I drove from Austin to Woodland Park, CO and back recently. I have an '08 and the 200 ran great at 2,000 rpm in 6th gear which put me at 82 mph. This seemed like a good rpm for the motor on the hwy. My old F150 with the 4.6 and 4sp auto liked 80 mph highway speeds. I don't care about mpg. My dad said his old BMW 2002 drove better at 80mph than at the old 55mph TX speed limit. Does the 8sp auto in the 200 like to run 80+?
Hwy Cruising Speed (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter 99Cruiser
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
My wife's 2021 8 speed with stock sized tires is constantly hunting for the correct gear on the highway at any speed over 70 mph. The 6 speed in my 15 is so much better on the highway...and honestly everywhere. The 6 speed is just better overall in my opinion.
kcjaz
SILVER Star
If you want to feel better about how a LC shifts, drive a Tacoma...
Agree. You figure with 400 foot pounds at your disposal the 8 speed would trust 6-7-8 to get the job done on highway inclines but it's about as indecisive as a hipster at a beer tasting event.
I think it’s the cruise control programming. With cruise off, the 8 spd holds 8th at a steady 75-80 and unlocks the torque converter or downshifts rarely even with wind or gentle hills. With cruise on, it can hunt quite a bit. If I want to use cruise and am driving in windy conditions or in minor hills, I just use S7. That bumps the rpms up over 2K, which hits the torque peak.
My 2015 drives just fine at 55, 65, 75, whatever. I put the transmission in Drive and go. No gear hunting, no nothing.
Cruise control programming has been abysmal since are least our 1999 100 series. It’s honestly pathetic.
Moby
GOLD Star
I rarely if ever have hunting at highway+ speeds. Both with my 8 speed and the 6 speed I had with the 4.6 in my GX. It's the low gear shifts that suck for me, same on both models
It may downshift on Highway on cruise control but I never notice it unless I pay attention. The 8-speed is very smooth. I have no issue with the transmission nor its tuning.
My Honda on the other hand….is horrible.
My Honda on the other hand….is horrible.
Last edited:
I set my 2018 at 65, 75, 85 or whatever. No hunting, no issues just smooth performance. I have heard that there is a "flash" for the trannies but have not done it nor have I felt the need the need for any modification of what came from the factory for me. Only car that I have ever had that had fewer issued than my LC was my ES350 Lexus. Both just worked.
It's interesting to see these threads. As a 3 Tacoma, 2 4Runner and now recently a 1 LC owner, every single forum has these complaints.
And let me tell you, drive a 2016+ Tacoma with the 3.5L and 6 speed. You'll see why the 4Runner with the 4.0 and 5 speed is vastly better. Then drive a LC 2016+ and you'll see that it's even better.
It hunts a little cause like others said, Toyota cruiser programming is terrible. Tacoma and 4Runner would hang after cresting a hill in 3500RPM for 15 - 30 seconds at times, so you're screaming coming down a hill.
And something that's taken my many years to overcome is the thought of hunting. Are you worried the hunting is going to reduce the 300k lifespan of the trans? You won't own it that long, and for those that do, you'll just do basic maintenance and it will be fine. I used to think about things, and then realized that's why I paid the Toyota engineers. They didn't solve everything perfectly (Needle bearing, cruise programming, remote start door open turn off), but how many of these transmissions (Tacoma, 4Runner, Tundra, Seqoia, and Lexus versions) have hunted themselves to death?
Probably fewer than the humans how had hunting accidents in the woods
And let me tell you, drive a 2016+ Tacoma with the 3.5L and 6 speed. You'll see why the 4Runner with the 4.0 and 5 speed is vastly better. Then drive a LC 2016+ and you'll see that it's even better.
It hunts a little cause like others said, Toyota cruiser programming is terrible. Tacoma and 4Runner would hang after cresting a hill in 3500RPM for 15 - 30 seconds at times, so you're screaming coming down a hill.
And something that's taken my many years to overcome is the thought of hunting. Are you worried the hunting is going to reduce the 300k lifespan of the trans? You won't own it that long, and for those that do, you'll just do basic maintenance and it will be fine. I used to think about things, and then realized that's why I paid the Toyota engineers. They didn't solve everything perfectly (Needle bearing, cruise programming, remote start door open turn off), but how many of these transmissions (Tacoma, 4Runner, Tundra, Seqoia, and Lexus versions) have hunted themselves to death?
Probably fewer than the humans how had hunting accidents in the woods
2016 LC 8 speed. In last 8 weeks I been from TX to OK to MO to IA to KS to OK to TX then TX to OK to MO to OK to TX. Not first time I done this kind of mileage. At 70 75 80 the 8 speed is around 1800 to 2000 rpm and will hunt gears on hills. At 85 right around 2100rpm and hunting stops for most part 90 is 2200 and hunting is gone. That 5.7 likes 2200 or higher for Torque and will run quite nice. The tickets might get you in the end though. Note I don't really feel the down shift for climbing at least if is 8 to 7. I do however notice down shifts on decent when cruise is trying to hold speed you set. Kind of wished it would coast but oh well.
I frequently drop the 14 to S5 when hills are present. Holds gears better. Drop the 20 to S6/7 as well. Not perfect but better than hunting.
I like ~70 mph in my 2013 LX in order to keep a good balance of mpg and speed. However, everyone drives 80+ on the highways in my area. I kind of feel like an old man going that speed but I'm usually in no rush. Can't speak for the 8spd but I imagine it's only better.
However, with my LX (6 speed) it easily cruises at whatever I put it at. 85 mph is cake but I usually just slow it down a bit for mpg. Since you don't care though, set it at that. It's perfectly happy at that speed and rides great. You're definitely not "winding it out" or straining the drivetrain. It's lightyears away from a BMW 2002. Sure doesn't handle like one though that's for sure...
However, with my LX (6 speed) it easily cruises at whatever I put it at. 85 mph is cake but I usually just slow it down a bit for mpg. Since you don't care though, set it at that. It's perfectly happy at that speed and rides great. You're definitely not "winding it out" or straining the drivetrain. It's lightyears away from a BMW 2002. Sure doesn't handle like one though that's for sure...
This also just came to mind.
Do you care about hills or drive in mountains a bit? Do you feel like your 6spd is hunting for gears? I can definitely see where you think it might if elevation is high. When I drive to Flagstaff from Phoenix (~1000ft -> ~7000ft elevation) you definitely feel it downshifting a bit, especially with some passengers or other weight. Nothing crazy though as I think the 5.7 has adequate power.
Do you care about hills or drive in mountains a bit? Do you feel like your 6spd is hunting for gears? I can definitely see where you think it might if elevation is high. When I drive to Flagstaff from Phoenix (~1000ft -> ~7000ft elevation) you definitely feel it downshifting a bit, especially with some passengers or other weight. Nothing crazy though as I think the 5.7 has adequate power.
A neat feature I’d like to see on my 2013 is something the wife’s forester touring has. It has 4 choices for how quickly you want the car to accelerate back to cruise mph after it has slowed down bc of traffic.
So say you are in rush hour you’d put it in immediate/max accel back to speed for safety reasons. On a more leisurely Saturday trip up the way you put it on slow recovery for lower fuel consumption.
But my ‘13 is an amazing hwy road trip vehicle. Just eats up miles with comfort and quiet for days. But it does race back to cruise speed sometimes unnecessarily.
So say you are in rush hour you’d put it in immediate/max accel back to speed for safety reasons. On a more leisurely Saturday trip up the way you put it on slow recovery for lower fuel consumption.
But my ‘13 is an amazing hwy road trip vehicle. Just eats up miles with comfort and quiet for days. But it does race back to cruise speed sometimes unnecessarily.
I've got a TX to MA road trip beginning next week so I'll be able to report back with some better 8 speed info. 5 people, lots of luggage and a Thule XXL box on the roof. We will be sagging for sure in the rear.
The hunting is an issue because it causes more fuel burn for no reason other than lazy programming. Reliability is not the concern. Downshifting for every single short overpass is a little ridiculous. Especially at sea level where I am.It's interesting to see these threads. As a 3 Tacoma, 2 4Runner and now recently a 1 LC owner, every single forum has these complaints.
And let me tell you, drive a 2016+ Tacoma with the 3.5L and 6 speed. You'll see why the 4Runner with the 4.0 and 5 speed is vastly better. Then drive a LC 2016+ and you'll see that it's even better.
It hunts a little cause like others said, Toyota cruiser programming is terrible. Tacoma and 4Runner would hang after cresting a hill in 3500RPM for 15 - 30 seconds at times, so you're screaming coming down a hill.
And something that's taken my many years to overcome is the thought of hunting. Are you worried the hunting is going to reduce the 300k lifespan of the trans? You won't own it that long, and for those that do, you'll just do basic maintenance and it will be fine. I used to think about things, and then realized that's why I paid the Toyota engineers. They didn't solve everything perfectly (Needle bearing, cruise programming, remote start door open turn off), but how many of these transmissions (Tacoma, 4Runner, Tundra, Seqoia, and Lexus versions) have hunted themselves to death?
Probably fewer than the humans how had hunting accidents in the woods
Who said transmission lifespan is 300k?It's interesting to see these threads. As a 3 Tacoma, 2 4Runner and now recently a 1 LC owner, every single forum has these complaints.
And let me tell you, drive a 2016+ Tacoma with the 3.5L and 6 speed. You'll see why the 4Runner with the 4.0 and 5 speed is vastly better. Then drive a LC 2016+ and you'll see that it's even better.
It hunts a little cause like others said, Toyota cruiser programming is terrible. Tacoma and 4Runner would hang after cresting a hill in 3500RPM for 15 - 30 seconds at times, so you're screaming coming down a hill.
And something that's taken my many years to overcome is the thought of hunting. Are you worried the hunting is going to reduce the 300k lifespan of the trans? You won't own it that long, and for those that do, you'll just do basic maintenance and it will be fine. I used to think about things, and then realized that's why I paid the Toyota engineers. They didn't solve everything perfectly (Needle bearing, cruise programming, remote start door open turn off), but how many of these transmissions (Tacoma, 4Runner, Tundra, Seqoia, and Lexus versions) have hunted themselves to death?
Probably fewer than the humans how had hunting accidents in the woods
