2022 GX460 V8 v. 2023 GX460 TTV6

[V84EVR]

Hello. 

I am searching for a medium sized SUV that will last a long time.  I have driven my JGC for 25 years and 452,000 miles.  It’s time for my retirement SUV. I believe that the GX460 checks all the boxes.  One major reason being the V8 and transmission combo. Does anyone have any insight on the twin turbo V6 that is supposed to be on the 2023? Do I buy now and get the V8 with the current tech or wait and get updated tech and new engine? 

I would greatly appreciate any insight anyone can provide. 

Thanks 

[JimboLG]

This is a guess, but somewhat guided.  I just bought a 2022 GX and love it.  I thought about the same thing, and I think an example of the TTV6 would be the new Ford Bronco.  It is pretty amazing what can be done these days with a TTV6 when it comes to HP and Torque, note how high those numbers are compared to everything else in class.  However, this comes with a downside.  The engine and trans are a lot more complex, and hugely more expensive if and when things fail or need repair.  Additionally, MPG on the Bronco is about the same as the GX.  Compare back to the 460 and the "older" drivetrain.  Extremely reliable, very durable, quite powerful, etc.  Still a lot delivered out of a basic V8, and while some critique a 6 speed trans as old...come on, how many gears do you need?  I sure don't want to have to pay for a 10 speed trans repair down the road.  Compared to the more traditional V6s available in class the V8 460 blows them out of the water.

[rustynut]

This is something I looked at hard when I took the leap this week and ordered the 2023 GX460.

Comparing Ford and Lexus is not a good comparison but any twin turbo motor is a lot more complicated than a naturally aspirated motor (N/A).  And the GX460 has a very fine N/A motor, one of the best Toyota makes.  Than you look at direct injection with port injection.  The direct injection proved to be a disaster and high maintenance.  Adding part time port injection just kicks the can down the road.  Say instead of 60,000 miles needing an expensive repair, it might now be 120,000 but you will still need to do the repair.  Turbo charging is a wonderful thing but better on a diesel motor.  One issue is gasoline is not that easy to pressurize, gasoline does not have lubrication built in for one thing where diesel does have some lubrication built in.  The HP injection pumps are pretty expensive to replace.

Another thing these days is your seeing a cooling system that almost has it's own computer.  The cooling system is sending coolant to various places in the motor at various times, like startup.  This is not a simple system and is a new system that could prove to have problems down the road.  Same for the oiling system, the modern motors have a variable pressure/volume oil system and it is pretty complicated compared to the old systems.  Most motors fail because the (lazy) owners did not check the oil so imagine a system like this with the average owner.  And all this is done to save (say?) 1/2 a MPG.  Seems like a lot of trouble for not much gain.

 

The new transmissions are another situation.  As far as I know GM and Ford are on the outs due to their 10 speed transmission joint venture.  New GM trucks are running 6 speeds I guess until GM sorts this out.  The new Ford transmission learns how you drive and adjusts itself to your driving style.  So my wife has a totally different driving style than I do, how does this transmission learn and adapt to me and my wife?

 

And the above is just touching the surface of these modern vehicles.  You have hybreds thrown into the mix as well with all the battery and other issues they will present.  I know Toyota is one of the leaders in hybred technology.

[rentschl]

The fuel economy savings with the TTV6 will likely be more significant if you consider that the 2023 Sequoia has that engine and they’re quoting 21/24 mpg. That’s for a much heavier vehicle than the GX460. 
I’m also interested in how the hybrid aspect helps overcome turbo-lag off-the-line with the electric motor. In a side by side testride comparing the ‘22 Sequoia (4.6 V8) to the ‘23 Sequoia (TTV6), they noticed the TTV6 was more responsive off-the-line. 
 

I haven’t seen anything on a breakdown between the engine power vs the motor power. They only quote the total, which is impressive. 
 

I’m also wondering if they’re considering the TTV6 for the Toyota 4Runner. But if they did not put it in the 4Runner, that would be consistent with them (unfortunately) not putting the 4.6 V8 in the 4Runner back when they came out with it on the Lexus GX 460. 

[tejdp]

Here is something to think about, if you drive the GX460 for 200K miles, putting the required premium fuel at about $4.5 per gallon, averaging 16 combined MPG, you would have spent $56,000 USD in fuel. 

 

 

[Surveyor1953]

The mileage figures are out for the 2024 GX550 and the combined mileage is 17mpg. A whopping one mile per gallon better than the N/A V8.  I will be buying a 2023 GX460 and enjoying the aural tones of that V8.