We recently bought a 2010 limited v6 4Runner 6 months ago. I currently have a 2004 v8 sport edition with oversized tires, a 2006 stock height limited v8 and a 2004 SR5 v6. Our family loves 4runners I guess! I just got back towing a 2400 empty pound travel trailer from St George ut to Salt Lake City. Speed limit is 80 mph I kept the truck at 80- 85mph most of the way no trailer attached I was getting 14 mpg unloaded no trailer on the way to st George. Horrible. On the return trip with the 2400 pound trailer heading back to salt lake going up in elevation it really struggled to go any faster than 60mpg unless I kept downshifting to 3rd avg grade, It would move like a raped ape in 3rd but once it upshifted to 4th you could tell 4th was far to tall as RPMs and speed immediately dropped. Very annoying, It was a late night tow and of course after 9+ hours there and back I wanted to get home. Getting passed by diesels like I’m stopped. It was 50- 60 mpg or less the entire way unless on flat or Downhill or if I’d rev the crap out of it in 3rd on hills watching gas gauge plummet to stay 65-70. It just kept gear hunting 3-4 far more than any v6 I’d towed with before.
I usually tow with my v8s but my wife likes the comfort of the 5th gen and I thought what the heck. Never again! Probably took years off it’s life with all the gear hunting.
The new v6 auto tranny is awful for towing they geared far to high in 4 and 5 trying to achieve 22mpg rating, sure I can achieve 19 -20 all day long if I’m under 70 but I didn’t realize how much it would kill the rating to go 80-85. I didn’t realize how effortless the v8 power made a long trip.
Until I towed with this thing,
What’s beyond me is the 4Runner has always been known as a legendary off road vehicle for active outdoor enthusiasts. Most people into those activities are going to be towing and have extra gear. It seems Toyota is more concerned about appeasing the epa and putting 20 inch wheels on to keep more people on the road than off it. Since we’ve owned it I’ve felt it was pretty gutless unless you floor it then it’s fine. Ive read countless posts stating you just have to press the pedal harder. The truth is the motor does have good output for its bulky weight. It’s just the gearing, the throttle mapping and the torque curve or usable power band is sub par. Sure it will get the job done towing and is fine unloaded but if your looking to tow anything other than a utility trailer def get an older 4th gen v8 or v6. Even my 04 v6 towes amazing.
