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The 2025 Toyota 4Runner: The Brick Is Back — and It’s Meaner Than Ever

The brick is back. Toyota’s 2025 4Runner keeps its classic shape but upgrades everything underneath — new turbo-hybrid power, off-road tech, and the confidence to take on Bronco and Wrangler head-on.

Zoey M

16 Oct 2025 — 4 min read

It’s been fifteen years since Toyota touched the 4Runner. Fifteen years of watching crossover after crossover pretend to be adventurous, while this box-shaped legend quietly held the line. Now, the wait’s over — the 2025 Toyota 4Runner has rolled out on Toyota’s new TNGA-F platform, packing hybrid muscle, proper off-road hardware, and a level of confidence that says, “Yeah, we still build real SUVs.”

This isn’t a redesign meant to chase trends. It’s a declaration that Toyota’s off-road dynasty isn’t done yet.

A Familiar Face, Sharpened for 2025

The first thing you notice? It still looks like a 4Runner — squared off, upright, and unapologetically truckish. Toyota resisted the urge to “modernize” it into another rounded blob, and instead leaned into nostalgia. The proportions are classic, but the details are fresh: LED lighting all around, muscular fenders, and that signature power-bulge hood.

Underneath, it’s all new. The body now rides on Toyota’s GA-F platform — the same bones as the Tacoma, Land Cruiser, and GX550 — which means better stiffness, improved ride quality, and way more capability baked in from the start.

Power: Turbo Torque and a Hybrid Hammer

The old V6? Gone. In its place is Toyota’s 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder — the i-FORCE engine that’s quickly becoming Toyota’s go-to powerplant. It makes 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque, routed through an 8-speed automatic.

But the real excitement is the available i-FORCE MAX hybrid setup. Borrowed straight from the Tacoma and Land Cruiser, it pairs the same 2.4-liter turbo with an electric motor for a combined 326 horsepower and a huge 465 lb-ft of torque. That’s diesel-truck-level twist — enough to make even long-time 4Runner purists raise an eyebrow.

With up to 6,000 pounds of towing capacity, this is finally a 4Runner that can tow the toy hauler and handle a technical trail without breaking a sweat.

Off-Road Cred: Not Just for Show

Every brand claims off-road capability these days, but Toyota still delivers the real deal.
The 2025 4Runner carries over the essentials — body-on-frame construction, available locking rear differential, crawl control, and multi-terrain select — but now adds a few clever tricks.

The new Stabilizer Bar Disconnect Mechanism (SDM) lets drivers electronically decouple the front sway bar for serious wheel articulation, giving rock crawlers that extra inch of flex to keep traction when things get ugly.

Approach and departure angles are solid at 32° and 24°, and depending on trim, you can get 33-inch Toyo Open Country tires mounted on 18-inch wheels.
Combine that with up to 9.2 inches of ground clearance, and this SUV can play in the same dirt as a Wrangler Rubicon or Bronco Badlands.

The Trims: From Grocery Getter to Global Explorer

Toyota didn’t hold back with the trim lineup. There are nine in total:
SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Sport Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and the all-new Trailhunter.

The Trailhunter is the one everyone’s talking about — a factory-built overlanding rig with Old Man Emu shocks, ARB roof rack, rock rails, skid plates, and those chunky 33s. It’s Toyota’s answer to the growing “turnkey adventure” market, for buyers who’d rather drive off the lot and straight into the mountains.

We’ll dive deeper into that one next time, but let’s just say the Trailhunter isn’t a gimmick — it’s a warning shot at Jeep, Bronco, and even Rivian’s camp.

Interior: Function Meets Future

Inside, the 4Runner finally feels like it belongs in 2025. You get the same interior architecture seen in the Tacoma and Land Cruiser — an 8-inch or optional 14-inch touchscreen, Toyota’s latest infotainment system, and a digital gauge cluster on higher trims.

Materials are tougher but smarter — think rubberized surfaces, big physical buttons, and grab handles that mean business. The design language says expedition tool, not mall crawler.

And yes, Toyota kept the roll-down rear window. They could’ve axed it for cost, but they didn’t — and that alone deserves a slow clap.

Performance and Ride

That new chassis pays off. The GA-F platform gives the 4Runner a more planted feel on-road without dulling its off-road reflexes. The suspension tuning is noticeably tighter — it soaks up washboard dirt better, while handling daily driving with less body roll.

TRD Pro and Trailhunter trims will feel the most confident off pavement, thanks to their upgraded suspension and underbody protection. Meanwhile, the Platinum and Limited trims cater to those who still want a rugged SUV but prefer comfort and quiet over conquering.

Price and Availability

The 2025 4Runner starts at $40,770, plus a $1,450 delivery fee, and is built in Toyota’s Tahara, Japan facility. Expect models to start arriving in early 2025.

Toyota hasn’t dropped full pricing for the higher trims yet, but with the i-FORCE MAX hybrid standard on TRD Pro, Trailhunter, and Platinum, expect those to stretch into the mid-$60K range.

AutoZealot Take: A Legend Evolved

The 4Runner didn’t need to reinvent itself — it just needed to remember who it was. Toyota’s done exactly that here. The 2025 4Runner isn’t chasing EV headlines or softening up for suburban comfort. It’s doubling down on what made it iconic: durability, utility, and that unshakeable sense of adventure.