2025 Toyota 4Runner Review: Getting Up to Date

Toyota’s 4Runner has built a legacy on its off-road chops, and its off-road aesthetic. You’re just as likely to see a 4Runner running through a trail as you are handling the tough task of school pickup duty. However, with the fifth-generation 4Runner launching all the way back in 2009, there was only so much the Toyota could do to keep it updated enough to please the soft-road enthusiasts. Well, Toyota fixed that by rolling out the sixth-gen 4Runner for the 2025 model year and bringing some serious quality-of-life updates – for a cost. The ’25 4Runner packs the modern Toyota interior, which comes with a large touchscreen and plenty of tech. Toyota also stuffed its i-Force Max hybrid powertrain under the hoods, which blends a turbocharged 2.4-liter I4 with a hybrid system to net 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. Powering base-model 4Runners is a turbocharged 2.4-liter I4 without the hybrid help that makes 278 hp and 317 lb-ft. Both powertrains work through an eight-speed transmission.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of the 2025 Toyota 4Runner and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the latest 4Runner and highlights some of the changes and his favorite features. Later, Wren takes you along for a live drive review. Adding to these segments, Wren chats with Patrick Carone about the 4Runner, how it compares to the latest Toyota Landcruiser, and more. Closing the show, the pair breaks down what makes the 2025 4Runner special.

You love cars. We do, too. Tune into Quick Spin, the short-form podcast that takes you into the car with Autoweek editors as they deliver honest reviews of the best rides in the world from the inside out.

• No. of episodes: 278
• Latest episode: 2025-07-08
• Leisure Automotive

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