Toyota will use a Hybrid Powertrain in its First 4Runner SUV Release in Fifteen Years
Toyota Motor completed a revamp of its existing line of trucks and SUVs and unveiled the 4Runner SUV for the first time in almost 15 years.
In addition to sharing styling cues with the recently redesigned Toyota Tacoma truck, the 2025 4Runner will debut new high-end “Platinum” and “Trailhunter” trim levels and a hybrid engine.
“This all-new 4Runner has incredible versatility and capability that nicely rounds out our truck family,” Dave Christ, Toyota group vice president and general manager, said in a release. “We’ve sold over 3 million 4Runners over the past 40 years, and this sixth-generation model offers a cool new look and incredible features yet retains the rugged style and capability our customers love about this adventure icon.”
Toyota’s “truck family,” which consists of the Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks and the 4Runner, Land Cruiser, and Sequoia SUVs, is often referred to as the “five brothers.” After the Land Cruiser and Tundra made their premiere on Toyota’s global truck platform in 2021, the 4Runner is the last vehicle to be updated and manufactured on it.
Pricing for the 2025 4Runner will be revealed closer to when it goes on sale, according to Toyota. The 2024 model has starting pricing ranging from around $55,000 to roughly $41,000.
While Toyota is renowned for producing cars with low fuel consumption, like the Prius, its larger “brother” SUVs, like the 4Runner, had considerably worse fuel ratings before they were modified, according to federal ratings, at 17 mpg combined or less. With a few changes, the current 4Runner has been available for purchase since 2010.
According to Toyota, the new 4Runner’s mpg will be revealed closer to when it goes on sale in fall dealerships. The fuel efficiency of Toyota’s other new SUVs and trucks has significantly increased.
Last month, Toyota Motor North America’s executive vice president, Jack Hollis, stated that the business is still working to balance out the lineup of trucks and SUVs it offers, including plug-in hybrid, all-electric, and hybrid vehicles.
“Those brothers, they all have a lot of similarities, and they have a lot of differences,” he said. “How do we curb carbon emissions fastest with everyone, everywhere? It’s having the right mix between those five products.”
The 48-horsepower electric motor integrated into the eight-speed transmission of the 4Runner’s optional hybrid engine is a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine that can generate up to 326 horsepower and 465 foot-pounds of torque. The 2.4-liter turbocharged engine that comes standard with the car generates 317 foot-pounds of torque and 278 horsepower.
Nine models—the SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Sport Premium, TRD Off Road, TRD Off Road Premium, Limited, Platinum, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter—will be available for the 2025 4Runner.
The Platinum model is designed with greater luxury and comfort features, while the new Trailhunter variant has more off-road flair and equipment, such as rock rails and high strength steel skid plates.
Toyota is producing the 2025 4Runner at its Tahara facility in Japan.
