As a 4Runner owner, it’s unlikely you bought it expecting to take pink slips as a sleeper ride. No, you bought it as a reliable, off-road capable workhorse.
While you’re not going to see horsepower gains unless you put in something like a Magnuson supercharger, what if you had a simple way to adjust that lag off the line or more easily merge on the interstate?
Enter throttle controllers.
Throttle controllers don’t change anything in your vehicle other than telling your Electronic Control Unit (ECU) what throttle to apply at the varying pedal positions. This can be beneficial in city driving where you want more responsiveness or off-road where you want slower acceleration so you don’t slip.
Table Of Contents
Overview
Ultimate9 was started in 2014 in Melbourne Australia by Tim Tettamanti, who is very well-known in the Australian 4WD world. They pride themselves in being a leading distributor & manufacturer of aftermarket vehicle accessories with offices in Australia and the US. Their team has over 100 years of experience in the automotive industry. Much of their products appear to be tested in the rugged Australian off-road conditions.
If you’re unaware, there are a handful of options on the market. Many of them are the same – they offer a handful of sensitivity levels (i.e. eco, performance, etc.) with clever naming unique to each.
What stands out is the simplicity and elegance of their product. First, it’s super small. Some of the alternatives are over twice the size. The evcX is easy to navigate, set, and recalls your last setting. It’s priced competitively and most importantly, looks clean on your dash.
They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and a lifetime replacement warranty, a testament to the rigorous testing in all the different vehicles these have been developed for.
I’ve been researching throttle controllers for some time, and there are stories about them throwing error codes. However, this is usually from improper use (changing modes while on the throttle) or a loose connection. If something ever goes wrong, remove the unit entirely, plug in the stock sensor, and you’re back to factory settings. The units make no permanent changes to the vehicle’s settings.
Model Comparison
The guys make two different types: EVC and evcX. At their core, they are identical; however, the latter offers 5 additional modes (Lock, Valet, Anti-Slip, Ultimate9, and Launch). In addition, it can be app-controlled.
The EVC is the more basic one, where you wouldn’t want or need to change modes often. For an extra $40 (at the time of this review), the upgraded model is worth the extra money, in my opinion.
Modes
- Ultimate9 Mode: Max throttle enhancement (i.e. highest setting)…this mode was unreal.
- Ultimate Mode: 9 levels to enhance the throttle response.
- Launch Mode: Better takeoff with max throttle response (different from Ultimate9 in that it is set to help reduce wheelspin and increase traction), my favorite (more info below).
- Adapt Mode (i.e. automatic): Your pedal input dictates what mode it chooses, pretty good (but not great).
- Eco Mode: Helps save gas, but also great for off-road.
- Anti-slip: Reduces throttle response & limits RPM to increase traction.
- Valet Mode: Reduces throttle response and limits RPM to 50%.
- Factory Mode: Self explanatory.
- Lock Mode: The throttle will not work from the pedal while this is engaged (extra security). I’ll be using this during an upcoming trip.
Installation
Tools & Materials:
- Car trim tools (optional)
- Flashlight (optional)
Step 1. Unplug Throttle
First, ensure your vehicle is turned off. Find the throttle position sensor above your gas pedal. It is recommended to leave your car off for at least 10 minutes to ensure that no additional electrical signals are being sent that may disrupt it in any way. Once ready, unplug it by pressing the tab as you would any other automotive electrical connection.
Step 2. Plug In Controller
Grab the two ends of the unit and plug it into the male and female ends of the connections you just removed. Use the provided zip ties to help attach it and prevent dangling wires while driving.
Step 3. Organize Wires
The placement is truly up to you. I had it set up on the left side of the dash as shown, but also tested it on the right. To make it look a little cleaner, I popped off the various fascia panels and ran it behind it. Once installed, start the vehicle, and go have fun.
Driving Impressions & Review
If I had to describe the evcX in two words, it would simply be “A Delight”. Truly.
After two weeks of driving with it, I was able to run through most of the different modes. My go-to would be “launch”.
Launch seemed best suited for my driving around town. It made everything “smooth” and gave that extra “pickup” off the line or merging lanes. But it never tanked the MPGs or was too aggressive. “Ultimate9” mode definitely hits the aggressive marks, and even the “Adapt” mode would sometimes throw me off because it would change from a lower setting to aggressive (and just wasn’t as smooth). Launch was where I left my unit most of the time.
The “Ultimate9” setting was truly next level. The first time I tried it, I ended up grabbing both sides of the wheel and smiling from ear to ear while yelling out “holy cow!”. This for sure is a gas-sucker, but the entertainment level is top-notch. I even tried it with my three young kids and it was met with a resounding “Do it again, Daddy”. If you want to have fun, this is the setting to do it. Just know you will drop some gas in doing so.
Eco mode definitely helped increase my MPGs. In the two weeks that I drove this around, I saw an average of an extra 1-2 MPGs when using eco mode. Really depends on your driving habits, though.
Overall, I saw about the same fuel economy (I get around 14MPG) if not a little better (around 14.2). All my miles are around town for my initial testing.
Final Thoughts
Again, when comparing with other throttle controllers, the Ultimate9 evcX has all the settings I’d ever want, is reasonably priced, and looks good. After knowing about these for years and plenty of research, I’m happy that I landed on this one. I recommend checking it out if you’ve ever been interested in a throttle controller!
