Originally Posted by 02SE

Yep. It just lacks power in the RPM range where the engine is running when in 5th gear at highway speed. So you get a downshift or two to bring the engine up into the RPM range where it does make enough power to maintain speed on grades, strong headwinds, etc.

Of course there might also be a point where the engine might not make enough power to maintain speed no matter what gear the transmission is in. Then you're just going to be going slower until the road grade decreases, or conditions improve.

There are vehicles with a better power-to-weight ratio than the 4Runner. Especially when a 4Runner is modified with a lift, bigger tires, and all sorts of other accessories, as so many of us do.

You can add power to increase the power-to-weight ratio. The biggest improvement would be to use forced induction. Ether a supercharger, or turbocharger. But they aren't cheap, and you'll want to use premium fuel (which is an ongoing expense) to avoid pre-ignition.

I have other vehicles with much better power-to-weight ratios. They fill a want/need just like the relatively slow and underpowered 4Runner.

For me the 4Runner is adequate at stock power levels. But I don't put heavy demands on it, or expect more than it's capable of, either.

Originally Posted by JoshDub

It's not just that the 4runner has to downshift, it hunts. It'll go from 5 > 4 >3 > 4 > 3 > 4 > 3 and so on continuously until it gets to a level grade. shifting every couple seconds. While the lack of power is a root of the problem, the primary issue is awful programming on Toyota's behalf. This happens on grades that do not require downshifting at all, just mildly more throttle.

Originally Posted by RobS10

Exactly, that's just what it feels like, a Programming issue, as our old 4Runner doesn't seem to have such erratic behavior as the new more "advanced" one!

Originally Posted by BobsTrail

I run in S5 all the time, it helps with downshifts and delays. But that's on my old 2013 TE.

Our other Toyota is a 2018 Sienna with the 8 speed and radar cruise. The radar cruise works very well in most conditions.