I have a 2008 t4r Sport V8 and am considering trading for the 2014 Limited. I have been told that the V6 is under powered for the t4r. Please comment if you have gone from the v8 to the v6 and what your experience has been relative to power. I will not be towing anything with the new rig. Just off roading in the rockies will be my biggest test of power. The other option will be to break the bank and get a GX 460. Cheers from KC!
V8 vs V6
- Thread starter rox.n.ben
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BlackWorksInc
New member
If you're used to the 2UZ-FE, then the 5th gen will feel underpowered for the most part regardless. The dual VVTi 2GR-FE is pretty powerful and does a good amount of gruntwork for a V6, its all up to what you can live with.
Canazes9
New member
The V6 has plenty of power, Toyota has the transmission mapped a little conservatively so it upshifts a little faster than it should. 0-60 times for the 4wd V8 4Runners was about 7.8 seconds. 0-60 times for the 5th gen 4wd 4Runners is about 7.7 seconds. 0-60 times for the V8 Lexus GX's is about 7 seconds flat (that may not sound like a lot, but you will definitely be able to feel and appreciate 0.7 sec 0-60 difference).
HTH
David
FrontRange4Runner
New member
Because of the torque difference, the v8 will feel better. However I would be careful stepping up to a GX460. Its heavier and that offsets some of the power. Considering how much more expensive it is, you have to ask your self if its really worth it. FWIW, I am in the Rockies a lot with my 4R and it has plenty of power (not super speedy but goes up the mountain without issue). If you need to go faster, just put your foot down a bit more 
Fixed.
trailbuilt
New member
My DD is a 2013 corolla.....so my 13 trail has tons of power!!!:thumb3:
03_4x4Runner
Senior Member
You will miss the instant low end torque of the V8 more than anything. As you know you just push the gas down 1/4 from a stop and it takes of very quickly and smoothly. Push it down hard and it sets back in the seat very nicely. On the V6 you can floor it from a stop and it basically feels like your V8 at 1/2 throttle , once the rpm climbs on the V6 it comes on strong. This is just opposite of what the heavier 5th gens need. An 8 speed transmission with lower 1st gear would help but Toyota insist on the same old 5 speed auto. Also the V8 sounds so sweet, the V6 sounds kind of crude to me.
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characterzero
New member
happy to be in a v8
I went Frontier -> T4R -> 2005 Tundra. The throttle response on the 4R was short of that on my Frontier - no head snap to it. Decided to move on from the 4R and bought the Tundra for the v8 in the same size (roughly) body.
Love the v8 and fantasize about what a v8 4Runner (4th gen) would be like to drive...
You'll miss the power. How much? I don't know...but you will.
I went Frontier -> T4R -> 2005 Tundra. The throttle response on the 4R was short of that on my Frontier - no head snap to it. Decided to move on from the 4R and bought the Tundra for the v8 in the same size (roughly) body.
Love the v8 and fantasize about what a v8 4Runner (4th gen) would be like to drive...
You'll miss the power. How much? I don't know...but you will.
Qjake
New member
While the 1GR-FE D-VVTi may not have the same torque as the 2UZ-FE VVTi it makes up for it with 10+hp over the v8. Anyone who says that the 5th gen is either underpowered or underwhelming has not put thier right foot down. Take one for a test drive, put some foot into it and you will be pleasantly surprised. :boink: I promise!
scott78945
Member
I traded in my 2005 V8 Sport Edition for a 2011 SR5 V6....miss the V8 the most. Once you have the V8, the V6 will disappoint
characterzero
New member
I have both - see sig.
BlackWorksInc
New member
They have some oomph to them I won't lie, it just doesn't feel enough to me after driving my V8 for so long.
Back during winter I was off-roading in the mountains with some members and two guys got stuck in the snow pretty bad. A second gen and a third gen who was trying to pull the second gen out, I decided to give it a shot and pull them out. I was feeling a little courageous and told them to leave the two 4Runners still hooked up and I'd yank them both... and I did with a snatch strap.
I'm not entirely sure, now that I think about it, that the V6 would have enough low end torque to snatch about 8000lbs of vehicles out of the snow in under 200-300ft of physical travel. All I did was throw it in low and slammed on the pedal and less than about 200-300ft later the vehicles were out of the snow.
In short, its the low end torque that a lot of V8 owners really appreciate and feel is "missing" from the V6, the V6 has plenty of power; but in some situations you really notice that the torque isn't as free flowing as the V8.
Jeremy556
New member
4lo in snow? I think traction is the key in that scenario.
Agree 100% that the low end torque part. My overweight pig 5th gen and I eagerly await the release of the dual vvti 4.0 TRD supercharger.
phillyd2
Senior Member
I too went from a 06 V8 LTD to a 11 LTD and it did some time to get use to the new puppy. Now I'm mostly fine with it but still miss the V8 on not so flat roads. In CO I hated the V6. Yeah, pushing the pedal and downshifting helps but still....
OP is from KS so he should be fine once he gets use to it.
Qjake
New member
Cookie for you.
I agree that you will certainly feel the lack of torque when towing or pulling, hence the higher tow rating on the 4th gen v8's. But all these people complaining are just throwing out a blanket statement that the 5th's are underpowered and most of them come to that conclusion just because it has a v6. I'd bet it safe to say that of all the "underpowered 5th gen" comments posted in these forums that better than 50% come from people that don't even own or have never driven a 5th and probably another 20% come from the eco light watchers.
lilreds21
Member
we can all wish and dream and dream and wish.
