Would you buy a basic 4Runner if Toyota made one. Basic? Standard trans, a/c without climate control, no sunroof, no running boards, no power seats, usual saftey stuff, no roof rack, manual lever for 4x4, p/s, p/brakes, basically just a planner 4Runner?

Put the iForce 4.7L V8 in it and yes, I would.

Ricky

The closest thing would be a stripped SR5 but yes you are right.

Koz

Yeah, but give me a manual transmission, damnit!

I would gladly pay extra for a manual trans.

Especially with the V8....

You can get it now, in a Taco or an FJ Cruiser... I want a 4Runner with a manual trans and V8.

Ricky

If I had to buy now, it would be a tough choice between an MT FJ, and an SR5 4Runner.

I'd also put a diesel on the list.


When I filled out the new car survey from Toyota, I wrote the 4Runner needs an MT offroad package.

That's what I got. Lowest of the low but I wouldn't call it stripped (still has almost power everything.) Not even a roof rack. The running boards are easy to remove. I can use the climate controls in manual mode if I want. If the tranny goes then you could try to throw in the 6 spd MT from the FJ. Manual transfer case lever might be tough.

(Sorry RickyCRX; I don't think you could get a V8 FJ)

Louie,
I can see your point. Toyota could market a base model to appeal to a different demographic. They've done their research and that isn't where they want to market the T4R. They want to take it away from it's roots and move it up-market to the camping family/soccer mom crowd. It's still a great ride and most people that buy it don't know or use it's full potential.

I for one would like a stripper with a diesel and manual tranny with part-time four wheel drive, A/C without climate control, no sunroof, roof rack or running boards, and I would like rear seats that would pop out and all that would make my day. What I really want is a reduction in complexity.

Yes, definitly. I am so tired of all these fluff options. Forget the V8 also. The V8 is for the US market that thinks it needs everything the biggest.

Coming from a long line of underpowered Toyota trucks the V8 that I got is awesome and had nothing to do with having the "biggest". Quiet, smoothand refined power. I could live without a lot of stuff on this truck but no way would I give up the V8.

You have a point about the V8 being only for the North American market. I have been a LandCruiser fan since I was a teenager, and I hope to someday be able to own one (probably used). That being said, I was extremely disappointed when the 80 series was changed to the 100 series in North America.

The 80 series LC had a bulletproof 4.5L straight six, a solid front axle and THREE lockers. Because the North American market "demanded" V8 power, the 100 series had a V8 engine, but it lost its solid front axle and lockers.

My understanding is that many other parts of the world can buy the 100 series LC with solid axles and three lockers. Because I do not tow, I would gladly give up the V8 engine for these other features that I believe are actually more important in a go-anywhere expedition-type vehicle.

Ahh, one amoung my long list of underpowered Toyota's. While it was great off-road it could barely get out of it's own way on the highway. Pfft, forget about passing unless you have a runway's worth of space to do it with. All that and I was lucky to get 11mpg.

And how does "demanding" a V8 have anything to do with losing other features? One is not connected to the other.

My uncle had a 80 series 4.5 in-line six and anytime I drove it I felt it was designed only to go downhill. Sort of like a soap box racer.

I don't know this to be fact, but I was under the impression at the time that the solid front axle and front locker were dropped in order to "make room" for the V8 engine. Considering that the 4.5L V6 isn't much smaller displacement-wise than the 4.7L V8, this may not be the case. Maybe it was more of a cost issue. I don't know the answer.

Toyota's marketing division probably correctly determined that a more powerful V8 engine and IFS is more attractive in the North American market than an underpowered I6 with a solid front axle and lockers. However, when the IFS LC was introduced in Australia, there was an uproar, and I believe Toyota brought back the soild front axle LC within a year to that market, where capability is prized over power and comfort.

All I'm saying is that I would rather have the more capable vehicle even if it does have less power. I would prefer bulletproof reliability and extreme capability over power if given a choice (not that the V8 is unreliable). Heck, I think the FJ40 only had something like 120 hp and the FJ62 had something like 150 hp. I belive the I6 in the FJ80 generated something like 215 hp and 285 lbs/ft. torque. That's enough for what I believe this vehicle was intended for and is still used for around the world.

In a perfect world, Toyota would have added the V8 and kept the other features as well. I always get jealous of the stock ultra-capable Toyota's available in other countries when I see them while traveling abroad or on websites like Toyota Australia.

This is what I would like to have available in the U.S. - especially the pick-up version:

Toyota Australia LC 78