Remade Toyota 4Runner is thriftier and more capable thanks to hybrid option

Globe and Mail

28-01-2025

Toyota, for all its vaunted quality, is at times unbearably slow to change. Thankfully, the long-awaited ground-up remake of the 4Runner SUV was worth the wait.
Enthusiasts have kept buying the fifth-generation 4Runner, despite its outdated gas-guzzling V6, sclerotic five-speed automatic and Dark Ages technology. It's been around since 2010, which means people who were born when this model first appeared are almost ready to get their licences.
When you wait that long to re-do such a venerable all-purpose off-road sport utility vehicle, expectations are high. And generation six doesn't disappoint.
In many respects, the forward march of technology has made improvement inevitable. Lighter, more powerful, more fuel efficient, more comfortable, plusher inside and with some long-overdue contemporary electronics, the new 4Runner is broadly superior to its enduringly popular predecessor. It's grown a bit – 120 millilmetres longer (total length 4,950 mm) and 55 mm wider (total width 1,980 mm) and sits on a wheelbase of 2,850 mm.
Rated towing capacity is now up to 2,272 kilograms (5,000 pounds). Except for a pleasant little engine growl, it is remarkably quiet at highway speeds and well-mannered. Off-road, depending on which of the eight model levels you choose, it can also be a macho rock-crawling beast.
And it really does matter which one you choose. The entry-level SR5 delivers only the basics for $54,000; it doesn't have the suspension, wheel-size, tire and power upgrades to induce maximum joy.
Which is not to say that it's bad. It is a seven-passenger vehicle with 17-inch wheels, on-demand 4WD, fabric interior and a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft or torque. This is a welcome replacement for the durable but fuel-thirsty V6. The new engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic, which replaces the outdated five-speed.
And, like all the new 4Runners, it remains a body-on-frame vehicle, now built on Toyota's TNGA-F platform. Variations of this platform are also used in the Tacoma, Land Cruiser, Tundra and Sequoia. While some competitors have switched to unibody construction, nothing beats a steel-ladder frame for keeping the SUV intact while pounding over rugged roads.
If your jam is off-road fun, the obvious upgrades from the SR5 are the TRD Off-Road Premium and Trailhunter models, which start at $70,976 (in hybrid version) and $87,841. Both prices include delivery and other fees.
The former eliminates the third-row seat (to make room for the hybrid battery) and has a variety of esthetic and functional upgrades, the most important of which include 18-inch alloy wheels, underbody protection, Softex faux leather upholstery, a moonroof and a 12.3-inch digital display. The key upgrade, however, is the hybrid power system that uses the same gas engine but boosts the combined power rating to a worthy 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft torque, while using one-third less fuel than the old V6.
Like all self-respecting off-roaders, the TRD has multiple mode selectors and a handy consul-mounted knob to choose 4L, 4H, 2H ranges. Thankfully, Toyota has kept a few switches and knobs so you don't have to hunt through an on-screen menu for basic choices.
The Trailhunter has all the TRD goodies and adds a bunch more, including Old Man Emu shocks, a high-mount air intake, rock rails, a roof rack and on-board air compressor. In other words, Toyota has done the most popular aftermarket upgrades for you.
We were invited to thrash several 4Runner models on a private off-road course an hour east of San Diego. The hybrid TRD and Trailhunter, in particular, eagerly crawled up steep inclines effortlessly, while the unlocked stabilizer bar allowed the wheels to contort like a gymnast and downhill speed control tightly managed descents.
Not every buyer is looking to go that wild, and that is why the company added the top-of-the-line Platinum model for 2025, says Scott MacKenzie, director of corporate and external affairs at Toyota Canada Inc. It includes genuine leather interior, adaptive variable suspension, 20-inch black alloy wheels, 12.3-inch digital cluster and a nifty detachable JBL Bluetooth speaker embedded in the dash.
Despite having a little more plastic trim than you might expect in the premium model, the Platinum has a long list of comfort features. They bring a touch of class to the 4Runner lineup and push the luxury driving experience (and price) close to Land Cruiser turf.
For my money, the huge power boost and improved fuel economy in the hybrid makes it the obvious choice, if you can live without that third row and with a little extra weight (roughly 250 kilograms for the battery and motors).
The new 4Runner's exterior looks better than the previous generation, too. It embraces many of the squared-off muscular elements also found in the remade Tacoma pickup. Colour choices have been expanded to nine, including a distinctive Everest green on the Trailhunter and a lovely mid-brown named Mudbath that nicely blends with the California dirt.
And in a sentimental nod to the 1984 original 4Runner, Toyota has brought back the wrap-over quarter glass above the rear quarter panel. The powered rolldown liftgate window is carried over; a feature so convenient, it's hard to understand why other automakers haven't copied it.
Although the tested vehicles were pre-production models, these made-in-Japan vehicles maintain Toyota's high standards of fit and finish.
Skeptics will note that the new transmission had some teething problems when it was introduced nearly two years ago in the redesigned Tacoma pickup. Toyota says those issues have been sorted and they expect no such grief in this SUV.
With this remake, the 4Runner is no longer an anachronism. The agility, relative frugality, modern electronics and genuine driving pleasure of the 2025 edition put it right back into the hunt as the perfect weekend warrior that can do double duty as your daily driver.
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is to reach Canadian dealerships in March.
2025 Toyota 4Runner
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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