Going from 4ThGen '06 SportED to 2018 TRD Pro

[jcage89]

Greets all,

Been a long while for me since I visited the forum (used to post a lot at beginning of my '06 Sport Edition ownership). I have run up 110k miles on the 06 Sport and still going strong. My dad has been wanting a rig like mine and I am considering letting him have it for the second half of its life while picking up a new 4runner. I'll try to keep this concise but Forgive me if this rambles a bit as I get my thoughts out.

I have been watching the TRD Pro trims for the past three years and really like the aesthetic which would be 80% of the impetus for me personally buying that trim. I do drive unpaved mountain roads for hiking and skiing in the northwest (my '06 does just fine with this) but am not an off-road fanatic. I have not followed through with this purchase yet because I am disappointed (as are many posters here and YouTubers) with the lack of love that Toyota shows these TRD Pros on many modern amenities.

The things I love on my 06' Sport... 1st and foremost That it is a 4runner, but also the natural light and feeling of "openness" that my sunroof provides, the pillow-like ride for daily HWY driving afforded by my XREAS sport suspension, the 4wD performance on mountain roads and snow when needed (very low percentage of usage but clutch when I do). I have also modded it with Kenwood DNN990HD AV system inc BluTooth/steering control and backup cam so it essentially has all the electronic amenities of the newest 4runners. I also added Ultra Goliath's with Toyos to have better performance and black wheel aesthetic.

So why switch to a new one? Well again, my dad wants one and won't buy a new one so he could have mine which is in very good condition. But in many ways based on what I've seen and read, for what I personally need, I would feel like I'm almost stepping backward with a New TRD Pro 4runner. I know many off-road fanatics would have an entirely different set of priorities with the TRD Pro CRAWL, suspension and wheel/tire setup but not huge for me.

My reason for buying one would be to stick with a 4runner which I love but also the TRD Pro Aesthetic and unique color (I like the Cavalry Blue this year). FOr that, I give up the sunroof (I know I could get a TRD Premium w/roof and dress it up like TRD Pro but not in Cavalry Blue). I have investigated options for aftermarket roof on TRD Pro (and saw poster here who did it) but something about hatcheting my new rig's roof and headliner for a non-OEM roof concerns me.

Then there is the suspension setup on TRD pro vs. my Xreas on my '06 Sport. I did drive a 2018 TRD Premium with KDSS and that felt very much like my beloved XREAS setup but no dealer will let me drive a TRD Pro to compare the ride because whenever they are on a lot locally, they are already spoken for and dealer won't allow test drives. So only way it seems for me to drive a TRD Pro would be to put my name on this list and wait for it to come in making the decision then to buy it based on driving it that day.

Other things that disappoint me regardless of 4runner trim on 2018 TRD's are the use of Halogens in the year 2018 when everything else is LED now (ridiculous), lack of any safety electronics such as blind spot/pre-collision, etc. which are understandable in my 06 4runner but not in this day and age in a $45k rig when even inexpensive cars have it now. My wife's '14 Cherokee has all that stuff and it helps sometimes but really the adaptive cruise afforded by the forward proximity sensor is AWESOME for long trips. Annoying that Toyota doesn't show the love there on these 4Runner trims. Another small annoying thing I noticed is the simple pop-open gas cap hatch that anyone can walk up to your TRD Pro and easily open your gas cap? Even my '06 Sport Ed has a interior gas cap hatch release lever to pop open the otherwise somewhat secure Gas cap hatch. Uhhm? why take it away when it was previously there on non-limited trims unless trying to budget. Also my '06 sport has a nice self-latching rear hatch that is missing on all the new 4runners I have seen... Why?

It seems my dilemma is dropping $50k (lovely sales tax in my state), on a rig missing all these basic comforts and features just because it is a 4runner.

Not sure what the question is here but any comments by those who made this similar choice and how you feel after owning your TRD Pro or those who can help me by sharing their opinion of the TRD Pro's ride as a daily driver compared with XREAS 4th gens or even KDSS equipped 5th Gens since I drove one of these (I know KDSS suspension debates are a can of worms and much a personal pref thing but since I can't seem to drive a TRD Pro for myself I'm curious what others think).

SOrry for long-ish ramble here but appreciate thoughts and advice.

JC

 

[philsey]

Greets all,

Been a long while for me since I visited the forum (used to post a lot at beginning of my '06 Sport Edition ownership). I have run up 110k miles on the 06 Sport and still going strong. My dad has been wanting a rig like mine and I am considering letting him have it for the second half of its life while picking up a new 4runner. I'll try to keep this concise but Forgive me if this rambles a bit as I get my thoughts out.

I have been watching the TRD Pro trims for the past three years and really like the aesthetic which would be 80% of the impetus for me personally buying that trim. I do drive unpaved mountain roads for hiking and skiing in the northwest (my '06 does just fine with this) but am not an off-road fanatic. I have not followed through with this purchase yet because I am disappointed (as are many posters here and YouTubers) with the lack of love that Toyota shows these TRD Pros on many modern amenities.

The things I love on my 06' Sport... 1st and foremost That it is a 4runner, but also the natural light and feeling of "openness" that my sunroof provides, the pillow-like ride for daily HWY driving afforded by my XREAS sport suspension, the 4wD performance on mountain roads and snow when needed (very low percentage of usage but clutch when I do). I have also modded it with Kenwood DNN990HD AV system inc BluTooth/steering control and backup cam so it essentially has all the electronic amenities of the newest 4runners. I also added Ultra Goliath's with Toyos to have better performance and black wheel aesthetic.

So why switch to a new one? Well again, my dad wants one and won't buy a new one so he could have mine which is in very good condition. But in many ways based on what I've seen and read, for what I personally need, I would feel like I'm almost stepping backward with a New TRD Pro 4runner. I know many off-road fanatics would have an entirely different set of priorities with the TRD Pro CRAWL, suspension and wheel/tire setup but not huge for me.

My reason for buying one would be to stick with a 4runner which I love but also the TRD Pro Aesthetic and unique color (I like the Cavalry Blue this year). FOr that, I give up the sunroof (I know I could get a TRD Premium w/roof and dress it up like TRD Pro but not in Cavalry Blue). I have investigated options for aftermarket roof on TRD Pro (and saw poster here who did it) but something about hatcheting my new rig's roof and headliner for a non-OEM roof concerns me.

Then there is the suspension setup on TRD pro vs. my Xreas on my '06 Sport. I did drive a 2018 TRD Premium with KDSS and that felt very much like my beloved XREAS setup but no dealer will let me drive a TRD Pro to compare the ride because whenever they are on a lot locally, they are already spoken for and dealer won't allow test drives. So only way it seems for me to drive a TRD Pro would be to put my name on this list and wait for it to come in making the decision then to buy it based on driving it that day.

Other things that disappoint me regardless of 4runner trim on 2018 TRD's are the use of Halogens in the year 2018 when everything else is LED now (ridiculous), lack of any safety electronics such as blind spot/pre-collision, etc. which are understandable in my 06 4runner but not in this day and age in a $45k rig when even inexpensive cars have it now. My wife's '14 Cherokee has all that stuff and it helps sometimes but really the adaptive cruise afforded by the forward proximity sensor is AWESOME for long trips. Annoying that Toyota doesn't show the love there on these 4Runner trims. Another small annoying thing I noticed is the simple pop-open gas cap hatch that anyone can walk up to your TRD Pro and easily open your gas cap? Even my '06 Sport Ed has a interior gas cap hatch release lever to pop open the otherwise somewhat secure Gas cap hatch. Uhhm? why take it away when it was previously there on non-limited trims unless trying to budget. Also my '06 sport has a nice self-latching rear hatch that is missing on all the new 4runners I have seen... Why?

It seems my dilemma is dropping $50k (lovely sales tax in my state), on a rig missing all these basic comforts and features just because it is a 4runner.

Not sure what the question is here but any comments by those who made this similar choice and how you feel after owning your TRD Pro or those who can help me by sharing their opinion of the TRD Pro's ride as a daily driver compared with XREAS 4th gens or even KDSS equipped 5th Gens since I drove one of these (I know KDSS suspension debates are a can of worms and much a personal pref thing but since I can't seem to drive a TRD Pro for myself I'm curious what others think).

SOrry for long-ish ramble here but appreciate thoughts and advice.

JC

Yeah, well, you've done your homework. So what'll it be; color or features?

I say keep your '06 and buy Pops a used 4R.

 

[Lionel_Hutz]

If you think you're annoyed with Toyota's decisions on the Pro now, just wait until you actually try to buy one. :bash:

It took me over a month of searching to find a dealer who had one and would sell for MSRP. Most West Coast dealers are charging $5-12k markups and still have waiting lists 6 months long. Yet Toyota isn't willing to increase production (or police dealer price gouging, like most manufacturers do with limited editions now).

For me, I think it's worthwhile. The Pro isn't a luxury car or a techy crossover, it's a special edition time capsule that should outlast almost everything else on the road. If you question whether there's a market for cool, basic trucks like that, just look at what people are still paying for D90s.

I also think it should have HIDs at the pricepoint, but that's a $150 aftermarket fix. Don't care about or want the sensor suites.

 

[RusPro17]

I will add a few things here. I traded my 2015 TRD Sport double cab in on my 2017 TRD Pro. One thing more use with the 4Runner taking my two dogs and more room with friends in the back. I did all mods on my Tacoma took them off and sold them. I did not want to do that again. I like how the Pro looks and rides. I don’t plan on modding it. I did not want a sunroof. One thing comparing head lights. My 4runner lights are bright. I don’t need the high expense of those led’s there putting in these cars today. My wife has a 2015 Acura tlx. She has been driving Acura for a long time. It has all the bells and whistles with braking alarms and blind spot alarms. She hates them and so do I. I did not want them in my 4runner. She is already looking to go back to a 13 or 14 TL just so you don’t have all thoses alarms. If you keep your car for a long time and something goes wrong it will cost a lot to fix. Recently my friend that has a car garage and does all my maintenance work on my vehicles was telling me how a lot of the dealerships around my area are looking for mechanics but they are having a hard time to find them because the newer vehicles guys don’t want to work on them. There making all the newer vehicles so much more advanced they are harder to work on. This is just my thoughts on things. Good luck on your decision.

 

[jcage89]

I will add a few things here. I traded my 2015 TRD Sport double cab in on my 2017 TRD Pro. One thing more use with the 4Runner taking my two dogs and more room with friends in the back. I did all mods on my Tacoma took them off and sold them. I did not want to do that again. I like how the Pro looks and rides. I don’t plan on modding it. I did not want a sunroof. One thing comparing head lights. My 4runner lights are bright. I don’t need the high expense of those led’s there putting in these cars today. My wife has a 2015 Acura tlx. She has been driving Acura for a long time. It has all the bells and whistles with braking alarms and blind spot alarms. She hates them and so do I. I did not want them in my 4runner. She is already looking to go back to a 13 or 14 TL just so you don’t have all thoses alarms. If you keep your car for a long time and something goes wrong it will cost a lot to fix. Recently my friend that has a car garage and does all my maintenance work on my vehicles was telling me how a lot of the dealerships around my area are looking for mechanics but they are having a hard time to find them because the newer vehicles guys don’t want to work on them. There making all the newer vehicles so much more advanced they are harder to work on. This is just my thoughts on things. Good luck on your decision.

Thank you for this. I think the biggest thing I will miss to be honest is the sunroof. I really enjoy that personally. So for you the TRD drives nice as a daily driver? Not rough or loud with the grapplers in hwy driving? Also the suspension does well on HWY? not too soft or nose dives in breaking/turns? I wish I could determine these things for myself to compare TRD Pro with my '06 Sport XREAS setup but like I said, no dealers will let me drive TRD Pro.

Thx

JC

 

[Horsethief]

I think the reason the 4R is missing all the newer safety tech is that this vehicle was last majorly redesigned in 2010. Ya the front end and dash is different from 2014 on, but as far as I know all the mechanical bits are the same. So in buying a new 2018, you're essentially buying a 8 year old vehicle.

Since yours has such low miles, you could always wait a year or two till the next generation of 4R comes out, and perhaps then it will have the features you desire.

It's a shame that other than the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (new for 2018), there are really no other options for this type of SUV in this price point.

If you like the open air so much, you might want to take a look at the new Wrangler. You can't get much more open air than that! They even have a power top available now.

 

[jcage89]

I think the reason the 4R is missing all the newer safety tech is that this vehicle was last majorly redesigned in 2010. Ya the front end and dash is different from 2014 on, but as far as I know all the mechanical bits are the same. So in buying a new 2018, you're essentially buying a 8 year old vehicle.

Since yours has such low miles, you could always wait a year or two till the next generation of 4R comes out, and perhaps then it will have the features you desire.

It's a shame that other than the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (new for 2018), there are really no other options for this type of SUV in this price point.

If you like the open air so much, you might want to take a look at the new Wrangler. You can't get much more open air than that! They even have a power top available now.

Thanks for the advice, unfortunately my wife would be too Jealous if I got the Wrangler (she used to drive one before we had kids) plus I love Toyotas too much. Probably you're advice about waiting another few years is the wisest if I am hung up on the safety tech. But as for the roof or the locking cap, power hatch, etc, I am just disappointed that Toyota has removed or restricted previously (and currently) available amenities on previous year and other current year trims from being an option on TRD Pro.

Oh well.

JC

 

[Speeder757]

Get the TRD Pro you’ll love it. I just bought a 2018 myself. The safety features are an annoyance and I am glad they don’t have them. Constant beeping and false alarms. Power tailgate isn’t needed as it pulls down super light already and one less thing to break. I’m not fond of keyless go or keyless entry either as it eats thru key batteries constantly.
What I would like to see is better lights, better stereo/nav, more power, and better gas mileage. Regardless I have had numerous high end German cars (still have one) and im having the most fun with the 4Runner and enjoy driving it the most right now.

 

[MissouriBreaks]

I traded an FJ Cruiser to get my Pro and I have to say that I am impressed with the ride of the Pro over the FJ. I also like the look of the Pro over the standard models and the only real mod I have done is to add sliders.

The only noise complaint about the tires I have had was from a friend who was riding in the back seat. I do not notice the noise in the front.

As for color, if you are stuck on the blue or the odd colors that are unique to the Pro, then get the color you want. I went with the Red and I am happy with the color choice.

 

[RusPro17]

Thank you for this. I think the biggest thing I will miss to be honest is the sunroof. I really enjoy that personally. So for you the TRD drives nice as a daily driver? Not rough or loud with the grapplers in hwy driving? Also the suspension does well on HWY? not too soft or nose dives in breaking/turns? I wish I could determine these things for myself to compare TRD Pro with my '06 Sport XREAS setup but like I said, no dealers will let me drive TRD Pro.

Thx

JC

Your welcome, It is hard to explain the difference in the ride. I had bilsteins 5100’s on my Tacoma lifted it rode and handled good. I have had friends in my 4runner and they said how nice it Road. The first time my wife road in it she was like I could drive this every day. She’s loves it. The only thing I wish Toyota did was as put a wider wheel on it. Instead of the 7 inch TRD wheel I feel it ne d the 8.5 which I had on my Tacoma with stealthcustomwheels. The wider wheel makes it handle better around the turns. Down the road I might be putting them on again. The Nittos ride great. I have always had Toyota truck but I will take the 4Runner Pro over my Tacoma. I hope this helps.

 

[wsgoat]

I just did what your thinking about doing, only I went from an '05 sport to a '17 Pro. One of the biggest reasons I grabbed the Pro, is that it still has the bullet-proof engine and transmission combo that has proved to be so reliable since it was introduced in 2003. I didn't want to chance waiting for a gen-6 and finding that it had the 3.5, that's currently in the taco, and no longer a BOF vehicle. I enjoy wrenching on my vehicles, so the lack of tech on the gen 5 was a plus. I don't miss the sunroof at all. I'd much rather have the additional head-room....FYI Canadian Pro's come with the sunroof, for the heck of it you might want to inquire with a dealer across the border if a sunroof is a must. When the xreas failed on the sport, I replaced it with bilstein 5100's. The 5100's ride just as nice as the xreas at fraction of the price. I am getting around 1.5 mpg less with the Pro than I get with the sport....I attribute this to the higher stance the Pro has and the Nitto's, but I just turned 4k miles so I might see some improvement in the mpg's. Go to the Toyota dealer and put a deposit down on a Cavalry....if you absolutely hate it after taking delivery, you will be able to sell it for as much, or more, than you paid for it. Good Luck!

 

[jcage89]

Thanks everyone
JC

 

[jcage89]

I just did what your thinking about doing, only I went from an '05 sport to a '17 Pro. One of the biggest reasons I grabbed the Pro, is that it still has the bullet-proof engine and transmission combo that has proved to be so reliable since it was introduced in 2003. I didn't want to chance waiting for a gen-6 and finding that it had the 3.5, that's currently in the taco, and no longer a BOF vehicle. I enjoy wrenching on my vehicles, so the lack of tech on the gen 5 was a plus. I don't miss the sunroof at all. I'd much rather have the additional head-room....FYI Canadian Pro's come with the sunroof, for the heck of it you might want to inquire with a dealer across the border if a sunroof is a must. When the xreas failed on the sport, I replaced it with bilstein 5100's. The 5100's ride just as nice as the xreas at fraction of the price. I am getting around 1.5 mpg less with the Pro than I get with the sport....I attribute this to the higher stance the Pro has and the Nitto's, but I just turned 4k miles so I might see some improvement in the mpg's. Go to the Toyota dealer and put a deposit down on a Cavalry....if you absolutely hate it after taking delivery, you will be able to sell it for as much, or more, than you paid for it. Good Luck!

Perfect feedback. Just what I was looking for. Next best thing to my own impression is to hear another owner who basically had my rig tell me the Pro is as comfortable a ride as the SPort for daily driving so thanks for that. Do you know if there are any other diffs in Canadian model aside that Toyota graced them for whatever reason with a roof option on their Pros?

R/E Roof I have actually put aftermarket roof in my 350z but that is different as it was spoiler roof in much smaller car. Shop that did it said TRD Pro would require complete hatchet to replace rigid OEM headliner with "free floating" matching material. Also whereas opening for OEM roof is stamped out with rounded factory finished edges, the aftermarket is cut and basically gasket around edges. I did it when I was in my 20's on a $30k track Z but I think not again on a $50k 4runner.

Thanks again

JC

 

[rageandlove]

Perfect feedback. Do you know if there are any other diffs in Canadian model aside that Toyota graced them for whatever reason with a roof option on their Pros?

Yes. They get puddle lights and the flashing lights on the front of the mirrors too, for whatever reason.

I had a TRD Pro on order for 2 months but Jan 1 I cancelled that and bought a TRD OR Premium w KDSS instead. It's an amazing vehicle. I drove a friends w KDSS and it was enough to change my mind.

Good luck.

 

[303FAIL]

I've owned an '07 Sport V6 w/XREAS, a '16 Trail Edition Premium w/KDSS, and currently drive a '17 TRD Pro. Hands down the TRD Pro is the best all around vehicle of the 3. You already know about all the options that the TRD Pro comes with. From experience the ride quality of the TRD Pro is my favorite. It's great for daily driving. I honestly can't tell a difference in body roll from my Trail Premium w/KDSS. And the TRD Pro just feels right in the amount stiffness hitting bumps in the road street driving. If you want the best out of the box T4R the TRD Pro is the way to go from the experience that I've had with my 3 T4Rs. And you won't miss the sunroof, the specialness of having a TRD Pro will make you forget about it.

 

[jcage89]

I've owned an '07 Sport V6 w/XREAS, a '16 Trail Edition Premium w/KDSS, and currently drive a '17 TRD Pro. Hands down the TRD Pro is the best all around vehicle of the 3. You already know about all the options that the TRD Pro comes with. From experience the ride quality of the TRD Pro is my favorite. It's great for daily driving. I honestly can't tell a difference in body roll from my Trail Premium w/KDSS. And the TRD Pro just feels right in the amount stiffness hitting bumps in the road street driving. If you want the best out of the box T4R the TRD Pro is the way to go from the experience that I've had with my 3 T4Rs. And you won't miss the sunroof, the specialness of having a TRD Pro will make you forget about it.

Once again, great feedback, thanks. I've been driving around my '06Sport for the past month with the sunshade drawn hoping I wouldn't miss the daylight from above but I just can't convince myself I won't miss it. I've had a sunroof in every vehicle I've ever driven so it's kinda' hardwired into me I guess. I bet you're right about the uniqueness of the Pro being worth it but I suspect I'll still miss the roof and can't help being perplexed why Toyota would make such a seemingly needless reduction in feature completeness for USA when it is still being offered to Canadian market. It would at least compute if TRD Pro off road hardware cost was being offset by eliminating roof and such to maintain price point but that doesn't seem to be the case so it now just seems arbitrary that the USA models are restricted from these features and that is annoying. Also annoying is the simple things I mentioned before present on my '06 Sport like the latching gas cap hatch which are absent from nextgen models 12 years newer. Argh.

JC

 

[Nick800]

I went from an '07 V8 sport to a '18 TRD Pro. Couldn't be happier. Would not go back if you paid me.

 

[jcage89]

I'm starting to believe that you'd be happier driving a PT Cruiser around town...as long as it had a sunroof.


...

Pass on the Pro and let someone appreciate it for what it is, not what it isnt.



.

Thanks for your feedback but r/e PT Cruiser, seriously Doubt it. Just because I like daylight from above doesn't mean I don't appreciate what the pro is designed for or how well it does it. I am a 4runner owner for over 10 years and couldn't be happier. Doesn't mean I can't want a sunroof too. Also doesn't mean I can't question or express frustration in apparently arbitrary move to offer it in one market and not another. Also I'm not the first to express these things.

Nonetheless, I appreciate what you've added (especially your thoughts earlier in this thread about 2018 possibly being the last chance for anyone to pick up this tried and true build) and really does give me something to think about. Wish you the best.

JC

 

[TacoRunn0517]

If the sunroof is that important, get a TRD Off-Road or Limited. I used to have a sunroof and my previous vehicle but now I don't. As much as I would've wanted one in my TE, it wasn't a deal breaker for me. And my biggest thing is now when I buy a vehicle is to consider the following: how can I avoid non-scheduled maintenance? Of course its impossible but NOT having a sunroof is one less thing I have to worry about breaking ha.

 

[Timberlinhvo]

Once again, great feedback, thanks. I've been driving around my '06Sport for the past month with the sunshade drawn hoping I wouldn't miss the daylight from above but I just can't convince myself I won't miss it. I've had a sunroof in every vehicle I've ever driven so it's kinda' hardwired into me I guess. I bet you're right about the uniqueness of the Pro being worth it but I suspect I'll still miss the roof and can't help being perplexed why Toyota would make such a seemingly needless reduction in feature completeness for USA when it is still being offered to Canadian market. It would at least compute if TRD Pro off road hardware cost was being offset by eliminating roof and such to maintain price point but that doesn't seem to be the case so it now just seems arbitrary that the USA models are restricted from these features and that is annoying. Also annoying is the simple things I mentioned before present on my '06 Sport like the latching gas cap hatch which are absent from nextgen models 12 years newer. Argh.

JC

If the sunroof is important to you like it is for me, go with the TRD Off-Road premium. In regards to off road capabilities/options, it’s the same as the Pro. Fresh out of the box, the Pro has better suspension and different accents. The accents do make a world of a difference though which is why I forked over a good amount of money to get my hands on the aesthetic pieces. Sure, owning a Pro has that exclusivity factor, but is that more important than having a sunroof? It wasn’t for me because I knew I was going to upgrade the suspension to Kings, Fox or Icon regardless if I got the Pro or not. I actually stumbled on a white TRD Pro with 12K miles for $38K (an steal in my eyes) in my 10 month search for a white Trail Premium. I passed on the TRD Pro because I really enjoy having a sunroof that much. That feeling when the sunroof is open along with the 5 other windows is awesome, which I am sure you can relate to. Today as she sits, I have a TRD Pro (looking) 4runner with Bilstiens all around. (black TRD wheels, front fascia, front and rear black valances, and TRD shift knob). I’m still working on the suspension piece but you know how that goes -- cha-ching $$$$$. In the end, you can’t go wrong with either choice.