My Carvana experience. Goodbye i-force-max

[4funner]

I have been bummed about the small cargo space in my hybrid since the first time I tried putting my mountain bike inside. Also the underwhelming mpg. I dont really care about the extra power either, I am used to slow cars.

I wasn't willing to take a big hit selling it but I got a quote from Carvana

I purchased my everest trd off road in December for 52,000+ttl

I sold it yesterday to Carvana for 57,400 lol. 3750 miles on the odometer.

I do not understand how they came up with that number but I will take it.

Now I am shopping for a non hybrid trd off road. I might have to compromise on color, I am having a hard time finding another Everest in my area.

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[BadTrainDriver]

I sold my 2019 TRD Pro 4Runner to Carmax in 2022 for $3k more than I paid for it new(not counting taxes). The Toyota dealer's trade in value was $11,000 less than the Carmax offer. No brainer!

 

[NotApplicable]

Cool, fwiw I love the gas powertrain in my Limited. Doesn't leave me wanting for anything.

 

[4funner]

Cool, fwiw I love the gas powertrain in my Limited. Doesn't leave me wanting for anything.

Good to hear. I am sure i will be satisfied with the power. It's faster than my 230hp 4 speed landcruiser 100 I had before lol. Faster than my 2013 prius as well.

 

[DangItsDen]

I was in the same boat when I bought mine. Wasn't willing to sacrifice cargo space for basically no MPG gain and just a little more power.

That is an INSANE carvana offer. I just did mine for the hell of it, and with 15k miles, they offered me $52,800 for my ORP. I think I paid $55k a year ago

 

[4running]

Wow at these resale values! Guess this award is well deserved/earned

2026 4Runner wins Best Resale Value Award 2026 by KBB


Have you searched through this allocations list for your next 4Runner?

2025 / 2026 4Runner Search: Available Inventory Allocations List - MSRP vs List Price, VIN, ETA, Ship Status, Dealers, Hold Status

 

[4funner]

I was in the same boat when I bought mine. Wasn't willing to sacrifice cargo space for basically no MPG gain and just a little more power.

That is an INSANE carvana offer. I just did mine for the hell of it, and with 15k miles, they offered me $52,800 for my ORP. I think I paid $55k a year ago

It is an insane offer. Strange business model. I made $5400 driving it for 3 months lol.

 

[HVLA]

I have been bummed about the small cargo space in my hybrid since the first time I tried putting my mountain bike inside. Also the underwhelming mpg. I dont really care about the extra power either, I am used to slow cars.

I wasn't willing to take a big hit selling it but I got a quote from Carvana

I purchased my everest trd off road in December for 52,000+ttl

I sold it yesterday to Carvana for 57,400 lol. 3750 miles on the odometer.

I do not understand how they came up with that number but I will take it.

Now I am shopping for a non hybrid trd off road. I might have to compromise on color, I am having a hard time finding another Everest in my area.

This makes zero sense. I just put in mine and they offered 51k.

 

[4funner]

This makes zero sense. I just put in mine and they offered 51k.

Yea, their algorithm probably looks at if it is your first time getting an offer, how many similar vehicles they have etc. I got an offer for 47k 3 months ago with 200 miles on the truck. It all over the place.

 

[HVLA]

Yea, their algorithm probably looks at if it is your first time getting an offer, how many similar vehicles they have etc. I got an offer for 47k 3 months ago with 200 miles on the truck. It all over the place.

I have bought from and sold to carvana. Actually just sold my 2016 lexus gx460 to them about 2 months ago.

 

[4funner]

I have bought from and sold to carvana. Actually just sold my 2016 lexus gx460 to them about 2 months ago.

It was my first time using Carvana. I kept waiting for a hiccup in the process but it was really easy. The only problem is US Bank put a 10 day hold on my funds from the check, so I guess I won't go shopping this weekend.

I probably wouldn't buy a vehicle from carvana considering their inspection consists of driving in a circle in the parking lot lol.

 

[BadTrainDriver]

I was in the same boat when I bought mine. Wasn't willing to sacrifice cargo space for basically no MPG gain and just a little more power.

That is an INSANE carvana offer. I just did mine for the hell of it, and with 15k miles, they offered me $52,800 for my ORP. I think I paid $55k a year ago

I'm going to start an argument, I really don't want to be that guy, but I need to correct the statement you made (that I've bolded).

I want to start with the "basically no MPG gain" comment.

“[The motor(electric)] is fundamentally designed to really support that part of the torque ramp and power ramp where you know the turbos are coming up to speed,” said Sheldon Brown, chief engineer for the Tacoma. “It helps us with our peak torque and then of course, when our turbo efficiency starts to fall off, it can come back in and assist.”

"Because of the small battery, the Tacoma Hybrid doesn’t have a dedicated EV mode. It can drive around on pure electricity at the ECU’s discretion, briefly, at low speeds, and the system can shut off the engine for coasting on the highway. Fuel economy isn’t the priority either. Compared with their gas-only equivalents, hybrid Tacomas get around 2 mpg more in the city, 1 mpg more on the highway, and 1 mpg more combined. Really, this is about performance."

“We didn’t follow the path of just a hybrid system that focuses on fuel economy,” Moritsu explained. “So powerful, torquey, agile, maneuverability, and performance, those were the priorities. And we were able to balance that with the environmental performance of the vehicle as well. That was the biggest challenge for development.”

Anyone who dismisses the Hybrid powertrain because of basically no MPG gain doesn't understand the point of the system, period. Dismiss it for taking up cargo area, or possibly an expensive repair out of the warranty period, but don't dismiss it for something it was never primarily designed to provide.

And as for the "just a little more power" comment...where in the world of automobile HP and TQ discussions are an additional 148 lb ft of TQ "just a little more?" It's almost half again as much (46% increase) as the non hybrid powertrain. Torque is what you feel when you drive. As a two time previous 4Runner owner, power, or lack thereof, was my single biggest complaint, and Toyota knocked it out of the park with the new IForce Max system we have. It's not a race car, I understand that, but come on...saying the hybrid has just a little more power is just unfair.

 

[HVLA]

It was my first time using Carvana. I kept waiting for a hiccup in the process but it was really easy. The only problem is US Bank put a 10 day hold on my funds from the check, so I guess I won't go shopping this weekend.

I probably wouldn't buy a vehicle from carvana considering their inspection consists of driving in a circle in the parking lot lol.

I actually bought the gx460 from carvana lol. It was a great purchase and great vehicl.

 

[DangItsDen]

I'm going to start an argument, I really don't want to be that guy, but I need to correct the statement you made (that I've bolded).

I want to start with the "basically no MPG gain" comment.

“[The motor(electric)] is fundamentally designed to really support that part of the torque ramp and power ramp where you know the turbos are coming up to speed,” said Sheldon Brown, chief engineer for the Tacoma. “It helps us with our peak torque and then of course, when our turbo efficiency starts to fall off, it can come back in and assist.”

"Because of the small battery, the Tacoma Hybrid doesn’t have a dedicated EV mode. It can drive around on pure electricity at the ECU’s discretion, briefly, at low speeds, and the system can shut off the engine for coasting on the highway. Fuel economy isn’t the priority either. Compared with their gas-only equivalents, hybrid Tacomas get around 2 mpg more in the city, 1 mpg more on the highway, and 1 mpg more combined. Really, this is about performance."

“We didn’t follow the path of just a hybrid system that focuses on fuel economy,” Moritsu explained. “So powerful, torquey, agile, maneuverability, and performance, those were the priorities. And we were able to balance that with the environmental performance of the vehicle as well. That was the biggest challenge for development.”

Anyone who dismisses the Hybrid powertrain because of basically no MPG gain doesn't understand the point of the system, period. Dismiss it for taking up cargo area, or possibly an expensive repair out of the warranty period, but don't dismiss it for something it was never primarily designed to provide.

And as for the "just a little more power" comment...where in the world of automobile HP and TQ discussions are an additional 148 lb ft of TQ "just a little more?" It's almost half again as much (46% increase) as the non hybrid powertrain. Torque is what you feel when you drive. As a two time previous 4Runner owner, power, or lack thereof, was my single biggest complaint, and Toyota knocked it out of the park with the new IForce Max system we have. It's not a race car, I understand that, but come on...saying the hybrid has just a little more power is just unfair.

Cool story bro

 

[Nodak]

1st : toyota doesnt promote any of the BoF HV vehicle system as a mpg addititve, its for power only (you might get a slight benefit from the HV as mpg but thats not its primary purpose)

if you want to argue that point the mpg stats between a limited gas and a limited hv, the only gain you get is city driving and combined its barely 1 mpg. you get 3 mpg city and the same mpg on the highway

2nd : the mpg gain mostly is from a more efficient 2.4L engine in conjunction with an 8 spd transmission (over the old 4.0L 5 spd)

3rd : as far as storage space, the new tumble seats for 2nd row are more restrictive for usuable space vs the 5th gen. also the battery pack takes 4in of usable cargo space.

5G specs :
Key Cargo Dimensions
Length (seats down): 68–72 inches (tailgate to front seat).
Width (narrowest): 43–44 inches (between wheel wells).
Width (widest): 52.5 inches.
Height: 36–39 inches.
Tailgate Opening: 31 inches high.

Capacity Breakdown
Behind 2nd Row: 46–47 cubic feet.
Total (Seats Folded): 89 cubic feet.

Important Notes
Third Row Seat: Models with a third-row seat have slightly less cargo height due to the folded seat platform.

Sliding Cargo Tray: Optional sliding cargo trays on 5-seater models can reduce vertical clearance by a few inches, though they add convenience.

Sleeping: With the rear seats folded (and bottom cushions removed or front seats moved forward), the space creates a flat, 6-foot-long platform suitable for sleeping.


6G specs :

Key Cargo Dimensions
Length (behind front seats, folded): Approx. 74–77 inches (front seats moved forward).
Length (behind second row): ~63–64 inches.
Width (between wheel wells): ~43–43.5 inches.
Height (floor to ceiling): ~29.5-30 inches (this is where you lose a lot of cargo space vs 5th gen) emphasis mine

Hybrid vs. Non-Hybrid Specifics

Hybrid Models: The battery pack sits under the rear cargo area, raising the floor and reducing overall height, though it allows for a flatter loading surface.

3rd Row Models: Behind the 3rd row, the space is limited to around 12.1 cubic feet, similar to other compact SUVs.

Key Features

6-Foot Item Test: The 6th Gen passes the 6-foot table test, with approximately 6'2" of space from the back of the front seats to the rear hatch.

Seat Functionality: The rear seats fold down with a single lever, often not requiring removal of the headrests to sit flat, and do not require lifting the lower seat cushion

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