2010 4Runner Ordering Guide Report for the U.S.

[jlmilligan]

I would normally vote for a manual too. However, after the last couple of off road outings, I can honestly say that an auto is SO MUCH easier when going up a steep incline or trying to crawl through some technical stuff. I can now say, my 4th gen has sold me on the autos. I will however, always buy manuals in anything I do not plan on off roading with. Sorry to stir the pot, but thought I would chime in.

 

[M1911]

As much as I enjoy driving a manual transmission, I prefer an automatic when offroad.

 

[hammersc]

My GF and two of my friends have the V6 and it sounds like a vacuum cleaner; the V6 is nice theirs are faster than my V8 (2wd V6 vs 4WD non-vvti V8) but my V8 is smoother. Besides, I want the power of the 4.6, everything in the world is getting faster, I have to keep up :satan:

Personally, I think Toyota is half-assing the motor and tranny.

A vacuum cleaner. Great post.

 

[eskimochaos]

A vacuum cleaner. Great post.

Yup here is a vacuum cleaner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0wVb9ZfAMg&feature=related

This is not:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rXWrvO_TFQ

 

[SCRUED]

While the V6 may be seeing significant HP gains in the 5th gen, it is still comfortably south of 300 ft lbs of torque.

Like a wise man once said...."there's not replacement for displacement" :

There is a replacement for displacement, and it's called FORCED INDUCTION.

 

[M1911]

There is a replacement for displacement, and it's called FORCED INDUCTION.

Which adds complication, cost, heat, and extra plumbing to engine bay. It can work (e.g., the Ford EcoBoost), but isn't clear to me that the tradeoff is worth it. Done badly, a turbocharged engine can have a lots of turbo lag. In general, in the past it has seemed that if you actually use the power in your turbo or supercharged engine, you get just as bad mileage as a larger displacement engine.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

There is a replacement for displacement, and it's called FORCED INDUCTION.

Thus us why I was able to beat a Viper in my '93 AWD turbo Eclipse which had 122ci engine vs the Viper's 488ci but you put forced induction on the Viper's 488 cubic inches it's capable of making much more HP than the smaller engine could ever make so displacement still will win.

 

[nighthawk]

I would normally vote for a manual too. However, after the last couple of off road outings, I can honestly say that an auto is SO MUCH easier when going up a steep incline or trying to crawl through some technical stuff. I can now say, my 4th gen has sold me on the autos. I will however, always buy manuals in anything I do not plan on off roading with. Sorry to stir the pot, but thought I would chime in.

Yeah, sad to say, but I'm one of those people who wants an SUV and will hardly, if ever, take it off roading...haha. I think if I was actually offroading, I might want an automatic, but given that I've never done it before, I can't really say anything other than for my current driving needs, I prefer a manual over an auto.

 

[SCRUED]

Thus us why I was able to beat a Viper in my '93 AWD turbo Eclipse which had 122ci engine vs the Viper's 488ci but you put forced induction on the Viper's 488 cubic inches it's capable of making much more HP than the smaller engine could ever make so displacement still will win.

Viper is a V10 not a v8 I think? I'm not sure tho. But anyways, I'm talking about a stock V8 vs. a boosted 6 or 4 cylinder. If Toyota is not planning on adding a V8 4Runner, then they should add at least a TRD S/C or turbo kit as an option to compensate for not having a high output V8. Thats all. I'm an import car guy, so I'm in favor of boost over big block.

 

[Carbon Blue]

I will never be happy with a new 4Runner again because I know Toyota doesn't care about the few of us that prefer manual.

neither will ANY other car company out there, its a business and all they care about is profit, price and quality. If toyota catered to the serious car/suv/truck enthusiast the company in itself would probably cease to exist.

 

[jmc8387]

neither will ANY other car company out there, its a business and all they care about is profit, price and quality. If toyota catered to the serious car/suv/truck enthusiast the company in itself would probably cease to exist.

I don't know about that. Think Porsche, Ferrari, Land Rover.

 

[hulk311]

I found this U.S.A. Ordering Guide for the 2010 4Runner posted in the Edmunds forum. It shows the "Option/Package Availability With Specs." Unfortunately, it's official now: no V8 for United States.

So what if there is no v8, they are making v6 engines with more HP every single year. In 10 years they will have a v6 w/ 400 HP.

 

[sven]

I don't know about that. Think Porsche, Ferrari, Land Rover.

I think you just proved Carbon Blue's point. All three of these enthusiast car companies and also Jaguar would have ceased to exist if they didn't sell themselves to larger car companies that sell a full line of cars and SUV's to mostly non-enthusiasts.

Volkswagen bought Porsche (after Porsche tried to buy Volkswagon, but couldn't make the loan payments on the money it borrowed to achieve this hostile takeover)

Fiat bought Ferrari.

Ford bought Land Rover and Jaguar, then sold both of them to Tata, an Indian car company.

 

[jmc8387]

I think you just proved Carbon Blue's point. All three of these enthusiast car companies and also Jaguar would have ceased to exist if they didn't sell themselves to larger car companies that sell a full line of cars and SUV's to mostly non-enthusiasts.

Volkswagen bought Porsche (after Porsche tried to buy Volkswagon, but couldn't make the loan payments on the money it borrowed to achieve this hostile takeover)

Fiat bought Ferrari.

Ford bought Land Rover and Jaguar, then sold both of them to Tata, an Indian car company.

Everyone buys everyone. Eventually. GM, Chrysler, Mercedes. Toyota doesnt have to be a niche car maker only...but they ought to make a few niche market vehicles along side their mainstream cars. This way they can be the automaker for everyone.

 

[jlmilligan]

Everyone buys everyone. Eventually. GM, Chrysler, Mercedes. Toyota doesnt have to be a niche car maker only...but they ought to make a few niche market vehicles along side their mainstream cars. This way they can be the automaker for everyone.

X2 - Thats is why they made the FJ Cruiser. I just think it would be nice to move the 4runner in the FJ direction rather than the sequoia direction. On one side you have the 2 door FJ and the 4 door 4Runner, on the other you have the Rav4, Highlander, and Sequoia.

 

[GatorGreg]

So what if there is no v8, they are making v6 engines with more HP every single year. In 10 years they will have a v6 w/ 400 HP.

I wouldn't mind having the GT-R's V6 in a 5th gen T4R

VR38DETT – 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged 24-valve V6;
each engine hand-crafted by its own master technician in a clean-room environment
Horsepower – 485 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm
Torque – 434 lb-ft of torque @ 3,200–5,200 rpm
Cylinder bore x stroke – 95.5 x 88.4 mm
Compression ratio – 9.0:1
Top speed – 193 mph
Maximum engine speed – 7,000 rpm
Emissions – 50 State LEV2/ULEV

 

[sven]

So what if there is no v8, they are making v6 engines with more HP every single year. In 10 years they will have a v6 w/ 400 HP.

First off, torque is much more important than horsepower in an SUV. And you don't have to wait 10 years for a 400HP V6, the technology is available today. Just look at the Ford EcoBoost engines with direct injection, and twin turbos. The 2.0L 4-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engine has 230 HP and 240 lb-ft torque. The 3.5L V6 Ford EcoBoost engine has 355 HP and 350 lb-ft torque. And the torque curve is flat as a table with the full 350 lb-ft available from only 1500 rpm to 5250 rpm! If Ford decides to make a 4.0L EcoBoost V6, it will probably have around 400 HP and 400 lb-ft torque.

The problem with Toyota is that it keeps it's new engine tech upmarket in its Lexus brand for years until it finally filters down to Toyota engines. Lexus engines have had direct injection and Dual VVT-i for years. Only now are Toyota engines finally getting Dual VVT-i. Why didn't Toyota put direct injection into the 2010 4Runner's new 4.0L V6 to further bump up the HP, torque, and MPG numbers? Both Ford and GM already have engines with direct injection. And I haven't heard anything about Toyota adding turbo charging to their future engines.

 

[Alex1911]

The problem is that the term "off road" is subjective. On here, to many, it is true off roading; crawling over rocks, hauling around the desert, crossing streams, and going through mud pits etc... Stuff where one would want and possibly need a winch, skid plates, lockers, lift, etc.

In my case (and I would say many others as well) don't require that level, true "off road" is a niche market.

"Off road" in my case 4wd is to be able to get out of the beach sand (or yank someone out of the beach sand) or when I do down unimproved dirt roads after it rains. I need higher ground clearance than a car, but not a lift. More durable tires than a street car.

Everytime a car marker starts doing the "off road" comment, I get nervous. They are going to turn off the daily driver crowd, but it will never be as good as what the true "off road" crowd wants.

I see very few FJ's around here FWIW, they couldn't give them away when they came out.

 

[qs933]

This way they can be the automaker for everyone.

That would make Toyota just like GM: attempting to meet the need of every market and satisfying none.

You can't please everyone or meet every need. That's just a given with products that are mass-produced.

A little over a month to go. I can't wait.

 

[elemint]

Good. This bigger is better obsession with the V8 is just childish. There is not a 6 that cannot do what an 8 can in 99.9% of situations.

I Unfortunately, it's official now: no V8 for United States.