Throttle response: 2014 vs. 2023

M

mooch91

Member
2014 SR5 with 120k miles, 2023 Limited brand new.

The 2014 has always felt sluggish. I was surprised at the fact that the 2023 felt much peppier and smoother in the throttle response category.

Maybe it's just imagination, or new vs. old, but is there something that changed affecting/improving throttle response across the years of the 5th gen?

Anything I should be checking in my 2014? I was going to clean throttle body to start. Fuel economy seems to be good - 18 around town, 21+ on the highway.

Thanks.
 
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I've got an 08 and picked up a 23 in early June. Haven't leaned on the 23 very hard yet only 2,500 miles.

The 08 has 155,000 on it and never cleaned the throttle body. Which I just did a few weeks ago and reset the memory. After a week I need to tow my trailer and it seemed to have a better throttle response than before.

Maybe clean the throttle body and reset the memory and give it a few miles to relearn. Might help it.
 
djeepin said:
23 is new transmission, 14 is not. compare them in s2, s3, s4.
Click to expand...

well.. technically it is a 9 year old newer transmission but it sstill the same archaic 5 speed from 1993... if anything, it could be throttle reprogramming from factory by toyota.. think like sprint booster from toyota.. that could explain why official mpg numbers vary year to year
 
1jzgte said:
well.. technically it is a 9 year old newer transmission but it sstill the same archaic 5 speed from 1993... if anything, it could be throttle reprogramming from factory by toyota.. think like sprint booster from toyota.. that could explain why official mpg numbers vary year to year
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure the official MPG numbers kept going down from 2010 to 2023 just because the EPA MPG tests kept getting harder and harder; more idling, more aggressive acceleration, more changing speed, things like that.

The 4Runner went from 19mpg combined down to 17mpg combined. It's not the only "unchanged" vehicle I've seen slip on EPA ratings. The Subaru Outback has had unchanged powertrains since 2020 and continuing through 2024, and its MPG rating has gone down during that time.

This 5-speed automatic has been in the 4Runner unchanged since model year 2005, if I recall correctly.
 
mooch91 said:
2014 SR5 with 120k miles, 2023 Limited brand new.

The 2014 has always felt sluggish. I was surprised at the fact that the 2023 felt much peppier and smoother in the throttle response category.

Maybe it's just imagination, or new vs. old, but is there something that changed affecting/improving throttle response across the years of the 5th gen?

Anything I should be checking in my 2014? I was going to clean throttle body to start. Fuel economy seems to be good - 18 around town, 21+ on the highway.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I´ve had a 2023 Limited AWD for about 10 months and I feel the throttle response very good. I´ve read about people installing pedal commander and such and thought it doesn´t feel like the truck needs that at all.
One thing I could think it has changed from 2014 to 2023 is the spark plugs. I think originally they were normal or platinum and now iridium. Or maybe the 2014 needs a tune-up, beginning with the spark plugs...
 
I have a '16 TEP I purchased new and a '23 ORP with 100 miles on it.
Both with KDSS and both red. I haven't noticed any difference.
 
thatoneguy said:
I'm pretty sure the official MPG numbers kept going down from 2010 to 2023 just because the EPA MPG tests kept getting harder and harder; more idling, more aggressive acceleration, more changing speed, things like that.

The 4Runner went from 19mpg combined down to 17mpg combined. It's not the only "unchanged" vehicle I've seen slip on EPA ratings. The Subaru Outback has had unchanged powertrains since 2020 and continuing through 2024, and its MPG rating has gone down during that time.

This 5-speed automatic has been in the 4Runner unchanged since model year 2005, if I recall correctly.
Click to expand...

5th gen 4Runner was never rated 19 mpg combined, only highway.
 
I have a '11 Trail I purchased new and a '23 ORP also purchased new.
I drive both of them weekly, both with KDSS.

They are the same give or take, except of course for all the mods I've done to the '11
 
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thatoneguy said:
I'm not sure how many times you want to be wrong on the same topic in one day, but,

Fuel Economy of the 2014 Toyota 4Runner 4WD

2014. 17/21/18. Or can you produce a 2014 window sticker showing a rating other than that? Angry and wrong isn't a good look.
Click to expand...

To support your claims, since I´ve done some research about the topic, I´ve used the Edmunds.com website to look at the specs at some of the years. I will be using the specs of the 2010 and onward 4Runner Limited Full Time 4wd, since it´s the trim I have and can share my experience after talking about the specs. I also choose the Limited FT 4wd since it´s the trim that is supposed to get the worst fuel economy.

Edmunds states 2010 to 2014 4Runner Limited Full Time 4wd gets
EPA city/highway MPG 17/22 MPG
EPA combined MPG 19 MPG

Edmunds states 2015 to 2016 4Runner Limited Full Time 4wd gets

EPA city/highway MPG 17/21 MPG
EPA combined MPG 18 MPG

First drop in highway from 22 to 21, lowering the combined to 18.


Edmunds states 2017 to 2020 4Runner Limited Full Time 4wd gets

EPA city/highway MPG 17/20 MPG
EPA combined MPG 18 MPG

Here there´s a drop in the Highway mpgs from 21 to 20, combined stays at 18

Edmunds states 2021 to 2023 4Runner Limited Full Time 4wd gets

EPA city/highway MPG 16/19 MPG
EPA combined MPG 17 MPG

Now there´s a drop in city and highway mpgs, combined drops to 17

We all know it´s the same vehicle, same engine and transmission. 2014 got the facelift and if I´m not mistaken the secondary air injection which is for emission purposes and doesn´t affect fuel economy.

Now, my experience: I have a 2023 Limited Full Time 4wd, in highway and somewhat flat road I get at least 21 mpgs. The best road trip I´ve gotten is 22 something which is on par of the original ratings. If I go to the mountains the mpgs go to shit, I get like 16 mpgs. I don´t pay much attention to city fuel economy because where I live I have too much stop and go traffic so it´s not even sane to record that.

You all can read this and get your conclusions. What I see is that the MPGs calculation has evolved over the years.

I hope this can help clear up a bit this subject.

Take it easy, this isn´t rocket science.

Good day to all!
 
I have a 2011 4x4 with almost 160,000 miles. Drives like the day I got it used at 55,000 miles.
I get about what the last post says, 17/22 19 average. Sometimes better numbers but barely.

Regarding throttle response, I recently drove a couple of new 4runners, and the throttle response is a bit better. The new 4runners, at least the 2 that I drove, don't seem to have that part throttle bog shifting into the next gear at low RPM's. I think it's the 2-3 shift for mine, sometimes feels like it shifts too early then labors a bit to accelerate.
Put another way, accelerating at a leisurely pace, my 4runner is a bit sluggish after it shifts into the next gear at part throttle. Fits my easy cruising style though.
If I get on it, it has plenty of get up and go.

I also noticed the new 4runners felt a bit more planted and the suspension more firm, not drastic but say 15% more firm.

PS the steering on the new 4runners felt tighter too. But new compared to my 2011 with 160,000 miles, you'd expect much of what I mention in my post. Still it's been a great vehicle, no surprises and 2 of my friends are replacing all sorts of nonsense on the Yukon's, one had the warranty expire and they had so many repairs under warranty they bought a crazy expensive GM extended warranty.
 
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We have a 2014 with 340K miles on it. It regularly goes back and forth between Southern California and Montana. It has never posted more than 19+ mpg on the highway. Experience says best mpg is between 60 and 70 mph. Go above 80 mph and the mpg drop into the 18 range.

We have a new 2023 ORP and it’s posting the same mpg figures. There is no difference in performance between the two.
 
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