2025 4Runner

We purchased our 2025 4Runner Off-Road Premium (ORP, non-hybrid) from a Colorado dealership in March 2025. It serves as our daily driver, our long-distance road trip vehicle, and a platform for light off-roading.

Before deciding on the 4Runner, we test drove a 2025 4Runner Sport Premium (ORP was not available to drive at the time), a different 2025 4Runner ORP, a 2025 Wrangler Rubicon X, and a 2025 Bronco Badlands Sasquatch. We also considered several other vehicles online and in person that we did not drive for various reasons. For our needs, the 4Runner edged out the Bronco, followed by the Wrangler, based on anticipated reliability from brand history, creature comforts, higher-speed road manners, a quieter cabin, and a solid roof suitable for a roof-top tent. If off-road capability alone had been the deciding factor, the Wrangler would have edged out the Bronco. The Bronco likely represented the best compromise between long road trips and off-road capability. Because most of our planned time and miles in this vehicle will be on pavement, we decided to prioritize on-road performance and comfort, with the plan to also own a vehicle optimized for off-road use (see notes on our 2025 Wrangler).

Production/delivery timeline

  • 2024-12-19: Production was confirmed
  • 2025-01-10: Vehicle was built
  • 2025-01-25: Departed Japan via ship
  • 2025-02-11: Arrived in Long Beach, California via ship
  • 2025-02-14: Departed Long Beach, California via rail
  • 2025-02-18: Arrived in Denver, Colorado vial rail
  • 2025-02-26 Arrived at dealership and purchased/picked-up same day

Trim and options

This represents the “window sticker (as delivered) specification and options of our 4Runner.

  • 2025 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium i-FORCE 2.4L 4-Cyl. Turbo Engine Part-time 4-Wheel Drive 8672A
  • Transmission: 8-Speed Automatic Transmission
  • Color: “Underground” (a dark gray)
  • Tow Tech Package — includes digital rearview mirror, Integrated Trailer Brake Controller (ITBC), and Trailer Backup Guide with Straight Path Assist (SPA)
  • Power tilt/slide moonroof with sunshade
  • Cross bars (we’ll eventually replace the OEM/stock roof rack and cross bars with a Prinsu Pro roof rack, which will hold a Topoak Galaxy Light roof top tent)
  • All-weather floor liners

While Toyota provides an online “build tool” to select specific options, buyers are still limited to what Toyota decides to assemble and ship to dealerships. The 4Runner we purchased was close to what we would have chosen, and most of the differences can be addressed with aftermarket products. The ORP, non-hybrid trim was our preference, although we might have selected Everest (green) or white as the color. After looking at many photos of the Underground color and living with it for a while, it has grown on us and might now be our first choice overall. We had a similar 4Runner on reserve before this one that was black, and we were concerned about how much it would show dirt. We previously owned a black 2003 4Runner that looked great, but it needed to be kept very clean, and it ran hot in the summertime. We also would not have intentionally selected the moonroof, since it was not “needed,” but it has turned out to be a nice feature to have, and our old 4Runner had a moonroof as well. Eventually, the moonroof will be covered by the aftermarket rack and roof top tent that we plan to add to the vehicle.

When we took delivery of this vehicle, we drove it according to the break-in procedure, following the 4Runner manual to the letter.

Modifications

The following list is grouped into completed modifications, impending modifications (including parts on order and service already scheduled), and prospective modifications, which we expect to do at some point but are not urgent.

Maintenance

  • ~2,000 miles: DIY oil change
  • ~4,800 miles: oil change (and other recommended service) performed at a Toyota dealership
  • ~9,850 miles: oil change (and other recommended service) performed at a Toyota dealership
  • ~10,000 miles: new tires
  • ~15,095 miles: DIY oil change

Notes from original documentation

Some additional information is included below from the original Toyota specification sheet, in case the Toyota website link ever stops working. Our 4Runner was never listed on the dealership’s public website, but the salesman provided a direct spec-sheet link that we used to capture most of these details. We have edited the content primarily to remove marketing language and features we do not plan to use, such as subscription-based “connected services.”

Fuel economy

  • 21 mpg combined
  • 19 city
  • 25 highway

Note: March to November 2025 real-world overall gas mileage was a little under 20 mpg. After the upgrades for lift, tires/wheels, etc. in October, gas mileage has been closer to 17 mpg, but better measurements are needed. This is further complicated by the odometer suspected to be less accurate after the the tire size change.

Cross Bars

The cross bars are designed to integrate with the 4Runner’s roof rails to secure cargo

  • Provides additional secure tie-down points for various roof rack accessories
  • Adjust by sliding along the side rails, and lock in place with thumb screws
  • Can support a maximum of 132 lbs. when weight is evenly distributed across both bars
  • Set of two black bars

Note: we plan to remove these after we replace with a Prinsu Pro roof rack.

All-Weather Floor Liners

Made from durable, flexible, weather-resistant material.

  • Injection molding uses Toyota’s original vehicle design data for a true fit
  • Includes rear liner
  • Liners feature ribbed channels to better hold moisture
  • Skid-resistant backing and driver-side quarter-turn fasteners help to keep the liners in place

Note: we also added the OEM all-weather cargo liner.

Mechanical & Performance

  • Engine: i-FORCE 2.4L turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine; 278 hp @ 6000 rpm; 317 lb.-ft. @ 1700 rpm
  • Valvetrain: 16-valve Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC), chain drive with Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i); 2393 c.c. aluminum engine block; 87.5 x 99.5 (mm.) bore x stroke; 11.0:1 compression ratio
  • Intake: Twin scroll turbocharger with wastegate valve control and air-cooled intercooler
  • Fuel System: D-4ST direct-injection and port-injection fuel system
  • Ignition System: Conventional 12V starter
  • Transmission: 8-speed Electronically Controlled automatic Transmission with intelligence (ECT-i), sequential shift mode, and uphill/downhill shift logic
  • Drive Modes: Drive Mode Select (DMS) with Eco, Normal and Sport Modes
  • Drive Modes: TOW/HAUL driving modes
  • Drivetrain: Part-time 4-Wheel Drive (4WD) with electronically controlled 2-speed transfer case (high/low range) and Active Traction Control (A-TRAC)
  • Drivetrain: Electronically controlled locking rear differential
  • Body/Frame: Reinforced body-on-frame construction with TNGA-F high-strength boxed-steel ladder frame
  • Suspension: Independent double-wishbone front suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bar; Multi-link rear suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bar
  • Suspension: TRD Off-Road – Bilstein® monotube shock absorbers
  • Steering: Electric Power Steering (EPS); power-assisted rack-and-pinion
  • Brakes: Power-assisted front and rear ventilated disc brakes
  • Brakes: Electric Parking Brake (EPB)
  • Off-Road: Multi-Terrain Select (MTS), Crawl Control (CRAWL) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC)
  • Off-Road: Front and rear recovery points
  • Towing: Integrated towing receiver hitch and wiring harness with 4- and 7-pin connectors
  • Weight Rating: 6240 lbs
  • 18″ inch machine finished alloy wheels (+55mm offset)
  • 32.6″ Michelin LTX A/T 2 tires (265/70R18)

Steering

  • Turning radius (ft.) 19.7

Note: the geometry of the vehicle has changed with aftermarket lift, wheels, and tire replacement.

Exterior

  • 18-in. matte-black painted and machine-finished alloy wheels (Note: we replaced these)
  • Black honeycomb-style grille, mirror caps, door handles, and overfenders; color-keyed rear spoiler
  • Black roof rails (Note: these will be removed/replaced)
  • LED headlights with Daytime Running Lights (DRL), auto on/off feature and manual leveling adjustment
  • LED fog lights
  • LED taillights with red outer lens
  • Power windows with auto up/down and jam protection in all positions
  • Privacy tinted glass on rear side, quarter and liftgate windows
  • Power rear liftgate window with auto up/down, jam protection, and defogger with timer
  • Hands-free power liftgate
  • Rear spoiler with integrated LED center high-mount stop light and concealed rear wiper with mist cycle
  • Variable intermittent windshield wipers with mist cycle
  • Heated power outside mirrors with turn signal indicators
  • Fixed running boards (Note: we removed these and we will likely add rock sliders eventually)
  • Composite front skid plate, with underbody transfer case and fuel tank protection (Note: we replaced the composite skid plates with steel skid plates)

Interior

  • Color: Black SofTex
  • SofTex®-trimmed heated and ventilated front seats; 8-way power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats with 2-way power lumbar support and driver position memory function
  • 60/40 split, reclining and tumble-folding second-row seat with center armrest and cup holders
  • Heated and leather-trimmed power tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio and Bluetooth® hands-free phone and voice-command controls
  • Smart Key System with Push Button Start, remote keyless entry and remote illuminated entry
  • Qi-compatible wireless smartphone charging with indicator light
  • Five USB-C ports
  • One center console 12V auxiliary power outlet and two 120V/400W AC power outlets in the rear seat and cargo area
  • Single-zone automatic climate control with air filtration
  • Rear-seat air vents
  • Auto-dimming day/night rearview mirror with HomeLink® universal transceiver
  • Second-row and cargo-area LED illumination
  • 12 cup and bottle holders
  • TRD leather-wrapped shift knob
  • TRD Off-Road carpet floor mats (replaced with the optional floormats?)

Audio Multimedia

  • 14-in. Audio Multimedia Display with 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system including JBL® FLEX portable Bluetooth speaker, subwoofer and amplifier, wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
  • 12.3-in. digital gauge cluster with selectable gauge display screens and fuel economy, Driver Assist, vehicle/trip information, and warning messages

Safety and Convenience

  • Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.) — Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/SA), Automatic High Beams (AHB), Road Sign Assist (RSA), Proactive Drive Assist (PDA)
  • Multi-Terrain Monitor (MTM) with selectable front, side or rear views
  • Integrated backup camera display with projected path
  • Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)  and Trailer Merge Warning
  • Front Cross-Traffic Alert (FCTA)
  • Traffic Jam Assist (TJA)
  • Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
  • Anti-theft system
  • Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) (Note: the OEM/stock TPMS sensors were replaced when we purchased new wheels — in order to pass on the old wheel/tire set with the original TPMS installed)
  • Driver and front passenger seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters
  • Power door locks with shift-linked automatic lock/unlock feature
  • Nine airbags — Advanced Airbag System with driver and front passenger dual stage airbags, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, front passenger seat cushion airbag, and front and rear side curtain airbags
  • Child-protector rear door locks and power window lockout control
  • LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) includes lower anchors on outboard second-row seats and tether anchors on all second-row seats