I was in the same boat and after hearing that the 2020 will have all the nanny tech, that prompted the choice for me. It wouldn't be a deal breaker as much as going unibody or 3.5L motor but it just worked out last week I picked up a Trd premium w/kdss. I also got the 10 year warranty which is likely a waste but piece of mind knowing how much more complicated vehicles have gotten. The kdss was a significant enough difference in driving when driven back to back for me to opt for it. Complexity of another system was worthwhile to me, each to their own though. The nose dive then braking is still present which is somewhat new to me. I own two 3rd gens and neither would drop the nose under moderate braking... then again, I never drove a 4runner that was as compliant to stop.
I am not sure that the projected price of the 2020 will be but with the added features, there will be a cost associated with it.
With the optional kdss, also consider the limitations of your future upgrades.
Kevin

2019 ORP with KDSS

I drove both in the mountains near my dealer and the KDSS won hands down. That said it still needs a little more love to reduce/eliminate the dive and reduce body roll. I am installing a Bilstien set up with a mild lift and have read this will pretty much eliminate the issue. 6120/5160 with Eibach 1” springs in rear.

Agreed about the brake pads. I will be replacing them

Tires, stock need to go for my applications. Moderate off road and snow

I do miss climate control. Heck even my 2002 Avalanche has it.

Head unit is being replaced with a Kenwood DNX696S with Maestro Rr. Stock unit is pretty poor imo. Even the nav is pretty terrible in my area. I view this issue as a positive with the ability to replace the head until at all, Garmin map updates so no over priced dealer updates. Unlike most systems these days where you are stuck with factory and if something does go wrong it can be very expensive....I know from the MDX I replaced.

I bought it for a lot of reasons. But less tech and reliability where at the top of my list. More tech, more to go wrong. I got rid of my last 3 cars all due to tech issues. So I am glad to have a 2019. Plus adding that tech to a vehicle that has never had it is a red flag for above average issues for at least the first year. Maybe last year of production for gen 5 2021 might be less of a risk.

I am really loving it. Super fun to mod. Love the looks. I find it really comfortable. Great for my big dog. Love not having real leather and dealing with leather issues of wear, maintenance and not liking to get wet (fly fishing spot to spot, loading jet skis and being wet, skiing, etc)

Gas mileage is a mystery though, wish it was a little better. Even our JK Wrangler Unlimited (wife is a Jeep girl) with a lift and 33s gets slightly better mileage even on the highway and it is an aerodynamic brick. Though driving it any distance on the freeway is rough, back seat sucks. My big ass Avalanche with a V8 gets similar gas mileage to the 4R. But I telecommute so I don’t put a ton of mileage on my cars which makes up for it.

What MDX did you replace and what issues did you have?

Since it sounds like you drove several versions, which one would you say drove the best on-road?

This is a big part of why chose KDSS.
Being in TX, it takes at least 5 hours just to somewhere that isn't a dedicated offroad park. As a result, most of the time is spent on the road just to get to an offroad destination, so I'd rather have the benefits of KDSS, especially when loaded with gear. I've done ok with my OME/Bilstein setup but I'm looking forward to seeing what a full Icon kit will do for me.
If I was a rockcrawler, I probably would've bought a dedicated trail rig with a solid axle that i could tow to the local offroad park.

Got rid of my tech loaded F-Type R last week for the simplicity of a 2019 TRD Pro. Couldn't care less about the 2020 nannies and bells/whistles.

I thought to myself "what is the most opposite car I can get" and the 4runner was it. Didn't want the hassle of a Range Rover, Macan, X5M etc. Pretty happy with this truck.

Magnetic suspension had to be replaced, blue tooth had to be unplugged because it was killing the battery, seat heaters stopped working, sunroof needed assistance to close, and finally the screen started bringing up random codes, like a programming screen

Hands down KDSS on the road. Really curvy sweeping roads it was so much better. Braking was better as well.

The BT (HFL) module has been an issue for years and sucks up battery when it goes bad. There is a TSB for that.

The magnetic suspension is a common'ish issue as well but the seat heaters and sunroof aren't ones I've heard of before.

Did you happen to drive a Limited? I'd be curious as to how a limited drove in comparison to a KDSS.

While I like AWD for skiing, that was the only feature that slightly interested me so I didn’t drive a Limited. I just really like the off road ability and features of the ORP. I wanted a hobby car and while you can mod a Limited I can be costly and well, limited. Though I have seen heavily modded Limiteds that where pretty amazing but all the exterior that was Limited was gone.

Really overall the MDX was a reliable car. Though it was not great in the snow with the flat SH AWD front tire contact patches, even with snow tires. The two BMWs before it, not so much. In fact BMW crushed one because they could not fix the electrical gremlins.

Don't get me started on BMW. They are great cars when they run - which isn't often. I think I went through 4 high pressure fuel pumps in 12k miles. Although they didn't buy the car back, they thew enough money at me to make a trade tolerable.
I'm driving a TSX wagon since 2013 (two actually, the first was constructively totaled) and the only issue has been a battery, a defective cigarette outlet and a flaky HFL (BT) module - but mine just quit working, it didn't suck the battery dry.

I will never own a German car outside of Europe - just like I'd never own a Honda in Europe. The only Toyota I'd own in Europe are an LC or 4R.

Picking it up today!

Since it'll be a long drive home I'll be sure to take some back roads mixed with highway. Apparently the first oil changes at 10000 miles which is odd to me since I'm used to they're being a real break in period and early oil change.

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I'm very impressed with the ride quality.

It's a beauty.

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Congrats. Post Pics

lol. The pics are in the post above yours.

Congrats! Go have an adventure now!

KDSS is worth it. Yes, you are limited to 3' or less of lift, but I can't see why you would need to go higher, especially in light of the IFS, If it was a solid axle front, it would be a different story. My first 4Runner was a gently used '15 with it, and I decided to trade it for a brand new '16, and decided I didn't need it. A year later, I traded the '16 in on an '18, because the KDSS made a huge difference in road manners. I honestly believe it kept me from rolling over when I suddenly swerved to miss a huge chink of blown tire in the road from a semi that was ahead of me due to the fact that it stiffens up and doesn't allow as much body roll.

Warranty: while many parts of the 4Runner's mechanical side are pretty much bullet-proof, the electronics are another story, and they can get expensive. The door lock actuators are a known issue, for one thing.
Check with your insurance company to see if they have a mechanical breakdown coverage. Geico has it, but its a $250 deductible. But one thing it does cover, which the factory warranty doesn't, is rodent damage to wiring, and it's a pretty big issue since manufacturers are using soy based products to make the wire sheathing.
Also, the KDSS system can be expensive to fix out of warranty. Oh, there is also a steering rack issue that some people have that would be a real pain to pay out of pocket for if you happen to have it.
There is a great thread on the forum for the lowest cost factory warranty. And if you buy it, and decide you don't want it, you can get a pro-rated refund. It's way cheaper to buy when the vehicle is still new and low mileage than when it's a few years older, higher mileage. But get the quote for the warranty before you buy, and see if you can get it for the same price, and wrap it up in the cost. It will only raise your payment a few bucks. If the dealership won't price match, just pay out of pocket when you decide to buy it.