LC100 to 5th Gen 4Runner

[bap5340]

Some may consider this post a bit of heresy.

I have an 04 LC100 that is in great shape. There are times it feels a bit too big. Fuel economy is not great, but I love the vehicle. It has been a third car and has seen about 5K miles in the past year. It looks like it might become a daily driver. While I love the vehicle, I'm not sure it's practical as a daily driver for me and my briefcase and a few hand tools.

I'm considering a Gen 5 4Runner.

For those of you who have already moved from LC100 to the 4Runner, what have been your observations.

I'm considering a Trail or Limited. I do have a trailer that we take from Phoenix to Flagstaff several times per year. It weighs 3,000# loaded. The climb is from 1000 above sea level to 7,300 feet above sea level.

I love the AC on the cruiser. I'm curious about the performance of the AC on the 4Runner.

Thanks,

Bruce

 

[deadbeat son]

Check out the first post in this thread for a pretty detailed comparison between the two.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/98414-2013-Toyota-4Runner-Equipt-Edition-Build

 

[grampswrx]

My wife averages about 13.5-14.5 mpg in our 2012 limited. That's just in town driving and she has a heavy foot. I can squeeze 15 around town. On the freeway at 80 it will get up to 19.5. It's not great. The v6 feels underpowered. If you tow, I would stick with the cruiser. The 4Runner is awesome, but it's not as well built as the cruiser or as nice inside.


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[paddlenbike]

The 5th gen 4Runner is virtually the same size as the 100-series. They are both 76" wide and the LC is only 1.5" longer. I would never trade a 100-series for a 5th gen 4Runner. I have owned generations 1, 2 and 3 of the 4Runner and liked them all. I have not owned but have driven the 4th gen and I like it too. I have driven two 5th gens now and I'm just completely unimpressed by them. I'm not sure if it's the lack of power, the unresponsive transmission, the price, or maybe it just doesn't have the "4Runner feel" that I have come to enjoy. Ultimately, I would recommend a test drive and see what you think.

 

[Arktikos]

The 5th gen 4Runner is virtually the same size as the 100-series. ...

Yeah, I've seen a few and they are freakin' huge. What was Toyota thinking?

 

[paddlenbike]

Yeah, I've seen a few and they are freakin' huge. What was Toyota thinking?

I hate to say it but Toyota makes it that way because that is what American buyers want. Go overseas and you'll find plenty of smaller SUVs and Utes, mostly diesel powered with manual transmissions and cloth interiors. Americans would rather have size, automatic transmissions and lots of cupholders with facebook connectivity while they drive.

 

[Dalko43]

My wife averages about 13.5-14.5 mpg in our 2012 limited. That's just in town driving and she has a heavy foot. I can squeeze 15 around town. On the freeway at 80 it will get up to 19.5. It's not great. The v6 feels underpowered. If you tow, I would stick with the cruiser. The 4Runner is awesome, but it's not as well built as the cruiser or as nice inside.


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If you are only getting 13.5-14.5 mpg city and 19.5 highway, then you are really driving with a lead foot (or your engine/ECU may have an issue). I get about 19 mpg combined without really trying. There is an ECO mode indicator on the dash that lets you know when you are driving economically.

The V6 is a slight improvement from the 4th gen's v6: slightly more torque, quite a bit more horsepower, more fuel efficient. The issue is the 5th gen 4runner has gained a few hundred lb's of weight over its 4th gen brother, so the engine gains aren't really noticeable. The V6 of the 5th gen, given its weight provides adequate power/torque....nothing special that's going to impress you, but it gets the job done and still yields half decent mpg, if driven properly.

Can't give you any feedback on towing. The 5th gen is rated for something around 4,500lb's, which isn't a lot, but this is 4Runner, not a pickup, so towing is a secondary concern to things like off-roading.

Honestly, the new 5th gen 4runner, reminds me of the older (80 and 100 series) cruisers: somewhat big and spacious, yet still nimble enough to tackle hard terrain.

As for the interior of the 5th gen not being nice, well again, this is a 4runner. The interior is spartan and utilitarian, though you can speck them up with leather and luxury features. If luxury and refinement are your concern, then you should probably look for a BMW or Audi crossover.

 

[Dalko43]

I love the AC on the cruiser. I'm curious about the performance of the AC on the 4Runner.

Thanks,

Bruce

By the way, the AC on my 4Runner (2011 with 34k miles) is damn good. People can criticize the interior's lack of refinement all they want, but the AC works, which is all I care about in terms of "luxury" options.