Trail w/KDSS pack. vs. Limited w/Torsen

[M1911]

As SeattleMike said, you can't get a 5th Generation Trail Edition with a Torsen center diff. Your choices are 5th Gen Trail Edition with a part-time system and locking rear diff, or 5th Gen Limited with a Torsen center diff.

 

[sandcrawler]

AlexandriaFJ, I hate to break this to you but this thread is from 2009 and the Trail Edition they are referring to is no longer in production. Canada's TE is the same as our but without the Nav option.

actually, unless i'm misreading something, i think they are in fact talking about the 2010+ 4Runner Trail and Limited; just right after the new generation's intro in fall of '09. (talking about 20"s on Limited, KDSS, etc.) some of the info about "not being able to install sliders" and knocking on KDSS are obviously way, way off, however.

There is another thing I am not getting about the 4Runner center differential. The listed MPGs are the same. How can they be the same with the added losses? The FJ Cruiser with the center diff. loses about 2 MPG over the regular part-time 4wd SYSTEM. I wonder if it is because I am comparing the MPGs of a Limited with the center diff. to a Trail without it. Maybe the Trail has more 4WD hardware and the weight difference evens out the MPGs? I don’t know, I think I am stretching here. If someone can explain this, I am listening.

while the Limited has the Torsen/full-time 4WD, it's stock tires are, um, let's call them highly "urban-optimized", skinny 20-inchers. if Toyota had equipped the Limited with 17"s (like the Trail and SR5) the mpg delta would likely be more pronounced.

i'll also add that my KDSS-equipped Trail handles better on-road than my previous XREAS-equipped 4Runner.

 

[sandcrawler]

As SeattleMike said, you can't get a 5th Generation Trail Edition with a Torsen center diff. Your choices are 5th Gen Trail Edition with a part-time system and locking rear diff, or 5th Gen Limited with a Torsen center diff.

OP seems to understand that...

I am looking at the 2011 Trail Edition, fully loaded. I had two big hang-ups though. The first is that I would be giving up my center locking limited-slip Torsen differential.

 

[Batang.Gapo]

Or you can look into seeing if you can buy a Canadian Trail edition. They all come with full time 4WD.

Correction: Only LIMITED has Full Time 4WD in Canada just like in US.

Please check this url for details:

TOYOTA CANADA: 4Runner > Options & Accessory Pricing > Option Packages

 

[SOMDRUNNER1]

I owned my 5th gen limited of a year now and can say that my mileage averages around 18 on a daily basis (20 on trips). I am sure that the OE tires (skinny as they are) do help to make up for the mileage reduction of the full-time 4X4 system. There are members here who have reported mileage of over 20 on a regular basis with their SR5 or Trail models. I have not seen that sort of mileage with my truck and I drive conservatively most of the time. I think that the Limited handles very well for a "body on frame" suv. I would say that without a doubt the Limited is the best choice for year round on-road use in areas that experience inclement weather conditions (due to the XREAS and full-time 4X4 system). The Trail is the best offroad vehicle of the bunch due to the factory locker and other 4x4 electonic systems. If the Trail came with full-time 4x4 capibility I would have bought one! All three models are great choices. It just comes down to what fits your needs.

 

[M1911]

OP seems to understand that...

He thought he could get one from Canada:

Now you are telling me I can get this if I buy a Canadian model! The question now becomes how to get one?

You can't. The Canadian model is the same as ours.

 

[sandcrawler]

He thought he could get one from Canada:

yep. my bad.

 

[SeattleMike]

actually, unless i'm misreading something, i think they are in fact talking about the 2010+ 4Runner Trail and Limited; just right after the new generation's intro in fall of '09. (talking about 20"s on Limited, KDSS, etc.) some of the info about "not being able to install sliders" and knocking on KDSS are obviously way, way off, however.

nighthawk was referring to the 2009 "Trail Edition Package", which is what prompted AlexandriaFJ's post. Everyone else was discussing the 2010.

 

[sandcrawler]

i thought nighthawk was saying that because for a short time after the 5G intro in fall '09 it was believed that the Torsen was still standard on the Canadian models. we later found out that wasn't true, of course.

 

[M1911]

yep. my bad.

No biggie.

 

[vraa]

How is the difference in ride quality of KDSS vs X REAS