The last time the world saw an all-new Toyota 4Runner was only a few months into President Obama’s first term. Obviously a lot has transpired since then, but the 5th generation 4Runner endured from 2009 through 2024 largely unchanged short of trim, tech, suspension, and appearance changes; at its core, the truck remained very much the same, for better and worse. And now, finally, Toyota has dropped the all new 6th generation of its storied SUV, with deliveries starting in the fall of 2024.

We’re big fans of the Toyota 4Runner (and Toyota 4x4s in general) here at Hooniverse. Chris Tracy owned one, and now has a Sequoia and LX450; Kamil Kaluski had a 5th gen 4Runner and now has a Lexus GX470, which is the 4th-gen 4Runner’s cousin; and, I have owned two 4th gen 4Runners (one of which belonged to Chris prior), a 5th gen 4Runner, and I now own a Lexus GX460, which is the 5th-gen 4Runner’s cousin. Needless to say, we take serious notice when a new Toyota 4×4 debuts, and short of the Land Cruiser, the 4Runner is the one we fawn over most.

So, the all-new 6th gen Toyota 4Runner. It lands as a 2025 model, built on Toyota’s TNGA-F global truck platform (which is shared with the Tacoma, Land Cruiser, Tundra, and Sequoia). Buyers will be able to choose from nine grades: SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Sport Premium, TRD Off Road, TRD Off Road Premium, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter.

There’s a lot to unpack here, so in the sake of keeping things concise, let’s go through this in bullet point-style methodology.

Power

• Standard i-FORCE turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine produces 278 horsepower, 317 lb.-ft. of torque – SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road and Limited grades will come standard with the iFORCE powertrain
• Available i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain produces up to 326 horsepower, 465 lb.-ft. of torque – available on TRD Off-Road and Limited, while standard on the TRD Pro, Trailhunter and Platinum models
  • As per Toyota, “This powertrain pairs the turbocharged 2.4-liter engine with a 48-h electric motor integrated into the eight-speed transmission, feeding off a 1.87-kWh NiMH battery pack that creates a total system output of up to 326 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque, the most powerful powertrain ever offered on 4Runner.”

Technology

• Available 14-inch touchscreen
• Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 standard on all models
• Stabilizer Bar Disconnect Mechanism
• Multi-Terrain Select now usable in High and Low range
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Smart Key System

New trims and what they include

• Trailhunter: ARB Old Man Emu (OME) 2.5-inch forged shocks with rear external piggyback remote reservoirs, ARB Roof Rack, 33-inch Toyo Open Country A/T tires – nets additional 2″ of lift and 1.5″ of lift in the rear; standard lowprofile high-mount air intake sources cleaner air for the standard i-FORCE MAX powertrain, high strength steel skid plates, heritage grill with bronze “TOYOTA” lettering, integrated 20-inch LED light bar, color selectable RIGID LED fog lamps, 2400W AC inverter, pre-wired auxiliary switches
• Platinum: Unique black exterior styling elements, heated second-row seats, a standard tow tech package, Head-Up Display and automatic, rain sensing wipers
• TRD Pro: Returning trim, but updated with more off-road capability. News to come on what this entails.

Other tidbits

• The rear window still rolls down
• Maximum towing capacity increases from 5,000 pounds on the 5th gen to 6,000 pounds on the 6th gen
• Designed in Michigan, with the legacy “wrap over” quarter glass included as a nod to the first and second gen 4Runners

Quick Opinion

I absolutely love the look of the 6th generation Toyota 4Runner, albeit with a few caveats, but I’m a big fan from the get-go. The overall appearance is fantastic, the stance is great, and the quarter window is glorious. A manual transmission and removable roof would have been the icing on the cake, but that was a pipe dream. As-is, the 4Runner looks like a great evolution of the model, and it’ll be great to see these on the trails (and, yes, roads). With this, the new Land Cruiser, and the GX550, Toyota/Lexus has really stepped up the love for us off-roaders.

Stay tuned, something tells me a certain Jeff Glucker will have an opinion on this as well.