Toyota cheaped out?

[Dous]

Still waiting on both the logic and common sense...

I guess I should make a thread about the 4Runner being God's Chariot, or maybe a thread about how I drove over a pathfinder, explorer, and grand cherokee in my 4Runner while ascending Mt. McKinley... apparently thats the only way to keep everyone happy.

My point was simply that it seems crazy that these features wouldn't continue on, its like 2 steps forward and 1 step back... which also lacks logic and common sense.

I know its crazy to find that people are fans of the 4runner on a 4runner forum.

Go trade it in and buy one of those new Escapes...if you put your foot under the rear end the tailgate goes up!

 

[Antman]

I bought mine because it was a pretty color.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

I just got my new Truck Trend magazine. It stated that the next gen Lexus GX would most likely be a unibody based on the Highlander and that the next gen 4runner would most likely follow this leaving the FJ Cruiser and Land Cruiser as Toyotas off road full frame vehicles. It did not say when this would happen but seeing that there was no mid cycle refresh on the 5th gen is may be sooner than we think. Lets hope not.

 

[1engineer]

Still waiting on both the logic and common sense...

I guess I should make a thread about the 4Runner being God's Chariot, or maybe a thread about how I drove over a pathfinder, explorer, and grand cherokee in my 4Runner while ascending Mt. McKinley... apparently thats the only way to keep everyone happy.

My point was simply that it seems crazy that these features wouldn't continue on, its like 2 steps forward and 1 step back... which also lacks logic and common sense.

So really: Why did you buy a 4Runner again?

 

[jspagna1]

I just got my new Truck Trend magazine. It stated that the next gen Lexus GX would most likely be a unibody based on the Highlander and that the next gen 4runner would most likely follow this leaving the FJ Cruiser and Land Cruiser as Toyotas off road full frame vehicles. It did not say when this would happen but seeing that there was no mid cycle refresh on the 5th gen is may be sooner than we think. Lets hope not.

Wow that means I'll be keeping this 4Runner for about as long as I can.

 

[Fernandina4runner]

Still waiting on both the logic and common sense...

I guess I should make a thread about the 4Runner being God's Chariot, or maybe a thread about how I drove over a pathfinder, explorer, and grand cherokee in my 4Runner while ascending Mt. McKinley... apparently thats the only way to keep everyone happy.

My point was simply that it seems crazy that these features wouldn't continue on, its like 2 steps forward and 1 step back... which also lacks logic and common sense.

I think that toyota left off some features like the preojectors and the leds on the 5th gen so they can add them as a cheap way to refresh the 5th gen in the next couple of years.

 

[NJshadow93]

I can see the point OP is trying to make. Toyota did take somewhat of a step "backward" with the 5th gen. V8, projector head lights, LED tails, locking gas cap, hidden antenna, stronger body panels, and even great handling that could be had on the 4th gen was lost in the transition to the 5th gen. That's just how it works. Things are becoming more expensive and it is necessary for Toyota and everyone else to "cheap out" on certain things to keep the cost where it needs to be. I believe that the 5th gen 4Runner is superior to it's current competition (that being all the other mid size SUVs on the market today).

Truck based construction does make it a higher cost to start with, so I could see why some of "the little things" were removed. I am by no means bashing the 5th gen and do not hope to come off that way, they are awesome trucks and I would love to own one (as long as it doesn't replace the V8 4th gen). I really hope Toyota doesn't change the truck based roots of the 4Runner, and I do not think they will honestly. But only time will tell.

 

[Jayhawk5G]

So really: Why did you buy a 4Runner again?

You are such a douche... I make a thread posing a legitimate question and you get your panties in a bunch because its even mildly questioning a tactic of Toyota.

If you guys want to nutswing so hard that Toyota's balls fall off that's fine... But I'm not so blinded to think that even a brand new vehicle that I just purchased is perfect and incapable of improvement.

I am surprised at how blinded people can be... You guys must just open your wallet and tell Toyota to take your money. I just think vehicles should be continually improved and taking some easy options out so you have an easy way to update it seems cheap.

I don't believe any upgrades to frame or rear end are the reason these options were removed, I believe it was 4th gen round two.

The escape is actually fun to drive, and def. a better direction for that vehicle. Why do you think crossovers exist... Because they sell, no need to hate on a vehicle because its different.

 

[KCcarguy]

I have to make a little confession here. I was one of those guys who was a little disappointed in the 5th gen. Then, in my frustration, I went and test-drove a CPO Land Cruiser 200. It was a nice vehicle, but it actually made me love my 4runner that much more. The 4runner does 80% of what the Land Cruiser does for half the price. It's really amazing what Toyota has done with such tight budget constraints. Big props to the 5th gen. and to Toyota for putting the money where it counts most. :thumb3:

And if you want fancy gizmos and materials, there's always a GX.

 

[scanny]

Let's simplify the argument, are you ok that Toyota took away features that were standard on the 2009? My guess is they did it to differentiate the GX460 from the 4Runner... but it seems strange to strip the new model of standards so that in 5 years when they are added back, it makes the vehicle seem new again.

I wouldn't go back and purchase a different vehicle, but Toyota seems to take a different approach from most of their competition...

I'd say that there's is something I dont' care at all and other things I'm willing to pay for. I don't care for LED lights or antenna for instance, but I would like to have autolights, memory seat and Torsen.
But my price range was up to $40K and if 4Runner had all those bells and whistles and $60K price tag - I simply wouldn't buy it. Would love too, but payment would be too high for me.

So yes, I guess I'm fine with Toyota cutting the cost by removing "nice to have" stuff and keeping "must have" things and $40K range cost . I needed a reliable and strong mid size vehicle with high clearance, lockable 4x4, roof rack and believe it or not rear glass opening is a must for me since I carry long things time from time. That leaves very few vehicles on the market.

Of course I wouldn't mind to have every new feature providing that Toyota keep high reliablity and quality and all this for the same price, but doesn't look like real world works that way.

 

[Liam1234]

I too, am very happy with our SR5, leather and third row. I would buy it again without hesitation.

The lack of the LED taillights bugs me as well as the SR5 having a manual lever to put into 4Wheel Drive. These should be standard on a 35K truck since my older truck had them for less $$$.

My 2009 Tacoma has LED lights and a switch for 4WD and 4WD low.

These are small little things and these days its the way car companies manage to eeek out more profit.

Do you think Toyota cheaped out on the 5G 4Runner?

The biggest competition Toyota faced when we were looking to purchase was the Ford Explorer. While the Toyota is obviously more capable than the Ford off-road they are pretty evenly matched in other areas... mpg, towing capacity, etc.

While there were obvious advantages to buying our 4Runner, such as dependibility and resale value, Toyota seemed to skimp on some basic things that the 4th gen ended with and the Explorer offered standard.

LED tail lights, Projector Headlights, both seem like items that should have carried over directly from the late 4th gen. They seem like cheap ways of refreshing a vehicle when a lot of other vehicles already have these standard. The Explorer also has a standard 3rd row, which would have been nice on the 4Runner. I understand some people don't need or want it, but when you can fold it into the floor and you don't lose cargo room seems like a nice standard. The 4x4 Explorer also comes with terrain response.

All in all I'm happy with the choice I made, but wonder if others feel like these should be standard?

 

[Jayhawk5G]

I'd say that there's is something I dont' care at all and other things I'm willing to pay for. I don't care for LED lights or antenna for instance, but I would like to have autolights, memory seat and Torsen.
But my price range was up to $40K and if 4Runner had all those bells and whistles and $60K price tag - I simply wouldn't buy it. Would love too, but payment would be to high for me.

So yes, I guess I'm fine with Toyota cutting the cost by removing "nice to have" stuff and keeping "must have" things and $40K range cost . I needed a reliable mid size vehicle with high clearance, lockable 4x4, roof rack and believe it or not rear glass opening is a must for me since I carry long things time from time. That leaves very few vehicles on the market.

Of course I wouldn't mind to have every new feature providing that Toyota keep high reliablity and quality and all this for the same price, but doesn't look like real world works that way.

Good post... I totally get that you have to balance things. I'm fine with the V8 being taken off the option list. My Jeep has 330hp but also gets horrible gas mileage... The 4.0 is a good balance of gas mileage and power, I like that it has more torque than the Grand Cherokee or Explorer. I wish it had the led's as they are extremely bright when braking at night. The projectors I think should be offered as an option with HID, the stock output is great...

The thinner doors and hood while kind of a pain, is a necessary evil to help with mpg.

 

[JohnnyT]

So really: Why did you buy a 4Runner again?

For an engineer, you're an idiot. The OP did not question or criticize his or anyones truck....only the companies decision to hold back on a few options that none of your trucks have that once existed. If anything, he stated multiple times how much he loves his truck. So why on earth would you question why he bought the truck?

OP, you riled the 5G "Inner Circle" of characters with a simple comment about something that doesn't even exist. This group of 5-10 menopausal women are very, very sensitive to anything that can even be perceived as a criticism. This engineer guy apparently took such offense that he scoped out your prior posts to recite them back to you and expects you show ultimate respect by being familiar with his. Thank God they don't work for Toyota or there would be no chance of the product ever improving.

 

[Jayhawk5G]

For an engineer, you're an idiot. The OP did not question or criticize his or anyones truck....only the companies decision to hold back on a few options that none of your trucks have that once existed. If anything, he stated multiple times how much he loves his truck. So why on earth would you question why he bought the truck?

OP, you riled the 5G "Inner Circle" of characters with a simple comment about something that doesn't even exist. This group of 5-10 menopausal women are very, very sensitive to anything that can even be perceived as a criticism. This engineer guy apparently took such offense that he scoped out your prior posts to recite them back to you and expects you show ultimate respect by being familiar with his. Thank God they don't work for Toyota or there would be no chance of the product ever improving.

Thanks for the support... I didn't realize people would get so upset about this. I do love my truck, I love the ground clearance, the gas mileage, the looks including the bubble head lights and tail lights... I just wish it had some of the nice things a late 4th gen did.

 

[Antman]

Hey everyone, look!

JohnnyT finally made a friend on the 5th Gen forum!

Good 4 U JohnnyT.

Good

for

you.

 

[brockeverly]

Thank God they don't work for Toyota or there would be no chance of the product ever improving.

From what I hear around here, the 4th Gen needed no improvements. Lets just bring that back and stop spending all the money on R&D :whipping2


:snacker:

 

[KCcarguy]

I'd say that there's is something I dont' care at all and other things I'm willing to pay for. I don't care for LED lights or antenna for instance, but I would like to have autolights, memory seat and Torsen.
But my price range was up to $40K and if 4Runner had all those bells and whistles and $60K price tag - I simply wouldn't buy it. Would love too, but payment would be to high for me.

So yes, I guess I'm fine with Toyota cutting the cost by removing "nice to have" stuff and keeping "must have" things and $40K range cost . I needed a reliable and strong mid size vehicle with high clearance, lockable 4x4, roof rack and believe it or not rear glass opening is a must for me since I carry long things time from time. That leaves very few vehicles on the market.

Of course I wouldn't mind to have every new feature providing that Toyota keep high reliablity and quality and all this for the same price, but doesn't look like real world works that way.

I think it's worth mentioning in all of these types of threads that the 4runner's price has pretty-much stayed the same since the 3rd gen. $35k just ain't what it used to be. Without getting too political, there are a bunch of guys in DC who have been f**king the rest of us by devaluing the dollar for about 60 years now. So, as a result, we have to do more with less and so does Toyota.

 

[phillyd2]

Nobody is upset but this must be the 10th thread on the same useless subject. I miss memory seats. Guess what? The 5th Gen does not have them. What kind of idiot women would continue to complain about the same thing when all real men understand that even if we sat at dinner with Ophrea and cried for a week straight it would change nothing! NOTHING! Not a damn thing!

It is what it is. Get over it or move on.

... I just wish it had some of the nice things a late 4th gen did.

Keep wishing and let us know when something changes. If that doesn't work, try holding your breath. We will tell you when to stop.

 

[Jayhawk5G]

Hey everyone, look!

JohnnyT finally made a friend on the 5th Gen forum!

Good 4 U JohnnyT.

Good

for

you.

You sure are an ambassador for the 4Runner... And this forum.

You guys just need to specify on the home page that the 4runner is carved of unobtanium by the hand of god, and that if you think anything could be improved then get the hell out...

 

[brockeverly]

I think it's worth mentioning in all of these types of threads that the 4runner's price has pretty-much stayed the same since the 3rd gen. $35k just ain't what it used to be. Without getting too political, there are a bunch of guys in DC who have been f**king the rest of us by devaluing the dollar for about 60 years now. So, as a result, we have to do more with less and so does Toyota.

Now don't go coming in here fighting opinion with fact, sir!

:rockthrow: