Very well said. It's all very lazy at this point - Toyota obviously decided that infotainment was going to be the biggest deficiency over the next 2.5 years, and put their dollars there. No doubt, that is a fairly expensive overhaul, but there are a number of things that are not even significant cost factors for a company like Toyota. The biggest three are:
- Offering new paint colors (this is an easy one because the material/supply can be pulled from other existing models)
- Offering new interior colors - across seating, stitching and trims (often you can just change plastic or leather colors and it's not a big deal at all)
- Offering new wheel styles (these too can be pulled from other existing models and painted or polished differently to appear new. There are plenty of wheel options from global Land Cruiser/Hilux/BOF models that could just be thrown into the supply chain for the 2020 4Runner and 98% of buyers would see them and think they're net new.)

Two other options that are slightly more expensive?
- Revising the interior of the headlight design but not altering the overall shape and body. Remember when someone from Toyota - Sweers? Hollis? - said they didn't want to include LED headlights because those would be more of a "major redesign"?
- Revising the interior of the tail light design but not altering the overall shape and body (same bolt/clip positions, just new visuals)

The big one that I don't understand, specifically in the case of the 4Runner, is not including a 6AT or 8AT since both powertrain combinations exist in other global markets. It's clear that the 4Runner is living on some extended life, so it's not like a new model that has to use a certain volume of prepurchased parts before it can be upgraded. The 4Runner is past that. Sometime in ~2010-2012, looking at the 2014 refresh, they proactively decided not to swap out the transmission, then they did the same thing again somewhere around 2017 for the 2020 model. It seems inefficient to keep one old, garbage transmission when other related models use newer tech - just streamline the supply chain and apply the better transmission. There were no-brainer opportunities in the lifetime of the fifth generation where they could have easily upgraded and just decided not to. Annoying.

Imagine the 2020 bringing:
- 3-4 new exterior colors
- New interior trims
- New interior fabric/leather options
- New wheel design options
- New LED headlight design
- New 8" multimedia head unit with connectivity (what we got)
- New tach (what we got)
- TSS-P (what we got)
- 6AT or 8AT

... I'll venture to say that a MUCH higher number of us would be looking to trade into a 2020, and even the upgrades above are extremely minimal. These extra options would also help keep the 4Runner more fresh for both general return buyers as well as those cross shopping with the Wrangler, Bronco, 2021 Grand Cherokee, and even the 2020 Highlander (yes, it's cross shopped very often with the 4Runner).

As long as the back window still go down, it really doesn't matter. Although the price is going to go up, up, up for features we do no need.

I want the new gauge cluster but it probably won’t be cheap or easy.

I've been reading all the new features are to be standard, but would they really raise the price by THAT much on a 10yr old car? I'm curious as to how much everyone would guestimate the price hike would be.

I'm currently in the market for an ORP but on the fence of whether to wait for the new doodads for same/similar price on the '20 or getting an existing '19 model and haggle the shit out of the dealership.

For those considering a 2020, don’t let the negativity surrounding this update bother you too much.
The radar bar is ugly and probably could have been done better.
Mpg sucks but if you are looking for a gas saver then do not consider a 4x4
Transmission could be improved no doubt.
“Nanny” safety and tech features are not for everyone but do not let anyone say they vastly diminish reliability when these features have been around for quite some time in all vehicles including Toyotas.
If you have any sense at all Push button start and keyless entry will not be an issue in locking you out and leaving you stranded on a trail no matter what anyone says.
Yes there are things still left to be desired here but any company selling a product as easily as they do 4runners has no reason to advance too quickly. You are still getting a reliable, bad ass looking vehicle that is highly capable for what is designed for. Some People tend to be negative to justify their own purchases or taste, but the minor changes to the 2020 trd pro are appealing enough for me to move on from what could have been to deciding between black or army green!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Now here's a forward thinking individual.

It sometimes seems like more of us need to accept that going into the future it is completely possible for the 4Runner to move forward while respecting what all that we love about it. Until we do, Toyota will continue to sell us the bare minimum they need to to get us to buy it, and by us accepting the status quo they will feel no pressure to introduce anything like, say, a front locker option, better headlights, something.

The Land Rover Defender is an example of what we DON'T want to happen. However, whatever peoples' opinions about Jeep Wranglers are, it's undeniable that it didn't get any softer, just became modern. As a matter of fact they've beefed up the axles and further improved its rock crawling chops. It still has solid front and rear axles, front and rear lockers, removable tops, etc. yet they're able to have modern powertrains (once again, whatever your opinion may be) with decent fuel efficiency, and all the tech every other car built since 2018 has had, all without sacrificing the model's legacy.

Technology in 4Runners isn't bad. Hamfisted, half-assed implementations of technology are bad. The Land Cruiser has more tech than the 4Runner, yet it's reliability goes unquestioned. The black sensor box is embarrassing because it clearly didn't have the design care that we expect of Toyota, and they need to be held accountable. If Toyota is known for their reliability, then we can trust that they can design a rugged vehicle that is still modern, but they won't while we fight change.

If only you were right that we were getting features in exchange for the price bumps, but we don't. I don't want to sound rude but this comment is exactly why Toyota continues to do what they do. It's one thing if the same vehicle remains unchanged and costs the same every year, minus maybe adjusting for inflation, but that hasn't been the case.

Why not raise the price? They are selling very well! Look at 2010 sales versus today.

Here is a review of the 2020 4runner. The 8" touchscreen looks nice.

YouTube

With the camp basically divided between justifying 50k +/- for minimal tech, safety, and overall creature comforts... or reliability, off-road focused anti tech, its no wonder updates are very minimal year to year. Toyota is arguably very neutral In keeping both sides happy with every update. If 2020 is not for you one way or another consider waiting for a 6th gen or choose from a vast selection of 4Runners in previous years that have brought us all here in the first place.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This probably the best comment I've seen on this forum regarding the tech debate. Our politicians can learn from your above mediation, this is exactly how to be bipartisan!

How about they start with putting the same signal side mirrors in it that they do in Canadian Pros and then work out the blind spot sensors..... Uhm although they already strapped a lunchbox to the grille for the adaptive frontal sensor so I am not knowing how people would like their TRD Pros with similar boxes situated around the periphery of the rig for the blind spot monitoring as Toyota obviously can not figure out (or more likely doesn't care about) putting in a decently integrated low profile sensor to preserve the aesthetic of the vehicle.

i like the exhaust, the infotainment and touch start, but not enough to upgrade my current 4runner.

Totally agree here. If the 2020 had an 8 or 10 speed transmission, I'd seriously consider it. With a v8 and 8at I'd be putting in an order. The update is not anywhere close to being worth upgrading from my 15.

@Old Red I'm in line for one of your accessory display mod kits, any reason why I should be worried it won't work in a 2020?

I'm trying to figure out how much they'll up the price, not IF they'll up it.

Seeing as all this "new tech" will be STANDARD, I really hope it's not going to cost another kidney over the current pricing.