First of all I want to mention that this is my first post, although I am reading the forum for some time now.

I am about to take the plunge, and I cannot decide between SR5 or Sport, they are about the same price wise.

One thing that I am not sure is the X-REAS system, not sure that correlated wheel movement would be such a nice feature for off-road or pot hole filled cities like Philly.

What factors sway you towards one or the other?

TIA

Welcome to the forum. I know a lot of the Sport package is looks. So if I go by looks, I would get the SR5 with the apperance package. I cannot get over the grey cladding. If you can get over the grey cladding I would say get the Sport, the extras are worth the money.

Tia:

Things to consider:

Are you planning to use the 4runner for some basic/mild offroading trails? The reason why I ask is because although these new 4runners are very offroad capable, the decrease in the height of the vehicle has caused concern by members in the 4runner community. Which means that if you are planning to do some mild offroading, lifting the 4runner is crucial. If you are planning to lift, then that means replacing the shocks and springs. If you get the sport model, then the x-reas system will be removed (as the system is integrated into the shock assembly). If you get the sr5, then you just saved some cash.

To better describe the x-reas system in simple engine:

When you brake hard (i.e. slamming on it to stop) the front of the car will dip (i think everyone has some experience here... hehe). Well with the x-reas system installed, when the vehicle starts to show signs of dipping in the front, the x-reas system starts to adjust the shock firmness more to the front so that the vehicle will not dip as much as a non-xreas system vehicle. This means that when you slam on the brakes, ideally speaking, the vehicle will stay level. pretty cool stuff. same applies to making hard left/right turns! anyway just to stay non-technical, that's one way to think about the x-reas system.

But since this system is imbedded into the shock itself, if you lift it, that means you'll be replacing the shock and that means your x-reas system will not be there anymore. Hence... waste of $$$.

Other things to consider: Are you planning to install mud terrain tires and not all terrain tires? unfortunately the sport model comes with 17" rims and there are no mud terrain tires for 17" yet. there are plenty of 16" tires selections though. I'm not sure if you'll be able to install 16" rims on the sport as the sport comes w/ larger brakes... that's something someone's gonna have to verify for all of us.

Other cool things about sport: has hood scoop (although it's not functioning ).

Hope all this helped. My take is that if you like the cladding and the hood scoop and don't plan to take it out on the trails alot, then I'd say go w/ the sport as the higher models do have a higher resale value...

But then again, so long as it's a toyota, I don't think we'll be compaining!

I got the sr5 for 1 reason: I love the outdoors which means I'll be out on the trails alot. Lifting the 4runner was crucial as the lack of height is a concern. The 17" rims, didn't work well with me as I was sure that I would get 16" rims and install some m/t tires. These two factors were key for me to help me decide on getting the sr5 model instead of the sports. The non functioning hood scoop wasn't all that as it was only looks. The cladding was okay as both models came with it anyway. Plus even though alot of people are not too fond of the cladding, I love it as it's helped me survive some the shrub/rocks from damaging the body itself! saves lots in the long run! easier to clean too...

Good Luck

Lance

XREAS is very good for cornering on-road (it's main purpose)...helps to reduce body roll. As you take a corner, the 4runner will rock towards the outside. XREAS senses this and hydraulically pumps more fluid to the outside shocks (by drawing from the inside shocks) in an X-pattern. This helps firm up the outside shocks, and softening the inside shocks. Thus, you have less body roll because the outside shocks are pushing against the body lean.

It is cross-linked: left front shock to right rear shock; right front shock to left rear shock. Thus, X-shaped.

XREAS shocks are MONO-tube shocks and thus, are high-pressured shocks. They should (in theory) last the life of your 4runner or for a very long time. They are more efficient in damping the ride, but they are significantly firmer than regular low-pressure twin-tube shocks (found on non-XREAS 4runners).

In off-roading?? XREAS probably won't do much in off-roading. However, because it has MONOtube shocks (high-pressure, quicker reacting), XREAS suspension is more efficient in controlling your 4Runner body motions over bad terrain. Since monotubes are more efficient, you have less chance of shock fading/overheating. HOWEVER, monotubes are more fragile than twin-tube shocks...therefore, if a rock hits it, then it will have a higher chance of damage.

Hope this helps.

I'll try not to repeat anything that has already been explained, but I can offer a "re-world" review of the X-Reas. I test drove an SR-5 without the suspension and it road very nice...very smooth and comfortable. Like a big Caddy almost I didn't push it in the corners at all, but it did have some body lean.
Then I drove a Limited with the X-Reas...what a difference! The ride is a bit firmer, but by no means uncomfortable or jarring. The truck stays perfectly flat in the corners and level while breaking hard. As far as pot holes go, they are everywhere in MA, my Limited goes over them with ease. Very nice, controlled ride.
If you don't plan to modify the suspension for off-roading, then I wouldn't think twice about paying extra for the X-Reas!
Good luck, I hope this helped!

Thanks very much for the advice, this weekend I drove two cars with and without X_REAS, and I think I decided to go for the Sport.
Thanks again

I found out on pressroom.toyota.com that Sport Edition models indeed have larger front disc brakes than SR5 and Limited models. Check this link and go to "4Runner Specifications." I haven't done a visual comparison yet.

http://pressroom.toyota.com/presstxt...34runner_s.pdf

That means you probably won't fit rims smaller than 17 inches on Sport Edition models.

When I got my Sport Ed. V-8 4x4 two weeks ago, I didn't know it had larger front disc brakes than SR5/Ltd's. Hmm...now I know why it seems to stop at a dime. =)

I don't plan to put big tires on mine. The current sizes are fine with me already.

I believe the Limited and Sport Edition have the same big disc brakes. The base model has the smaller ones.

Hey, one thing that I noticed on the 4Runner specs on the toyota.com site was a differnece in length between the V8 and V6. In the document pointed to by EdDucks916 they are both listed as 189.0, but on the Toyota site, the V8 is listed as 190.0. Anyone know if/why the V8 is longer, is it the front end?

Also, with the talk about cladding, I thought the grey cladding was changed to colored-keyed cladding as a mid-year model change on all models. That's at least what the dealer told me. My Sport Edition is black all over.

"HiredGun" yes I objected to the grey cladding. I wrote that comment 3/21/03. Things have changed and all Models come with the same color. They had originally kept the Sport version with grey cladding, but now that was dropped in the Sport Model too.

I like the Sport model and the options it has, including the non-functional Hood Scoop.

I did not realize the age of the earlier part of the thread, my bad. I am curious about the V6/V8 vehicle length difference. I did a quick search in the forum and did not see any posts on it.

Toyota frequently makes mistakes in their printed/internet materials. It is 99.9% a mistake...i would not worry too much about it.

I feel I was right for my March comments. If you bought a Sport with cladding, THEN they changed the Sport and no 4Runners have cladding. I feel the re-sale value will be affected by being one of the few with grey cladding. If they kept making it, it might be alright.

Also it looks like the Sport will get more standard equipment of 2004.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...=&threadid=688