2025 Toyota 4Runner Summary Points
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner marks the much-awaited sixth-generation variant of the Japanese automaker’s top-selling midsize SUV.
Underpinning the 4Runner’s outdoorsy, throwback vibe is a stiff body-on-frame TNGA-F platform shared with Tacoma, Land Cruiser, Tundra, and Sequoia.
“Inspired by Baja desert racing, the high lift, lean body, big tires, and rugged athleticism defines the core of 4Runner’s go anywhere purpose,” said Kevin Hunter, president of Toyota’s CALTY design team.
2025 Toyota 4Runner: What’s New?
The sixth-gen 4Runner has officially arrived after 15 years, and Toyota has done its homework to tickle the hearts and minds of fans who have been clamoring for a modern-day update to the automaker’s much-loved family SUV.
It starts with the TNGA-F platform shared with the Tacoma, Land Cruiser, Tundra, and Sequoia. The architecture features a high-strength boxed, steel-ladder frame suspended by double wishbones in the front and a multi-link coil rear suspension.
The retro-flavored body style has a mishmash of legacy 4Runner design cues and equipment, like “wrap-over” rear quarter glass, a power-operated roll-down rear window, and second-row tumble seats to maximize cargo room.
2025 Toyota 4Runner family. Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
2025 Toyota 4Runner Powertrain
Under the hood of the SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and Limited grade is a 2.4-liter turbocharged i-FORCE four-cylinder engine with 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft. of torque, more than what you got from the old 4Runner’s everlasting 4.0-liter V6. The turbocharged i-FORCE four-banger connects to an eight-speed automatic.
On the other hand, Toyota’s i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain is standard for the TRD Pro, Trailhunter, and Platinum. It’s a robust setup with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine, an integrated 48-horsepower electric motor into the eight-speed automatic gearbox, and a 1.87 kWh NiMH battery pack to produce a total of 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft. of torque—the most in 4Runner history.
The i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain is also available for the TRD Off-Road and Limited.
When properly equipped with the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain, the 2025 Toyota 4Runner can tow up to 6,000 lbs.
Three Available Drivetrains
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner has three drivetrain options: 2WD, part-time 4WD, and full-time 4WD.
The standard 2WD features an automatic limited-slip differential for improved traction and grip. 2025 4Runners with a full-time 4WD system have an electronic two-speed transfer case with high/low range gearing, an automatic limited-slip differential, and active traction control to make mincemeat of rough terrain.
Meanwhile, the TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter have a standard electronic locking rear differential that can split the power 50/50 between the front and rear axles. The Limited with the i-FORCE MAX is available with a full-time four-wheel drivetrain with a center-locking differential (this configuration is standard on Platinum).
The Toyota 4Runner has Multi-Terrain Select driving modes that work in 4WD-High and 4WD-Low. New to the 4Runner is a crawl control function (off-road cruise control) and downhill assist control.
2025 Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter in the Everest exterior color. Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
4Runner Trailhunter & Platinum
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner will arrive in a Trailhunter grade richly equipped with wilderness-approved off-road equipment from ARB and Rigid Industries. The list includes 2.5-inch Old Man Emu (OME) forged shock absorbers with rear external piggyback reservoirs, an ARB roof rack, a 20-inch Rigid LED light bar, and Rigid LED fog lamps.
Other standard features for the Trailhunter include 33-inch Toyo Open Country all-terrain rubber, a high-mount air intake, steel skid plates, rock rails, and a 2400W AC inverter with outlets in the cabin and rear cargo area.
Whereas the Trailhunter is for serious off-roaders, the 4Runner Platinum is for those who appreciate the finer things, like automatic rain-sensing wipers, heated second-row seats, a heads-up display (HUD), and blacked-out exterior trim.
Updated Interior Technology
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner will have a tech-laden cabin like its Tacoma platform-mate. Base models get USB-C charging ports and an eight-inch touchscreen. Toyota’s 24-inch multimedia infotainment touchscreen is standard in some models and features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and wireless smartphone charging.
Lower trim levels receive a seven-inch digital gauge cluster, while higher trim models receive a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. All 4Runners come with a push-button start and an available digital key.
Emergency Driving Stop System
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, a package of advanced driving assistance features, is standard for all 2025 4Runners. It includes pre-collision with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, road sign assist, and lane tracing assist.
An emergency driving stop system, a new function of lane tracing assist, is designed to monitor the driver’s inputs (steering, for example) to determine if they’re inattentive or non-responsive, such as during a medical emergency. The system is designed to bring the 4Runner to a stop if the driver doesn’t respond to alerts.
Also new for the 4Runner is a proactive driving assist feature. Proactive driving assist uses the camera and radar (when system operating conditions are met) to provide gentle braking and/or steering to support distance control between the 4Runner and a preceding vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist. It can also provide gentle braking into curves.
Toyota notes that proactive driving assist is not a substitute for the pre-collision system, which operates in different circumstances.
2025 Toyota 4Runner Limited interior layout. Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Toyota 4Runner Warranty
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner has a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, and a five-year corrosion warranty with no mileage limits.
4Runners with the i-FORCE MAX powertrain receive additional guarantees like an eight-year/100,000-mile hybrid warranty and a 10-year/150,000-mile battery warranty.
Standard to all 4Runners is ToyotaCare with two years or 25,000 miles of factory-scheduled maintenance and two years/unlimited mileage of emergency roadside assistance.
If the factory coverage is not enough for any reason, options are available to extend the warranty on any Toyota vehicle.
2025 Toyota 4Runner Starting MSRP
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner will occupy dealership showrooms in the fall of 2024 and will come in no less than nine trim grades: SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Sport Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter.
Official MSRP information remains forthcoming, but we expect the base prices to range from around $44,000 to upwards of $55,000.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Photos & Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Original article: 2025 Toyota 4Runner: Heritage Styling, Robust Hybrid Powertrain & Trail-Ready Hardware
