Detuned engine?

Hi TW,

Underground Lurker here. Before I make a decision to purchase a taco on Tuesday, I want to bring up something in regards to the power plant? Below, I listed different vehicles that uses the same corporate engine lineup.

2017 Toyota highlander 3.5 L V6 295 hp @ 6600 RPM/ 263ftlb @4400 RPM
2018 Toyota Camry 3.5 L V6 301 hp @ 66000 RPM/ 267 ftlb @ 4700 RPM
2017 Toyota Tacoma 3.5 L V6 278 hp @ 6000 RPM / 265 ftlb @ 4600 RPM

Every other vehicle that is listed under this engine class is producing near or at the 300 hp mark besides the Tacoma. Why did they detune this engine? Or what was their reasoning? For reliability concerns?
Will we see an increase in engine performance in the near future from Toyota for 2018 or at all?

 

Reliability, Towing, Fuel Economy, Emissions.

 

Horsepower means nothing. Don't read so much into how it effects performance. It's just a calculated number based on torque and rpms. The difference in these engines it were they decided to put the torque curve. On the Tacoma it's lower in the rpm range because it's a truck (in my opinion all street cars should be that way). The same torque at lower rpms will yield less horsepower. Not less performance just different performance with the same available force. It's not detuned just tuned differently for different applications.

 

Horsepower is a function of torque over rpm. A truck you need low end pull more than a 6000+rpm top number. Most of those cars probably have higher redlines and less low end torque. I know my 14 is350 behaved quite differently despite also being a 2gr-fks (306hp)

 

What every one has mentioned. You want area under the curve not a single hp number. My thoughts would be also leaving room for the new 4runner 3.5L for 300 hp.

 

and thus the legend of the 2018 Toyota Camry intake manifold / cam swap began!

 

If you don't buy the torque answer that the guys above mentioned, then buy the Highlander.

 

My wife just bought one. It's very nice with that eight speed. It's a great people hauler and I'll leave it at that. I'll drive my truck thank you.

 

People haulers fill a need. Long trips can be much more comfortable as well.

For several years I kept 3 rides around. An '04 Highlander, a '96 2 seater sports and a '98 smaller regular cab PU.

I like purpose filling vehicles. Nothing does it all.

 

I repaired a highlander recently, as a favor to someone. It was the first time I had ever gotten inside one, and really the first time I had ever acknowledged it's existence. There is nothing appealing or unappealing about that vehicle.

 

Same here. She got her Highlander about a month before I got my Tacoma. Much more comfortable and feels more powerful, but I'd still prefer to drive the Taco, because manual.

 

Mine is manual as well. I actually enjoy driving again!

 

it's a pickup truck.

stick a washer and dryer in your truck, and the same weight in the back of a camry

now go drive around. the camry will be a slower, crappy handling pig, the tacoma will love it and you'll
barely notice the added weight, other than it'll drive smoother.

 

Towing - Doesn’t the highlander achieve peak ftlb (near identical than the Tacoma? By 200 rpm?) I was just wondering why they decide to use this engine when they had the same engine from the Lexus GS350 3.5L 2GR V6 6 speed 303 hp @ 6200 rpm while torque is 274 ftlb at 3600 RPM. This torque figure is significantly lower than what I listed above by a mere 1000 rpm. Why not this engine?
Horsepower has a direct relationship to torque and RPM according to the equation. Although, higher horsepower has been met with higher RPM rather then higher torque figures.
Horse Power = (Torque X RPM) / 5252
Using this Mathematical equation, the torque dip on the GS350 2GR does not drop as fast as the new engine. We are talking 257 ftlb at 6600 RPM while the engine peaked torque (274 Ftlb) at 3600 RPM.
Now, with the tacoma’s engine, it maintains 243 ftlb at 6000 rpm while peaking 265 ftlb at 4600 RPM. There is a clear difference between the two which makes me wonder if you can program the Tacoma engine like the GS engine. I do haul which the why I want to bring up the torque figures.

You tell me to buy a highlander, but as a consumer I want to be aware of what I am purchasing instead of getting the short end of the stick. Being educated about your purchases is important when money doesn’t come easy. My family has had a full line of Toyotas -including their trucks. T100 254K miles, 1 gen tundra 90K miles, and lastly, a 5th gen N90/N100 2wd pickup at 345K miles.
I appreciate the support.

 

Try a test drive. Hard to argue about numbers. They are just numbers. Once the rubber meets the road it doesn't matter what the numbers say as long as it performs.

 

Which it will. Because it does.

 

Don't get bogged down in the numbers. You are sort of splitting hairs here. Each vehicle you listed above has a different transmission and gearing, each designed to do different things. My wife's Highlander has an eight speed and, while it is smooth, shifts all the time. It is designed to haul people, not as much stuff, the Tacoma is designed to haul stuff, not so much people.
What everyone wants and what nobody will ever get (except by changing gear ratios) is better low RPM torque. This motor is not designed for low RPM torque. Low RPM torque is inefficient! Seriously. What people want is better low RPM torque and the same efficiency as this motor. Never gonna happen no matter what you do. You can get better torque (change gearing, smaller tires, etc) OR efficiency (leave it stock and don't hang a bunch of weight on it) but never both.

 

the Tacoma Hybrid is coming....just don't have a date yet. no it likely won't
look like this A-BAT monstrosity, but this is a test platform

 

That A-BAT concept is about 10 years old now.

 

Well, it sure seems like the GS350 version would be nice to have. Here's detailed specs for the 2017 GS350 http://www.automobile-catalog.com/curve/2017/2230415/lexus_gs_350.html

Looks like all versions of the 3.5l are roughly similar for torque curves, peak achieved at 4500-4800rpm, but of course Toyota tuned the GS350 the best.

I'll stick with the 4.7l V8. Timing belt/water pump change every 100k miles for $700 is bothersome but it's a strong engine.