A what if question

chunderboy

chunderboy

New member
Just curious to see what you guys would think.

If it were available, and at an obviouis premium, would you guys buy a hybrid 4runner?
 
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mmm, if it really did get super good mileage for being such a big truck. Otherwise, might as well get a small hybrid.
 
If it would yield just as much HP/TQ. I would really need to drive one.. but hybrid trucks for off road? hmmm..
 
Yea, i def don't think that it could produce the same results on off road situations, but as far as HP and TQ i would totally buy it. Even if it were at a small 5k premium
 
It wou'dn't make sense for me, but I'd be happy to see Toyota do it if they thought they could do a good job on this type of vehicle. AFIK, all the consumer hybrids so far are unibody-type, car or car-like vehicles.

For me, I don't drive enough to ever have it make sense. In-city mileage would probably go from 16-17 MPG to about 23-24 MPG. Highway mileage might not improve significantly.

And then there's the extra compelxity and potential for pricey repairs, even if the engineering is solid.

Hybrids are at their best for low-speed, stop & go driving. There have been some successful bus hybrids, and I keep waiting for things like delivery and garbage trucks (which are constantly burning fuel to burn up brakes) to go hybrid. That might be the best return on investment.
 
Absolutely I would. The new 2006 Lexus 330 is going to produce 270 hoarses with the new hybrid Suv. 270 Hp, does that sound familiar to all you V8 owners? The torque is another matter. I've been told the torque is like 240 or something. Don't quote me because I haven't done any research, but I don't see any downside to this. More hp and plenty of torque and a substantial increase in mpg. Sign me up.
 
Usually hybrids are a lot more expensive than regular fuel vehicles and it takes years for the money saved in fuel costs to offset the extra premium you're paying for the vehicle.

So, if you plan to keep the truck for a long time then it may be worth it. If the truck performs as well as a regular fuel on/off road then I'd definitely get it. I'd only get it also if the maintenance is similar to a regular 4Runner as I'd rather not pay $3000 for a flux capacitor or similar part.
 
It may not be that long until we see a Hybrid V6 4Runner, the RX, Highlander have hybrids and the GS300 will soon have a hybrid motor, their all V6

I was reading an article or Lexus press release that stated the Lexus vehicle with Hybrids, especially considering price are gonna be more like M or AMG cars, after the initial price shock drops off and they start putting them in all the lower priced cars then it will make more sence to by a hybrid.

I've read in Forbes and Money Magazine that the hybrids like the Prius will need to be owned for 7 years before the owners start to collect saving on the hybrid parts they wanted to pay extra for.

Consider that hybrids are being sold for crazy markup, the RX400h in some places is going for sticker and 10k down just to get into it;):
 
MicaBlue03 said:
Yeah, but $3000 for a flux capacitor is way better than $5000 for an oscillation overthruster!
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I don't really care for the hassel of where a flux capacitor can take you!

Were I in a financial position to be able to afford one: Heck YEAH!!!
 
I agree with all of you -- would definitely look at it. We're already talking about the Camry replacement being a hybrid, and it should still be 2 years before we replace it.
 
If they can increase the mileage significantly and not charge too much of a premium, I think I'd consider it. But, I highly doubt Toyota will be producing one soon since it'll take away some of the capabilities of the 4Runner. The RX400h isn't meant to go off road because something (I think it's a battery pack) is air cooled and needs suffient air that slow offroading can't provide.
 
tkr128 said:
If they can increase the mileage significantly and not charge too much of a premium, I think I'd consider it. But, I highly doubt Toyota will be producing one soon since it'll take away some of the capabilities of the 4Runner. The RX400h isn't meant to go off road because something (I think it's a battery pack) is air cooled and needs suffient air that slow offroading can't provide.
Click to expand...

I just realized my cell phone battery and lap top heat up really hot, frying eggs hot, I wonder how the batteries are gonna do, I was sitting in manhattan traffic, took 20 minutes to go a block, my temp read out said 130 degrees with the windows open I felt like a pizza oven from the heat coming out from under the truck.

I'll wait and see if they start blowing up;):
 
Considering the latest info on the hybrid's shows that when you use the front window defroster or airconditioning, your gas mileage drops down to the 18-21 mpg range; having a hybrid T4R or other SUV in anyplace else than perhaps San Diego would defeat its purpose -- who can run without a/c in the summer in the South, or not use their defroster in the winter in the North?
:driving:
 
Hybrids in Virginia can drive in the HOV at ANYTIME even if there is only the driver and no passengers. I think its BS, but I believe that won't be allowed any longer.
 
Maybe in 10 years time. I dont think hybrid technology is ready for towing/offroad type use yet. The Lexus hybrid specifically is not build to go offroad, apparently the rear electric motors require aircooling and is not supposed to be used extensively at low speeds.

Electric motors are so much better than gas engines when it comes to towing and offroad as it supplies a massive amount of torque from 0-1000 RPM and doesn't need engine speed to move you forward. However batteries suck compared to gas for energy vs weight.
 
A hybrid, now? Probably not. Too complex and untried in the strenuous towing I do a lot of.

Now if they offered a modern diesel like our MB E320 CDI, yes indeed I would buy one. Quiet, very economical and oceans of torque. Very appropriate for a quality SUV like the 4R.
 
The RX400h & Highlander Hybrid are gonna carry a premium price of $5000-$8000 ontop of what an already fully loaded model would cost, so for the RX your looking at 50k and the Highlander will be above 40k.

So if a Hybrid 4Runner hit the market that would be 45k for it, the RX will probably be a better sale at 50k, the Highlander does not look so great
 
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