Choose Between 4th Gen and 5th Gen 4Runner

[PredBlue]

In response to lukewarm demand for yet another poll question (although I reluctantly accept the challenge of putting a target on my back for doing this :gun5, this poll gives us a chance to put some numbers behind the huge volume of comments in favor and against the new 2010 5th Generation 4Runner. Rather than break down each option or standard feature, styling preference or wish list item you wanted to see on the new 4Runner, this poll is designed to give us some numbers on whether we think Toyota is "moving forward" or "moving backward" on the 5th Gen redesign.

Here's the deal: You are in the market for a new 4Runner and you have to get one. You can't say "I'll just hold on to my old one" or "I think I'm going to buy a different brand". It's a forced choice between the two options in the poll question. You've got one group of 4th Gen and one group of the new 5th Gen, both groups which literally just came off the line as pristine, brand new vehicles. You can choose any trim level and option it up or keep it to the base model if you choose, the full color palate is available and there are no geographic limitations to stock to keep things as even as possible between the two generations of 4Runner. Whatever trim level, engine combo, option was available in the latest 4th Gen 4Runner is now available to you, and any advertised new 2010 5th Gen is likewise avaiable in front of you. Keep pricing the same so you don't try to say "if it's a 4th gen, there must be some incentives to clear the stock" or something like that. Toyota is giving you this rare opportunity to buy either a brand new 4th Gen or brand new 5th Gen because you are a member in good standing of toyota-4runner.org, but once you make this choice, this is the vehicle you will be driving for the foreseeable future. For the purposes of this poll, this is your last chance to ever buy a brand new 4th gen and the 5th gen as you see it now will NOT be receiving a mid-model refresh. Make your choice wisely because you're going to have to live with your decision. Assume that 5th Gen reliability is on par with previous 4Runners to eliminate that variable.

4th Gen: V-6 Multimode Torsen Center Diff (4WD in any conditions), V-8 Full Time 4WD Torsen Center Diff (4WD in any conditions), integrated antenna in glass, Proj headlights, LED tails, etc. (you know the rest)

5th Gen: L-4 2WD, V-6 Full Time 4WD Limited only, Part-Time 4WD in TE and SR5 (4WD NOT on high traction surfaces) wire fender mount antenna, regular headlights and tails, new styling, Party Mode stereo, Rear locker, KDSS and Crawl Mode TE only, XREAS Ltd. only, finger pull gas lid, 20" wheels std. on Ltd, etc.

Note: Yes I know that none of us actually have a 5Th Gen yet so in some regards it may be hard to make a completely informed choice so early, but there is plenty of info out there, videos, pics, reviews, specifications, etc. It's a poll. It's a message board. It's not life or death, just a question so if you don't want to, you don't have to vote. Also, I realize that Canada gets full time 4WD across all trim levels, and the US gets full time 4WD on the Limited only, part time 4WD on SR5 and TE, but for this poll let's assume it's the US avaiable packages ONLY (no offense to our northern friends), just to keep things simple. Also, nothing against previous generations of 4Runners but the comparison between the 4th and 5th is because simply the 4th Gen was the latest version, and the general concept is that each subsequent version of a vehicle is supposed to "improve and build upon success" of the previous version---and that, again, is the basic purpose of this poll: Is Toyota succeeding or failing with the redesign in terms of what you would purchase given the choice.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

What poll?

 

[PredBlue]

What poll?

It was there, then gone, now back again.

 

[ToyTech99]

I actually searched for the last week or so for a brand new '09 on dealer's lots within 500 miles of my house. There's hardly anything available. Most dealers have none is stock and the ones that do only have one Limited with a sticker price of $40K or slightly above. Finding a Sport Edition is nearly impossible. If I could have found an '09 Sport Edition 4wd in Galactic Grey, I would have purchased it in a heartbeat. Oh well...

 

[GMZ]

I actually searched for the last week or so for a brand new '09 on dealer's lots within 500 miles of my house. There's hardly anything available. Most dealers have none is stock and the ones that do only have one Limited with a sticker price of $40K or slightly above. Finding a Sport Edition is nearly impossible. If I could have found an '09 Sport Edition 4wd in Galactic Grey, I would have purchased it in a heartbeat. Oh well...

I also looked for one within 500 miles and found only 1: a GG SE V6 4x4 new at a dealer in MD but it was sold the day before I contacted them.

 

[Chadillac]

Personally, I chose the 5th gen. Coming from a '98 4Runner, I'll just say that the 4th gen never really seemed to catch my eye like the 3rd gen did. But I really like the exterior and interior styling of this new 4Runner.

However, I am dissapointed to see the disappearance of the center diff and the V8 option. The center diff sounds like it would be great for someone like me that lives in eastern Idaho and drives in the snow almost 5 months out of the year, but we've always seemed to manage with the part-time 4WD system in our current 4Runner. I'm excited just to have stability and traction control. You never miss what you never had I guess.

 

[Climb14er]

Locally in Denver, there's one new 4Runner 2009 V8 Sport loaded White for approx. $37500.00 at a Toyota dealership. That's the only 4Runner I've seen in some time.

 

[thequickad]

choice is clear, buy the V8 while you can, no V8 in 2010.

 

[PredBlue]

Bump.

To answer and clarify a couple of questions I received, my first post in the thread outlines the parameters of the poll question (i.e., it's a brand new 4Runner of either generation, and NOT keeping your old 4Runner vs. buying brand new). Hope that helps.

Let's see if we can get a few more votes.

 

[PredBlue]

Thanks for voting, it's been about two weeks and activity on the poll looks to be done. Currently at 55% 4th gen over 45% 5th gen.

Although far from scientific, it looks like our small sample size shows a preference for the 4th Gen. Obviously the group opinion of the deletions of equipment/features between models (as highlighted in the 5th Gen Deletions thread), the loss of the Torsen CD, engine choice, styling, perceptions that the new 5th gen is less vehicle than the 4th, etc. were proven in the results of this small sample size poll.

The question I was trying to answer and get some rough numbers behind it was:

Is Toyota succeeding or failing with the redesign in terms of what you would purchase given the choice.

Although not tremendously decisive, I guess for the small number of people who voted the answer is "fail". I honestly thought the numbers would be reversed even though there has been a huge number of negative comments on the 5th gen. I would think as a car company, Toyota would hope for a fairly lopsided leaning toward the 5th Gen over the 4th, even acknowledging that there is always a group for any model redesign that prefers the previous generation vehicle. My "outside observer, never worked for the auto industry, don't know crap about the inner workings and decision making processes of Toyota" opinion is that Toyota has a problem here with the 5th gen. If you can't get the current 4Runner owners excited about the redesign, then you are risking your relationship with this small, loyal core group.

Having said that, there is only one true measure of success or failure for Toyota to consider: Will people buy the new 5th Gen 4Runner.

Perhaps. But I guess it won't be us.

 

[Uneek]

Having said that, there is only one true measure of success or failure for Toyota to consider: Will people buy the new 5th Gen 4Runner.

I mentioned in another thread, I would call the 5th a "failure" because it will not sell in the same numbers over it's entire generation compared to the 4th. However, another member pointed out, the entire market is shifting away from SUVs and towards more fuel efficient vehicles.

With that said, I think the best way to determine the success of the 4Runner is compare the 5th gen's numbers against the 4th gen's as percentage sold within its class. Hypothetically speaking, if the 4th gen had 10% of the mid-size body on frame market, the 5th succeeded if it captures more than that. This should account for market shift (reduction in total number of vehicles sold), but for buyers who want a SUV, are they still buying the 4Runner over its competition?

Only time will tell.

 

[nighthawk]

If I can go back in time, I would get a brand new 2000 SR5 V6 manual. The 4Runner has not had the same appeal to me ever since they dropped the manual tranny.