Lexus GX470 is the same size as 4runner. You're telling me that any 4runner interior is BETTER than the old GX? :smashputer: Real wood, ultra-quiet, nice leather, Mark Levinson sound system, better headroom...still not good enough? You like 4runner interior...because?
I am not talking about GX460 (new/current one).
You want V8. You want FT4WD with 4LO. You want raw suspension without any extra stuff (XREAS, KDSS). You drive long distance. You want something same size as 4runner. Hmmm, sure sounds like GX470!
Sorry, i am not going to question you anymore...your call. Good luck in your search.
The GX470 and 4th gen V8 both get 14 mpg city/ 18 highway (2007). The combined mpg is 1 lower for the 470 for some reason. The 470 is just a bit heavier than the 4runner, so that might be why.
If you want reliable and reconsider getting something new, you have a chance of finding a GX470 with low miles that was driven by a grandma. It's harder to find that in a 4runner, though there are a lot more 4runners out there.
Yeah, xreas might be a $2000 system, but if you're willing to pay the premium for a limited model just to get fulltime 4wd, then it doesn't matter what xreas costs. If you can get it out in one piece, you can sell it to someone that needs it and recoup some of the cost of the limited.
Fulltime 4wd has all the benefits of a part time system since you can lock the center differential if you want (off road). You don't get 2wd mode, but you don't need is since there's almost no downside to leaving it in 4wd all the time with a center differential. Maybe a slight efficiency loss, but it's debatable. Most of the rotating parts are moving anyway whether it's in 2wd or 4wd.
4wd doesn't matter much for driving on roads. It's nice to be able to accelerate without wheelspin, but for turning and braking it makes little difference. I was going too fast down a snowy mountain pass last weekend, and VSC kicked in to keep me from hitting the guard rail. In that situation 4wd helps so you can get engine braking on all four wheels and not have to ride the brakes, but it doesn't help much with keeping the car on track.
Fulltime 4wd is nicer to drive on roads. You don't have to worry about changing conditions, and it handles normally on dry and slippery pavement. With the center differential locked I tended to get understeer on snow, except when I really pushed it and got oversteer. I have a 4th gen V8, and locking the center differential turns off VSC. With it unlocked, it generally steered where I wanted it to go with some help from VSC. If the 5th gen part time models keep VSC on in 4wd, it would be interesting to compare one of those to an identical 5th gen fulltime. Or maybe the 5th gen fulltimes keep VSC on when you lock the center differential. I'm not familiar with the details of those systems.
A larger engine is definitely nice for high altitude mountain passes in Colorado. In general you loose 3% of your power for every 1000 feet of elevation. There are some passes around 12,000 feet here, so you could lose up to 36% of your power. At 12,000 feet you're down to about 173hp in a 5th gen, or 166hp in a 4th gen v8. A prius has some advantage since the electric motor doesn't care about altitude, as long as it has enough battery power to keep it going for the climb. Forced induction also has some advantage at altitude.
Sorry.