Driven: 2025 Toyota 4Runner Enters a New Era

Yahoo

28-01-2025

The Toyota 4Runner is a dinosaur of sorts, a remnant of long ago when body-on-frame SUVs ruled the land with rugged simplicity, rather than the posh sophistication of today's car-based wagons. And yet, despite Toyota letting the outgoing fifth-generation model languish for 15 years without a redesign, it still racked up a healthy 92,156 sales in 2024. Maybe its old-school nature was part of its charm. Evolution is unavoidable, though, and an overhauled 2025 model finally joins the modern age with new levels of refinement and capability, plus more variety than ever.
The sixth-generation 4Runner is built on the same TNGA-F platform as Toyota's other body-on-frame models, including the latest Land Cruiser and Lexus GX. Drill down further and the 4Runner is essentially an SUV version of the Tacoma mid-size pickup, sporting similar mechanicals, configurations, and even styling. No fewer than nine trim levels now comprise the 4Runner lineup, with two new additions—the upscale Platinum and the overlanding-themed Trailhunter—expanding its bandwidth.
The 4Runner looks handsomely muscular in its new duds, especially on the 33-inch all-terrain tires of the TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter trims. The latter two also add a heritage-inspired grille with bold TOYOTA lettering; lesser models get a conventional Toyota emblem. Iconic design elements include distinctive rear quarter windows that extend up to the roof, plus the always-cool roll-down window in the rear liftgate. Outward visibility remains good (at least on models without an obstructive hood scoop). And despite modest increases in every exterior dimension, which make for a slightly bigger footprint and a more comfortable interior, you can still bob and weave through a crowded parking lot.
Pour one out for the outgoing 4Runner's 270-hp 4.0-liter V-6 and five-speed automatic transmission (or don't; we won't miss them). Like the current Tacoma, the new 4Runner is motivated by a 278-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder backed by a modern automatic with eight forward speeds. A hybrid system (available on most trims, standard on the range-topping Platinum, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter) slots an electric motor between the engine and gearbox, upping the output to 326 horses and increasing torque from 317 pound-feet to a hearty 465.
Drivetrains range from rear-wheel drive (standard on many models) to part-time four-wheel drive with low range (optional with the base engine, mandatory on most hybrids) to full-time four-wheel drive with an electronically locking center differential (Platinum and hybrid Limited models only). A limited-slip rear diff is included on all but the TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter, which get an electronic rear locker. Regardless of the setup, max towing capacity swells from 5000 to 6000 pounds.
While more powerful than before, the 4Runner's four-banger can sound uninspired, and the eight-speed is slow to downshift from higher gears. But this is still a far more potent powerplant than the one it replaces. Peak torque hits at 1700 rpm versus 4400 for the old V-6, which offered just 278 pound-feet of twist. Artificial engine sounds pumped through the stereo speakers help mask some of the engine's coarseness, though the added theater can get annoying in the more aggressively tuned TRD Pro. Unsurprisingly, EPA fuel economy improves from the outgoing version's 17 mpg combined to 21 mpg for nonhybrid four-wheel-drive models and 22 mpg for rear-drivers.
The feds say the hybrid fares even better at the pump (23 mpg combined), and its extra grunt sharpens the powertrain's initial throttle response. However, the system tends to run out of steam under sustained acceleration, and it brings several hundred pounds of additional mass. We'll quantify our impressions once we get an example to the test track, but we expect the 4Runner to perform similarly to the Tacoma: In our tests of the pickup's hybrid and nonhybrid TRD Off-Road trims, the standard powertrain was the quicker of the two, posting a 7.0-second 60-mph time to the hybrid's 7.6 seconds. The placement of the hybrid's estimated-0.9-kWh battery under the 4Runner's cargo floor also makes for a higher liftover height, and it eliminates the availability of a third row of seats.
Get the 4Runner on the open road and its ride and handling are nothing short of a revelation. The outgoing model's pronounced dive under braking and listing around corners are largely absent, replaced by good body control and a reasonably compliant ride for a vehicle with a solid rear axle and available 20-inch wheels (18s are standard). The street-oriented Limited and Platinum trims add adaptive dampers and additional Comfort, Sport S+, and Custom drive modes, letting you fine-tune their character. Like the Tacoma, the Platinum model we drove outside San Diego exhibited relatively crisp and direct steering, with far greater composure than alternatives such as the Land Cruiser, the Ford Bronco, and especially the Jeep Wrangler.
The 4Runner can be even more enjoyable in the dirt. We've yet to drive the Trailhunter with its standard roof rack, high-mount snorkel intake, extra underbody protection, and modest suspension lift that affords it 10.1 inches of ground clearance (lesser versions have at least 8.1 inches of clearance). But we know from the Tacoma that it's on par with the TRD Pro, which similarly comes standard with an electronic disconnecting front anti-roll bar and a lifted suspension with forged-aluminum upper control arms. The main difference is that where the Trailhunter gets 2.5-inch ARB Old Man Emu dampers designed for more technical trail work, the sportier TRD Pro features manually adjustable 2.5-inch Fox internal-bypass shocks. Also included are a TRD intake and a cat-back exhaust.
In short, the TRD Pro is a hoot to toss around a repurposed motocross track, its quick steering and broad stance fostering confidence as you chuck it into corners at speed. While it doesn't feel as invincible as, say, a Bronco Raptor on 37-inch tires, the TRD Pro handily soaked up rough terrain without reorganizing our insides, even when we launched a couple feet into the air over a tabletop jump. We'd like this chassis setup even more if it could be paired with the lighter (and less expensive) standard powertrain or, dare to dream, the GX550's 349-hp twin-turbo V-6.
From the 4Runner's driver's seat, the only tell you're not in a Tacoma is the lack of a bed in the rearview mirror. Modern safety features and driver assists abound, and the cabin is sculpted in a purposeful aesthetic with straightforward ergonomics. Physical buttons and knobs for climate controls and off-road settings are welcome, and a rotary dongle on the console manages the drive modes and the four-wheel-drive system. Most trims adopt a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and Toyota's familiar 14.0-inch center touchscreen, though 7.0- and 8.0-inch units, respectively, are standard.
Overall comfort and support up front are good, and the TRD Pro thankfully eschews the Tacoma version's bulky seats with a built-in suspension, which likely would negate the newfound 1.9 inches of rear legroom. As is, the 4Runner's reclining middle row is generous enough for six-footers to sit behind their own driving position, and headroom should be sufficient for all but the tallest riders. The 60/40-split bench is easy to tumble forward for access to the cargo area or the cramped third row. Optional only on the base SR5 and nonhybrid Limited trims, the 4Runner's rearmost chairs are essentially floor-mounted jump seats with short cushions that extend out from under the seatbacks. If you plan to regularly fill them with humans, get a Grand Highlander instead.
Our main rub pertains to the higher trim levels. The new 4Runner's materials and finish are fine at the SR5's $42,220 entry point, and the numerous model-specific features and interior upgrades add meaningful value up to a point. But its overall polish quickly dulls as prices surpass the $65,285 needed to unlock a Lexus GX. The sweet spot seems to be the four-wheel-drive TRD Off-Road, which for $50,640 is plenty capable with its big tires, beefy Bilstein shocks, and optional anti-roll bar disconnect, and it can be further enhanced via a Premium version. We'd pass on the hybrid system though it's available for $2800. But that's just us. With so many variations, freedom of choice is arguably this long overdue 4Runner's best attribute.
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