Like the question states. If the 4th Gen 4Runner were available in a manual transmission, would you buy that over an automatic?

It annoys me how few SUVs are available in a manual these days. I'd love to get a Sport Edition with the 6 speed manual that's available in the Tacoma.

In 2 years when my lease is up, I'd like to buy a new 4Runner, but just not sure that I want another automatic. I really miss my '99 4Runner (Highlander Edition) that was a 5speed.

pretty much because of the "americans don't want manual transmissions" mentality of car manufacturers, i won't buy any new cars. i recognize that autos may have their place and in some situations they may be better. but i want complete control over what's going on. i love toyota and if my '89 ever dies, i'd love to replace it with a new 4runner, but i won't buy an auto. i've even contemplated importing a 5 speed manual, diesel, 100 series land cruiser, but that will not be cost effective. rumor has it that in the near future we'll be getting a diesel 1-ton tundra. if they offer that with a manual, it'll be number 1 on my list for a new truck, otherwise, i'll just keep buying used.

Yes for sure I would. I've had numerous cars that came in manuals and it was a big change when I got the 4Runner for me in many ways. I love driving a manual. Don't get me wrong, there are days in DC Metro traffic that I love having an auto, but most times I crave to carve up the shift gates...

I guess I need to go buy myself a manual sports car

I like a manual tranny, but as I have gotten older, I like having my hands free. Especially if you are in gridlock traffic like downtown Houston. Stuck in traffic with a heavy clutch sucks.

I've owned SUV's before that had a manual tranny. They are not nearly as fun as a manual in a sports car.

i love a manual transmission in a sport car. to be honest however in the 4R i never missed a manual transmission, apart from a few occasions. I find that the auto shifts really well and the gated shifter works real well off road and in most conditions. Also the auto makes towing and offroading easier. I only wished the autos were as easy to maintain as the manuals. But the advantages of the auto outweight the disadvantages in an SUV like the 4R, esopecially since the 5 speed auto does a real good job.

I think cost is what makes it an option in the tacoma, but I have not seen the V8 offered witha stick shift in any application. Maybe Toyota doesn't have manual tranny that can handle the V8's TQ reliaily or they never bothered.

I love manual transmissions. If I had a choice every car I owned would have one.

However, I'm almost 50 years old and my knees are trashed. Some days it's all I can do to walk from the bedroom to the bathroom. I just can't live with a manual transmission on a daily basis.

As much as I hate to admit it, I have to have an auto.

I would never want an SUV with a manual transmission. I just don't find it nearly as fun to drive as a sporty car.

I've owned about 13 different vehicles so far, and my 4Runner is only the 3rd automatic tranny vehicle of the bunch. I love manual transmissions, but just not in an SUV.

Another thing that I like about automatic tranny vehicles is when I'm stuck in traffic, which seems to be more and more often these days.....

Heck no! My commute is 50 miles each way and often times I'm stuck in traffic. I'm already exhausted with my auto that I can only imagine how tired I would be if I had a stick. If I were using my 4R to do serious off-roading instead of commuting (no, I didn't buy my 4R to go off road), I think I'd get a stick for the extra control. I think the only manual transmission car I'll ever be getting is for a weekend car or something I won't have to drive everyday.

Yes.

If I was looking at a Sport I would go with a manual transmission (I used to have a manual SR5-V6 with Leather package) and it was fun! I just can't see a manual working with my Limited though!

definitely manual ... i've owned now three stick shift vehicles and only one automatic ... from double clutches to synchromesched, i wouldn't trade in my stick for anything ... from sports cars to SUVs to 2.5 ton grain trucks, that's what i grew up driving from day one ... it's hard for me to drive autos ... but granted, i don't have the bumper to bumper traffic jams in montana ... and i do my fair share of towing through the mountains and mudding and offroading ...

Now that's my kind of woman! Except I married a woman who can barely drive an auto much less a stick

I agree it would be nice if Toyota at least offered the 4th gen Sport models with a stick - the 5spd in my '00 is very good.

haha ... it's always real hilarious when we go mudding or trailing or wheeling ... there's always some new young stud who thinks him and his truck is hot stuff ... they all do the smack talking, and then i drive up and jump out, and i'm a chic ... the looks on their faces are always hilarious ... i just like to be able to control my RPMs a lot more ... especially when there's a chance of being stuck, or having to get somebody else unstuck ...

even more fun than that, though, is to get all dolled up in the mini skirts and tank tops and jump in my truck and drive to wherever i've got to go ... it sure turns heads when you jump outa a big truck, or just a truck in general, and you're not some dude ...

I absolutely would and almost didn't trade in my Tacoma for my new T4R because of that. I prefer std shift so much that I would convert my 04 if there were parts readily availible. It saddens me that so many vehicles are only availible with auto transmissions these days.

Back from the grave 6 years later

Seriously looking into a manual conversion on my 05. Starting to acquire parts now. Gonna get wiring diagrams and see what I need between an FJ and a 4R to swap the ECU and such. Hopefully it's plug and play! Then I just need the pedals, master/slave cylinders, and a few other things! My buddy has a thing for weird projects. We can get it done!