What we want and what we need are often two wildly different things. I might want that burger and fries, but what I really need is a salad. That same paradigm plays itself out for car shoppers every day—especially when deciding about how to spec out an outwardly off-road-focused SUV like the Toyota 4Runner. While you might really want that badass, kitted-out 4Runner Trailhunter, after spending some quality time in a bare-bones, base-model 2025 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4×2, what we found is that sometimes, less is all you need.
Spec Review
If you’re looking to get a 4Runner loaded up with all the fancy factory hardware you need for hardcore off-road adventuring, then the Trailhunter is the one you want, thanks to its 323-hp hybrid powertrain, 33-inch all-terrain tires, advanced third-party shocks, front anti-roll-bar disconnect, and four-wheel drive. You’ll pay for all that gear, mind you, with Trailhunters going for as much as $70,000 fully loaded.
The refreshingly simple SR5 we had in for testing, by comparison, is about as bare-bones as you can get. Starting at $42,765, our test model stickered for $43,880 all in, with its two options consisting of running boards and a third row of child-sized seats, giving it 5+2 seating.
Under its hood sits a 2.4-liter turbocharged I-4 that produces 278 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, which shunts its power rearwards via an eight-speed automatic transmission. While the turbo-four’s horsepower is roughly flat (up 8 hp) versus the previous 4Runner’s long-serving V-6, torque gets a solid 39-lb-ft bump. Its suspension is a relatively straightforward front double A-arm and five-link live-axle setup, and it rolls on a set of crossover-spec Yokohama all-seasons. In fact, this 4Runner’s only real concession to off-road capability is its standard limited-slip rear differential. Well, that, and the natural clearance provided by its high-riding, body-on-frame platform, one that’s also used by several other Toyota trucks and SUVs, including the Tacoma (with which it shares some sheetmetal), as well as the Land Cruiser, Sequoia, and Tundra.
Behind the Wheel
The last-generation 4Runner felt every bit the 20-year-old vehicle it was on modern roadways. The new one changes that dynamic. Despite its simplicity (or perhaps because of it), there’s an honest charm to the way the new 4Runner goes down the road. Its new turbocharged engine is spunky and feels more than sufficient to get this Toyota up and rolling. The new eight-speed is also generations better than the five-speed it replaces, kicking down smoothly on the highway and helping ensure there’s enough passing power on tap.
On the ride and handling front, the SR5 4Runner is exactly what you’d expect from a basic body-on-frame vehicle. Things can get busy over choppy roads, but the harsher edges are nicely rounded off in a trucklike fashion. And although its steering feel and feedback are decent, with obvious feedback from the wheel and an acceptable amount of roll from the suspension, to be clear, this is no RAV4.
Over the sort of simple, National Park–style trails that millions of Americans overbuild their own Toyotas and Jeeps for, its traction control system and limited-slip rear differential worked in tandem to keep the 4Runner moving through our test route consisting of light mud, sole-deep sand, and large moguls. We’d certainly opt for four-wheel drive if we were regularly traversing this sort of terrain, but even so the base model surprised us with its dexterity.
As far as instrumented testing goes, the 4Runner handily split the difference between the last-gen model and the turbocharged version of the Jeep Wrangler. The new 4Runner zips from 0 to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds and through the quarter mile in 15.4 seconds at 91.8 mph. That’s over a half second quicker to 60 than the previous 4Runner but more than a little shy of an equivalent Wrangler Sport’s 6.6-second run.
Handling and braking results were about what we expected for the class. The 2025 4Runner SR5 knocked out our 60–0–mph brake test in a longish 127 feet (2 feet longer than its processor and a foot longer than the Jeep), while it posted a 28.8–second figure–eight time, averaging 0.59 g around the circuit.
At 20/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined, it easily bests the old V-6 4×2 4Runner’s 16/19/17 mpg EPA score and is on par with both the Jeep Wrangler (20/22/21 mpg) and four-cylinder-powered Ford Broncos (18/22/20 mpg).
What’s Going on Inside the 4Runner?
Although there’s not much to the SR5 on the inside, which is something we’re perfectly fine with given its budget-friendly price point, you don’t really pay much of a penalty for getting the base model.
Up front, the dash (shared with the Tacoma) takes up more space than it should, but it looks beefy and befits the SUV’s character, with the smaller, 8.0-inch infotainment screen (versus the 14.0-inch unit on pricier models) being the most obvious difference. We found ourselves digging the cloth seats and the hardy (but hard) plastics that make up the bulk of the other cabin materials.
The front-row seats are comfortable, while the second row is adult friendly (even if the floor is a bit high) and features A/C and USB-C ports. The third row is best for small children, or perhaps pets—the latter of which could take advantage of the 4Runner’s neat dropdown window in the hatch.
The Verdict
Ultimately, we came away pleasantly surprised by our time in the 4Runner SR5—time that coincided with a loan of a 4Runner Trailhunter as well. We weren’t necessarily surprised that we enjoyed it as much as the Trailhunter, or even at the value it offers for its segment. Instead, what our experience with the SR5 reminded us of is that sometimes what you want and what you need can be the same thing.