2024 Toyota 4Runner barely changes, might be a runout before 2025 model

The Toyota 4Runner remains a monster off-roader. However, the last time we took a close look at it on something other than dirt, almost all of our positive notes covered just the mechanical feature set — tried-and-true mechanicals; cargo-carrying champ; roll-down rear window; multiple variants. Whereas our not-so-positive notes covered the actual experience of being in the thing: slow; inefficient; imprecise handling; antiquated interior. We'd add the oddly low seating position and the droning exhaust to the demerits. It's the U.S. sales chart for the 4Runner that reveals the SUV's actual superpower: Buyers don't care. The current fifth-gen rig has been on the market since 2009, its most recent facelift ten years ago, and the older it gets, the quicker it moves off dealer lots; 2014 was the last time the truck sold substantially less than 100,000 units in the U.S.  

That's a long way of suggesting a reason why the 2024 4Runner makes four of the most meager changes. The first two changes have to do with paint, the 4Runner TRD Pro adopting the same exclusive Terra hue (pictured) as the 2024 Tacoma TRD Pro. Terra replaces Solar Octane as the TRD's exclusive. The second change is Underground joining the palette, the color launched with the Tacoma range.

The third change is the 4Runner 40th Anniversary Edition and its retro graphics departing at the end of the birthday year. 

The final change of note is a potential $300 price increase across the board. Toyota didn't announce MSRPs for the 2024 4Runner, but Motor Trend says it got an early look at the order sheet. Assuming the numbers hold, this is what buyers will face assuming the $1,395 destination charge doesn't change:  

• SR5: $41,850
• TRD Sport: $44,710
• Premium: $44,910
• TRD Off-Road: $45,695
• TRD Off-Road Premium: $48,275
• Limited: $51,085
• TRD Pro: $55,315

The 4Runner's 4.0-liter V6 makes the same 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque it did in 2010, and tows the same 5,000 pounds.

Another potential reason for the dearth of change is that a new 4Runner is expected for the 2025 model year, adopting a number of advances bestowed on the 2024 Tacoma pickup. According to the 4runner5g forum, that could mean the turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, an eight-speed automatic transmission, a front sway bar disconnect, locking diffs front and/or rear, 32-inch tires from the factory, a TrailHunter trim, the IsoDynamic shock-absorbing seats, and maybe, just maybe, a manual transmission.

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