Why I do not want a 5th gen

[kgbagent]

I have a 2005 V6 SE with 112k miles. It is excellent. Like many, I have pondered about switching to a newer 5th gen. After a couple of years of careful thought I've decided I would rather stick with what I have. Here's why:

* Looks. The 5th gen styling is not as pleasing to me. Too big and boxy. The Limited will probably age better than the other models since it lacks the Star Wars front fascia.
* Functional Design. Although I am not a hardcore offroader, I find it funny that today's design language for 4x4's pushes front and rear lights out to the point where they protrude out past the body. 20 years ago everyone was obsessed with installing brush guards over their lenses.

It is also absurd that Toyota shortened the roof rack rails to start aft of the sunroof. Say goodbye to hauling long items up there like kayaks, surfboards or lumber.

* Interior layout and switches. I was torn about including this area since there are aspects of the new 4Runner's interior I really like. I love the placement of the 4th gen's 4x4 selector switch: up out of the way on the dash and within easy reach of the steering wheel. The 5th gen uses valuable horizontal real estate for this dial or shifter. For those 5th gens with heated seats, those tiny retractable knobs are cheap and cheesy. Reminds me of the bass and treble controls from old, cheap car stereos.

* Risk: When you are very satisfied with nearly all a product's features and performance-like I am with my '05-any changes have the potential to seem like a downgrade. This is life. But based on the dozens of hours I have spent lurking here, I am not convinced Toyota built the 5th gen 4R to be as longlasting and bulletproof as it's older brother. Tales of weak gearing and thinner sheet metal scare me a bit. Yes Toyota invented many quality standards other companies use today, but every company is trying to make their stuff cheaper.

I think I will stay with a classic for now.

 

[Ralph Blake]

Toyota along with all the other Mfg.s do not want people keeping their products past around 24 Months or less.

Lets face the facts buying a brand new auto or truck, is a poor investment from a money stand point, drive it off the dealers lot and it has lost a real big bunch of it's book value.

Ask a dealer about trading the just bought one in on another, say one day after buying it and see what it's trade in value is now.:bash:

 

[rooost]

Nice point about the lights, I think the current design is mimicking the look of that brush guard.
.
.
.I once saw explained that the target market for automobiles in a 13 year old boy,
formative male years and such, that would put most of us way way out of the target market, even by traditional 18-34yo marketing standards...one of the unanticipated challenges of getting old...the world just isnt made to your standards anymore
.
.
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FWIW. I really dont care for the 5th Gen interior! Plasitic to look like metal to look like plastic..its really just a 4 door FJ

 

[luke87gt]

That's how I feel about my 2001 GS430

Anything newer I step into feels like a downgrade.

 

[JeffMerr]

I'm a fan of the 14'+ 5th gen, it's just not enough for me to upgrade from a 4th gen. I could see it being worth the money if you were coming from a 3rd gen, otherwise you're getting the same truck minus some minor differences and appearance.

 

[ChrisLovesUgly]

I really like the 2014+ 5th gen, but near $40k for a new one OTD is a hard pill to swallow when you consider the downgraded interior components (though I like the layout), and same V6 carrying an extra 500 pounds.

If someone offered me a straight up trade though, I wouldn't turn them down.

 

[wadle5]

That's how I feel about my 2001 GS430

Anything newer I step into feels like a downgrade.

Sidenote and slightly off topic, but I have always wanted one of those old school big body G Lexus'

 

[ukbloke]

V8 /end of thread [emoji3]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[blind squirrel]

Sidenote and slightly off topic, but I have always wanted one of those old school big body G Lexus'

I just got rid of my 2002 GS430 awesome car. Would have gotten an 06 GS430 but didn't like the body style and interior.... ended up with a TLS 6 speed instead... that has since been replaced by a MDX and child seat....:baby::ybrick:

 

[07V8]

V8 /end of thread [emoji3]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This x 1000000

 

[CXS]

I'd swap mine to a 5th gen but sure can't afford one and have the V8 which I wouldn't want to lose. With 207,000 miles I can't see any reason to leave mine anyway.

 

[m85476585]

I could barely get my roof box to work on a friend's 5th gen. With the roof rails all the way forward and the box all the way to one side, there's about 1/4" of clearance between the box and the shark fin once there is some stuff in the box. With a heavier load in the box it could flex and hit the shark fin. Stupid satellite radio, most people don't even want it anyway.

On my 4th gen I don't even keep the rails all the way forward. Just enough that the box clears the rear spoiler with the trunk open, since keeping the rails back supposedly reduces wind noise, and I don't like to adjust them every time I use the box.

 

[CruzadoBlanco]

i just simply get past the sluggishness and poor drivability of the 5th gens. my dad with his 2012 on 285/70r17s has a hard time pulling hills and he always has to use 4th or even 3rd around town. its even worse up in the mountains where he cant maintain speed up the climbs and has to use 2nd or even 1st gear. meanwhile i can pull most everything near home in 4th and use 4th/3rd in the mountains and still accelerate. Plus the over hood visibility is horrid for his and he hits the front end on everything. finally the fuel milage isnt even that much better he gets maybe 1 mpg average better than i do. if for what ever reason my current 4th gen gets totaled id search far and wide for another one owner, meticulously maintained V8 4th gen or a equal tundra to tow my 1st gen. i simply couldn't give up the tow rating of the 4.7

 

[Knight-Errant]

I really like the 2014+ 5th gen, but near $40k for a new one OTD is a hard pill to swallow when you consider the downgraded interior components (though I like the layout), and same V6 carrying an extra 500 pounds.

If someone offered me a straight up trade though, I wouldn't turn them down.

The current V6 has more torque than the old V8 and more horsepower than the old V6.

What do you mean by downgraded interior components? It seems really nice to me.

 

[07V8]

The current V6 has more torque than the old V8 and more horsepower than the old V6.

What do you mean by downgraded interior components? It seems really nice to me.

Lol no it doesn't. You're 100% incorrect. The V8 has 320/336/306 depending on what year and standard it was rated to.

Once you look up your mistake, look at the torque curves. There is no comparison. The V8 generates 280+ ft-lbs at 1800RPM. More than the V6 makes ever.

Lastly, if you've never driven one, you have no idea what you're talking about. The V6 in the 5th gen is anemic compared to the V8.

 

[Knight-Errant]

I have a 2005 V6 SE with 112k miles. It is excellent. Like many, I have pondered about switching to a newer 5th gen. After a couple of years of careful thought I've decided I would rather stick with what I have. Here's why:

* Looks. The 5th gen styling is not as pleasing to me. Too big and boxy. The Limited will probably age better than the other models since it lacks the Star Wars front fascia.
This is really subjective. Big and boxy gives you lots of cargo room. Personally I think the "star wars" styling will keep people interested in it since so much of what is out there will put you to sleep these days

* Functional Design. Although I am not a hardcore offroader, I find it funny that today's design language for 4x4's pushes front and rear lights out to the point where they protrude out past the body. 20 years ago everyone was obsessed with installing brush guards over their lenses.
Those brush guards were a style fad, didn't really offer protection, and were essentially damage multipliers. We're all better off now that they've faded away.

It is also absurd that Toyota shortened the roof rack rails to start aft of the sunroof. Say goodbye to hauling long items up there like kayaks, surfboards or lumber.
Plenty of people hauling everything mentioned here without a problem, although it would be nice to have them run the full length if only to all another mounting point for full length roof racks.

* Interior layout and switches. I was torn about including this area since there are aspects of the new 4Runner's interior I really like. I love the placement of the 4th gen's 4x4 selector switch: up out of the way on the dash and within easy reach of the steering wheel. The 5th gen uses valuable horizontal real estate for this dial or shifter. For those 5th gens with heated seats, those tiny retractable knobs are cheap and cheesy. Reminds me of the bass and treble controls from old, cheap car stereos.
Again, subjective but everything feels pretty nice to me and I love having a lever to shift it into 4-wheel drive.

* Risk: When you are very satisfied with nearly all a product's features and performance-like I am with my '05-any changes have the potential to seem like a downgrade. This is life. But based on the dozens of hours I have spent lurking here, I am not convinced Toyota built the 5th gen 4R to be as longlasting and bulletproof as it's older brother. Tales of weak gearing and thinner sheet metal scare me a bit. Yes Toyota invented many quality standards other companies use today, but every company is trying to make their stuff cheaper.
The times they are a changing...Bob Dylan sang that and he just got a noble prize. But seriously, sheet metal is thinner not because toyota is trying to cheap out but because the government has set fuel economy goals and the price of gas can also discourage suv sales. Lots of the blame goes towards the EPA, not necessarily toyota. I've had my '15 for over a year now and it is rock solid so far. I don't have any concerns about it's longevity.

I think I will stay with a classic for now.
Nothing wrong with that

 

[Knight-Errant]

Lol no it doesn't. You're 100% incorrect. The V8 has 320/336/306 depending on what year and standard it was rated to.

Once you look up your mistake, look at the torque curves. There is no comparison. The V8 generates 280+ ft-lbs at 1800RPM. More than the V6 makes ever.

Lastly, if you've never driven one, you have no idea what you're talking about. The V6 in the 5th gen is anemic compared to the V8.

You're right I got it reversed. It has more horsepower than the old V8 and more torque than the v6 is replaced.

 

[Knight-Errant]

* Risk: When you are very satisfied with nearly all a product's features and performance-like I am with my '05-any changes have the potential to seem like a downgrade. This is life. But based on the dozens of hours I have spent lurking here, I am not convinced Toyota built the 5th gen 4R to be as longlasting and bulletproof as it's older brother. Tales of weak gearing and thinner sheet metal scare me a bit. Yes Toyota invented many quality standards other companies use today, but every company is trying to make their stuff cheaper.
The times they are a changing...Bob Dylan sang that and he just got a noble prize. But seriously, sheet metal is thinner not because toyota is trying to cheap out but because the government has set fuel economy goals and the price of gas can also discourage suv sales. Lots of the blame goes towards the EPA, not necessarily toyota. I've had my '15 for over a year now and it is rock solid so far. I don't have any concerns about it's longevity.

The other item to consider is that 4runner sales were down big time when the 5th gen was introduced, only about 50-60k were sold each year. The interior in the first 5th gens isn't as nice compared to the refresh 5th gen (I think). When sales are low, your margins are squeezed and you can't offer as much for the money. Toyota was also split between FJ and 4runner sales, and the FJ interior is pretty plastic-y and not that greatest either (I think). Eliminating the FJ and lower gas prices has boosted 4runner sales once again to around 100k per year. I think this allows for greater re-investment in the product. I think 4runner owners have been pretty vocal about what they like and don't like about the 5th gen, so I'd like to think the 6th gen (whenever that comes out) will likely appeal more strongly to owners of previous generations....well except for the V8 part I don't really see that coming back, it will probably be the new tacoma v6.

 

[PaulB-2006 T4R]

I rented a Gen 5 SR5 Premium for 2 weeks for a road trip, keep the miles off my car. First and foremost I love the look of the 2014+ but surprised at some of the deletes of the SR5 (I also have a SR5). First I noticed it is louder. Wind noise is up and maybe because of glass maybe thinner but also the windshield rake is more upright in comparison to the Gen 4 (more FJC like). Road noise is also up, I do not know if it is the OEM Dunlaps because when I bought my T4R is had some HT Hankooks and now AT Falkens. 2nd delete was the lack of auto climate control (I like this on my 2006). 3rd, the flick start is no longer in the Gen 5 (sorry National Car Rental for the additional starting abuse). #4, the auto closing or latching rear door.

With all these deletes, would I buy a SR5 or Trail (sorry not a fan of the Limited), YES but but the mods begin! Oh an wife approved too.

 

[bamma]

I could barely get my roof box to work on a friend's 5th gen. With the roof rails all the way forward and the box all the way to one side, there's about 1/4" of clearance between the box and the shark fin once there is some stuff in the box. With a heavier load in the box it could flex and hit the shark fin. Stupid satellite radio, most people don't even want it anyway.

On my 4th gen I don't even keep the rails all the way forward. Just enough that the box clears the rear spoiler with the trunk open, since keeping the rails back supposedly reduces wind noise, and I don't like to adjust them every time I use the box.

I have the same problem. Between the Antenna, spoiler, and short rails, trying to get a roof box to work is a PITA. I put Thule Bars on to raise things up a bit. Works for me, but I have a relatively average length roof box. The long boxes would not fit on the 5th gen. Besides that, we have been really happy with our 2012 limited. I think it is a high quality vehicle. Still feel that it is a bit underpowered. Think my next rig will be a GX460 or Land Cruiser.