2022 Toyota 4Runner Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The 4Runner can trace its roots back to the SUV craze in the 1980s. Back then, most SUVs had a rugged construction and many shared underpinnings with pickup trucks. Since then, most SUVs have evolved to utilize more car-based platforms, and some are more like high-riding wagons than the original SUV concept. Not so for the 4Runner, which never strayed away from its relationship to the Toyota Tacoma pickup.

Toyota is not being stubborn by keeping the 4Runner the way it is. Few brands have led the crossover charge quite like Toyota. The automaker knows that it has the three-row Highlander holding down family-hauling duties. This affords the 4Runner the luxury of being a more niche vehicle for those that actually still venture off the beaten path.

Few vehicles wear their sense of adventure on their sleeve quite like the 4Runner. From the high ride height to the boxy proportions, to the sharply angled front bumper that’s designed to approach obstacles, the 4Runner’s function is its form. Inside, function continues to reign supreme, but there are also some stark reminders that this vehicle was last fully redesigned in 2009. The dash layout is very late-2000s.

Trims for the 2022 Toyota 4Runner are SR5, Trail Special Edition, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Limited. Standard features on the SR5 include push-button start, remote keyless entry, a power-sliding rear window, satellite radio, multiple USB ports, a WiFi hotspot, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also comes standard with a host of driver assistance features as part of Toyota Safety Sense P. The 4Runner comes standard with two-row seating, which can be upgraded to three rows (on select trims) for $805.

There is also a Premium SR5 sub-trim, which adds HD radio, heated front seats, synthetic leather upholstery, and power-adjustable front seats.

We drove the Trail Special Edition. It features 17-inch dark gray alloy wheels, a unique monotone paint scheme, a Yakima LoadWarrior cargo basket, a sliding rear cargo deck with under-floor storage, a 40-quart premium accessory cooler, and all-weather floor mats. We particularly liked the “Lunar Rock” paint selection.

The TRD Sport has some more road-oriented touches, including 20-inch allow wheels and X-REAS performance suspension. It also includes a TRD hood scoop, black roof rails, sport exterior badging, a chrome-accented multi-information display, synthetic leather upholstery, and TRD lettering in the headrests.

The TRD Off-Road comes standard with four-wheel drive (4WD), and its content is largely based around the SR5, but adds a locking rear differential, beefed-up skid plates, crawl control, active traction control, and a terrain management system. The TRD Off-Road is also available in a Premium sub-trim, which adds synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, and additional driver assistance features.

The TRD Pro builds on the TRD Off-Road Premium and adds enhanced shock absorbers, a 15-speaker JBL premium stereo system, a surround-view camera system, an off-road camera system, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a moonroof.

Like the TRD Sport, the range-topping Limited trim is more road-oriented. It features 20-wheels, front and rear parking sensors, heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, and X-REAS sport suspension.

No matter which trim level you select, the 4Runner comes with a single engine, a 4.0-liter V6. It puts out 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque. This is a dated V6 engine, but it is used because it is reliable and provides a decent jump off the line. In nearly every other driving situation, it feels underwhelming at best. This engine routes power through a five-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels or available 4WD with low range.

If you’re not used to more traditional trucks or SUVs, the 4Runner’s ride will feel harsh and cumbersome. There is a lot of body roll and it will jostle over bumps in the road. But there are some folks that find these ride qualities familiar. There is perhaps a sense of nostalgia in a vehicle that requires a bit more attention to keep straight while going down the road.

Even so, the ride is rough, but all of these critiques fall away once you venture off paved roads and head out onto the trail. Traveling at low speeds, you never encounter the higher-speed weakness of the powertrain. The suspension that is garish on the pavement now settles in as it effortlessly absorbs rocks, bumps, root beds, and more. The TRD Pro and TRD Off-Road models include a Crawl Control (cruise control for the trail) and a locking differential. The 4Runner can also be had with the optional Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System. It helps the 4Runner in handling both on and off the trail.

When properly equipped, the 4Runner can tow up to 5,000 pounds. That’s not a lot compared to your average compact pickup, but it’s more than most car-based crossovers can tow.

The 4Runner provides a maximum of 89.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity. This is for the two-row version, allowing for slightly more space than the three-row model. With the second-row seats in use, the two-row 4Runner provides 47.2 cubic feet of cargo space.

If you do opt for the three-row 4Runner, maximum cargo space falls to 88.8 cubic feet. It has 46.3 behind the second row and just 9 cubic feet behind the rear seats. The third row seat is optional on the SR5, SR5 Premium, and Limited models, and brings seating capacity from five up to seven.

The 4Runner is not available with a power rear liftgate, but Toyota makes up for it with one of the SUV’s best features; a power-open/close rear window. It’s remotely operated and makes stowing a bag in the back a snap.

Given its age, the 4Runner is not quite a masterclass in cabin packaging. Automakers have come a long way in just ten years, and other SUVs will feel far more spacious inside. That said, the 4Runner is not cramped, it could just be more efficient. There are plenty of spaces for all your gear, but we know there could be more.

The 4Runner comes standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It’s pretty straightforward in its layout and enjoys the benefit of hard buttons and dials surrounding the screen. This infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and even Amazon Alexa. The 4Runner also comes standard with Bluetooth connectivity, Satellite Radio, and multiple USB ports. You cannot upgrade to a larger screen, but you can add navigation, HD radio, and a 15-speaker JBL premium audio system.

There are far more advanced infotainment systems on the market today, but if you are considering a 4Runner and appreciate its near-analog driving style, then this infotainment system should suffice. It covers the tech basics and still relies on plenty of tactile controls. This is especially helpful if you are driving with gloves on. It would be nice to see features like a head-up display, so you don’t have to take your eyes off the trail ahead of you. But in a few years, when a typical family sedan is more advanced than a SpaceX Dragon capsule, people may be pining for the refreshing simplicity of a layout like this one.

Despite its age, Toyota keeps the 4Runner relevant from a safety perspective, thanks to the Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver assistance features. This includes standard forward automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and lane-departure warning. This is where it benefits to have an automatic as the only transmission option (despite the stick shift's popularity among off-road enthusiasts). Some of these driver assistance features are only possible with an automatic transmission.

You still have to shell out for blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree, surround-view parking camera system. The TRD Pro also comes with an off-road camera system.

When evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 4Runner earned four out of five stars for frontal and side-impact testing. It earned three stars for rollover testing. The 2022 4Runner has not yet been evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The 4Runner is backed by a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Whether you opt for the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) or 4WD version, the 2022 Toyota 4Runner returns the same fuel economy. According to the EPA, it returns 16 mpg city, 19 highway, 17 combined. In the end, aerodynamics have a bigger impact on the 4Runner than powertrain selection.

Base MSRP for the 2022 Toyota 4Runner is $37,605. The Trail Special Edition starts at $39,575. The TRD Sport starts at $40,450, and the TRD Off-Road starts at $41,435. The Limited trim starts at $47,190, and the range-topping TRD Pro starts at $52,420.

Our Trail Special Edition came with the premium audio package ($1,585) and a handful of standalone options. All told, it brought the price $45,142. At that price, we were certainly hurting for common creature comforts, such as automatic headlights and heated seats.

The 4Runner will never win compared to a typical midsize SUV on day-to-day uses. Even though a Highlander and 4Runner are both qualified as SUVs, it might as well be comparing Apples and Oranges… or at least Clementines to Tangerines. They may have a similar shape, but they provide two different capability sets. Like the Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco, what the 4Runner lacks in day-to-day convenience, it makes up for in rugged capability.

There are shoppers who are used to trucks and truck-based SUVs. They know the jostling and body roll that comes with the 4Runner and other true off-roaders, and they welcome it. Perhaps that bumpy ride or extra steering input is a daily reminder that you don’t always venture off the beaten path, but that you could. With typical SUVs being softened into glorified wagons, the 4Runner is a four-wheel protest to the trend, and it is ready for an adventure at a moment’s notice.