A Week With: 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

Few vehicles enjoy the loyalty and fervor that the Toyota 4Runner does. And when Toyota rolled out the sixth-generation model, the expectations were high.

After a week in the 2025 4Runner TRD Pro, I’d say that expectations were met, even exceeded.

Like so many new SUVs these days, Toyota shifted back to a boxy look for its newest variant — and it works. The 4Runner is known for its durability and capability, and the new rectangle-on-wheels look inspires confidence.

What’s available

When it comes to capability, Toyota offers 9 versions of the 4Runner, ranging from super basic to ready for the red carpet to ready for rock crawling. We had the TRD Pro in Mudbath, or a shade darker than sand, with a black SofTex interior.

Walk up to the TRD Pro model, and there is no confusion about what this ute is capable of. It sits high so you can see the Fox QS3 Internal Bypass shocks. The shocks feature technology that allows you to manually adjust the compression damping on each shock to cater to whatever terrain you’re conquering that day.

Add in the 20-inch light bar, fog lamps, roof rack, and massive 33-inch tires on 18-inch black alloy wheels, and you get the picture very quickly.

Plenty of power

One of the big concerns for longtime fans of the 4Runner is the move from a 6-cylinder to 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, dubbed the i-FORCE MAX Hybrid.

The i-FORCE MAX hybrid produces up to 326 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. The i-FORCE MAX

4Runner brings all the power and capability midsize SUV fans love and has up to an EPA-estimated 24 mpg highway rating.

It’s torquey, powerful, and fuel efficient. I never felt left wanting for power when I was behind the wheel. No, I didn’t do any real off-roading in it, but if I had, I’d have felt very confident with this powerplant.

Cool cabin

The cabin is a fantastic mix of rough-and-tumble and modern tech. Think grab handles AND big screens. It comes with all of the safety and convenience technology you’d expect, including a 14-inch center screen that is fantastic.

That said, the center console is a conundrum. It has the goodies you want, like a wireless charging pad and some open storage, but the setup is less than ideal.

It was hard to reach some items in the storage area and I was always afraid my phone would slide off the charging pad and on to the floor if I performed any type of aggressive move — I didn’t have to and it didn’t but Toyota’s engineers are smart and I think there’s a better answer here.

One area where they don’t need another answer are the seats. Again, the SofTex seats were the issue for the TRD Pro, and it makes the most sense. SofTex is durable, comfortable, and, perhaps most importantly, cleanable!

Ok, maybe comfort and support is on par with cleanliness — no worries there. The seats are great, whether you’re running around town or taking a longer trip. I can only imagine they’d be just as good off-road.

Would I?

Bottom line: I loved my week in the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro. However, with a price for the TRD Pro starting at $68,350, I think I’d be just as happy in the Limited for $7,000 less.

Still — it’s a great ride.