The future of the 4Runner (5th Gen)

There has been a lot of speculation about the 5th gen 4runner and whether or not it will drop out of Toyota's SUV line. I have been fearing that the 4Runner will become a mall queen as it currently treads very closely to the FJ Cruiser in off-road prowess and they are really pushing the FJ for their off-road vehicle. But then again, I take a look at the 4runner and it is in direct competition with several other vehicles that the FJ can't compete with due to its lack of luxury options, v8 engine and 4 doors. Looking at Jeep's line-up and the Hummer H3, the 4runner is VERY similar to those vehicles, in wheelbase, interior and exterior options aswell as size. The sequoia and land cruiser are not in these catagories. Sequoia is full size and the LC is a premium luxury model costing twice as much as these other vehicles.

Something that makes me doubt that Toyota intends to tame the 4Runner is the Jeep Line. The Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokee are basically the same vehicle! I don't know why Jeep introduced the Commander in 06. The lifts you purchase fit both vehicles (superlift makes one) and the wheelbase is pretty damn near identical. The options are also the same on both vehicles and both vehicles compete directly with the 4runner, offering 5.7L v8s putting out in the neighborhood of 300 hp and ft-lbs. In other words, the 4Runner occupies more of its own niche in the current Toyota lineup than the Commander does in the current Jeep lineup. The H3 Alpha also offers leather, navigation, a 5.3L v8, etc., options that are not available with the FJ cruiser or any other mid-sized, quasi luxury, off-road SUV.

Also note the Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited line. The relationship between the Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited could symbolize the future relationship between the FJ Cruiser and the 4Runner. Additionally, with the increase in size of the Highlander (it looks big anyway), its not unreasonable to think the Highlander is moving in to take the 4runner's place as a soccer shuttle while they push the 4runner into the adventure-mobile market. There are more vehicles, like the LR Discovery III or whatever its called, that I haven't looked into. And its not like the 4Runner didn't do well in sales during its 4th generation. What I have noticed is that there are less people on the forums, (here, YT, T4R.org, Tundra solutions, etc.) that discuss modding and tech of the 4th Gens. Goodtimes is the only one I know off the top of my head, but that could just be my own ignorance. I wonder if that has anything to do with the crowd that is purchasing the 4th gen?

So I think the 4runner will either stay much like how it is or perhaps move closer to the FJ. What do you guys think?

Of course if this is all wrong when the 5th gen makes its debut, we can look back and laugh at how naive I was.

I think as the 4th Gens get older, you will see more and more modded versions. It takes some cajones to cut up/mod a new vehicle - most won't do it. Those that do give other something to shoot for/aspire to. I know for me, when the bank still owns it (or at least a majority of it), I'm less likely to go nuts with it.

Re: Jeep, The Commander is being dropped after this year or next and the Grand will sprout a 3rd row of seats.

My opinion - they should keep the FJ as the bare bones super capable model adding a front locker option and lower t-case gears, but make the hardtop removable/optional like the old ones and have a soft top offered too - if they are going after Jeep, might as well level the playing field.

I'd love to see the 4Runner remain it's current size or even shrink a little to provide a capable enclosed 4x4 with 4 doors. I'd hate to see it go away, but with the trend toward more and more car-based crossovers, I think the writing is likely on the wall. It's due for a reskinning being 5 years old now - guess if there's no talk of a new model... or maybe they'll globalize that segment of their offering and bring the Prado here to replace it.

I think Toyota will still try to market the next 4runner as an offroad/adventure machine, but the actual product won't measure up as much as we'd like. I'd like to see the 5th gen as capable as the (next) FJ, but it seems Toyota is definitely making that truck their dirt vehicle.

3rd gen 4Runner FTW!

Damn, don't go posting a title like that with no spy shots!!! :chair:

J/K

I've been wondering the same about how the new 5th gen will look but I have serious doubts they will just kill it altogether. The modding for me on the 3rd gen started from the flawed suspension setup on what I considered to be a great a reliable truck. Part of the other reason you don't see as many 4th gens could be that the 2nd and 3rd gens are lasting so long.

Toyota is also really starting to see some serious heat in the various niche markets it used to dominate and with gas as expensive as it is, big trucks are going to lose out to the smaller and more practical SUV crossovers. Back when I bought my 4runner there were no Nissan Muranos (or similar), your choices for SUV's in 1998 were basically Cherokee, Explorer, Durango, 4runner, Pathfinder, etc.....very much all trucks. The 4runner is definately not dead by any means but I think it will find itself positioned in a very different place now than in the past. I have been looking at getting a new one myself but I too am waiting for prices to drop before I take the plunge. Hopefully by the time I'm ready, the 2010 4runners will have a diesel for me to oogle over while I try to forget the pain of new car payments. I am hoping sometime this year we'll also see some spyshots leak out onto the net. :thumbup:

Damn!!!!!
:pics:
:pics:
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:pics:

When the 4th gen was first introduced, Toyota used a lot of the technologies found in the Prado (found overseas) as their primary platform and built around that foundation. This also lead to the spawn of the Tacoma (which has always taken cues from the 4runner) and the newly introduced FJC. I suspect that Toyota's goal is to globally dominate the SUV market by having these key areas to cover each vehicle type:

Offroad Worthy Luxury - Land Cruiser (challenge the Range Rovers, X5, Mercedes SUV, Grand Cherokee)
Suburban killer - Sequoia (challenge the Suburban, Expedition, Excursion)
Offroad Worthy Mid Class SUV - 4runner (challenge the Explorer, Durango, Tahoe, Grand Cherokee)
Offroading SUV - FJ Cruiser (challenge Jeep line up such as the Rubicon)
Crossover-like SUV - Highlander (challenge the Murano, Pilot and the likes)
Entry level SUV - Rav4 (challenge the CR-V and the likes)

It would be hard to believe that Toyota would drop the 4runner line completely as it really does fill in the void between the Highlander which is not offroad worthy at all and the Land Cruiser. By keeping the mid level offroad worthy SUV in the line up I think Toyota holds a better portfolio plus the benefit of using the existing Prado as their primary platform.

At any rate, I'm hoping to talk to a few contacts at Toyota to see if I can dig any info on the 5th gen 4runner as that'll be awesome to be able to cut up one of those and have fun with it :D

O yeah to reply back to Ned on his comments on the lack of 4th gen enthusiasts, actually there's quite a few out there that's done quite a bit. I know of one other 4th gen LT and 2 in the works! Also quite a few people have front/rear lockers (something that I don't have as I only pimp a rear hehe). I definitely can name a good 20+ 4th genners that are definitely well equipped to handle most of the trails we all venture to. At any rate it's definitely good to see other owners take their vehicles and modify em as it's definitely lonely when you're the only one out there :/

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Originally Posted by MTL_4runner

Damn, don't go posting a title like that with no spy shots!!! :chair:

J/K

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x2....

Bah sorry about no images guys. All I can come up with from scouraging the web are already on here UY. As soon as I find some images of a 5th gen or even a 5th gen concept from Toyota, I will post it. Although I think Lance might beat me haha. Ill add a post here of what is RUMORED to possibly be the next gen 4Runner.

Yeah I figured that the lack of 4th gen modders is largely due to the fact that its still a newer vehicle. But the modded 4th gens I have seen are so f*ing badass. The 4th gen really grew on me.

I completely agree with Lance. The 4runner DEFINATELY has a niche of its own, and since my Original Posting, I have come to realize a few more vehicles in direct competition with the 4runner, some of which have been since mentioned. Because the other surrounding niches have been occupied by other SUV models, I think the 4Runner will stay where its at.

I STILL SAY BRING THE PRADO!!

All the direct 4Runner alternatives I can think of:
Hummer H3, Dodge Durango, Nissan Xterra, Jeep Commander, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Land Rover LR3, Ford Explorer (its IRS though)

Here:
http://auto-news-blog.com/wp-content...7/10/10922.jpg

http://auto-news-blog.com/wp-content...7/10/10921.jpg

http://images.leftlanenews.com/conte...-4runner-1.jpg

i thought they fingered that for a sequia/LC mule for several reasons, including the lack of a roll down rear window, and the use of 5 lug wheels. not to mention its overall size.

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Originally Posted by Good Times

Offroad Worthy Luxury - Land Cruiser (challenge the Range Rovers, X5, Mercedes SUV, Grand Cherokee)
Suburban killer - Sequoia (challenge the Suburban, Expedition, Excursion)
Offroad Worthy Mid Class SUV - 4runner (challenge the Explorer, Durango, Tahoe, Grand Cherokee)
Offroading SUV - FJ Cruiser (challenge Jeep line up such as the Rubicon)
Crossover-like SUV - Highlander (challenge the Murano, Pilot and the likes)
Entry level SUV - Rav4 (challenge the CR-V and the likes)

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Good cheat sheet on competing models Lance! :thumbup: My one comment to add would be I think the new Toyota Venza will compete against other streamlined vehicles like the Murano, Ford Edge, Chrysler Pacifica, etc. I think the Highlander goes against a different (larger) genre of competitors more in sync with the Ford Escape, Mazda CX-7, Saturn Outlook, Mitsubishi Outlander (how blatant can you get at targeting with a name like that!), Chevy Equinox, etc. The Honda Pilot is a fairly big truck so it's more like to go head-to-head with the 4runner IMHO.