By NITISH S. RELE – motoringflorida@gmail.com
It’s stood the test of time for more than four decades. The midsize iconic off-road SUV keeps on going, stronger than ever with each passing year. And for the first time, the sixth-gen 2025 Toyota 4Runner is equipped with a hybrid powertrain shared with the Tacoma and Land Cruiser.
The 2.4-liter inline turbo 4-cylinder engine blasts off 326 horsepower @ 6000 rpm and 465 pounds-feet of torque @ 1700 rpm. The 4WD (2H, 4H and 4L choices) is coupled with a 1.87- kWh battery and 48-hp electric motor. Getting power to the ground is a slick-shifting 8-speed auto gearbox. An independent double-wishbone front and multilink rear suspension along with 13.4-inch front and 13.2-inch rear ventilated disc brakes ensure stability on the toughest road surfaces. The fast and accurate power-assist rack and pinion steering returns a weighted, direct response to the driver’s input. Apart from normal, eco and sporty on-road driving modes, there are the multi-terrain select switches for rock, mud and sand or crawl control (essentially cruise control while off-roading). Looking to tow a sailboat or a small camper? The 4Runner can handle a 6,000-pound weight.
Intimidating front look? You bet. Credit the muscular TOYOTA-etched heritage grille with an integrated 20-inch LED light bar. The robust and rugged SUV is further boosted by RIGID Industries’ LED fog lamps. And, of course, one can’t help but notice the lofty black hood scoop on the attractive Mudbath exterior of our test drive. That this is an old hand skilled to maneuver off-road tracks efficiently is apparent from the TRD PRO emblems on both front sides, hood, aluminum skid plate, Fox shocks, wheels, black-performance exhaust tip, power liftgate and rear badging in big caps. Step inside and further evidence of its hardcore capabilities can be found on the steering wheel, shifter knob and starter button. Cooled/heated and eight-way power synthetic upholstery black seats with red stitches meet the driver and front passenger. A massive 14-inch infotainment screen sits atop the center stack with the familiar volume button for the audio. Yes, Toyota does stick to the conventional look! Dual auto a/c, power tilt/slide moon roof and steering wheel, overhead sunglass holder, 12 cup/bottle holders, five nifty USB-C ports and a wireless phone charger, 12-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14-speaker JBL audio are offered at no extra cost.
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which comes with a pre-collision system to detect pedestrians, lane trace alert with steer assist and dynamic cruise control, is standard along with dual front airbags, side curtain airbag, front knee airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, stability and traction controls, blind-spot monitor with rear-cross traffic alert, electronic locking rear differential, multi-terrain monitor, daytime running lights and tire pressure monitoring system.
You can securely venture off the beaten path with little detriment to your back side in the TRD Pro version. Or cruise the highway and neighborhood streets with ease and confidence. Built at Toyota’s Tahara plant in Japan, the legendary 4Runner should continue to charm off-road aficionados for many more decades to come.
4RUNNER (TRD PRO)
Tires: P265/70R18
Wheelbase: 112.2 inches
Length: 194.9 inches
Width: 77.9 inches
Height: 73.1 inches
Weight: 5,455 pounds
Fuel capacity: 19 gallons
City/hwy/comb: 23/24/24 mpg
Base price: $66,900
Price as tested: $73,388
Web site: www.toyota.com
