5th Gen 4Runner Trail Premium - What's your Experience?

Cytronus

Cytronus

New member
Howdy 5th Gen Trail Edition Premium (TEP) owners. I'm considering moving from my 3rd Gen Limited to a 2014-2016 Trail Premium with the goal to outfit it with 33" shoes and a 2.5" - 3" ICON Stage 6 lift while keeping KDSS in place. Other additions: Skids, K9 roof rack with Eezi-Awn Rooftop Tent, Warn Undercover Winch, Dual Air Compressor, Dual Batteries, and rear fridge and storage system.

For me, the appeal of the TEP over other models are its Softex faux leather seats, for easy cleaning vs fabric, heated seats, moon roof, e locker, crawl control, terrain selection and KDSS.

For all you TEP owners, especially those who've done a lift, what's your experience been so far? The good and bad? Bonus if you can compare to past 4Runners, especially the 3rd Gen.

Some questions I have include:

How does the faux leather seating seem to be holding up/wearing?
Has your lift affected KDSS negatively or caused a bad lean?
What's your MPG with 33" tires or close to that size?
Any odd noises, particularly at highway speeds?
Any electrical or mechanical issues?
Personal likes, favorites and dislikes?
Overall experience and happy owner?
 
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How does the faux leather seating seem to be holding up/wearing?

Holding up great 10,000 miles and 20 months in. Looks new.


Any electrical or mechanical issues?

Had one minor issue, the passenger airbag sensor, but it was not an issue, my wife weighs right under 100lbs, so it seemed to not set it off. Dealership said it should set it off, and it worked fine when I took it to them, but they said they reset the system, and it has worked fine since.

Personal likes, favorites and dislikes?

Love it, it handles great, better than I thought it would. I cannot think of any dislikes about it. As a note, I am not even a Toyota fanatic/loyalist, this is my first one.

Overall experience and happy owner?

100% satisfied. Mine is stock, plan on keeping it that way.
 
Mine will be 1 year old in two weeks, I just rolled 11K miles last week. No complaints so far. The Softex interior is easy to keep clean. It looks brand new, I clean it monthly with the Meguiars Leather Conditioner . The 4WD system works great, the truck handles like a sports car. I do not have KDSS as Gulf States Toyota cannot spell KDSS.

I did not purchase it with plans to lift or run Moab, I can assure you, purchased it for mild off roading and Toyota quality. I also went with the Trail edition for the manual 4WD lever, had my fill of the Ford vacuum systems. Went with the Premium for the NAV, sunroof and Softex.

I do not see myself ever using the sophisticated Crawl Control and MTS, but it is there if I ever need it.

IF I had to do it all over again, I would possibly go with the SR5 Premium, knowing Toyota quality, I am sure their knob controlled 4WD systems are much better than Ford.

Now that I have the truck and looking at all of the builds on this forum, I am looking at the Toytec and ICON web pages more and more, possibly a mild lift is in the future. Will not go with any tires larger than 275.

Great truck, will run it for a long time.

77
 
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25,000 miles, 1.5 years, KDSS equipped.

No issues at all other than the door locks have had a small issue on the driver door (fixed) and recently the passenger door (not fixed). Warranty covered the door lock on the driver side already.

Love the truck and I have had no mechanical problems or off-road issues.

Faux-leather looks fantastic. I sell used cars for a living every day at a major dealership and the 4runner is still nicer than 90% of what I sell.

I'm an extremely happy and satisfied owner. I have found myself lusting after a new Tundra but it has nothing to do with the 4runner. I just like Toyota Trucks.
 
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Here's my story. I daily drove an 07 jk rubicon on long arms for almost 7 years and while I loved it my needs began to change, mainly the desire for a safer and more comfortable ride for longer road trips. My friend has a 3rd gen lifted on 33's and after the first ride with him out in the desert's of AZ, and seeing how capable it was, I began asking myself why I was still in a jeep.

I picked up a 2013 trail edition with kdss and installed fox coilovers and radflo 2" rear springs, tepui rtt, sliders, fridge, etc etc. In my opinion kdss is awesome for a non lifted vehicle but it does present some non-insurmountable challenges when modifying suspension, it's kinda a pain in the butt at times but it is very well designed. My biggest gripe was the decreased ground clearance under the front diff and funky leans when loaded. I performed all the equalization methods mentioned on the forum but it still would lean oddly at times. I would'nt say it's a deal breaker cause the lack of body roll on road was amazing.

I then cycled through an fzj80 and new 2016 tacoma. The taco was great but after a weeklong trip in canyonlands my brother and I were both wanting the comfort of the 5th 4Runner back.

On the drive back from Utah I was pretty much settled on a base sr5, knowing I could add real leather and a locker if needed. Kdss also limits the potential for long travel suspension later on down the road if wanted (both front or rear). After numerous test drives I ended up with a limited. My time with the fzj80 made me realize how much I prefer full time 4wd with a center diff, to me it more than made up for the lack of kdss. It also comes with real leather and heated/ventilated seats. Moreso and this is entirely personal, I much prefer the satin silver dash of the limited/sr5 over the gloss black of the TEP. In the end it was a pretty easy choice.

Not having crawl control is a downside but I'm rarely in deep sand which is the scenario I'd see myself needing it. A winch or maxtrax should take care of that potential predicament if it occurs.

In the end I don't think you can really go wrong either way. I imagine you'll be happy regardless with the improved interior space and comfort appointments, and all 5th gens benefit from a rugged, evolutionized tried-and-true powertrain.

Longstory short, I'm a huge fan of kdss for non lifted vehicles, to me it makes a huge difference. Once you start putting performance shock absorbers on I think it becomes more of a wash, and not having to deal with those kdss pistons when performing suspension work is a big plus, not to mention the additional front ground clearance afforded. That's my experience though, and I think those wanting the added benefit of kdss have a perfectly reasonable arugement that I'd never contest.. These are just my experiences and thoughts. I'd say spend some time behind the wheel of all models before settling on any one in particular. Also, I know there's numerous threads on kdss here that you may consider reviewing.

Oh, and no weird noises, mechanical issues, or electric issues specific to the trail edition I had.

Hope that helps, I look forward to seeing your build!
 
Now, this is for the softex as I have an SR5 premium not the trail, but I love the softex, especially if you have kids or a dog. I haven't had to use anything more then some water on a microfiber towel to get out anything that has been put on it. It's also cooler in the heat then you would think for a synthetic leather (actually cooler then any leather I've ever encountered without ventilated seats) and that's in South Florida heat. I've only picked cloth seat options because I hated leather, but I gave it a chance and I couldn't be happier with it!
 
This is for the Crawl Control which I dont have but [MENTION=120701]Cymon[/MENTION] and I have seen it in action on a 16' Trail at Rausch Creek Offroad park. Very impressive! If I hadnt put all these mods on mine, I seriously might be looking to trade it in.
That alone is worth looking in to. Good Luck!
 
How does the faux leather seating seem to be holding up/wearing? --- with ~1 year and ~10K miles it is holding up just fine, no issues whatsoever.

Has your lift affected KDSS negatively or caused a bad lean? --- Nope, no lean here (that I couldn't correct with adjustment of the coils) but installing the front was a little more of a PITA because of the KDSS. Worth it though.

What's your MPG with 33" tires or close to that size? --- ~15 combined

Any odd noises, particularly at highway speeds? --- Nope

Any electrical or mechanical issues? --- Nope

Personal likes, favorites and dislikes? --- too many to list but the go anywhere (for the most part) aspect of it as well as the toyota reliability. A few small gripes that are related to toyota feature offerings but I knew this 100% going into it.

Overall experience and happy owner? --- so far so good.
 
How does the faux leather seating seem to be holding up/wearing?
Has your lift affected KDSS negatively or caused a bad lean?
What's your MPG with 33" tires or close to that size?
Any odd noises, particularly at highway speeds?
Any electrical or mechanical issues?
Personal likes, favorites and dislikes?
Overall experience and happy owner?
Click to expand...

I've had mine for slightly over a year. I'm sitting in my office surrounded by boxes of suspension components that I'm planning to install in the next few weeks. I wanted to give it a year and see what it was capable of out of the box--- I'm glad I did.

The softex wears great. Passengers rave about it. Some days I tell them it's not real leather, some days I just keep my mouth shut. The softness really seems to fool a lot of people. Wet microfiber cloth does the trick. Dog hair doesn't seem to be attracted to it at all.

I haven't had experience with a lift and KDSS just yet, although I'm in the camp that doesn't really care if it leans a bit. I don't have the inclination to run around my vehicle with a tape measure, and my driveway is uneven to begin with. It if leans, I'll back it in and it will lean the other way.

KDSS is amazing on the highway. A month in to ownership I had to swerve around an animal at highway speed and my passenger (a car guy) went on and on about the lack of body roll. It was pretty amazing actually. I believe the benefit is just giant swaybars at highway speed. It's VERY nice having that stability on the road though.

I get poor mileage with E rated 265 BFG KO2's. 16-17 mpg. I can't get anywhere close to 18-20+ that people on this forum seem to be getting with skids and roof racks and stadium lighting on their rigs, and I drive like an old lady.

Had an odd noise at highway speed that was intermittent.... like a windy day would set it off. It was the plastic clips that hold the aprons in the wheelwells. 5 minute fix, never came back.

No electrical or mechanical issues-- and more importantly, it comes out of 4x4 when I throw the lever.... No more staring at a blinking green light on a dash waiting for a vehicle to come out of 4x4. The ADD takes a second to engage/disengage, but it's very quick.

likes:
The sad look on a highlander owner's face when you roll that back window down.

Dislikes: Oil change is a rigmarole. I have 8 free ones with the dealer, so I guess I won't be changing oil for a while.

Overall a very happy owner. I take this vehicle everywhere. There's no stopping it, except for my clearance, which has not really been an issue for me
 
So I have both. I have a 2015 TEP, and I have a 99 SR5 that has been modded. Haven't had the dough to mod my 15, and won't until I can afford to order the things I'm really wanting. Like you I'm looking at icon stage 6/7 with the fully click adjustables. I have had mine for a little over a year, mgm. I towed a 10 foot enclosed trailer with my girlfriend and I's belongings for 18 hours. I treat my vehicles like what I intend on using them for. I don't baby my TEP, but I take care of it. That said, it's really only been down dirt roads. The softex has held up awesomely, and doesn't feel like it gets quite as hot as the leather. One of the things I like. The TEP is great for adventuring if it's more than you and your s/o. We have two dogs and us, as you know a full weekend of camping/wheeling can quickly fill your 3rd gen up. One of the things I like about my 5th, gives me room to pack what we need, plus give the dogs some space. We have a German shepherd and mal mix.

All in all man, I would say if you could get away with it, keep the 3rd gen. You will enjoy having it, I still find all kinds of ways to have fun with mine. Plus it's my DD. Then you can build up that TEP to be an awesome trail rig, and before you know it you'll have two!
 
Cytronus said:
Howdy 5th Gen Trail Edition Premium (TEP) owners. I'm considering moving from my 3rd Gen Limited to a 2014-2016 Trail Premium with the goal to outfit it with 33" shoes and a 2.5" - 3" ICON Stage 6 lift while keeping KDSS in place. Other additions: Skids, K9 roof rack with Eezi-Awn Rooftop Tent, Warn Undercover Winch, Dual Air Compressor, Dual Batteries, and rear fridge and storage system.

For me, the appeal of the TEP over other models are its Soft tech leather seats, for easy cleaning vs fabric, heated seats, moon roof, e locker, crawl control, terrain selection and KDSS.

For all you TEP owners, especially those who've done a lift, what's your experience been so far? The good and bad? Bonus if you can compare to past 4Runners, especially the 3rd Gen.
Click to expand...

How does the faux leather seating seem to be holding up/wearing?

Good so far, even in extreme heat and sun exposure.

Has your lift affected KDSS negatively or caused a bad lean?

Nope, I'm at a mild lift with ~1.5"

What's your MPG with 33" tires or close to that size?

on 265/70/r17 BFG KO2s and aggressive driving I'm at 15.58 MPG

Any odd noises, particularly at highway speeds?

TRD intake, URD y-pipe, magnaflow muffler, ko2s, and crossbars with roof mounts don't exactly contribute to a quiet ride.. the 5th gen 4runner has better noise insulation than a '12 Taco access cab, not as good as the '16 landcruiser 200. So its 'decent'

Any electrical or mechanical issues?

1 year, 15k miles, nothing so far (knock on wood)

Personal likes, favorites and dislikes?

Pros: Crawl control, e-locker, moonroof, nice and practical console layout
Cons: Nothing major, but if I can quote the wishlist then: More torque, a 6th gear..

Overall experience and happy owner?
Yes!

A note on KDSS: For a stock 4runner in everyday driving, the handling difference is considerable. However, it does seem to be quite firm on washboards or higher speed offroading as the system seems to be fighting against independent suspension movement. I am no expert, but would not feel comfortable pushing KDSS beyond a 3" lift
 
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On a semi-related note: you don't need that much lift to fit some 33" tires. I'm running 1.25" of lift in the front and have 33" ATs. Awesome combo, and just got back from a 1,000 road trip heavily loaded with a bike rack on the back and got >20mpg.

I get that you may be after more travel, improved ride, load capacity, etc with the lift you called out, but just wanted to add my $0.02.

Oh, and KDSS is awesome. Just ask the 200 series Cruiser guys, it has been stock on all of those since 2008.

Dan
 
"My biggest gripe was the decreased ground clearance under the front diff and funky leans when loaded."

[MENTION=96425]JSparky[/MENTION], great story and info. How does KDSS decrease ground clearance under the front diff? I thought KDSS had the reservoirs and fluid lines above the swaybars and axels.

Thanks again for the input. Hugely appreciated.
 
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Cytronus said:
"My biggest gripe was the decreased ground clearance under the front diff and funky leans when loaded."

[MENTION=96425]JSparky[/MENTION], great story and info. How does KDSS decrease ground clearance under the front diff? I thought KDSS had the reservoirs and fluid lines above the swaybars and axels.

Thanks again for the input. Hugely appreciated.
Click to expand...

The front sway bar is located differently with kdss, clearance under the front diff is decreased to allow the sway bar to articulate down when the system "disengages" at slow speed offroad. If you go to the dealer and crawl underneath both models it'll be really obvious. Toyota does it differently on land cruisers, the system is tucked up high.
 
Cytronus said:
Oh wow, interesting. I had no idea KDSS allowed the sway bar/stabilizer to sit lower than a non-KDSS. That sounds like a major flaw. Any idea what the clearance difference is?
Click to expand...

Trade off maybe, flaw is a stretch. KDSS is really, really good if you are going to prioritize on-road handling at all. A lot of good comments here on the trade offs, but man I like KDSS more and more every day. Driving my wife's SUV (highlander) in the corners compared to my 4Runner is starting to become a little nauseating.
 
Do the non-KDSS Trail skids tuck up any higher than the KDSS version? My recollection is that they don't. Look at the TRD skid plate; it can be cut out to allow for KDSS sway bar articulation, so it doesn't sit any higher than my stock KDSS skid plate.

Dan
 
brake dive

brakes are very touchy . push down slowly no braking then it suddenly brakes too much . I told the sales guy the brakes are not good . he said it is normal. I was thinking he sells cars I repair vehicles don't seem good to me. so I drive it 500miles and I go easy on the brakes break in time. well I was on the hywy and I had to hit the brakes hard due to the traffic coming to a quick stop. the rear end wanted to keep going the front did stop good. well that made me bleed the brakes today . the passenger side rear caliper was full of air. .. went for test run brakes normal now to ME!..

now I have light braking when I push down a little and when I push down harder the both front rear brakes stop evenly .

other than this brake issue now fixed , the T4R pre seems good .
 
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