Any regrets buying the 6th gen vs 5th gen

[wickncsu]

Love my 6th except too much tech, I am 73. And no front hitch option yet.

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[Joe Dirt]

I have had a 3rd gen, 5th and now the 6th for almost a year.

So for my comments on this new model, I would say fuel MPG has increased for me on Highway drives.

Not fond of the way the rear seats fold up, they take away some of the linear space.

And the extra plasticy stuff throughout the interior, but it is easy to clean.

This is an entirely new design so there are many changes micro and major that can be identified through a comparison Journey.

I sort of miss my 5th gen, but miss my 3rd more because of simplicity and lightweight as well as size.. so easy to work on, no technical crap to fail. Just my two cents

 

[jblack]

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 isn't super impressive in either
-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 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 transmission can definitely be a little clunky, especially after cold start, but 5G will hunt gears continuously
-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. 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.
-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.

Concur with the black but gotta admit the offroad in black looks awesome just dont look to closely at the paint I swear it scratches looking at it

 

[ShotsFired]

My first 4Runner and actually my first new vehicle since I bought a 2017 Jeep Renegade, new. I loved the Jeep, but wife totaled it. I'm 80 so all this drive assist, telling you what to do, keeping track of everything is all a crock to me. Soon they will all have cameras watching you and AI will determine if you are safe to drive. LMAO, Hell I drove cars that didn't have turn signals, and seat belts didn't cut you in half if you had an accident. Big brother is watching so you better be good or he will put a hold on your Digital currency and tax you for driving 2MPH over the limit.

 

[ToYoDaMan]

Concur with the black but gotta admit the offroad in black looks awesome just dont look to closely at the paint I swear it scratches looking at it

Exactly my thoughts! No one sees the scratches except you, the owner! Every minor scratch is noticeable to me. At this point I just try to ignore it or it will absolutely drive me crazy! lol.

 

[NotApplicable]

Soon they will all have cameras watching you and AI will determine if you are safe to drive

A lot of cars already have this even before the current AI wave. Cameras and sensors facing driver to detect fatigue, etc.

 

[Kennyg]

This 6th Gen is my first 4Runner. I don't really have any regrets, but I'm disappointed in the drop in quality from the last Toyota I bought new, a 2009 Matrix Sport. The paint on this 2025 is too easily damaged compared to my Matrix. The wind noise on this 4Runner is really loud. To be fair, the road noise in the Matrix is also loud. The brake squeal is really annoying. Oh, and I was extremely disappointed to find that I had to pay for a subscription to use the GPS map.

We'll see how this 2025 compares in the long term.

 

[TMLifer]

This 6th Gen is my first 4Runner. I don't really have any regrets, but I'm disappointed in the drop in quality from the last Toyota I bought new, a 2009 Matrix Sport. The paint on this 2025 is too easily damaged compared to my Matrix. The wind noise on this 4Runner is really loud. To be fair, the road noise in the Matrix is also loud. The brake squeal is really annoying. Oh, and I was extremely disappointed to find that I had to pay for a subscription to use the GPS map.

We'll see how this 2025 compares in the long term.

I think is another thread about the brake squeal issue with some of the 6th Gen. I haven't encountered the brake squeal issue...(knock on wood). If I recall correctly, Toyota has issued a service bulletin (TSB). You can probably get the dealer to repair the problem. Here's the link to the thread posts about it: https://www.4runner6g.com/forum/thr...l-tsb-brakes-fix-tsb-0046-25.5534/post-125815

 

[porkyfly]

I've never owned a 5th gen, but it was my original choice. I decided on a new 6th gen because I just couldn't stomach paying $45-50k for used car smell.

My observations from renting/test driving several 5th gens and owning my 6th gen:

5th gen advantages:
- far superior ride quality over potholes and sharp bumps/cracks
- can sleep in the back without mods
- better visibility for offroading as the hood line is lower
- engine is smoother and sounds better, with better engine braking
- larger gas tank (23 vs 19 gallon) leads to better highway range (18mpg @80mph vs 20mpg @ 80mph for the 6th gen)
- more backseat room, yet slightly more compact

6th gen advantges:
- powertrain is much more potent
- highway driving is more effortless and better at higher speeds (more stable in crosswinds)
- handles curvy roads much better, fun to drive
- wireless carplay + wireless charger
- seats are a bit ore comfy

 

[127.0.0.1]

3rd Gen here,
hated 4th,
hated 5th,
6th arrives and fixes the issues 4 and 5 had. got one

 

[BoiseUte]

Like others have comment I wouldn’t go back to the 5th Gen after having my 6th Gen now for a year. It is so nice with all the upgrades and the power. I’ve now had a 2010, 2018, 2023, and now a 2025. We still keep the 2010 around but the 2025 is so much nicer and not just because of the age differences.

 

[Tarekith]

My only regret is that life circumstances forced me to get my 6th gen right when they came out, and I'm one of those people who's had a lot of small quality issues to deal with as a result. Rattles, squeals, and the elusive front left chirping sound no one can diagnose but annoys me daily. I would have preferred to wait a year for Toyota to sort out the issues before buying mine.

 

[SC4Runner]

My first 4Runner and actually my first new vehicle since I bought a 2017 Jeep Renegade, new. I loved the Jeep, but wife totaled it. I'm 80 so all this drive assist, telling you what to do, keeping track of everything is all a crock to me. Soon they will all have cameras watching you and AI will determine if you are safe to drive. LMAO, Hell I drove cars that didn't have turn signals, and seat belts didn't cut you in half if you had an accident. Big brother is watching so you better be good or he will put a hold on your Digital currency and tax you for driving 2MPH over the limit.

I laughed, but you aren’t lying! Get used to this technology, because in 3-5 years, you’ll be setting your destination in your map, and the car will drive itself. These vehicles can adapt to that new technology.

 

[ShotsFired]

This 6th Gen is my first 4Runner. I don't really have any regrets, but I'm disappointed in the drop in quality from the last Toyota I bought new, a 2009 Matrix Sport. The paint on this 2025 is too easily damaged compared to my Matrix. The wind noise on this 4Runner is really loud. To be fair, the road noise in the Matrix is also loud. The brake squeal is really annoying. Oh, and I was extremely disappointed to find that I had to pay for a subscription to use the GPS map.

We'll see how this 2025 compares in the long term.

Yes, that subscription thing is total bullcrap, especially when you pay over 60K for a vehicle. Are you serious Toyota?

 

[EL616]

Exactly my thoughts! No one sees the scratches except you, the owner! Every minor scratch is noticeable to me. At this point I just try to ignore it or it will absolutely drive me crazy! lol.

Yeah, I babied mine for the first ~10 months or so, always hand wash, microfiber, wax, etc. Still started to find more and more swirls all over it. Drove me crazy for a bit but I'm over it now, especially after collecting some proper pinstripes on the trail. The 4Runner is meant to do 4Runner things, it should have the scars to match and we can't be too precious about it. I still kind of avoid looking at the paint closely when its in direct sunlight but it is what it is. Not thrilled with Toyota going so cheap on the clear coat for a $60k vehicle but that's the world we're in now I suppose. I'll most likely get matte black PPF to cover it at some point once I come to terms with the cost.

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