The '09 has center & rear locking differential while the '10 only has a rear locker. I do know that ARB offers a suspension lift kit, winch bumpers, and snorkel for the '09. I'm not sure how long if ever it will be available for the '10(5th gen) From what I read, the '10 has crawl mode traction and multi terrain select system. I'm not sure if the '09 trail has this. Given the stats listed above, which 4Runner is better offroad(sand,water fording, rockclimbing, hillclimbing, etc)??

center diff does not matter at all off-road. crawl control and multi-terrain are electronic gimmicks that should be driver controlled instead anyways. the KDSS (sway-bar "disconnect") system, which is optional on the 5th gen, is the only real off-road upgrade vs the 4th gen Trail.

The center diff absolutely matters offroad. With the center diff locked, power is distributed equally between the front and rear. It makes a big difference in many offroad situations.

100%. The optional KDSS is the only significant advantage a 5th gen has over a 4th gen off road. (Assuming both have optional rear locker, which you said.) You could even argue that the slightly smaller exterior dimensions of the 4th give it an advantage. Finally the stock tires on the 5th are about an 1" taller which yields a 1/2" of clearance. Either gen can handle approx a 32" tire so with a minor tire upgrade both rigs are the same... , the crawl control and multi-terrain are a bit gimmicky. There's no question they work but do they provide a substantial advantage for an even a semi-experienced off-roader? IMHO, no.

Either gen has the same functionality as far as off-roading is concerned. The 4th might be better if you want to high speed, 'rally race' off-road. The 4th can run in a full-time 4hi mode. The Torsen center diff allows the 4th gen to handle really well in this scenario. The 5th can only run in the 4wd 'locked' mode where the front & rear axles get equal power (unless you have the 5th gen Limited).

CJ3Flyr is correct. However, i wonder if the 5th gen's front track is more than the 4th gen?? The FJ Cruiser, for example, came from factory with 32" tires, but Toyota had to widen the track (spacer?) to fit those tires in without rubbing. This was done because the off-road edition FJs come from factory with 32" BFG AT KO, which is known to rub on 4th gen 4runners. So, technically speaking, the 5th gen came from factory already adapted to the 32" tires. Hmmm, i wonder if the 5th gen can handle 33" tires then without rubbing?? If that is the case, then the 5th gen does have a slight benefit of being able to fit larger tires with more ease. In addition, the 5th gen seems to have a less nose-heavy appearance (stiffer front springs like that found on FJ??), which has given it superior approach angle (along with the 32" tires). I remember someone measuring the ground clearance on a 5th gen Trail Edition...and it came out to about 9.6" or more?? That much clearance cannot be explained by tires alone. (4th gen stock clearance is 8.3" due to low front skidplate.)

So, i think that a 4th gen Trail Edition + FJ shocks/springs + 32" tires will equal 2010 4runner Trail.

As CJ3Flyr said, it matter little if you're really off-roading because the 5th gen has a part-time system. When you switch it into 4LO (or 4HI), the front and rear axles are locked together (= to locking the center diff on 4th gen). Some will even argue that having a center differential adds more complexity to the 4wd system and more chance of failure. But, i agree that a center diff is cool to have and is useful in foul weather.

But, overall, i think that you will run out of off-road obstacles before you can see a difference b/w the two 4runners!

Guess what, with a part-time 4WD system (like the 5th gen SR5 and Trail), your "center diff" is already "locked". You are already distributing the power equally to the front and the rear.

I don't have a center diff in my Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It does pretty well in many offroad situations.

Don't mind Jed...he doesn't know what he's talking about....

The 2010 front (and rear) track is 63.2". Though the 3rd gen is listed at 62.0", I suspect the 2009 Trail is more like 63.2" as well. Keep in mind the 09 TE as well as the 10 TE BOTH have factory 32's and 15mm offset wheels. The 15mm more offset times 2 is the 2.1" wider track difference.

I have the brochures.

2009 4runner track = 62 (on all models)

2010 4runner TE track = 63.2 (on all models)

The 2009 TE came from factory with 265/70/16, which is a 31" tire. Remember, that this applies to the spare tire as well.

2010 Trail Edition comes with 265/70/17, which is a 32" tire.

I double checked my info and you are correct, the 09 TE comes with 265/70/16 which is 31". The 70 series tricked me up as on a 17" wheel it is a 32".

I know all models of the 3rd gen including the 09 are 62.0" track, but I still believe that the different wheel offset makes the 09 TE track 63.2".

You may be right. The rims on the '09 TE is the same ones as those on the Off-road pkg for the FJ Cruiser. (My brother's FJ has those same rims.)

I had always thought that Toyota stuck with 265/70/16 (31") tires on the '09 4runner TE because the 4th gen was not really designed for 32" tires (due to rubbing). I was somewhat annoyed when Toyota put those 16" rims on the 2009 4runner TE, but still gave it 31" tires when those exact rims on the FJ Cruiser were carrying 32" tires. I figured that Toyota did not want to give the 4runner the FJ's huge turning radius (40.7 ft!! vs. 36 ft on normal 4runners). (FJ track is at least 63.2".) I think that Toyota fixed all that with the 5th gen 4runner...32" tires + good turning radius...so, this is why i think that the 5th gen is a better platform to start when talking about tire sizing and ground clearance.