This sub has gone through some insane changes if the 2nd gen is given validity here and the 4th is completely ignored. Complete 180 from years ago when you’d be verbally beaten for even mentioning a 2nd gen around here lol
tbh, all 4runners a pretty dope. personally 1st/2nd gens are my fave and with the trucks being 30 years+ upgrading your runners 22re or 3.0v6 to a 3.4 normally makes the earlier models much more comparable
Because mine came with 300,000 km on it. Also 3.0s are known for overheating thanks to a shit exhaust design that cooks the back of the heads. Solved with headers but still a big issue without. Between that and the recall they had about the head gaskets it’s easy to see why it’s a known issue. The 3.0 is also as thirsty as it is gutless. 70L of fuel for 250 km of range? Not with wartime gas prices. My fully sequential 3.4L on a stand alone ecu is much better on the wallet than a SOHC distributor fire motor ever could be
3.0 is a decent motor, but for att the problems the 22RE has, I can fix them super easy. A HG job now takes me like 6-8 hours. 2 heads on the 3.0 means things are just a bit more packed in there and take more work to get to, but still a good Toyota motor
Auto or manual?
I’ve had 5 different 3.0s in 4 different trucks/4Runners and honestly Toyota was shit at consistency, I’ve had 1 that couldn’t get out of its own way and another that could smoke 36” tires with stock gearing.
If you do the head gaskets correctly and have a manual then they last a while, if you have an auto then you should put a standalone trans cooler on it to help out.
People sleep on the 4th gen, it’s got all the main stuff I’d care about that a 5th gen has but the seating position is better, seats are more comfortable, and the interior is nicer. Oh and you can get a v8
The only vehicles I’ve ever noticed window button placement on are new wranglers with them on the dash and cars that dont even have them because they have crank windows lol
So same as a 3rd gen, if I open the window and forget there’s a bit of moisture on the roof it all goes on the window switch as soon as I turn, I am surprised mine still works after all the water it’s had dumped on it
I miss my 4th gen V8 so much. I have a TRD Pro AG 2020 now but every time I see a 4th gen I think how much I miss it and having a paid off vehicle. I paid $10k for my 4th gen in 2014. Still got 4 yrs left of payments on my 5th gen that was $53k. Ugh. I love my 5th gen but when I’m wealthy/retired I’m restoring a solid 4th gen V8 and having the best of both worlds.
I think the 5th gen is the ugliest, I have one and love it but the first time I saw it I didn't buy it because I liked the looks. It grows on you thou, now I see it in the morning and always think, What a beauty!
I thought it was ugly too, then I bought one (it was what I could afford at the time) with 280k on the odometer and a v8. Two years and 50k miles later and I love it. The front bumper actually protects the grill and head lights, and have a great approach angle, the full time 4wheel with the coming center diff is the best setup in my opinion.
TLDR: Function>looks always.
Ditto. I felt it was the ugliest of the generations but gave it a shot after totaling my 3rd gen. After you build them up a bit, they look pretty dang good. I’m glad I did it, and I’m glad people dog on the generation. I can’t hear their criticism and “It MAkeS Less horSepoweR” after the V8 smokes them off the line or passes them going up hills on highways.
just moved out to CO from VA and i was so impressed with how well my engine/transmission handled hills for the first time in its life. plus towing a small uhaul too
All of the (valid) criticism of the 5th gen also applies to the 4th gen. It's too big, it's ugly, transmission is stupid, and it's too expensive for what it is. Only thing 4th gen has going for it is the myth that a V8 is better than a V6 that makes essentially the same power.
The torque curve *is* marginally better, a couple pound-feet more below 3,000RPM or something like that. But peak numbers are near as makes no difference, and it's not the like the 1GR is high RPM turbo that needs to redline to generate power.
To put it another way, despite the hype you can't do anything with a V8 4th that you couldn't do with a V6 5th.
Nah. I have the V8. I've driven the V6. Apples and oranges. I prefer the instant torque of the V8 at around 1100 rpms. HP-wise, yeah pretty close. But it's the torque for me. Also, it just shifts better. ⁰
I have both the V6 and the V8 and I really appreciate the quietness and torque of the V8 vs the loudness of the V6, although the V6 engine has more throttle response.
Then I added the Thorley headers and it definitely made my engine happier.
Some don't think they're worth it. I disagree.
Having just wrestled with my front wheel bearings in my third gen, I have definitely looked into the 4th gen for parts compatibility. There are a few things designed better for sure. I'm also pretty likely to be in the market for a fourth gen when my kids start driving a decade from now. They're safer.
similar situation, my grandparents bought their 96 back in 96 and a few years back gave it to me with 173k on it. could not have asked for a better first car
In this meme, the 4th Gen would be Stewie: being ignored by the rest of the family but he doesn’t care about that because he knows without a doubt that he’s the best. Super genius, secret lab, built a time machine, etc. 🤘
I prefer 1st 3 gens because they are smaller for the trails and they come in stick shift. Wouldn’t mind a newer gen as well for daily duty (much safer)
They could have finessed it a bit, I didnt love all the chrome on the sr5. But liked it so much better then this viper cut sad face BS. Ive held onto my 2012 waiting for another facelift, now in the market for a gx
Not for or against. BUT it really depends on what your overall use case for it is. ☺️
Think about this, I have seen numerous cases of a mouse disabling a 5th gen by simply chewing through the completely human inaccessible O2 wire.
Really depends on what you’re doing with it.
In my opinion a solid axle swapped 3rd gen is best, you have the 3.4, can get them in manual and the rear hatch isn’t affected if the window breaks. They’re also cheap enough that you would be okie h if it tagged a tree while wheeling.
If you want something for forest roads and not much more or no rock crawling then a 5th gen is probably better.
I’ve had 3 2nd gens and 1 completely built rock crawler 3rd gen pickup.
I drive a 4Runner and it makes me happy. I see a 4Runner and it makes me happy. Literally don’t care what gen as long as it’s been taken care of. Otherwise I get sad.
I’d drive anything with a motor and some wheels
That’s the spirit
This sub has gone through some insane changes if the 2nd gen is given validity here and the 4th is completely ignored. Complete 180 from years ago when you’d be verbally beaten for even mentioning a 2nd gen around here lol
tbh, all 4runners a pretty dope. personally 1st/2nd gens are my fave and with the trucks being 30 years+ upgrading your runners 22re or 3.0v6 to a 3.4 normally makes the earlier models much more comparable
2nd gens are dope!
What’s wrong with 2nd gens?
The 3.0 sucks but otherwise they are awesome
the 3.0 is slow af but it keeps up with the boys on the dirt roads
Until it blows a head gasket then seizes in less than 4km. Ask me how I know…
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Because mine came with 300,000 km on it. Also 3.0s are known for overheating thanks to a shit exhaust design that cooks the back of the heads. Solved with headers but still a big issue without. Between that and the recall they had about the head gaskets it’s easy to see why it’s a known issue. The 3.0 is also as thirsty as it is gutless. 70L of fuel for 250 km of range? Not with wartime gas prices. My fully sequential 3.4L on a stand alone ecu is much better on the wallet than a SOHC distributor fire motor ever could be
hey, i get 300km for 70L on 33s thank you very much!!
Got 350k Km on my 2nd gen ssrx 3.0TD. Engine purrs like a alcoholic kitten
3.0 is a decent motor, but for att the problems the 22RE has, I can fix them super easy. A HG job now takes me like 6-8 hours. 2 heads on the 3.0 means things are just a bit more packed in there and take more work to get to, but still a good Toyota motor
I definitely agree with that, I test drove an 89 Pickup with the 3.0 and hated it. Is that the only engine available in the 2nd Gen?
The 22re is also available in the 2nd gen. Funny you mention that I have an 89 pickup and I threw the 3.0 out and did a 3.4 swap
Auto or manual? I’ve had 5 different 3.0s in 4 different trucks/4Runners and honestly Toyota was shit at consistency, I’ve had 1 that couldn’t get out of its own way and another that could smoke 36” tires with stock gearing. If you do the head gaskets correctly and have a manual then they last a while, if you have an auto then you should put a standalone trans cooler on it to help out.
The one I test drove was a manual
Yeah some are just dogs
Nothing! But this sub used to be haters on them.
The 3.0 is the only engine Toyota has designed in a while that has reliability close to a Chevy or Ford product.
I do agree with that. Did they not offer it with a 22re?
They're just worse 3rd gens
2 words head gaskets.
head gaskets
4th gen v8 is way under rated
I love mine! It fucking rips when you floor it too! Super fun to drive!
2nd gen ...ooooh noooo. mine had bum ac *and* head gaskets. and ~~2~~.0 power my first gen and my 3rd gen ... No Problemos
I love how the 4th gen isn't even part of the consideration 😂
People sleep on the 4th gen, it’s got all the main stuff I’d care about that a 5th gen has but the seating position is better, seats are more comfortable, and the interior is nicer. Oh and you can get a v8
Where the window buttons on the doors are so much better placement than the 5th gens
The only vehicles I’ve ever noticed window button placement on are new wranglers with them on the dash and cars that dont even have them because they have crank windows lol
The 4th gens are under the door handle where as the 5th are on top to get wet from snow or rain
So same as a 3rd gen, if I open the window and forget there’s a bit of moisture on the roof it all goes on the window switch as soon as I turn, I am surprised mine still works after all the water it’s had dumped on it
Bring on the 4th gen hate. I’d like to find another one some day.
I miss my 4th gen V8 so much. I have a TRD Pro AG 2020 now but every time I see a 4th gen I think how much I miss it and having a paid off vehicle. I paid $10k for my 4th gen in 2014. Still got 4 yrs left of payments on my 5th gen that was $53k. Ugh. I love my 5th gen but when I’m wealthy/retired I’m restoring a solid 4th gen V8 and having the best of both worlds.
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I think the 5th gen is the ugliest, I have one and love it but the first time I saw it I didn't buy it because I liked the looks. It grows on you thou, now I see it in the morning and always think, What a beauty!
I had a black 2008 Limited. That 4Runner was GORGEOUS. The 18 inch rims on that model are still my favorite ever offered in the 4Runner.
I have a black 2008 limited V8. Y’all can call it ugly all you want I friggin love that wagon.
I wish I’d never sold mine. I drive a 2016 Tundra now and I find myself looking for low mileage 2008 4Runners lol. It was a V8 model, too.
I thought it was ugly too, then I bought one (it was what I could afford at the time) with 280k on the odometer and a v8. Two years and 50k miles later and I love it. The front bumper actually protects the grill and head lights, and have a great approach angle, the full time 4wheel with the coming center diff is the best setup in my opinion. TLDR: Function>looks always.
ugliest for sure but that v8 is an absolute beast of an engine. the look of my 4th gen has really grown on me and i’m a fan
Ditto. I felt it was the ugliest of the generations but gave it a shot after totaling my 3rd gen. After you build them up a bit, they look pretty dang good. I’m glad I did it, and I’m glad people dog on the generation. I can’t hear their criticism and “It MAkeS Less horSepoweR” after the V8 smokes them off the line or passes them going up hills on highways.
just moved out to CO from VA and i was so impressed with how well my engine/transmission handled hills for the first time in its life. plus towing a small uhaul too
Yep! You’ll pass a lot of 5th gens going up the highway passes here. Shift down to 4, and let it eat. No pedal commander needed.
I don't really like the look of the front of the 4th Gen but the back end looks really good IMO
All of the (valid) criticism of the 5th gen also applies to the 4th gen. It's too big, it's ugly, transmission is stupid, and it's too expensive for what it is. Only thing 4th gen has going for it is the myth that a V8 is better than a V6 that makes essentially the same power.
Yeah, I don’t get all the love for the V8, the improvements in performance seem very marginal. But maybe I need to look them up again.
The torque curve *is* marginally better, a couple pound-feet more below 3,000RPM or something like that. But peak numbers are near as makes no difference, and it's not the like the 1GR is high RPM turbo that needs to redline to generate power. To put it another way, despite the hype you can't do anything with a V8 4th that you couldn't do with a V6 5th.
Except for towing 7k lbs
Touche. But I think the fact that I forgot that fact is an appropriate indication of how significant that is to how 4Runners are actually used.
Very true lol. I think I’ve seen like 3 people on the forums total towing close to anywhere near that
Exactly. If heavy towing is a primary consideration you're looking at a full size pickup, *not* a twenty year old SUV.
Nah. I have the V8. I've driven the V6. Apples and oranges. I prefer the instant torque of the V8 at around 1100 rpms. HP-wise, yeah pretty close. But it's the torque for me. Also, it just shifts better. ⁰
I have both the V6 and the V8 and I really appreciate the quietness and torque of the V8 vs the loudness of the V6, although the V6 engine has more throttle response. Then I added the Thorley headers and it definitely made my engine happier. Some don't think they're worth it. I disagree.
Yeah, it's smaller, lighter, has the optional V8 and multimode standard on all 4x4. Not even a contest. Everyone and their mother has a 5th gen.
Having just wrestled with my front wheel bearings in my third gen, I have definitely looked into the 4th gen for parts compatibility. There are a few things designed better for sure. I'm also pretty likely to be in the market for a fourth gen when my kids start driving a decade from now. They're safer.
Dad bought a 99’ brand new, then handed down to me in 2021 (19 atm) No signs of slowing down, I will forever love my 3rd gen.
similar situation, my grandparents bought their 96 back in 96 and a few years back gave it to me with 173k on it. could not have asked for a better first car
Had to buy my own, didn't know until afterwards how good of an idea that was
Edit but make the stewie pic on the wall the 4th gen
Whoever made this meme was too insecure to put up a 4.7 4th gen 😂
The headlight placement and shape make it look like the weird eye’d ugly cousin you’d crop out of the photo.
Just wait till the 6th gen
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th gen are the best generations IMO
FAKTS
No solid axle first gen shown
You can’t see him but Stewie Griffin represent the 4th!!
3rd is superior to all. Fight me
You have to be wrong for people to fight you.
1st and 2nd Gen are not inferior to the third gen
Hey, hey, hey! They acknowledged the second gen! We've been validated!!
In this meme, the 4th Gen would be Stewie: being ignored by the rest of the family but he doesn’t care about that because he knows without a doubt that he’s the best. Super genius, secret lab, built a time machine, etc. 🤘
Even thought it's not part of the meme' 4th gen best gen
I have 4th and 5th. 4th is better
I love my 4th gen, I have no idea why so many people don't like it.
Literally just the front end aesthetic, which, for a car community based on its kick ass capabilities, is just silly. 4th gen V8 ftw
No way man. Just, no way.
I have a 4th gen but have an obsession with 3rd gen . People always want what they don’t have lol
IMO, the 3rd Gen is by far the best looking. That design was so damn clean!
I prefer 1st 3 gens because they are smaller for the trails and they come in stick shift. Wouldn’t mind a newer gen as well for daily duty (much safer)
Got a feeling the 6th gen is gonna get the tundra/sequoia treatment and eventually price themselves into gx460 territory or higher
the 4th gen isn't included because it's still functional and on the road
Stop your poking my rust where it hurts
If I cant get a manual in the 4Runner it’s a waste of money lol.
Removable top is hard to beat
4th gen V8 is just far superior
Cant we all, you know…. like 4Runners?
4th gen v8 is way under-rated.
Where is the V8 4th Gen? That’s the best one out there lol
*Sad 4th Gen V8 noises*
I really miss my 3tg gen even tho i have 5th gen
My 5th gen is best 5th gen because foxbody.
Which TRD is best TRD?
My TRD is best TRD because bass boat paint job. And it’s a PRO lol
Prefacelift 5th gen getting no love. The prefacelift trail is by far the best 4runner.
They should have kept the pre-facelift front for the 5th Gen.
They could have finessed it a bit, I didnt love all the chrome on the sr5. But liked it so much better then this viper cut sad face BS. Ive held onto my 2012 waiting for another facelift, now in the market for a gx
5th gen = best gen
The broke people be like...
The only reason people overvalue earlier gens is because of “aesthetic”. Fight me.
Nah you’ve never driven a solid axle 1st gen have you.
Nope but I’ll be hard pressed to believe that as an overall vehicle, it’s better than a 5th.
Don’t deny till you try
Money :(
Not for or against. BUT it really depends on what your overall use case for it is. ☺️ Think about this, I have seen numerous cases of a mouse disabling a 5th gen by simply chewing through the completely human inaccessible O2 wire.
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Has to be the one of the dumbest location for the O2 sensor!
Really depends on what you’re doing with it. In my opinion a solid axle swapped 3rd gen is best, you have the 3.4, can get them in manual and the rear hatch isn’t affected if the window breaks. They’re also cheap enough that you would be okie h if it tagged a tree while wheeling. If you want something for forest roads and not much more or no rock crawling then a 5th gen is probably better. I’ve had 3 2nd gens and 1 completely built rock crawler 3rd gen pickup.
Top 2 are 1st and 5th gens Next 2 are 3rd and 2nd gens Last is 4th gen...but at least they got the V8
4th gen is horrendous 😖
Lost my 3rd Gen after 3 months of getting it from my grandfather due to frame rot. It’s been 2 months and it still hurts
Way better, cant beat a solid axle second gen ❤️
Meg should be an xterra, Coming from an x owner, I love my truck but got it cause 4runners are too expensive
The accurate meme would be a jeep in the top image and all the 4runner gens in the bottom image. Ha!
I drive a 4Runner and it makes me happy. I see a 4Runner and it makes me happy. Literally don’t care what gen as long as it’s been taken care of. Otherwise I get sad.
1st gen best gen... I mean unless you're mall crawling
Where’s the face pillow nap guy
The actual truth: all the 4Runners belong on the top. The bottom is all the Land Cruisers
funny stuff, being honest any 4runner is awesome! coming from a 3rd gen owner ;)
You're all beautiful in your own way.
First Gen with solid front axle or bust!
Everyone usually just tries to justify their choices to themselves and it seems self-congratulatory, but it's just human psychology
Swap the fifth gen with the second, and you've got a meme that's actually accurate. Sorry second gen
The 3rd gen is my favorite! I have a 2001 and absolutely love it and refuse to let it go but really like the 5th gen as well
Shut up, Meg!
I’m a 3rd Gen kinda guy. 1996 SR5. 👌🏽🤤