New Powertrains Punch Up 2025 Toyota 4RunnerNew Powertrains Punch Up 2025 Toyota 4Runner

SAN DIEGO – Whether traversing a tough two-track through the hinterland or carving curves on a nearby two-lane highway, the new 2025 Toyota 4Runner seems utterly…consistent. For Cynthia Barreras, 4Runner marketing chief, that’s a good thing.

No squeaks or rattles invade the cabin, even when the body-on-frame midsize SUV twists through deep ruts or trundles over rock-strewn terrain. During our test drives here, in and around a motocross facility where Santa Ana wind gusts threatened trees and tents, the 4Runner stays on course and seems unaffected by wind, the cabin providing a sanctuary of calm.

We get behind the wheel of several models during the program, including the base – and best-selling – SR5, several TRD versions and the new Trailhunter. Other trims include Limited and Platinum.

We’ve tested most of the new bits underpinning the sixth-generation 4Runner, from its TGNA-F chassis and turbocharged 4-cyl. powertrains and advanced UX, driver assistance and safety systems shared with the Tacoma pickup and a raft of other models in the Japanese automaker’s lineup.

In the 5-passenger 4Runner, the vehicle seems better than simply a sum of its parts, however. The highway handling is crisp with little body roll despite aggressive cornering and is unaffected by high winds. The powertrain is muffled, but with the noticeable rushing whir of the turbocharger quickly followed by solid response from the engine. Overall, the cabin is quiet enough to allow easy conversation between driver and passenger.

The 4Runner is powered by either a 2.4L turbo 4-cyl. making 278 hp and 317 lb.-ft. (430 Nm) of torque or the same engine mated to an electric motor in the i-Force Max hybrid variant, producing 326 hp and 465 lb.-ft. (630 Nm).

Hybrid powertrain lives up to fuel-economy estimates.

While the hybrid is punchier and provides better fuel economy, the non-hybrid is equally capable and serves as the primary choice for 75% of 4Runner buyers. That usually comes in the SR5 trim that accounts for 40% of 4Runner sales, followed by 21.5% of buyers choosing the non-hybrid TRD Off-Road trim, Barreras says. All variants are equipped with 8-speed automatic transmissions.

The new powertrains replace the 270-hp, 278-lb.-ft. (377-Nm) 4.0L V-6 and 5-speed transmission of previous 4Runners that seems to have outlived its usefulness by a few years. The new engines improve power as well as fuel economy – 4-6 mpg (1.7-2.6 km/L) to 21-23 mpg (11.2-10.2 L/100 km) combined, depending on powertrain. In our short drives, we recorded 19 mpg (12.4 L/100 km) in the non-hybrid and 22.5 mpg (10.5 L/100 km) in the hybrid.

Toyota says 75% of buyers will opt for non-hybrid power.

We’re evaluating pre-production models, so some of the materials might not be final, but overall the interior is clean and functional, regardless of trim level. Dashboard horizontal trim pieces vary depending on model. In our drives we note, for instance: smooth and metallic-like in the SR5; stone-grained with an almost Formica countertop appearance in the Trailhunter; or a vertical-line pattern in the Platinum.

All models except the SR5 get big 12.3-in. (31.2-cm) center touchscreens, but even the smaller 7.0-in. (17.8-cm) screen in the base model offers ample functionality, and all trims offer wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability. In all cases, Toyota provides big control knobs and easy-to-use toggles for HVAC, but we’d like a bit larger volume knob with the SR5 screen.

A multifunction knob manages powertrain options, including drive modes, Hi/Lo gearing and off-road hill descent and crawl control functions. Functions vary depending on trim level, so a buyer would get used to what the knob controls in his or her vehicle, unlike our situation where we moved from model to model with differing actions available via the knob.

Off-road drives reveal the 4Runner is a beast, capable of handling everything from deep ruts, sandy trails and rocky terrain, along with sharp inclines and downhills, without much strain. Off-road descent control helps manage the steeps with little drama.

One exercise involves tackling a jump at 50 mph (80 km/h). The 4Runner takes to the air briefly and touches down without crashing the suspension or upsetting its line of travel.

Toyota sold about 92,000 4Runners in 2024, less than a fifth of the sales generated by the unibody RAV4, the automaker’s midsize utility-vehicle leader, according to Wards Intelligence data. Among competitors in the Wards Middle SUV segment, 4Runner ranks a distant third behand the segment leader Jeep Grand Cherokee and second-place Ford Explorer. The all-new sixth-gen 4Runner may not make up substantial ground on the leaders, but it’s bound to be a consistent player, solidifying the brand’s hold on its segment share. And product consistency is a value 4Runner buyers seem to appreciate.

Top-level Platinum interior features big touchscreen, unique trim.