiate a very satisfying deal on my certified / pre-owned '22 model.
So even though this 5th gen was getting long-in-the-tooth, having been the same basic design for so many years, it was still plenty new and fresh to me, having just come out of my "antique" '06 Tundra.
Now that we've learned some about the 6th gen T4R, from what I've seen and read about it, I'm confident that it is NOT going to tempt me in the slightest. I kept my '06 Tundra for 17 some years. I have every intention of holding on to my '22 T4R for just as long, and maybe beyond, hopefully if it doesn't get wrecked or stolen. And if something does ever happen to mine, I'll be in search of another 5th gen, I'll tell you that.
Who knows what the future holds. I'll be 86 in 17 years. I don't know what my health will be like by then, if I'm even still alive by then. Will we still have gasoline for purchase in 17 years? Another unknown.
For now, I cannot wrap my head around the idea of a 4RUNNER with a little piss ant 2.5L 4 cylinder in it- Turbo not withstanding. I am concerned about their longevity. I'm going to hang on to this 4.0L V-6 for as long as I can. Thus far, I am finding it laughable that the new T4R is being "degraded"(?) down to such a small engine. Maybe I'll be proven wrong.
Likewise, I am skeptical about these new transmissions with 8, 9, and 10 speeds. I am perfectly happy the way my bullet proof 5 speed trans shifts out thank you very much. The current 4.0 V-6 and 5 speed trans has plenty of zip for this old man. I realize I'm not going to win any stop light drag races off the line, and so I drive accordingly. I don't have to hammer on my vehicle every time I step on the gas. If some idiot wants to blow by me, go ahead.
I too am old school- and I tend to subscribe to the theory of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
My other issue with these newer vehicles is they have become way too expensive. Who the h_ll can afford these new pickup trucks and SUVs? These prices on new pickup trucks for example, from the big three, and even Toyota- 70K, and up through north of 100K? Totally ludicrous. These car companies are of of their effing minds with their outrageous prices!
I think the new 2024 Tacoma is over priced. So too will be the 6th gen T4R. No thanks.
I'm going to be doing everything within my power to keep my '22 looking like new and mechanically sound. I'll be interested and watching to see how things pan out with the 6th gen. I believe it will have a hard time living up to the reputation of the iconic 5th gen.
