2025 Toyota 4Runner First Look: The New One Is Finally Here!

It’s fitting the 2025 Toyota 4Runner arrives the day after a total solar eclipse, since the two events occur about as often as one another. That would be even funnier if it were true, but the last total eclipse visible in America occurred in 2017 while the current fifth-generation 4Runner was revealed in 2009. Yes, we’ve been waiting 15 years for a new model—and it was worth the wait.

It took this long in no small part because y’all wouldn’t stop buying them. 2021 was the 4Runner’s biggest sales year ever, and while sales have dipped the last two years, they’re still better than any year going back to 1997. And that’s with an ancient 4.0-liter V-6 wheezing through the last five-speed automatic on the market.

See All 45 Photos45

Yes, It’s Actually All-New

Just looking at the 2025 4Runner, the visual connection to prior models is strong enough to convince the uninitiated it’s just another facelift. But everything is new.

As predicted, the 4Runner has migrated to the TNGA-F global body-on-frame architecture that underpins the new Toyota Tacoma, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, and Tundra, as well as the Lexus GX and LX. From there, you can already guess a lot of what you’re about to read.

More closely related to the Land Cruiser and global Land Cruiser Prado than before, the 4Runner now rides on the same 112.2 “golden ratio” wheelbase, up from 109.8 inches, which should add a bit of interior space (we’re still waiting on those measurements). It grows similarly in overall length, adding more than 3.5 inches nose to tail, and in width where it expands by two inches. It’ll be a little less nimble on the trail, no doubt, but it certainly helps the 4Runner look beefier. While it might appear the harder-core off-road models are wider still, this is a visual trick created by painting the fender flares black, trimming them up a bit, and fitting fatter all-terrain tires.

The exterior styling is heavily influenced by the new Tacoma’s while the interior is nearly identical, which is again unsurprising given their long shared history. Longtime fans will be delighted to know the power roll-down rear window returns, and aging fans will appreciate that the liftgate itself can also be powered. OG fans who remember the first-gen 4Runner of the 1980s will love the return of the “wrap over” rear quarter windows that curve onto the roof for a bit of a safari look.

See All 45 Photos45

New Engines!

Anyone mourning the death of the V-6 should take solace in knowing the new powertrains are more powerful and perhaps more efficient. Lower trims rock Toyota’s familiar 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder good for 278 hp and 317 lb-ft; this engine works through a modern eight-speed automatic and two-speed four-wheel drive transfer case with low range. Higher trims get a hybrid version of the same that inserts a 48-hp electric motor between the engine and transmission and jettisons the starter motor. With the electric boost, total combined output rises to 326 hp and 425 lb-ft.

Seeing the word “hybrid” might conjure thoughts of a lifted Prius, but that’s unlikely to be the case here. With only a single electric motor—and a fairly tame one at that—the 4Runner isn’t likely to do much EV-only driving, especially not when you consider its battery stores only 1.9 kWh. If it’s anything like the new Tundra, this hybrid system will be tuned for performance, not fuel economy. Toyota doesn’t have numbers for us yet, but we hope it’ll improve meaningfully on the old model’s 16/19/17 mpg city/highway/combined numbers. The hybrid Tundra and GX, though, don’t give us a lot of hope.

Still, the extra power and ratios likely drop the 0–60-mph time from 8.0 seconds to roughly 7.0 without the hybrid system and 6.0 seconds with it. All that extra torque should be an even bigger boon off-road crawling over obstacles. That and the beefier frame also help with towing, raising the maximum limit to 6,000 pounds.

See All 45 Photos45

The Off-Road Ones

You’ll find more off-road capability than ever thanks to various new models and equipment. The 2025 4Runner will be offered in no fewer than nine trims, but there are two everyone really wants to know about: Trailhunter and TRD Pro.

The Trailhunter is the big news as it’s a new subbrand pioneered by the Tacoma. The idea is the same here, outfitting the 4Runner from the factory with popular off-road upgrades and accessories to build a readymade overlander. The more powerful hybrid powertrain is standard, as are a locking rear differential and an electronically locking and unlocking front anti-roll bar (not the e-KDSS system, which is for now exclusive to Lexus). The shocks are upgraded to Old Man Emu 2.5-inch external reservoir units and the front upper control arms are forged aluminum pieces colored green and etched with the Trailhunter logo. Along with 33-inch Toyo Open Country A/T all-terrain tires on sweet bronze 18-inch wheels, the truck boasts a two-inch front and 1.5-inch rear lift. Skid plates and rock rails protect the important bits just in case.

Topside, the Trailhunter sports Rigid Industries LED fog lights that can cycle between yellow and white light. Above those, the grille-mounted LED light bar has been borrowed from the Tacoma and Tundra and, as on those trucks, can only be activated when the high beams are active (to prevent people from driving around with it on all the time). Moving farther up, a standard desert air intake—not a snorkel, as it’s not waterproof—is mounted on the passenger A-pillar. An ARB roof rack is also included.

Inside, a built-in air compressor lives in the cargo area; it’s a Trailhunter-exclusive right now but likely will become an option on the TRD Pro. There’s also a 120-volt, 2,400-watt three-prong outlet back there that comes with all hybrid 2025 4Runners. Three auxiliary switches are pre-wired so you can add more goodies down the road.

Returning as king of the off-road trims, the TRD Pro takes most of the Trailhunter equipment and enhances it for high-speed off-roading. It, too, is a hybrid and features the locking rear diff and disconnecting front anti-roll bar. The shocks are Fox Racing internal bypass units, the springs are tuned for bigger bumps, and the forged upper control arms are red and say TRD. The front skid plate also gets TRD branding, as do the black-and-red 18-inch wheels. The 2025 4Runner TRD Pro wears 33-inch Toyo Open Country A/Ts and that we suspect provide a similar amount of lift.

Toyota lists maximum approach and departure angles of 32 and 24 degrees, respectively, and we suspect those apply to TRD Pro and Trailhunter. Standard ground clearance is 9.2 inches.

The TRD Pro also gets white-light Rigid fog lamps and the LED lightbar in the grill. No desert air intake on this one (it’ll probably be available), but it does get a “functional” hood scoop that allows air in but doesn’t really do anything with it. The special bright red engine air intake is over in the corner of the engine bay behind the passenger headlight.

See All 45 Photos45

Cool Headlamp Easter Eggs

Speaking of the lamps, Toyota designers have hidden Easter eggs in the new 4Runner’s headlight assemblies. On most trims, an illuminated “4Runner” appears in the bottom corner. On Trailhunters, the passenger headlight features the compass logo while the driver headlight says “Trailhunter.” The TRD Pro says “TRD” in the passenger headlight and “Pro” in the driver headlight. TRD Pro models also replace the “4Runner” badge on the tailgate with “TRD Pro.”

Dirt-focused models also get Toyota’s full arsenal of off-road driver aids. The Multi-Terrain Select system and all its drive modes now work in both 4Hi and 4Low, while Crawl Control, effectively off-road cruise control, is now quieter.

Other models aren’t entirely bereft of off-pavement goodies. Rear-wheel-drive variants get a limited-slip rear differential, and the Limited and new range-topping Platinum luxury trims can be equipped with a full-time four-wheel-drive system with locking center and rear differentials borrowed from the Land Cruiser. You can spec the Multi-Terrain Monitor system on most models as well, including 360-degree cameras that “look” under the vehicle by cleverly stitching together video inputs.

See All 45 Photos45

More of the Same

If you’ve seen the inside of the new Tacoma, you’ve seen the inside of the new 4Runner. The design is identical and parallels the same trim level changes in trim materials and accent colors. An 8.0-inch center infotainment screen and 7.0-inch instrument cluster screen are standard; higher trims have 14.0-inch infotainment and 12.3-inch instrument cluster screens.

Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 suite of active and passive safety systems is on every new 4Runner, bringing everything from adaptive cruise control to steering assistance. Platinum models also get a head-up display and automatic wipers.

There’s an interior Easter egg as well, yet another bit cribbed from the Tacoma. On the driver’s side of the dash, accessible only when the door is open, is a circular hidden compartment with a lid that reads “Accessory Ready” in Morse code. It’s only about two inches deep and six inches in diameter, so we still don’t know what you’re supposed to put in there.

There’s even an optional third row, which even Toyota admits is a last resort when you really need to give another kid or two a ride home from soccer practice.

See All 45 Photos45

Something For Everyone

The Trailhunter, TRD Pro, and Limited trims you see pictured here represent just one-third of the lineup and are all hybrids. There are also base SR5 and street-focused TRD Sport and TRD Sport Premium models, which all come with the standard engine. The middle-ground TRD Off-Road and TRD Off-Road Premium trims can be had with either powertrain, as can the luxury-focused Limited.

What About Land Cruiser?

As you may have heard, Toyota has replaced the full-size Land Cruiser in the U.S. with a new, smaller model about the same size as the 4Runner. It has the same hybrid powertrain paired with the full-time four-wheel-drive system found in the 4Runner Platinum. The styling is entirely different inside and out, and there’s no optional third row, but otherwise, they’re pretty similar. How does that work?

Even Toyota’s marketing people don’t know. They’re still working on how to present them to customers and couldn’t provide us with an answer. In the meantime, we’ll take a stab at it. Toyota hasn’t released 2025 4Runner pricing, but we’re confident the Land Cruiser will be more expensive, for one. For another, the two models seem to have distinct personalities. The 4Runner strikes us as the playful one ready for trail rides, boondock camping, and high-speed off-roading at a moment’s notice. The Land Cruiser comes off as more utilitarian chic. It feels more like an expedition vehicle, one for crossing a continent—or maybe just the ranch.

To be sure, they’re two branches on the same tree, but we get the impression they’ll appeal to different customers. It’s hard to imagine many customers will have a hard time deciding which better fits their personal style.

More to Come

Specifications on the new 4Runner are limited at present and, as mentioned, we haven’t yet heard a peep about pricing. Given what happened with the Tacoma, we’re expecting the new 4Runner to be more expensive that before, so a starting price around $45,000 isn’t out of the question. We’ll find out for sure closer to when it goes on sale in the fall.