2025 Toyota 4Runner First Drive Review

The aging 4Runner was more than ready for a redesign, and the new model takes a giant leap forward.

Connor Hoffman | 

Jan 29, 2025 | 7 min read

Brett Mogavero

It's been 15 years since the last all-new Toyota 4Runner arrived, so the redesigned 2025 4Runner had plenty of catching up to do. Fortunately, Toyota has given this SUV the hardware and software it needs to remain more than just relevant. In most ways, the 4Runner is more appealing now than ever.

For starters, it rides on the company's latest body-on-frame truck platform. In addition, there are new turbocharged gas and hybrid powertrains, technology that brings the midsize SUV into the modern era, and a lineup offering everything from affordability to luxury to a factory-built overlanding rig. Prices range from about $42,000 to around $69,000, including the $1,450 destination charge.

Diehard Toyota enthusiasts might miss the old-school feel of the previous 4Runner, which had a wildly successful run. The redesign aims to build on the outgoing model's success by delivering a more refined and capable 4Runner.

Connor Hoffman

The 2025 4Runner Is Better in Nearly Every Way

Toyota introduced the third-generation Tundra for the 2022 model year, kicking off the complete overhaul of its body-on-frame truck and SUV lineup. The full-size pickup debuted a new Toyota New Global Architecture truck platform, which also supports the latest Sequoia, Land Cruiser, and Tacoma models. Now, Toyota is building the redesigned 2025 Toyota 4Runner on it.

Like the last generation, the 2025 model has four doors with room for five occupants. An optional third row bumps the seats to seven. Still, styling elements such as the rear window extending toward the roof hark back to the first generation of the SUV. And, in typical 4Runner fashion, you can still power down the rear window into the liftgate.

Connor Hoffman

Inside, the 4Runner's dashboard is nearly identical to the Tacoma's. The standard 7.0-inch and available 12.3-inch digital instrument displays bring the 4Runner into the modern era, and Toyota's significantly improved infotainment system features a standard 8.0-inch or an available 14.0-inch touchscreen display.

Toyota also replaces the former 4Runner's V6 engine with a smaller turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder or an available turbocharged hybrid upgrade offering more power. My test vehicle had the turbo four without electrification, and I found it a worthy replacement for the old V6 engine.

Connor Hoffman

Forget the Old V6 — the Four-Cylinder Performs

Toyota invited me to evaluate the 2025 4Runner in Southern California, driving the SUV from downtown San Diego to an off-road course in the mountains and back. I spent most of my time behind the wheel of a base TRD Off-Road model ($50,640, including a $1,450 destination charge). However, I also sampled a 4Runner with the available i-Force Max turbo hybrid powertrain and the top-of-the-line TRD Pro and Trailhunter variants on the off-road course.

The standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine provides slightly more horsepower than the old V6, but the additional 39 pound-feet of torque, starting at a low 1,700 rpm, really help get the SUV moving. With the gutsy engine and new eight-speed automatic transmission, I found the 4Runner struggled significantly less than the outgoing model on steep grades, and passing on the highway is easier.

As the turbo spools up, you'll hear plenty of whistling and whooshing from under the hood, and the four-cylinder engine hummed loudly when I was driving up the steep hills of the off-road course. In my opinion, the engine sounds much better with the TRD performance exhaust, which is standard on the TRD Pro variant.

The i-Force Max hybrid drivetrain only enhances the new 4Runner's driveability. You'll get 326 horsepower and a whopping 465 lb-ft of torque, giving the TRD Pro and Trailhunter models, which come standard with the hybrid, a performance feel.

Connor Hoffman

Toyota estimates the standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine will get up to 22 mpg in combined driving with two-wheel-drive and 21 mpg when equipped with the available part-time four-wheel-drive system.

On the roughly 45-minute drive to the off-road course, I observed around 14 mpg in the TRD Off-Road. On the way back to San Diego in a 4Runner Platinum with the hybrid powertrain, the trip computer read 21 mpg. Still, that fell short of Toyota's estimate of up to 23 mpg in combined driving.

The 4Runner's ride and handling feel more like an SUV than a truck, which may help it appeal to a broader range of buyers. Toyota enthusiasts might miss the old-school feel of the previous-generation model, but the new 4Runner is more capable than before, and I found the ride more agreeable.

Connor Hoffman

Toyota offers several different suspensions for its off-road-oriented 4Runners. The TRD Off-Road has Bilstein remote-reservoir dampers that are more comfortable on rugged terrain than the stock suspension on the previous 4Runner. The TRD Pro models have manually adjustable Fox QS3 shocks with remote reservoirs that withstood repeated jumps on the off-road course. The Trailhunter gets Old Man Emu forged monotube shocks with remote reservoirs designed to carry loads while on overlanding adventures.

Off-road enthusiasts will appreciate the available stabilizer bar disconnect feature, which increases front flex at the push of a button. TRD Off-Road models have a modest 19-degree approach angle, 24-degree breakover and departure angles, and 9.1 inches of ground clearance, less than the last-gen 4Runner. The TRD Pro and Trailhunter models have a 33-degree approach angle and 10.1 inches of ground clearance.

Off-road-focused models also have a locking rear differential for increased traction on rugged terrain, and if you can't see over the hood or what's looming on the sides of the SUV, multiple clear camera views are available to guide the way. This is some of the modern tech older 4Runners have been missing.

Connor Hoffman

New Technology Makes the 4Runner More Liveable

All of the 4Runner's driving aids are massively improved. Crawl Control, a low-speed cruise control for off-road use, offers multiple speed settings depending on the terrain. In addition, the Multi-Terrain Select system's different modes enhance traction depending on the terrain, such as rocks, sand, and mud. A display in the instrument panel shows pitch and roll angles for when you're really pushing it off-road.

When you're on the pavement, the standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 collection of driving aids provides adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. These safety features and the new powertrain and eight-speed transmission can make highway treks more pleasant.

The new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and a JBL Bluetooth speaker detaches from the dashboard and charges when it's in place. It's a good-sized speaker and sounds fine if you take it to camp or the beach.

Connor Hoffman

The 4Runner's Updates Expand the List of Competitors

The redesigned 2025 Toyota 4Runner will still go head-to-head with body-on-frame off-roaders such as the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler. However, its multiple trim levels, improved refinement, and modern amenities will make a strong case for the 4Runner against more refined midsize crossover SUVs such as the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Nissan Pathfinder, and Volkswagen Atlas.

If you're wondering how the new 4Runner compares with the Toyota Land Cruiser, it drives pretty much the same way. However, the Land Cruiser feels more premium and is only available with the iForce Max hybrid powertrain and full-time four-wheel drive. Plus, there are only two trims, starting at around $58,000. You have more options with a 2025 4Runner.

Toyota provided the vehicle for this 2025 4Runner review and paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.

Connor Hoffman

Connor has worked in the automotive industry since 2018 both editorially and in public relations. He has tested and written about hundreds of cars and helped lead the media launches of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma and Land Cruiser. Connor started his career at Car and Driver after a summer internship and has also contributed to Edmunds, U.S. News & World Report, and J.D. Power. He lives in Kansas City, Kansas, with his wife and golden retriever and loves four-wheeling and camping in the Ozark mountains.