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.

In Canada, the 2022 Toyota 4Runner models are Trail and SR5, with TRD Sport, TRD Off Road, Limited, and TRD Pro package configurations being offered on the latter. Standard features on the Trail include push-button start, remote keyless entry, a power-sliding rear window, satellite radio, multiple USB ports, 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 is upgraded to three rows on the Limited package, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

We drove the 4Runner Trail. 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 (U.S.-specification vehicle; not offered on the Trail grade in Canada). In Canada, this and every trim of the 4Runner comes with standard four-wheel drive (4WD), while rear-wheel drive (RWD) is not offered. Heated front seats are not included on the Trail grade but are otherwise standard.

The TRD Sport has some more road-oriented touches, including 20-inch alloy wheels and X-REAS performance suspension. It also includes a TRD hood scoop, and sport exterior badging.

The TRD Off-Road adds a locking rear differential, crawl control, active traction control, and a multi-terrain select system with adjustable off-road drive modes. It also comes with unique 17-inch wheels, black roof rails, a kinetic dynamic suspension system (KDSS), and TRD Off-road badging.

The TRD Pro adds enhanced Fox shock absorbers, 17-inch matte black alloy wheels, an aluminum front skid plate, a basket-style roof rack, a hood scoop, and TRD Pro badging.

Like the TRD Sport, the range-topping Limited trim is more road-oriented. It features 20-inch wheels, front and rear parking sensors, heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, an X-REAS sport suspension, tub-style all-weather floor mats, LED fog lights, a 15-speaker JBL audio system, and full-time 4WD as opposed to the part-time 4WD found on other versions of the truck.

No matter which trim level you select, the 4Runner comes with a single engine, a 4.0-litre 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 standard 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. 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 has a towing capacity of up to 2,268 kilograms (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 2,540 litres 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 1,337 litres of cargo space.

If you do opt for the three-row 4Runner, maximum cargo space falls to 2,514 litres. It has 1,311 litres behind the second row and just 254 litres behind the rear seats. The third-row seat is equipped only on the Limited package 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 and Android Auto. The 4Runner also comes standard with Bluetooth connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, and multiple USB ports. You cannot upgrade to a larger screen, but you can add navigation 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.

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/100,000-kilometre powertrain warranty.

According to Natural Resources Canada, the 2022 Toyota 4Runner can be expected to consume 14.8 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 12.5 on the highway, and 13.8 combined (14.9 L/100 km city, 12.6 hwy with the Limited’s full-time 4WD system).

Base MSRP for the 2022 Toyota 4Runner is $47,550 for the Trail grade. The Toyota 4Runner SR5 starts at $50,570, with packages increasing the prices from there: the Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport starts at $53,780, TRD Off-Road at $54,970, Toyota 4Runner Limited at $57,930, and the range-topping Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro at $65,550. An $1,890 destination charge is extra.

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.

Note: Images show a US model.