Any regrets buying the 6th gen vs 5th gen

[thomasJ2352]

So I'm in the paralysis by analysis stage...driven both...know most of the specs on the various trims
available on both, watched countless video reviews and realized every vehicle is a compromise...
With that said I'm wondering if there are any 6th gen owners wish they had bought the 5th gen?
Thanks
Tom

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[mcd_ovrlnd]

I owned a 5th Gen for years. Now a 6th Gen. Are there trade offs? Yes. But I love the 6th Gen. Nothing is perfect.

 

[HVLA]

Owned both. The 6th gen is the better vehicle and it isnt even close.

 

[zcmack]

5th gen is better for sleeping in the back without any mods or add ons.

 

[NotApplicable]

I’d never go back to my 5th gen

 

[Formidable]

Owned both. The 6th gen is the better vehicle and it isnt even close.

Same. 6th gen is the superior vehicle in every single aspect except price lol

 

[doubleosullivan]

I originally wanted to get a 5th gen, but the resale numbers were insane (I know, I know the 6th ain’t cheap). Never wanted a new vehicle, but glad I went that route.

 

[mfoga]

I had a lot of people telling to get a used 5th gen vs a new 6th gen. But I looked and the value was not there. 10k less for aa 2-3 year old more stripped down version with 20-30k miles. No thanks.

 

[EL616]

No regrets with the 6th Gen other than how damn soft the clear coat and paint are (obviously getting black wasn't my best decision here, but I still love the look.)

I never owned a 5th gen but have rented most of the trims from Turo and have driven several thousand miles in them, including a lot offroad. Just about every single complaint I see about the 6G is just as bad or worse in the 5G.

-Ride quality over bumps isn't super impressive in either, but the 5G has awful brake dive and wobbles in tight corners and high wind. The 6G feels way more planted.
-Wind noise is noticeably worse in the 5th Gen
-Neither is as spacious inside as they look like they should be, but 6G isn't any worse than 5G imo
-6G interior does feel a bit plasticky in places, but again, I don't think the 5G is all that much better
-6G seats are comfier, though the back seats are bit more cramped (not that I sit back there)
-6G console, screens, and tech are a massive upgrade
-5G engine is hella sluggish, especially uphill and at altitude. 6G crushes it for low down torque, highway speeds, and overtaking
-6G transmission can definitely be a little clunky, especially after cold start between 2nd and 3rd, but 5G will hunt gears continuously and downshift at weird times
-5G is well known for wheel shake at ~60mph -- 6G has no such issues
-6G back seat folding is definitely inferior, but 5G seats still don't fold flat either. At 6'3" I can't sleep in the back of either without a platform. Both are inferior to my old Grand Cherokee, Honda Trailsports, etc. that lay fully flat. This is by far my biggest complaint with the 4Runner overall, but it is what it is.
-The obvious elephant in the room is overall reliability. The 5G is legendary and can often go 300k+ miles without too many issues. The 6G is a bit unproven here by nature of being new, but this has been discussed ad nauseam and personally if I can get 200k+ out of it, I'll still be happy compared to any previous vehicle I've owned.
-One thing I don't love with the 6G is the rear window logic. The inside button always works but the outside buttons have some weird-ass rules I still haven't quite figured out. Can't roll it down while the engine's running if a door is open, can't open the tailgate with the window down, etc. Sometimes it just won't go down for no obvious reason and will beep at you for what feels like 15 seconds for no apparent reason. I don't recall this ever being an issue with the 5G.
-Styling is entirely subjective. Both look rad but I still find myself looking back at my 6G even after a year plus.

Ultimately, if I were looking for a full time overlanding machine that I wanted to beat the shit out of for the next 20 years, I'd probably look at a 5th Gen. But for a daily driver with some weekend offroading and occasional road trips, the 6G checks way more boxes for me and I have zero regrets.

 

[a_double]

I currently own both. IMHO the 5th is better in terms of feeling like a truck or off road vehicle. My 6th gen feels like a crossover. Maybe it’s the Platinum trim vs TRD ORP. After getting a Platinum, I have re-kindled love for my 5th Gen. The only real standout thing better is gas mileage (which isn’t much consideration for me), the locking gas cover, and the retro oil filter. Even the oil dipstick placement is lame on the 6th gen. You gotta pole vault it in/out.

 

[TMLifer]

Absolutely no regrets with my 6th Gen hybrid. It's my first 4Runner I ever owned and love it! I have always liked the exterior styling of the 4Runners through the years and its generations. I recall the first time I had the opportunity to drive a 4Runner was when a dealership loaned a base model 5th Gen courtesy vehicle to me while my previous car was being repaired. I was very disappointed by the 5th Gen's sluggish engine, handling, featureless (very meh) interior, and lack of technology. The experience of driving that 5th Gen dealership courtesy vehicle almost dissuaded me from even considering any future 4Runners at the time. Then, I decided to test drive a 6th Gen and it changed my mind.

 

[Undisputed_0369]

I never liked 4Runners until the 6th gen.

The 5th gen was an overpriced , slow , no tech vehicle. Literally just an expensive frame on 4 wheels with nothing inside that justified the price.

No regrets !

 

[YotaMerchant]

in my opinion the only people who prefer the 5th over the 6th... are people who havent owned a sixth

 

[John2112]

So I'm in the paralysis by analysis stage...driven both...know most of the specs on the various trims
available on both, watched countless video reviews and realized every vehicle is a compromise...
With that said I'm wondering if there are any 6th gen owners wish they had bought the 5th gen?
Thanks
Tom

The 5th gen was good but the 6th gen is awesome. The extra power and drivability are top-notch compared to the 5th gen. I've had my Trail Hunter for a year now, no regrets whatsoever.

 

[jblack]

Drives ok and peak torque developed at low revs is more suited to the eco shift programming in transmissions
The 5th gen was better quality felt like if it didn't rust out it would last 30 years
The 6th gen feels like a Ford

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