Key Takeaways
- Toyota will release a new version of the 4Runner likely as a 2025 model, probably featuring the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain and a host of other upgrades. It will be a strong rival to the Jeep Wrangler 4xe.
- The 4Runner's current powertrain is severely-outdated and underpowered, with low fuel economy ratings. The new hybrid powertrain will offer better fuel efficiency and improved performance.
- The redesigned 4Runner will likely have a TRD Pro grade with off-road capabilities similar to the Tacoma TRD Pro, making it a serious contender for off-roading enthusiasts. It will also have a Trailhunter package for over landing enthusiasts, along with a Toyota-backed over landing kit. We expect prices to be in the same range as the current model.
Toyota's revised truck and SUV line-up packs in a serious punch. New models for the Sequoia and Tundra are a massive upgrade over their previous-gen versions. The recently revealed 2024 Tacoma completely changes the mid-size pickup game. The only model that is still due for an update is the Toyota 4Runner. Toyota will likely bring in its renewed version as a 2025 model later this year. Just like its body-on-frame siblings, the new 4Runner will also get a host of revisions across the board. But the most important improvement over the current version will be the introduction of the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain.
Currently, there are only a handful of mid-size SUVs on sale in North America that offer serious off-road capability. Out of these, only the Jeep Wrangler is available with a hybrid powertrain in its 4xe grade. It is a brilliant option since it offers impressive off-road performance and respectable MPGs. The 2025 4Runner, with its new hybrid powertrain, inherent off-road chops, and a bunch of other upgrades, would stand as Wrangler 4xe's greatest rival.
It's still a long wait before Toyota reveals the new 4Runner hybrid. So our in-house digital artist Timothy Adry Emmanuel has come up with this stunning rendering of what the new version of Toyota's popular mid-size SUV will look like!
UPDATED AUGUST 2023: Article gets updated with any new information regarding the upcoming next-generation Toyota 4Runner, as well as some new information about the 4Runner's luxury cousin, the Land Cruiser, and its triumphant return to the US.
i-FORCE MAX Hybrid Powertrain Will Boost 2025 4Runner's MPGs
A 4.0-liter V6 powers the current-gen 4Runner. The motor produces 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque. It's an ancient powertrain that's been doing its duty under the hood of this mid-size SUV for a while now. Like most Toyota engines, this six-pot motor is also pretty reliable and durable. But this unit is woefully-underpowered compared to the more modern powertrains of 4Runner's rivals and certainly down on fuel economy. EPA rates the present generation of this Toyota truck at 16 MPG in the city and 19 MPG on the highway.
The new version will get Toyota's i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain. In the Sequoia and Tundra, it comes as a 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 paired with an electric motor, producing 437 hp. The redesigned 4Runner will get a smaller adaptation of this setup. Our pick would be the 2.4-liter, turbocharged inline-four out of the 2024 Tacoma. Here Toyota has put a 48 hp electric motor between the turbo four-cylinder and the eight-speed automatic to produce a total system output of 326 hp and an impressive 478 lb-ft of torque.
Toyota hasn't released the official fuel-economy figures for the new Tacoma yet. But the i-FORCE MAX engines in the updated Sequoia and Tundra substantially increased the average MPGs. The revised mid-size truck is likely to get similar results. And suppose Toyota decides to deploy its hybrid powertrain in the new 4Runner. In that case, that'll help it boost its fuel-economy figures too!
With its low gas mileage, 4Runner's old V6 is no match to the Wrangler 4xe's 375 hp plug-in-hybrid powertrain. It uses a turbocharged four-cylinder paired with two electric motors. EPA rates the 4xe at 49 MPGe. The 14.0 kWh battery pack allows for 21 miles of all-electric cruising. But once the batteries run out of charge, the four-pot gasoline engine can only deliver 20 MPG, which is 2 MPG lower than the Wrangler's non-hybrid version.
The new 4Runner should offer more consistent fuel-economy figures with its standard hybrid setup, making it a decent alternative to the 4xe. In terms of exterior styling, the hybrid versions of the mid-size SUV would be the same as the rest of its line-up. Like Emmanuel's rendering, they would get Toyota's 'Hybrid' badging on the front quarter panels and the boot lid.
Redesigned 4Runner TRD Pro Hybrid Will Be A Serious Dune-Basher
The new 4Runner will be closely related to the updated Tacoma. The hybrid powerplant is standard in the mid-size truck's TRD Pro grade for 2024. That'll likely be the case with the revised 4Runner too. This means you wouldn't have to sacrifice gas mileage if you chose this extreme off-road version of the mid-size SUV when it arrives. The next-gen 4Runner TRD Pro will likely offer the same all-terrain kit as Tacoma TRD Pro. The latter comes with adjustable 2.5-inch FOX internal bypass shocks with a new multi-link suspension at the back.
The updated Tacoma TRD Pro gets 11 inches of ground clearance and is 3 inches wider than the base SR5. It rides on 33-inch Goodyear Territory R/T tires to tackle the gnarliest off-road terrains. Besides the aluminum TRD front skid plate, it also gets an ARB metal bumper at the back with recovery hooks. This off-road-ready Tacoma also gets 'IsoDynamic' front seats that use an air-over-oil shock absorbing system to give a better ride on challenging terrains. Toyota says all these upgrades make the new TRD Pro perfect for high-speed desert runs.
All this dedicated off-road equipment will likely make its way into the new 4Runner TRD Pro, turning it into a serious contender to the Wrangler 4xe. And it will need all this kit as the plug-in-hybrid Wrangler is available with the Rubicon package that offers serious off-the-pavement capability. Steel bumpers, gnarly off-road tires, front and rear locking differentials, under body armor, and disconnecting sway bars boost the Wrangler 4xe's performance off-road. With the 2024 update, it even gets heavy-duty DANA axles that make fitting larger tires easier.
Emmanuel's rendering is pretty close to what a new-gen 4Runner TRD Pro would look like. Its exterior styling is a lot sharper than the current model, similar to what we see on the renewed Tacoma. The front has a muscular design, large body panels, and a giant skid plate that pokes from underneath the vehicle. The chunky off-road tires with TRD center caps and the bulky fenders look really cool. The rear end also has edgy styling with a floating roof design. The wild suspension linkage that sticks out from under the rear bumper gives this SUV a pretty wild look.
New 4Runner Trailhunter Hybrid Will Be The Ultimate Over Landing Rig
The 4Runner and the Wrangler are popular picks for over landing enthusiasts. While the Wrangler 4xe makes a strong case for itself due to its impressive gas-electric fuel economy, the next-gen 4Runner with the Trailhunter package will be in a league of its own. It will also get the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain as a standard fitment, just like the new Tacoma Trailhunter. So it will also have decent gas mileage. But it will also benefit from a Toyota-backed over landing kit straight out of the factory.
Like the Tacoma, the Trailhunter package for the 4Runner would include additional off-road hardware. This includes upgraded shocks, under body protection, all-terrain tires, and increased ride height. These upgrades would be different from the TRD Pro grade. Additionally, Toyota will likely offer more accessories made by popular over landing equipment manufacturers through its dealerships. That'll save the hassle of going to multiple stores to kit up your 4Runner for your next outdoor adventure.
Here's How Much The 2025 4Runner Hybrid Will Cost
Like the new Sequoia, Toyota could offer the i-FORCE MAX hybrid setup as a standard fitment across the model line-up of the updated 4Runner. This would mean you could get one right from the base SR5 grade. The new 4Runner will likely continue to fall in the same price bracket as the current model. Prices should range from $40,000 for the entry-level trim to $60,000 for the top-of-the-line TRD Pro.
This should put the next-gen 4Runner hybrid within the ballpark of the Wrangler 4xe range, which we expect to float between $45,000 for Sport 4xe and $70,000 for the fully-loaded Rubicon X 4xe.
Now that the Toyota 4Runner is getting long in the tooth, the likelihood of an overhaul is almost certain to avoid pulling the plug on the beloved off-roader altogether. We can expect a new, efficient powertrain with hybrid hardware, and the latest in safety and technology features. It would need to remain a sturdy and reliable machine however - there is a loyal fan base for the go-anywhere 4Runner to this day despite its aging powerplant and simple features.
Toyota do seem to have a soft spot for holding on to iconic nameplates and successful models: while the Land Cruiser got discontinued in 2021 for North America, Toyota teased America with the return of the same model, albeit in an all-new package. It will now be based on the smaller Lexus GX platform and use a 2.4-liter, turbocharged engine with 326 hp.
If the 4Runner uses the GX's 3.4-liter hybrid engine it would have a small boost to 349 hp.