6th Gen 4Runner Predictions!

[1engineer]

I love all the comments about blind spot monitor, lane departure alert, auto high beams, automatic braking, etc. being for people who "can't drive and who should learn how to operate a vehicle."

Time for some of you to step into reality - many of these technologies are small features that can be turned off with a button, and they actually have significant advantages in the real world. Glancing down to grab a bottle of water or change the radio and the car in front of you makes an abrupt stop - auto braking beeps and alerts you before rear ending them. Driving in the middle of the night and at 2AM, your eyes start to get heavy - lane departure wakes you up before you veer into the other lane or worse. You're in stop and go traffic and someone flies up beside you in your blind spot when you were preparing to merge - blind spot beeps and flashes, keeping you from smashing up your quarter panel. Etc.

If you don't like these technologies, that's fine, but you need to realize that:
1) No next generation 4Runner is coming without TSS+ because those technologies are part of what will make a 6th gen 4Runner a viable production vehicle and business case to the average consumer.
2) Just because you don't like these technologies doesn't mean there's not a real world advantage to having them.
3) People who like these technologies can probably drive just fine and have already realized their value while you have probably not.

I enjoy DRIVING a vehicle. I don't want one to drive it for me.
Yes, I know the safety features are coming and are already here on many vehicles. Yes, I know I will have to have them if I want a new vehicle. Dude, I'm not stupid.

I also never want to get to the point where I am so useless and dumb that I need a self driving car because I am too unskilled to operate a motor vehicle properly.

 

[philsey]

I follow this thread out of curiosity and amusement/entertainment, but speculating on the 6th gen is fruitless, actually. Although I fear [MENTION=48413]Quentin[/MENTION] could be right.

You Diesel Dreamers are the best (worst) example, and every single one of you has his head in his arse from a business standpoint. Regardless of whether Toyota sells diesels anywhere else is totally irrelevant to the business case in the U.S.

As [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] continually reminds us, TMC cares not a whit about the coolness a few of you attach to owning a diesel. They care, rather, if it will sell .... profitably .... long enough to make an ROI that will please the shareholders. Period. And it won't, no way, not even close. Period.

I've owned a passenger-car diesel, and it's like black paint: never again.

 

[Gecko]

I enjoy DRIVING a vehicle. I don't want one to drive it for me.
Yes, I know the safety features are coming and are already here on many vehicles. Yes, I know I will have to have them if I want a new vehicle. Dude, I'm not stupid.

I also never want to get to the point where I am so useless and dumb that I need a self driving car because I am too unskilled to operate a motor vehicle properly.

Have you driven any of the newer Toyota products with TSS+? They don't take driving away from you in any aspect, nor are they self driving at all. Just simple reminders or helpers for the day-to-day, and all of them can be turned off.

I love to drive, I like to drive fast, I off road a bit, sometimes I drive aggressively... and I thought that all of those technologies would be like big brother, numb the experience, I'd hate driving, fun would be taken away, etc.

In execution, none of those things were true from my experience across a few Toyota, Lexus and Subaru products. We have a 2016 Highlander with the Driver Tech package which is essentially what TSS+ became in 2017... love it. The technology is as simple and easy to use as turning your lights on and off.

I get there being a fear of "I like to drive, and this is taking it away from me" because I felt the same way, but all I can say is that it doesn't work like that at all in execution.

 

[Simpleman74]

[MENTION=139682]Simpleman74[/MENTION] I'm happy you are an attentive driver, but you aren't paying attention to what I said! I don't crave all the safety features because I can't drive without them. I want them on all vehicles because I don't trust the average driver to attend to the task. But heck, we only have about 10,000,000 road accidents and 35,000 vehicle deaths in the US each year.

So, I grant you are an outstanding driver. You are still safer if all those other people around you have the little blinky lights. And so are they.

Every now and then, someone posts a photo or two of their 4Runner after it has been totaled and the occupants walk away. The front end is completely destroyed, but it crumpled and nothing penetrated the firewall. Or every single air bag deployed in a rollover, but the pillars held. Invariably, someone will comment "She's totaled, but she did her job."

All those new-fangled, nannyish blinkies? They're just part of the job. Welcome to the world of overcrowding and bad roads.

perhaps mass transit is better suited for you. at least you can blame someone if an accident occurs.... personally I dont want a vehicle to control braking, lane departure etc....

 

[mscot]

I've owned a passenger-car diesel, and it's like black paint: never again.

I love my diesel. It drives great and has been far more durable than what every car rag associates with VW. Tons of power. TONS. And decent-ish gas mileage around town.
It's just a shame that had to cheat to put it on the street.

I gave up on looking for a diesel replacement, though.

 

[Moonbandit]

I am on the " NO NANNY sensors " camp on my vehicles for sure.

For future 4Runners, to desire these nanny sensors will kill off the 4runner and turn it into just another AWD crossover, which there are already plenty of!!

So to desire these nanny features is ANTI - 4Runner in a sense. :mad2:

Apples and oranges. AWD Crossover safe family transport vs raw muscular rugged all terrain vehicle.
Some peeps think they are the same, but those peeps can't tell the difference between a motorcycle and a scooter:brick:

Everything is becoming soft and feminized and filled with " SAFE SPACES " so not to trigger emotions or anxiety or harm. And women control the car market to a huge extent, happy wife happy life -- equals manufacturers cater to what women want ---> crossovers... which is fine for them.

But let the 4Runner keep it's rawness and balls for f*^%'s sake!! :guitar2:

 

[Quentin]

I liked the blind spot/cross traffic alert in the RAV4 we had for a few years. Not having it available on the 4Runner was clearly not a deal breaker, though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Throwback]

From a business case perspective the 4Runner in it's different trims seems to be doing fine. I see a ton of Trails, even more SR5s, and a few Limiteds. So even as it stands today the average 4Runner buyer doesn't seem turned off by the rugged utilitarianism of the basic truck from what I can see.


4Runners will continue to sell with the vast majority being base models, just like the Jeep Wranglers do. People generally don't go Jeep or 4Runner shopping because they like sideways reverse backup sensors or whatever.


My 6th Gen prediction? Slight body/fascia and wheel changes, just like all of Toyotas other vehicles. Tweak the headlights, taillights, grill, and wheels, and keep all the trim packages the same year after year and the cars sell great.

Although maybe they'll roll out a Hybrid model...

 

[NuclearN8]

Not that my opinion matters, but I think the 6th Gen won't be released until late 2019 and a 2020 model.

I'm sure we'll see some minor tweaks to the aesthetics of the 4R in 2018 and 2019 but the bigger changes, like powertrain, will likely happen in 2020.

The 2018 4Runner should be announced/released in the next few months and I am betting on a new front fascia to accomodate the front facing camera which will now be standard like all other Toyota models.

Other than that, same vehicle and it will continue to sell like ice in the amazon because it has no competition in the segment.

 

[RedBlueRed]

First off, new the the forum! Great place to get/share info and opinions. love it!

This is absolutely absurd. I hope you realize just how dumb it is to think a manufacturer is going to add a bunch of wire and attachment points for modifications that may never be used. Car manufacturers are very purpose oriented and if its not being used when it rolls off the factory floor, its simply not even going to be put into the vehicle. That goes even for OEM options that are not standard on all trim levels of the car for instance puddle light wires are not present in all 4runners because only the Limited uses them. Would it be great? of course. Is it a reasonable prediction or probable addition? absolutely not.

I don't know that I would totally disagree.. I mean shoot the Raptor's come with Aux switches built in specifically for you to wire accessories like lightbars and winches to (off the floor they are useless until you wire them up). So I don't think its that ridiculous of a statement.
______________________________________________________________

Why do some of you guys want so many gizmo's????!!!

Blind spot detector, smart radar back up cams, Reverse cross traffic alert
Panic braking?!?! :lasercannon:
:vader:


They will just break and add frustration + COSTS. The 4Runner costs what it costs because it is well made, not because it has bullpoop sensors.

The more people want these minivan/crossover features - the LESS it will become a 4Runner - it is why crossovers killed true SUVs! You want a crossover? Buy one.

Want those features? get a Sienna or a Highlander / or any other AWD crossover, great vehicles.

Please stop trying to cut off the 4Runner's balls.

No offense meant to anyone... peace.

I wouldn't necessarily say they would ruin the 4runner with some of these safety features. Honestly wouldn't be surprised if they were all mandatory in the next couple years. I mean look the Reverse camera, that used to be a luxury feature and now its mandatory starting next year.

That being said, I do enjoy the ruggedness of the 4runner. Thats what drew me to them. I would hate to see them destroy it with gimmicky "luxury" features.

 

[NoDak]

Well since I posted this in the general thread I will repost here.

Toyota timeline for new generation vehicles.

Fall 2018 : 2019 Model year
Rav4
4Runner
Avalon

Fall 2019 : 2020 Model year
Highlander

Fall 2020 : 2021 Model year
Tundra
Sequoia

 

[Ryan1975]

Well since I posted this in the general thread I will repost here.

Toyota timeline for new generation vehicles.

Fall 2018 : 2019 Model year
Rav4
4Runner
Avalon

Fall 2019 : 2020 Model year
Highlander

Fall 2020 : 2021 Model year
Tundra
Sequoia

Source?

 

[Ryan1975]

4Runners are at 53,098 on the year - on pace to set another new year record. 5th Gens will outsell 4th Gens by October.

 

[radical_reabster]

1. SUV
2. 4.3l V6 with 6 or 8 speed auto
3. n/a
4. SR5, Trail, Pro, Limited, Platinum
5. $30k to $50k

 

[JayceeP]

That seems a little suspect. 2021 for the Sequoia? 13 model years? I think Tundra and Sequoia will lose to the big 3 for sure. The Sequoia is a dinosaur already and I'm contemplating going into a Yukon/Tahoe etc because of it. I'll get one a year old for $20k off MRSP and spend a couple g's on extra warranty if I have to. The depreciation is only bad because of first year incentives, it flattens out after years 1 and 2 and offers way more creature comforts and technology.

Anyway sorry for the side rant but I was hoping for a new Sequoia generation sooner than later. :cry2:

 

[absalom]

That seems a little suspect. 2021 for the Sequoia? 13 model years? I think Tundra and Sequoia will lose to the big 3 for sure. The Sequoia is a dinosaur already and I'm contemplating going into a Yukon/Tahoe etc because of it. I'll get one a year old for $20k off MRSP and spend a couple g's on extra warranty if I have to. The depreciation is only bad because of first year incentives, it flattens out after years 1 and 2 and offers way more creature comforts and technology.

Anyway sorry for the side rant but I was hoping for a new Sequoia generation sooner than later. :cry2:

A dinosaur? By who’s bizarre metric is the 2nd gen Sequoia considered a dinosaur?

Also, let me ask you this question; would you rather own a 15 year old GMC product or a 15 year old Toyota?

 

[alphabeast]

It warms the cockles of my heart every time I see this post resurrected.

 

[JayceeP]

A dinosaur? By who’s bizarre metric is the 2nd gen Sequoia considered a dinosaur?

Also, let me ask you this question; would you rather own a 15 year old GMC product or a 15 year old Toyota?

Let's not turn this into Toyota vs. XYZ. If you didn't notice, I own a 4Runner. I'm just saying the Sequoia is ugly and so is its interior. The outgoing 2017 had an interior that looks like it belongs in a 2004 that had an after-market Nav system added to it. The 2018 is just a bit of lipstick. Do I want to own a GM? Not preferably. Do I want to trade in my 4Runner for a $50-70,000 truck that hasn't been updated in 10 years (Sequoia) or one that hasn't been changed much in 8 years (4Runner)? Not really. So, I either wait a couple years for a new Gen, or go elsewhere to get features that should be in a 2018. There shouldn't be anything about this that you find offensive.

For $70,000 in 2017:

 

[absalom]

Let's not turn this into Toyota vs. XYZ. If you didn't notice, I own a 4Runner. I'm just saying the Sequoia is ugly and so is its interior. The outgoing 2017 had an interior that looks like it belongs in a 2004 that had an after-market Nav system added to it. The 2018 is just a bit of lipstick. Do I want to own a GM? Not preferably. Do I want to trade in my 4Runner for a $50-70,000 truck that hasn't been updated in 10 years (Sequoia) or one that hasn't been changed much in 8 years (4Runner)? Not really. So, I either wait a couple years for a new Gen, or go elsewhere to get features that should be in a 2018. There shouldn't be anything about this that you find offensive.

For $70,000 in 2017:

You've literally made several posts trying to sell us on GM products in this Toyota-specific thread which discusses predictions for the upcoming generation of 4runner.

Want a Tahoe? Cool, go buy one. Just don't understand why you need to share your inner monologue in this specific thread.

 

[JayceeP]

You've literally made several posts trying to sell us on GM products in this Toyota-specific thread which discusses predictions for the upcoming generation of 4runner.

Want a Tahoe? Cool, go buy one. Just don't understand why you need to share your inner monologue in this specific thread.

If you define 2 posts as several then, sure, guilty on making several posts... One of which was in reference to how small the 4Runner feels after having a baby (with other posters agreeing with my comments and some making friendly suggestions on other vehicles). I then followed that up by a rental experience with a Yukon. Once again, sorry to offend you and for expressing my experience with a rental. The other was in reference to speculations of re-designs being several years out still and me, admitting it in the post, side ranting. Anyway, why do you care? I mean, you've really gone out of your way considering both of those posts were made in April and June. You, and now me, have just added a useless page of side commentary.