Thoughts on 2010 model

PredBlue said:
Not sure the best place to post this, but I guess this thread will work... <SNIP>
Surprised I actually got a response, and even more surprised that the response actually addressed my concerns (in the full email). I would have predicted either no response, a general form letter, or Toyota trying to up-sell me into something else. Hey, at least they didn't tell me to stick it!!
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i emailed the contacts in the original Toyota press release and Toyota Corporate directly and got similar responses to what you've posted here. they were similar but not identical—not a boilerplate. i hope that bodes well that Toyota is genuinely listening to and parsing this feedback from current 4Runner owners.
 
I guarantee that Toyota will offer a V8 and offer the torsien diff at a later date but it's funny how some people are so up in arms over it and are writing the new 4Runner off especially when alot of the complainers probably aren't even close to buying a new 4Runner anyway and if it's that bad then just milk another year or two from your 4th gen.

I wonder what the percentage of 4th gens are V8 and V6s since I'm sure Toyota based some of their decisions on previous gen sales just like how the 5 speed disappeared from 4Runners 9 years ago since the demand for it vs cost obviously meant it's demise along with a rear locker til the '09 TE and will continue to be an option.
 
hrudu said:
The V6 is more than adequate for what you do!!!
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Well how nice they have made a new vehicle that you agree is merely "adequate" for my uses.

I am really shopping for something that is closer to ideal, like the 2003 V8 AWD 4Runner I have now - but newer with an updated style. I don't see many 2009 Trail with v8 AWD for sale, and even if I did, the exterior is almpost identical to my current rig.

And so my heart and money still long for a V8 AWD with locker. Or maybe a Ford Raptor as I mentioned, though I will be the first to tell me that I told you so if it turns out to be another low quality Ford build. I am nervous about the Ford, but I will still have a yota for back up.

To RonMaiden, all I can offer is I am readyto buy now, and for important tax reasons want to take delivery of a new vehicle by Dec. 31, 2009 so waiting a year or two for Toyota to get the build features correct is not feasible - I am not likely to buy a new vehicles again for 6 or 7 more years.

I wish I liked the Nissan V8 pathfinder more.

M
 
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Yeah,I understand your need to buy right now since ypu've been with your ride for quite a while so yes,it would suck if you have to choose another route but Toyota will address the shortcomings of the new 4Runner by next year is my bet but that doesn't do you any good.

And it's unfortunate the '09 TE only comes in the V6 flavor.
 
RonMAIDEN said:
it's funny how some people are so up in arms over it and are writing the new 4Runner off especially when alot of the complainers probably aren't even close to buying a new 4Runner anyway and if it's that bad then just milk another year or two from your 4th gen.
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i'm definitely in the market for a new 4Runner and i can only speak for myself when i say that i'm not exactly writing it off; i do intend to test-drive when they hit the dealer lots. but i'm hesitant about getting a new one at this point.

and i think the point (you're missing) is that when a major automobile manufacturer like Toyota launches a completely redesigned vehicle in a markedly contracted market segment into a dirt-slow economy, the last thing they want is current owners "complaining" and resigning to "milk another year or two" out of their current vehicle. people should be positively inspired to upgrade. my 2¢.
 
ToyTech99 said:
You might want to give the newest generation units another try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. My buddy just picked up a new Acura MDX with factory navigation and we were playing around with it the other day trying to make it not understand our commands by using various accents. I was simply amazed at how hard it was to make it mess up. We tried everything from a Boston accent, to a strong southern drawl and it seemed to work equally well the whole time. Now I have to admit that we didn't try any type of Asian accents, so I can't say anything about that, but still, the system was very receptive to accents in general.
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Yeah, that is what i have heard, esp. the SYNC system from Ford/Microsoft. However, my wife's Acura TSX (base model) and my 2008 Sienna's voice control is awefully inadequate. To be honest, my accent is not too bad, but my wife's Acura picks it up only about 60-70% of the time...my Sienna about 20-30% of the time. :(
 
RonMAIDEN said:
I wonder what the percentage of 4th gens are V8 and V6s since I'm sure Toyota based some of their decisions on previous gen sales just like how the 5 speed disappeared from 4Runners 9 years ago since the demand for it vs cost obviously meant it's demise along with a rear locker til the '09 TE and will continue to be an option.
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That would be my guess to. Toyota marketing is not stupid to get rid of something that is a hot seller.
 
RonMAIDEN said:
I wonder what the percentage of 4th gens are V8 and V6s since I'm sure Toyota based some of their decisions on previous gen sales ....
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I wish it was easy to find that data, but I'm not sure where to look. Either way, I'd bet my left nut that the V6 FAR outsold the V8 every single year both were available. And in the later years ('08 & '09) of the 4th gen, the numbers were probably so lopsided in favor of the V6 that it would be almost laughable. Finding an '09 4Runner with a V8 seems to be very rare indeed. I know they are out there, but not many of them
 
M1911 said:
Toyota greatly reduced production of the V8 4Runner in '09. You can't sell what you don't make.
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Toyota greatly reduced production of the '09 4Runners in general. And the ones they did make were mostly V6s. That's not news....we all realize that.

But you have to look at the big picture. Why did Toyota cut production of the 4Runner? And why did they choose to equip the majority of the ones they produced with the V6? The most obvious answer is that the 4Runner sales were already way down because of a few main reasons (end of 4th gen lifecycle, poor economic conditions, gas price instability). So to say "you can't sell what you don't make" is just silly. It's more like "you don't make what you can't sell"

Either way, my point was that I believe the V6 has ALWAYS outsold the V8 in every model year of the 4th gen. If I can find the numbers, I'll post them in this thread.
 
Thai said:
That would be my guess to. Toyota marketing is not stupid to get rid of something that is a hot seller.
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That's my guess as well. Toyota is not a company that leaves money on the table.

Probably they did a lot of market research and determined that the V8 and torsen center diff options were not important enough to keep.

Or to put it more simply, if every customer they lose by not offering the V8 and torsen diff is offset by gaining two customers because of the increased MPG or the lower price, then it's a fair trade for Toyota.

Toyota is not in the business of marketing to a tiny fringe of the market (nor should they be.)

I'm a good example of that: The V8 was never anything that even remotely interested me (the last V8 I owned was a '71 Blazer) and as for the center diff, while I thought it was a cool idea, something I would have wanted to get if I could have, when it came down to making a choice, I decided that a rear diff lock was more important to me than a center diff. It's a decision I'm comfortable with, and the rear diff lock has proved its usefulness more than once since I bought the 4runner in July.
 
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ToyTech99 said:
Either way, my point was that I believe the V6 has ALWAYS outsold the V8 in every model year of the 4th gen. If I can find the numbers, I'll post them in this thread.
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It did and Toyota even stated they expected that when the 4th Gens came out in 2002. I wana say the number was 70/30, but don't quote me on that.
 
I don't understand, this thing looks like a mixed FJ Cruiser and 4runner... I love my 03 and I really think mine looks better than the 2010. The 4runner was supposed to have a touch of luxury with the off-road power... What's with the knobs in the top? the steering wheel looks better on the older models than 2010... Come on Toyota... I guess I'll be buying another non-Toyota vehicle later and keep my 03 :D
 
Toyotas biggest mistake has been to make this luxury crap for the US market. They could sell 30% more SUV's if they offered a bare bones package. Are Americans such Fat cats that they NEED a living room in there cars?

AZ4runner03 said:
The 4runner was supposed to have a touch of luxury with the off-road power... What's with the knobs in the top? the steering wheel looks better on the older models than 2010... Come on Toyota... I guess I'll be buying another non-Toyota vehicle later and keep my 03 :D
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elemint said:
Toyotas biggest mistake has been to make this luxury crap for the US market. They could sell 30% more SUV's if they offered a bare bones package. Are Americans such Fat cats that they NEED a living room in there cars?
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Mistake? The US market is Toyota's largest market. Toyota will cater to the market that makes it the most money. The US is why Toyota created the Lexus division. I like my creature features. I think the 5th already gone by to its roots by deleting the rear seat entertainment system.

I've seen probably more Tundra Limiteds as I have the white Tundras with nothing in them. If they can sell a truck for $45k with leather seats, they've researched the market enough. (I would've got leather in my Tacoma if they offered it. :D )
 
elemint said:
Well, the coming economic collapse should change that rather quickly...
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Have you been under a rock for the past year? The economy has been in a recession and it's now coming out of it. All the financial indicators are trending upwards now, including the stock markets. There will be no economic collapse in the U.S.

Get over it.
 
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