Toyota Curiousity

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Linfone

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I drive a Subaru. I grew up with a gen 2 4Runner and it was great, especially after the muffler bit it. Sounded like a semi...

Anyway, why did Toyota so undertune the car? Look at the 4.0l v6.... 230+ horses... even a Dodge Nitro gets 260ish and you know how random Chrysler's engines are... (210 horses from 3.7l???) Even the 4Runner's main competiton (Pathfinder's 4.0l v6 gets 260+)

When will they make it so it kicks butt again?
 
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I'm frustrated as well. I'd love to go with FI unit but have been told that the rods won't handle it.

If they can get 381 horse from the 5.7, which imho is under rated, then you'd think the 4.7 would be good for around 300 ponies.

CAN ANYONE HERE GET A TURBO OR SC FOR THE 4.7 WITH A TUNE AND HAVE IT BE RELIABLE WITH STOCK INTERNALS?
 
I was surprised when the 3.5 L V6 in the new Highlander is the 270 HP version from the Camry-Rav4.So I guess we'll be told how the 4.L is a truck motor so it's fine with 35HP less......WAKE UP TOYOTA!
 
Gearing also has a lot to do with it plus when Toyota dubeted the motor it was rated pretty decently for then and there's no reason for Toyota to bump up ponies in the 4Runners,they aren't made for drag racing and the acceleration and torque is quite adequate for an SUV that is still truly multi-purpose unlike the new Pathfinders.

What more will more ponies give the 4Runner except a better 1/4 mile time? What else do you need it to do? More ponies have nothing to do with better off roadability. I'd rather see Toyota give the next 4Runner back some of it's off road heritage but I think the next 4Runner might end up being closer to the Pathfinder.
 
The Pathfinder has 22 more ft*lbs than the 4Runner... same displacement. 5 speed auto as well. (At least their 5.6l is utter rubbish compared to the Toyota 5.7l...)
 
It is a fantastic engine. Runs quiet, good as gas, and extremely reliable, and it pulls and tows plenty.... SUV's aren't about speed or acceleration. If that's what you are looking for, get a station wagon or a hatchback.... I don't care how much more hp a Dodge Nitro has. At the end of day, it is a POS.

On the other hand, I am sure at some point Toyota will upgrade the Engine to the 270hp engine.
 
audiqtr said:
On the other hand, I am sure at some point Toyota will upgrade the Engine to the 270hp engine.
Click to expand...

If you are referring to the engine in the Highlander, then that would be a downgrade for the 4Runner. Why would anyone want a car engine in a truck based SUV?
 
Linfone said:
I drive a Subaru. I grew up with a gen 2 4Runner and it was great, especially after the muffler bit it. Sounded like a semi...

Anyway, why did Toyota so undertune the car? Look at the 4.0l v6.... 230+ horses... even a Dodge Nitro gets 260ish and you know how random Chrysler's engines are... (210 horses from 3.7l???) Even the 4Runner's main competiton (Pathfinder's 4.0l v6 gets 260+)

When will they make it so it kicks butt again?
Click to expand...
In 2003 when it came out, the V6 had more horse power than the V8 4Runner. Of course it is not just horse power. Torque is important too.

Actually, the V6 has variable timing and was quite a jump from the engine it replaced, a 3.4 183 horse power V6. I do agree that Toyota plays it somewhat conservative, especially with the truck engines. I guess they take into account, longevity, reliability, which quite frankly is boring to the new car buyer.

I recently drove a new 2009 Forester with a 2.5 engine with 170 HP. Which seems in-line with other 4 cyl engines. By the way, the car was fun to drive and had a good bit of power. It is a neat car, for its size.
 
Nice, but you should have driven the 09 Forester XT. That thing puts out 220+ hp AND ft*lbs. Someone in one of the Subaru forums has 800 awhp....

Furthermore, the Subaru flat-6 3.6l in the Tribeca has 247 ft*lbs...
 
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Hi

My name is Kevin. I'm from NY. My parents bought a 95 4Runner in late 94. I grew up with it till it left us recently.

During the last legs of its life, the muffler left and it sounded like a semi or a bus... I believe I mentioned this in the 4th gen forums.

Anyway, I'm annoyed by the fact that Toyota feels its flagship mid-sized SUV should only do with 266 ft*lbs stock when a VQ40 produces almost 20 more ft*lbs... Toyota, why can't you make more? :confused:

I MIGHT get a 5th gen if they come up, but never the first year models...

And I currently drive a Subaru WRX, which provides plenty of torque for the engine size. :D I have an turboback exhaust and a tune on it so it gets approximately 220whp/220wtq (give or take)
 
I had that exact car (2004 WRX, Cobb Stage 2) and traded it this past Friday on a new 2008 Sport 4 Runner. The WRX is a rally car and the 4 Runner is frankly one of the most versatile vehicles in production today. I loved my scooby, but when it came down to it, I was done with driving a stick in tourist traffic/commute traffic/storm traffic. For me the 4 Runner was a vehicle with way more capability and overall versatility with the sacrifice of raw power and speed. But at 40, it was time to evaluate what is most important, and power and speed ranked below safety, carrying capacity, comfort and reliability. And, I have no buyer
 
Well, this is a 4Runner forum...

Anyway, so like how many of you live near a mountain? I've looked on so many different forums and I noticed the xterra/pathfinder/jeep/etc forums that they go way off-roading...
 
Linfone said:
Well, this is a 4Runner forum...

Anyway, so like how many of you live near a mountain? I've looked on so many different forums and I noticed the xterra/pathfinder/jeep/etc forums that they go way off-roading...
Click to expand...

There are plenty of people who go off-roading in their 4runners and FJ Cruisers. And for the most part, 4runners are much better than Pathfinders off-road...and on-road. :)
 
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Linfone said:
When will they make it so it kicks butt again?
Click to expand...

Well, for the most part, Toyota engines are usually not class leading in terms of raw power. In fact, in prior years, Toyota truck engines are on the "weak" side. Only this past year with the Tundra monster 5.7L V8 that Toyota can claim class-leading power.

However, despite the apparently lack of power, Toyota engines are also known for their bullet-proof construction and long term durability. So, in this regard, Toyota did and is kicking butt. :)

BTW, did you think that your 2nd gen 4runner had class-leading power???
 
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Is there a reason why you are posting two threads on essentially the same topic?? Are you trying to get attention or trolling??

As for your Subi, i personally prefer the Evo...but like you, some people prefer the lower HP alternative...so, it's all good. :D

Maybe the mods can merge the two threads....
 
It was awesome in its time... Looking back, maybe we should have held back on buying to get gen 3.

But if you mid-Atlantic, New England people remember, we had the blizzard of 95....
 
Linfone said:
It was awesome in its time... Looking back, maybe we should have held back on buying to get gen 3.
Click to expand...

Well, correct me if i am wrong, but i don't believe that the 2nd gen 4runner engine broke any new grounds either in the power department nor technological department...so, i am not sure what your point is in this thread....

Now, the 3rd gen engine was a major upgrade in terms of power and refinement.
 
Actually, the Evo is lower power than STI. But many car review mags rate the Evo's handling as much better. As for me, I do not have an STI... :(

I've seen scary things done by an STI though... like those done in that new STI commercial.

EDIT: I didn't formally introduce myself. I just had to rant at Toyota's lack of power when competitors can squeeze bits out. Plus, if they increased the displacement of the Rav4 engine and strengthened the internals, wouldn't that make sense?
 
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