A radical new take on robust performance
From the company that brought you the Prius – every North American city's favorite taxi – the sixth-generation Toyota 4Runner replaces the legendarily robust V6 powertrain with two new engines: a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a hybridized version of the same motor. So, then, you might think that the 2025 Toyota 4Runner blends the Prius's venerable efficiency with the rugged off-road chops of the Tacoma chassis, and that the all-new 4Runner is now a sufficiently compromising, family-friendly "jack of all trades" package, but you'd be very, very wrong.
This 4Runner Hybrid is not like a Prius. In fact, when equipped with the optional iFORCE-MAX hybrid powertrain, the 2025 4Runner only gets 2 miles per gallon more over the standard engine. So, if ponying up the extra pretty pennies for the hybrid isn't going to add any efficiency to your ownership experience, then what's the point in dropping an additional $5,000 or so for the hybrid engine?
Power and torque; that's where your money goes. The hybrid will also be quieter and more comfortable, but the iFORCE-MAX's power figures are its actual selling point. Think of the hybrid upgrade as similar to the optional 4.7-liter V8 engine upgrade that was available in the 4Runner's fourth generation in spirit, except without the caveat of decreased fuel economy. That's because the 4Runner's optional hybrid powertrain offers up to 326 horsepower and a massive 465 lb-ft of torque, compared to the non-hybrid's 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. That means, with the iFORCE-MAX hybrid upgrade, you'd benefit from up to 48 more horsepower, 148 lb-ft of more torque, and 2 miles per gallon of better fuel economy. What's not to love?
It's already earned itself a solid reputation with owners
Real-world sixth-gen 4Runner owners are loving these. Read through any owner's group or forum posting, and buyers are completely ecstatic about their recent 4Runner purchases. The root of their satisfaction, I suspect, does indeed take us back to the Prius. While it's often written off as the staple of boring, tree-hugging eco-hippie econoboxes, the Prius is perhaps Toyota's most important modern vehicle in that it has proven to people across the globe that Toyota's hybrid powertrains are genuinely built to last and hold up to the stringent standards of excellent reliability that buyers expect from the Japanese automaker.
The 4Runner is no exception from this expectation, and perhaps its consumer base consists of the most demanding group of people, aside from the Land Cruiser and possibly the Tacoma. Without the Prius having earned Toyota's hybrid tech the reputation it deserves, I don't believe that anyone could have trusted a hybridized and turbocharged four-cylinder to replace the 4Runner's trusty V6 beating heart.
Final thoughts
Although a hybrid powertrain might be a turn-off to off-roader buyers from other car manufacturers, from Toyota, it's undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Toyota's hybrid powertrains brilliantly blend efficiency with rigidity, providing owners with uncompromised fuel economy, massively improved performance, and the same legendary reliability that people demand from their 4Runners. Whether you're a Toyota nerd, an adrenaline-chasing mountaineer, or even if you're just looking for a solid family SUV that knows how to take a good beating, the sixth-generation Toyota 4Runner is a worthy and competent entry into the model's iconic lineage, and there truly is no substitute.
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Comments