Model research hub
Toyota 4Runner
Car and Driver says the Toyota 4Runner isn't exactly known for being a cutting-edge vehicle, but it has staying power thanks to its strengths as both a formidable off-road machine and a comfortable mid-size family hauler, with the 4Runner Hybrid sandwiching an electric motor between its engine and transmission for 326 horsepower, a 48-hp increase over the standard gasoline 4Runner, though the hybrid battery reduces cargo space and its fuel-economy gains over the nonhybrid are only moderate, not worth the hefty price premium in Car and Driver's view. MotorTrend says Toyota's terrain-conquering 4Runner has been making trails and the great outdoors accessible to the masses since the mid-1980s, and the all-new sixth generation that arrived for 2025 with a new body-on-frame architecture, turbocharged and hybrid engines, and a new Trailhunter trim managed to maintain the old-school feel while modernizing the rig in essentially every way, though the available third-row seats remain almost useless and rivals include the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler.
A formidable off-roader with staying power
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says the Toyota 4Runner isn't exactly known for being a cutting-edge vehicle, but it has staying power thanks to its strengths as both a formidable off-road machine and a comfortable mid-size family hauler, with the 4Runner Hybrid sandwiching an electric motor between its engine and transmission for 326 horsepower, a 48-hp increase over the standard gasoline 4Runner.
The hybrid's trade-offs
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says the hybrid battery reduces cargo space and its fuel-economy gains over the nonhybrid are only moderate, concluding those benefits aren't worth the hefty price premium.
An all-new sixth generation for 2025
MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) says Toyota's terrain-conquering 4Runner has been making trails accessible to the masses since the mid-1980s, and the all-new sixth generation that arrived for 2025 with a new body-on-frame architecture, turbocharged and hybrid engines, and a new Trailhunter trim managed to maintain the old-school feel while modernizing the rig in essentially every way, rivaling the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler, though the available third-row seats remain almost useless.
Questions buyers ask
How much horsepower does the Toyota 4Runner Hybrid have?
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says 326 hp, 48 more than the standard gas model.
Is the Toyota 4Runner's third row usable?
MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) says no, the available third-row seats remain almost useless.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is built around 2.4L turbo or i-FORCE MAX hybrid, rated at 278 / 326 horsepower across its midsize off-road SUV body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2025 U.S. lineup has 9 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe most the 2025 Toyota 4Runner is published to tow is 6,000 lb.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 57 owner complaints for the 2025 4Runner.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2025 Toyota 4Runner
The redesigned 2025 4Runner moves to turbocharged and hybrid powertrains and a nine-grade lineup spanning road-oriented, luxury and off-road configurations.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
4 indexed Toyota 4Runner model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Toyota 4Runner | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Toyota 4Runner | 2025 record → | |
| 2021 Toyota 4Runner | 2021 record → | |
| 2020 Toyota 4Runner | 2020 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Toyota 4Runner.
The Toyota 4Runner is an SUV manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota and marketed globally since 1984, across six generations. In Japan, it was marketed as the Toyota Hilux Surf and was withdrawn from the market in 2009. The original 4Runner was a compact SUV and little more than a Toyota Hilux pickup truck with a fiberglass shell over the bed, but the model has since undergone significant independent development into a cross between a compact and a mid-size SUV.
- Safety
- The first and second generation 4Runners were both targeted as unsafe SUVs. 1980s and early-1990s crash regulations in the United States were not very strict for light trucks, and all early model 4Runners were fitted with doors that offered little protection in the event of a side collision. In most areas, there was little more than two pieces of sheet-metal and the window to keep incoming vehicles from impacting passengers.
Source: Toyota 4Runner (Wikipedia); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Toyota 4Runner at a glance
- Production
- October 1983 – present
- Model years
- 1984–present (US)
- Class
- Compact SUV (1984–1995), Mid-size SUV (1995–present)
- Layout
- Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, Front-engine, four-wheel-drive
- Chassis
- Body-on-frame
- Successor
- Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Fortuner/SW4 (Asia/South America), Toyota FJ Cruiser (Japan)
- Also called
- Toyota Hilux Surf (Japan, 1983–2009)
Toyota 4Runner generations
The Toyota 4Runner has been redesigned in 1989, 1995, 2002, 2009, 2024, gaps of 6, 6, 7, 7, 15 years, an average of 8.2 years between generations. The current generation (sixth generation, N500) began in 2024.
| Generation | Code | Began | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First generation | N60 | 1983–1989 | For the first generation N60 series Hilux Surf and export specification 4Runner introduced in 1983, Toyota, instead of developing an entirely new model, modified the existing Hilux (N50/N60/N70) with short-bed pickup body. |
| Second generation | N120/N130 | 1989–1995 | Toyota released a second generation of Hilux Surf and 4Runner in 1989 for the 1990 model year. |
| Third generation | N180 | 1995–2002 | Developed under chief engineer Masaaki Ishiko from 1990 to 1995 under the project code 185T, in late 1995 (for the 1996 model year) a significant redesign of the 4Runner was introduced, with an all-new body shell on an all-new chassis. |
| Fourth generation | N210 | 2002–2009 | The fourth-generation 4Runner incorporated serious changes to the chassis and body of the vehicle, but was targeted at approximately the same demographics as the third generation. |
| Fifth generation | N280 | 2009–2024 | The fifth-generation 4Runner was unveiled at the State Fair of Texas on 24 September 2009, and went on sale months later. |
| Sixth generation | N500 | 2024–present | The sixth-generation 4Runner was officially revealed on 9 April 2024. |
NHTSA rated the 2025 Toyota 4Runner overall 4 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 3 of 5 stars.
Recent recalls (4 campaigns across the latest model years)
- September 2026, Equipment:Other:Labels. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024 Toyota Tacoma Hybrid, 2025 Tundra Hybrid, Tundra, 2026 RAV4 Hybrid, 4Runner i-Force Max Hybrid, and 4Runner vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. As such, these… Consequence: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
- May 2026, Equipment:Other:Labels. Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2026 4Runner vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification label states the incorrect load carrying capacity. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire… Consequence: An incorrect load carrying capacity label may lead to improper loading of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- September 2025, Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and… Consequence: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Owners filed 57 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Toyota 4Runner, most often about service brakes (23), unknown or other (9), electrical system (8).
Year by year
The Toyota 4Runner across 12 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints | NHTSA overall rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Toyota 4Runner | 21–23 | $2,800–$3,100 | 6 | 1 | 4 stars | |
| 2025 Toyota 4Runner | 21–23 | $2,700–$2,950 | 6 | 1 | 56 | 4 stars |
| 2024 Toyota 4Runner | 17 | $3,650 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 4 stars |
| 2023 Toyota 4Runner | 17 | $3,650 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 4 stars |
| 2022 Toyota 4Runner | 17 | $3,650 | 3 | 3 | 39 | 4 stars |
| 2021 Toyota 4Runner | 17 | $3,650 | 3 | 1 | 35 | 4 stars |
| 2020 Toyota 4Runner | 17 | $3,650 | 3 | 1 | 33 | 4 stars |
| 2019 Toyota 4Runner | 18 | $3,450 | 3 | 4 | 64 | 4 stars |
| 2018 Toyota 4Runner | 18 | $3,450 | 3 | 5 | 58 | 4 stars |
| 2017 Toyota 4Runner | 18 | $3,450 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 4 stars |
| 2016 Toyota 4Runner | 18–19 | $3,300–$3,450 | 3 | 8 | 79 | 4 stars |
| 2015 Toyota 4Runner | 18–19 | $3,300–$3,450 | 3 | 9 | 85 | 4 stars |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Toyota 4Runner, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 | Labels: 4Runner Hybrid 4WD | Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; with Stop-Start | ||
| 2024 to 2025 | 3 to 6 | 17.0 to 22.0 | Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI, 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; with Stop-Start; Transmissions: Automatic (S8); Drives: 4-Wheel Drive | Engines: 4L 6-cyl, 4L 6-cyl Part-time AWD; Transmissions: Automatic (S5); Drives: All-Wheel Drive |
| 2023 to 2024 | Engines: 4L 6-cyl Part-time AWD | Engines: 4L 6-cyl Full-time 4WD, 4L 6-cyl Part-time 4WD | ||
| 2022 to 2023 | Engines: 4L 6-cyl Full-time 4WD | |||
| 2020 to 2021 | Engines: 4L 6-cyl AWD | |||
| 2019 to 2020 | 18.0 to 17.0 | |||
| 2018 to 2019 | Engines: 4L 6-cyl AWD | |||
| 2016 to 2017 | 18.5 to 18.0 |
Buying used
What the Toyota 4Runner recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | equipment (other) | None |
| 2025 | 1 | electrical system (instrument cluster/panel) | None |
| 2024 | 1 | equipment (other) | None |
| 2023 | 1 | equipment (other) | None |
| 2022 | 3 | exterior lighting (headlights); equipment (other) | None |
| 2021 | 1 | equipment (other) | None |
| 2020 | 1 | equipment (other) | None |
| 2019 | 4 | equipment (other); steering; fuel system, gasoline (delivery) | None |
| 2018 | 5 | structure (body); equipment (other); steering; 1 more | None |
| 2017 | 5 | equipment; tires (temporary/emergency spare tire); structure (body); 1 more | None |
| 2016 | 8 | equipment (other); tires; air bags (frontal); 2 more | None |
| 2015 | 9 | equipment; engine and engine cooling (exhaust system); equipment (other); 3 more | None |
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| unknown or other | 102 | 19% | 2016 (16) |
| service brakes | 63 | 12% | 2025 (23) |
| steering | 58 | 11% | 2021 (13) |
| electrical system | 57 | 11% | 2016 (18) |
| air bags | 52 | 10% | 2015 (17) |
| suspension | 50 | 9% | 2015 (10) |
Trim by trim
Every 2026 Toyota 4Runner trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR5 | 4WD | 2.4-liter 4-cylinder (i-FORCE, Turbo) | 278 | 317 | 4,685 | 6,000 | 21 | $43,565 |
| TRD Sport | 4WD | 2.4-liter 4-cylinder (i-FORCE, Turbo) | 278 | 317 | 4,850 | 6,000 | 21 | $50,045 |
| TRD Off-Road | 4WD | 2.4-liter 4-cylinder (i-FORCE, Turbo) | 278 | 317 | 4,850 | 6,000 | 21 | $51,985 |
| TRD Sport Premium | 4WD | 2.4-liter 4-cylinder (i-FORCE, Turbo) | 278 | 317 | 4,850 | 6,000 | 21 | $55,405 |
| TRD Off-Road Premium | 4WD | 2.4-liter 4-cylinder (i-FORCE, Turbo) | 278 | 317 | 4,850 | 6,000 | 21 | $57,765 |
| Limited | 4WD | 2.4-liter 4-cylinder (i-FORCE, Turbo) | 278 | 317 | 4,970 | 6,000 | 21 | $58,195 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2026 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Toyota 4Runner model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 2.4-liter 4-cylinder (i-FORCE, Turbo) | 278 | 4,685–4,970 | 6,000 | 19 |
| 2025 | 6 | 2.4-liter 4-cylinder (i-FORCE, Turbo) | 278 | 4,675–4,805 | 5,000 | 23 |
| 2024 | 7 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 5,000 | 23 |
| 2023 | 8 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 5,000 | 23 |
| 2022 | 8 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 5,000 | 23 |
| 2021 | 9 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 5,000 | 23 |
| 2020 | 8 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 5,000 | 23 |
| 2019 | 7 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 5,000 | 23 |
| 2018 | 6 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 5,000 | 23 |
| 2017 | 6 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 5,000 | 23 |
| 2016 | 6 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 4,700–5,000 | 23 |
| 2015 | 6 | 4.0-liter V6 | 270 | 4,675–4,805 | 4,700 | 23 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Owning it
Oil, fluid and wheel-nut figures for the Toyota 4Runner.
| Model year | Engine oil | Brake fluid | Wheel-nut torque | A/C refrigerant | Key-fob battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0W-20 (5.9 qt) | – | – | – | – |
| 2024 | 0W-20 | – | – | – | – |
| 2023 | 0W-20 | – | – | – | – |
| 2022 | 0W-20 | – | – | – | – |
| 2021 | 0W-20 | DOT 3 | – | – | – |
| 2020 | 0W-20 | DOT 3 | – | – | – |
| 2019 | 0W-20 | DOT 3 | – | – | – |
| 2018 | 0W-20 | DOT 3 | – | – | – |
| 2017 | 0W-20 | DOT 3 | – | – | – |
| 2016 | 0W-20 | DOT 3 | – | – | – |
| 2015 | 0W-20 | DOT 3 | – | – | – |
Source: the manufacturer's owner's manual for each model year. A dash means that year's manual gave no single value for it, for instance one that lists two oil grades or two key types.
Model-year recall record
Toyota 4Runner: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
Fewer recalls than this model’s own average
- 2026 Toyota 4Runner : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.3).
- 2025 Toyota 4Runner : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.3).
- 2024 Toyota 4Runner : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.3).
- 2023 Toyota 4Runner : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.3).
- 2021 Toyota 4Runner : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.3).
- 2020 Toyota 4Runner : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.3).
More recalls than this model’s own average
- 2016 Toyota 4Runner : 8 recalls on file, most commonly affecting airbags and structure.
- 2015 Toyota 4Runner : 9 recalls on file, most commonly affecting airbags and structure.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | not available | equipment |
| 2025 | 1 | 56 | electrical system |
| 2024 | 1 | 8 | equipment |
| 2023 | 1 | 31 | equipment |
| 2022 | 3 | 39 | equipment, exterior lighting |
| 2021 | 1 | 35 | equipment |
| 2020 | 1 | 33 | equipment |
| 2019 | 4 | 64 | equipment, fuel system, steering |
| 2018 | 5 | 58 | equipment, steering, structure, fuel system |
| 2017 | 5 | 36 | equipment, structure, tires |
| 2016 | 8 | 79 | airbags, structure, equipment, tires |
| 2015 | 9 | 85 | airbags, structure, engine cooling, equipment |
Method: recall counts and their affected components come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls API, queried by exact make, model and model year. Complaint counts come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Complaints API, same query pattern. Data pulled 2026-09-04.
Known gap: the NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Toyota 4Runner model year 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream, not returning a genuine zero. Those years are marked "not available" above instead of shown as clean; recall counts for those years are unaffected and come from the separate recalls API, which returned data for every year listed.
Check open recalls by VIN for one particular vehicle.
Q01Is there a best year to buy a Toyota 4Runner?
Recall count alone can't answer that: it says nothing about a specific vehicle's price, mileage, accident history or maintenance record. What federal data can say: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2020 carried fewer recalls than this model's own average, while 2016, 2015 carried more. See the model-year table on this page for the exact counts and what they cover.
Q02Which Toyota 4Runner model years should I watch for recalls?
The 2016 Toyota 4Runner has 8 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting airbags, structure, equipment; The 2015 Toyota 4Runner has 9 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting airbags, structure, engine cooling. Always confirm the open/completed status of every campaign for the specific VIN: a recall on this list may already be repaired on the vehicle in front of you.
Q03Which Toyota 4Runner model years have the cleanest federal recall record?
The 2026 Toyota 4Runner has 1 recall on file; The 2025 Toyota 4Runner has 1 recall on file; The 2024 Toyota 4Runner has 1 recall on file; The 2023 Toyota 4Runner has 1 recall on file; The 2021 Toyota 4Runner has 1 recall on file; The 2020 Toyota 4Runner has 1 recall on file: below this model's own average of 3.3. A shorter list on file as of this page's data pull is not a guarantee against a future recall.
Q04What are common recall-related problems on the Toyota 4Runner by model year?
2026: equipment. 2025: electrical system. 2024: equipment. 2023: equipment. 2022: equipment, exterior lighting. 2021: equipment.
Q05Why do some Toyota 4Runner model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Toyota 4Runner model year 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream instead of the count genuinely being zero. Recall counts for those years are unaffected; they come from a separate NHTSA endpoint that returned data for every year listed.
Diagnosing one of these symptoms? The recalled systems above map to this site’s own ownership desks: general, evidence-first guidance that applies regardless of whether the specific vehicle in front of you was ever part of a recall campaign: Buying, records and recalls, Engine and cooling, Brakes, tires and steering, Climate and electrical.
2016 Toyota 4Runner owners specifically: see Buying, records and recalls and Brakes, tires and steering.
2015 Toyota 4Runner owners specifically: see Buying, records and recalls and Engine and cooling.
Compared with
Models this Toyota 4Runner is most often compared with.
Nearest Toyota models
Other Toyota models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2025 4Runner come in?
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner (midsize off-road SUV) comes in 9 trims: SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Sport Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, Limited, Platinum, Trailhunter, TRD Pro.
Q02What are the 2025 4Runner trims?
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner trims are SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Sport Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, Limited, Platinum, Trailhunter, TRD Pro, listed from the entry SR5 up to the top TRD Pro.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2025 4Runner use?
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is built around 2.4L turbo or i-FORCE MAX hybrid, rated at 278 / 326 horsepower across its midsize off-road SUV body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2025 4Runner have?
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is rated at 278 / 326 horsepower (2.4L turbo or i-FORCE MAX hybrid).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2025 4Runner?
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is offered with RWD / 4WD.