Just picked up a 6th gen sr5 after being one of those people who didn’t like it initially

[miralion6]

my 2023 sr5 premium got totaled by getting rear ended at 60 mph, thankfully I was ok. I will be honest when the 6th gen came out, I thought it looked worse than the 5th gen and I was skeptical about a 4 cylinder turbo.

However, I did decide to lease a 2026 sr5 after getting a very good deal from my local dealership.

Here are some observations, curious to see if others feel the same.

1. This 4Runner drives significantly better on road than the 5th gen
Acceleration is better, much more low end torque than the 5th gen.
Steering and Handling are better, the old 5th gen at least in stock sr5 form felt excessively floaty and soft, with lots of nose dive and body roll. 5th gen’s floatiness also made the car feel less stable at highway speeds. The steering was more loose so it was a little bit harder to feel where the on center was and keep it tracking straight on the freeway . This new one has significantly less body roll and nose dive and feels much more stable and planted at higher speeds .

2. MPG is better (based on how you drive)
the 5th gen, even when driving conservatively, would get 19 mpg on the freeway. With the 6th gen I am seeing sometimes as high as 22 mpg. However it is important to note in the 6th gen and in a lot of other turbocharged engines mpg is very sensitive to how you drive.


nonetheless there are some things I will miss about the 5th gen

1.this is stupid but the start up sound of the 5th gen’s engine was unique in the way it sounded thanks to the use of the mechanical fan, personally I thought it was cool.

2.I feel that the backseat of the 5th gen was bigger.

3. The 5th gen backseats folded down flat. The 6th gens don’t and just tumble down forward.

4.the absence of a sr5 premium trim on 6th gen

Overall though, there is no doubt in my head that the 6th gen objectively drives better than the 5th gen. Also the styling of the 6th gen has grown on me. No doubt I will miss my 5th gen, it was charming and had character in the way it was so old school. But nonetheless happy to have a 4Runner again.

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[Nodak]

nonetheless there are some things I will miss about the 5th gen


3. The 5th gen backseats folded down flat. The 6th gens don’t and just tumble down forward.

the 5th gen 2nd row bottom cushions tumbled forward (so to speak) and the seat back folded flat. so the 6th gen just made the process 1 step instead of 2.

but the 5th gen had a more flat load floor vs the 6th gen with the 2nd row in stow mode.

 

[Minnesota4Runner]

I have a Sport and my 2 biggest complaints are:

Entertainment system is frustrating and cumbersome.
Rides like a chuck wagon as another member here aptly labeled.

I think it drives really really good. Some day I may change the shocks for softer initial dampening.

 

[HVLA]

I was in the same boat. I hated the first pics/video i saw. Having owned two 3rd gens and one 5th gen I can say that the 6th gen is lightyears better than the previous gens. Not even close.

 

[sstarrx2]

This was my first 4R so had nothing to compare it too...but overall I am very pleased with it. I really like the cloth seats in this one. What did the SR5 premium in previous versions get extra over the standard SR5? I always have my climate control set to recirculate which may help, but this vehicle has the longest lasting new car smell of any vehicle I have ever purchased. Purchased mine on Nov 1st, still smells brand new.

 

[RunnerRocks]

Same here. Didn't care for the new Tacoma looks. Then went shopping for a BOF and ended up looking at 6G 4R's. This design quickly grew on me, even though the double moustache frontend is not my favorite.

It may not have all the lushness or fanciness of others, but I prefer the simplicity and basics of our ORP. Controls are easy to locate and operate without extra stuff in the way.

Bought our 2026 ORP (first 4R) and couldn't be happier.

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