San Diego, California The 2025 Toyota 4Runner has just been revealed, entering the sixth generation of the model. TECH editor was on site for the event.
Normally, the vehicles offered to us are renewed within periods ranging from five to seven years. Rare are the occasions where 10 or even 15 years pass between two generations of models.
However, this is the case with the Toyota 4Runner, which is finally changing its appearance after a 15-year presence on the market without major transformations to its configuration.
That's huge, but how can you criticize Toyota, which has continued to sell its SUV at an excellent rate all these years? Even though it was in 2022 that the 4Runner had its best campaign,.
Still, the company has just presented the sixth-generation model, which will debut towards the end of the year, as a 2025 product. The tradition continues, therefore, for this adventurer, which has been offered since 1984.
Note that we have not tested this model. Toyota took advantage of another event held in California to reveal it to us. The first drive will be on another day.
Design your Toyota 4Runner 2025.
The new 4Runner is based on the TNGA-F (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform, the same one that underpins the Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks, as well as the Sequoia and Land Cruiser SUVs.
The vehicle benefits from a fresh design that has nothing in common with that of the outgoing model. Toyota specifies that the 2025 4Runner was designed in its American offices at the same time as the Tacoma pickup truck. Both feature distinctly similar mines, but with some variations, they are more distinct. The grille, thinned at the front, offers something different. It's the shield that's gigantic.
For the rest, the style remains robust with protruding fenders and wheel arches.
At the rear, the most observant will notice a signature specific to the 4Runner and a nice nod to the first two generations with this third window with a particular shape and slightly perched on the sides. Another feature is that the rear window lowers electrically.
You will have to get used to this new version. We've had the same utility vehicle for 15 years, even if its style has evolved a bit over time.
Nine versions
The catalog will be well stocked with nine variants: SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Sport Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter. We come back to this new version a little further.
Prices will be revealed later, when the model is about to arrive in dealerships.
The mechanics of the 2025 Toyota 4Runner
The 2025 4Runner will be offered with two engines. You won't be surprised to learn that the 4.0-liter V6 that powered it is headed to a museum. In place of the latter, we will find the brand's 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, which is quietly making its way under the hood of a number of models, including the new Tacoma.
This block is offered in two configurations: the i-Force, good for 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque, and the i-Force Max hybrid, this time offering 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. This configuration benefits from a 48-horsepower electric motor integrated into the vehicle's eight-speed automatic transmission. A 1.87 kWh battery is part of the equation.
Note that with this latter mechanism, the towing capacity is rated at 6,000 pounds.
As for the distribution, you will be entitled to the base engine with the SR5, TD Sport TRD Off-Road, and Limited versions. The latter two, as an option, will be able to inherit the electrified solution, which is standard with the Platinum, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter versions.
Trailhunter: to go further
The 4Runner will have lost none of its off-road capabilities, as we will have the opportunity to see, even though Toyota is offering an even more capable utility vehicle far from civilization with a new version called Trailhunter.
Toyota suggests here a turnkey solution, with an even more capable all-terrain vehicle straight from the factory. Specifically, the company has collaborated with a number of off-road component manufacturers to further improve the quality of assembly and finish. For example, the Trailhunter model will benefit from 2.5-inch forged OME (Old Man Emu) shock absorbers with external piggyback reservoirs at the rear, as well as a uniquely designed ARB roof rack. .
OME shock absorbers and 33-inch Toyo Open Country A/T tires allow this Trailhunter version to gain two inches at the front and an inch and a half at the rear. Rock protection rails and high-strength steel skid plates to protect the vehicle's vital organs are also included with this variant. The style of this version will also be unique, with a grille plated with TOYOTA letters in bronze, accompanied by a 20-inch LED light bar.
Many other features and accessories will define this livery; we will have the opportunity to come back to it.
Across the range, we are promised pretty much everything we expect from such a model in terms of off-road capabilities: an approach angle of 32 degrees (24 at exit), a multi-management system (Terrain) (working in high and low range), a stabilizer bar that can be disconnected for better articulation on uneven terrain, differentials that can be locked—in short, everything you need to have crazy fun off-road. beaten track.
Cog configurations will also vary depending on trim levels.
The interior of the 2025 Toyota 4Runner
A word about the cocoon: it is undoubtedly the place where the transformation is the most major. Let's say that the outgoing 4Runner's living environment was dated and outdated by today's standards.
There, without finding anything revolutionary, we discover a modernized environment whose design is linked to that of the brand's most recent creations but also to that of the old 4Runners. An example? There are several oversized controls that are easier to operate at all times, as well as gloves, such as a dial for temperature and driving modes, as well as good-sized switches for several other functions.
The equipment will vary from one proposal to another. We can tell you that the size of the multimedia screen will be 8.0 or 14.0 inches and that of the instrument cluster 7.0 or 12.3 inches, depending on the version chosen. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto applications will be accessible wirelessly, and cell phone charging will also be done this way.
Oh, there is mention of an optional third row.
In terms of safety, Toyota equips all variants with the TSS 3.0 suite, which is frankly quite comprehensive.
The final word
After a little over 40 years on the market and having seen more than three million units sold, the 4Runner will take a new path in 2025.
We're not too worried about the future due to the strong reputation it has, but Toyota will have to be careful and offer a reliable model, which is what enthusiasts expect from this product.