2025 Toyota 4Runner: Will There Be A V8 Or V6? Here's What We Know
For over four decades, the 4Runner has been Toyota's poster child for a rugged SUV with four-wheel drive — in case the name did not already make that bit apparent. The 4Runner completed 40 years in the market in 2023, and one of the noteworthy highlights that have been carried over several generations is a V6 powertrain, which justifies its vigor and robustness. Maintaining its ferociousness, Toyota is upgrading the 4Runner with a better-sculpted design and newer i-FORCE powertrain options seen on other vehicles previously. How does this engine differ from the 4.0-liter V6 from the 2023 model of the Toyota 4Runner? Let's find out below.
For years, the Toyota 4Runner has had a nearly identical design and used the company's 1GR-FE V6 engine with a 4.0-liter displacement. The V6 has felt sufficiently outdated, primarily because of its five-speed automatic transmission. The 2025 model, however, is getting a much-needed overhaul in all regards.
Toyota says the 2025 Toyota 4Runner is "all-new from the ground up," and the more aggressive lines along the new design are not the only features supporting this statement. The new 4Runner is built upon Toyota's TNGA-F platform, which is also used on trucks and SUVs such as the Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia, and Land Cruiser. Its new aspects include two new i-FORCE powertrains that have replaced the previous two-wheel and four-wheel drive, as discussed below.
Gearbox gets a much-needed upgrade
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner gets two powertrain options: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbocharged i-FORCE variant and a 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbocharged hybrid called i-FORCE MAX. Both of these engine options offer two-wheel and partial or full four-wheel drive.
The 2.4-liter i-FORCE delivers 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, while the MAX has an output of 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. The 1.87-kWh NiMH battery cranks up the power delivery by 48 horsepower. These numbers align with the drivetrain options available on the 2024 Toyota Tacoma and Tacoma Hybrid.
The biggest change on both engines is an all-new gearbox, now offering an eight-speed automatic transmission that replaces the previous five-speed automatic. The new transmission is backed by various locking and active traction control options, along with dedicated modes for surfaces such as mud, sand, and dirt. Additionally, Toyota describes a new and quieter version of its CRAWL Control function that acts as a cruise control feature for lower speeds.
The new gearbox is standard across nine different trims: SR5, TRD Pro, Trailhunter, Platinum, TRD Sport (standard and MAX), TRD Off-road (standard and MAX), and Limited (standard and MAX).
The V6 is gone, or is it?
However, with the entry of the new 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbocharged standard and hybrid options with the new gearbox, the older V6 engine that had been present on the 4Runner for over a decade is gone. Toyota ensures the 2025 model is stocked with ample options not to make the absence of the V6 felt, especially for off-roading. The additional power over the older 270 horsepower output of the V6 exemplifies that approach.
With additional trim options and a more premium cabin experience than older models, the 4Runner is deemed fit for the next evolution of the SUV, which is suited for both everyday usage and gritty terrains. Toyota does not emphasize the lack of a V6 engine option, which hints at its ousting.
However, with the 2025 4Runner sharing its underpinning, one can still hope that Toyota will offer a similar 3.4-liter twin-turbo hybrid powertrain from the Sequoia on the former in the coming months, although the probability is still low given the expected price difference between the models.