6th gen vs 5th gen 4Runner decision

[AlanA]

I am stuck between a 5th gen and the 6th gen. I test drove a 2010 5th gen today and got 18 MPG around town. I can afford either one. My question is what MPGs are you getting on your 6th gens? What is better with the 6th gen, for those coming from the 5th? Thanks!

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[bancroftdg]

Regarding MPG, I use the Fuelly App and it shows 21.2 MPG ave for the past 1800+ miles. 30/70 city/highway.

 

[brumey]

I believe there is a thread where people are posting their MPG too. It's all over the place. Factors like larger wheels, poor driving habits, environmental, location all matter.

I have had as much as 25mpg on a 150 drive. Around town, I am averaging 21.8.

You your are heavy footed, larger wheels fitted and tow anything, expect much lower. Towing can bring it down to 8-10mpg. It's really not a towing rig.

 

[Positronic]

have almost 3K miles on my hybrid 6th gen and the built-in MPG tracker says i'm averaging 21.2 mostly cruising around town but did have a couple 150+ mile road trips for camping so far in there.

 

[Gunnison]

If you're getting a 6th Gen and are taking it off-road, just know that the transmission overheats on slow uphill climbs and you'll have to keep it in 4L or manually shift it.

 

[John2112]

I am stuck between a 5th gen and the 6th gen. I test drove a 2010 5th gen today and got 18 MPG around town. I can afford either one. My question is what MPGs are you getting on your 6th gens? What is better with the 6th gen, for those coming from the 5th? Thanks!

I went from the 5th gen to the 6th gen and the main difference is power and torque. I went with the hybrid model Trail Hunter and the different in power is night and day. The 5th gen engine has always been underpowered with a terrible transmission. I drive a lot in the mountains and it always struggled and was searching for gears. This 6th gen doesn't even breathe hard even when pulling a 5,000 lb trailer. Gas mileage is about 22 around town now after it was broken in, driving 75 and 80 mph on the highway I'm getting between 19 and 20. Overall drivability on long trips is a much more pleasurable experience in the 5th gen. I did not drive the gas line only model, I wanted the extra horsepower and especially that massive torque at low RPM.

 

[Hawkflyer]

After owning two 5th gens and now this 6th gen I welcome the updates in power and overall driving quality of it. Not sorry I bought it.......not that the 5th gens were bad.

 

[ah4rsr5]

I have SR5 and Ive been averaging 23-24mpg and standing at 5k miles. Best I've gotten was 29-30mpg on a straight highway stretch.

The backseats in the 6G have less leg room or space in case you want to put a child seat in the back. Seems more cramped.

Low end torque is peppy and fun ( I don't have Hybrid ).

 

[AlanA]

If you're getting a 6th Gen and are taking it off-road, just know that the transmission overheats on slow uphill climbs and you'll have to keep it in 4L or manually shift it.

Can you put an aftermarket tranny cooler?

 

[Gunnison]

Can you put an aftermarket tranny cooler?

Yea people have done that and in the Tacoma too I believe, it's just not something you should "have" to do as it's essentially a band-aid to an underlying issue that Toyota should ultimately fix.

 

[AlanA]

Yea people have done that and in the Tacoma too I believe, it's just not something you should "have" to do as it's essentially a band-aid to an underlying issue that Toyota should ultimately fix.

How is a tranny cooler a band aid solution?

 

[Gunnison]

The transmission is overworking and Toyota doesn't have a software update for it yet. The cooling fan is working fine and the fluids are good. There are workarounds but nothing so far to fix the underlying issue.

 

[jimmyzshack]

just drive both. you will make up you mind quick. apples to apples the 6th gen will get better mpg, but no one buys a 4runner for mpg's.

 

[25togo]

If anyone is concerned about gas mileage, I did a 55-mile mpg test with my 6th generation SR5 (52 miles of highway / ~3 miles of stop & go). I got 27.5 mpg. The cruise control was set on 70mph, several hundred above sea level, no wind, ~80 degrees and the air dam attached. I verified this by the gas being topped off before and after. My 5th generation SR5 would have gotten under 20mpg.

 

[jimmyzshack]

5th gen transmission will get hotter that then 6th gen. we towed our 4000lb teardrop last year with a 2023 5th gen through the mountains it was getting up to 255 degrees did the same trip this year in the 6th gen it never got hot like that.

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