1st month impressions

[934x4]

So I'm just over a month with the '11 TE. There are some things that have impressed me and others that have disappointed me. Here they are:

Impressed with;
Gas mileage - still over 25 mpg/cdn at 1600 miles
Fit and finish - nothing out of place, great assembly, no rattles or squeaks, quiet, great sounding door thud
Gadgets - almost too many, especially in the nav system
Windows - love the rear slider and roof
4x4 systems - I'll never get stuck. Although that low-speed crawl control noise bothers me.

Passable;
Stereo - JBL sounds good with Ipod and cd's, just okay with sat. I think the FJ's was better
Acceleration/Power - doesn't seem to have the pop. Maybe it will be better as the engine loosens up
Seats - I still haven't really found the perfect position, and if anyone else ever drives it, it may take just as long to find it again.

Not Impressed;
Steering - why does a 2 ton vehicle dance on the highway in any sort of wind? The FJ did it too. It's like driving a smart car. The steering is way too light. This could be something that causes me to sell it.
Trip Display/clock - can hardly see it in daylight. That's as bright as it gets? Really?
Cruise Control - why does it have to recover so quickly and then overshoot? On a hill, I don't need it to drop 2 gears to get back to speed quicker. If I want that, I'll get on the gas myself. Just give me a constant recovery rate and I'll be happy.
Lights in interior switches - how come some buttons don't have a light?
Audio/Ipod - I have to scroll for the artist? That takes a few minutes. An alphabet scroll in front of it would be great.

I'll be honest, I still feel more comfortable in my ol' 93. Crank windows, no A/C, 153 hp, tough as hell and still going strong at 400,000+ kms.

 

[wanderer33y]

Audio/Ipod - I have to scroll for the artist? That takes a few minutes. An alphabet scroll in front of it would be great.

link your IPOD via BlueTooth, works great and faster.

 

[1engineer]

Tires. Check your pressure and set down to < 35 psi and when you can get rid of the OEM tires for some decent ones.

 

[Fishpilot]

I noticed the cruise control issue as well but only on less than flat roads when I had it set at or above 75mph. I don't think cruise control is designed with enough, if any, logic to keep a heavy SUV up at highway speeds going up any grades. I have never driven a car that doesn't do this, even BMWs, to some extent which is why I only use it on long highway drives when the traffic is thin.

As far as the steering issue I tend to agree, it feels way over-boosted with no feedback. I'm betting this is an attempt to make the overall driving experience more pleasant to the average driver in the suburban environment. It's pretty rare to find a car or SUV these days that you have to actually muscle the wheel around on, unless you buy a sports car like an audi TT.

Enjoy the rig it only gets better with age.

 

[bzizzi]

My 4th gen SE wandered L to R on the interstate, that was the first thing I noticed after trading in my 2000 Tundra. It had Dumbflop Grandtreck's on it
and I upgraded to Michelin LTX M+S and it straightened it right out.My new 5th has Bridgestone Duelers on it and it does not wander at all.
Things I really miss from the 4th are RC window drop feature via the remote, and auto hatch close feature takes some getting used to to slamming it shut.
And the Torsen all wheel drive for dry pavement or true locking 4X4 with the push of a button.