The 2025 Toyota 4Runner: A New Era of Power and Efficiency with a Hybrid Option
The much-anticipated revamp of the iconic Toyota 4Runner SUV, a favorite among off-road enthusiasts, is finally upon us. Fifteen long years have passed since its last significant update, but the new model is set to bring some exciting changes, most notably, the addition of a hybrid option.
The Toyota 4Runner shares a rich history and engineering similarities with its popular sibling, the Tacoma pickup. Introduced over four decades ago, the very first 4Runner was essentially a modified four-wheel-drive Toyota pickup. The two models have continued to be closely related ever since. Given that Toyota unveiled the new Tacoma in May 2023, it was only a matter of time before the 4Runner followed suit.
The upcoming 2025 Toyota 4Runner will feature Toyota’s iForce Max hybrid system, adding another popular model to the automaker’s expanding hybrid line-up. With consumers increasingly turning towards hybrids as an alternative to fully electric vehicles, this addition comes at an opportune moment.
According to data from Edmunds.com, hybrid sales have surged since the beginning of 2023, rising from approximately 6% of all new vehicles sold to nearly 9%. In contrast, electric vehicle market share has remained relatively stable.
The hybrid system in the 4Runner combines a 48 horsepower electric motor with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, generating up to an impressive 326 horsepower in total. This will mark the most powerful 4Runner ever produced, although less powerful gas-only versions will also be available for those who prefer a traditional engine setup.
Toyota’s hybrid push is part of the company’s broader strategy to “electrify” almost every model in its line-up while primarily focusing on hybrids for now. While Toyota currently offers only one electric vehicle, the BZ4X, and one luxury EV in the US, executives argue that hybrids offer substantial greenhouse gas reductions with less cost and inconvenience for consumers than fully electric vehicles.
Critics contend that Toyota’s commitment to hybrids instead of more electric vehicles, as well as its lobbying against government EV requirements, hampers the auto industry’s transition towards electrification. However, consumers have shown positive responses, and Toyota’s hybrids continue to be highly sought-after despite a slowdown in electric vehicle sales growth.
Joining the 4Runner and Tacoma in Toyota’s lineup of off-road-focused 4-cylinder hybrid models is a new retro-styled Land Cruiser, available only in a hybrid version. The 4Runner and Tacoma will offer hybrid power as an option, while the larger, more powerful Tundra pickup comes with a hybrid version featuring a bigger six-cylinder gas engine.
Hybrid vehicles offer improved fuel economy due to their ability to shut off the gas engine when the vehicle is stopped or requires minimal power, capturing energy during braking to run the electric motor. The hybrid’s electric motor also provides benefits off-road with its additional power output, as demonstrated by the Jeep Wrangler 4Xe’s success.
The new 2025 4Runner promises a smoother on-road ride than its current stiff-riding predecessor, according to Toyota. While retaining essential features like the roll-down back window for long items, it incorporates side windows wrapping up over the roof as a design throwback to the first generation of 4Runners in the 1980s.
The 2025 4Runner will come in a new off-road-tuned Trailhunter version, as well as more luxurious Limited and Platinum versions. A range of less expensive models will also be available, with some offering rear-wheel-drive only, part-time four-wheel-drive systems, and permanent four-wheel-drive systems.
Toyota has yet to release pricing or fuel economy information for the new 4Runner. The current model starts at around $41,000.
