History/Overview
The Toyota 4Runner has come a long way from its 1980s roots as a modified pickup truck. It's now a comfortable mid-size SUV that remains one of the most capable off-road vehicles in the marketplace. This truck's last full redesign happened in 2010, and Toyota touched up the 4Runner's styling in 2014.
What's New / Key Changes from Last Year
For 2020, the 4Runner gets a new Venture trim level and a whole pile of new standard features, including Toyota's active safety suite, called Safety Sense P.
Available Trims
Trim levels include SR5, TRD Off-Road, Limited, Venture, and TRD Pro. All share a 4.0L V6 engine, a five-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. All 4Runners seat five, save for the seven-passenger Limited.
Standard Features
New to the 4Runner's standard features list are Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, passive keyless entry, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a 4.2-inch colour information display and two USB ports for rear-seat passengers. The Toyota Safety Sense P suite brings automatic high beams, radar cruise control, forward collision detection with automatic braking and lane departure alert.
Other SR5 standard kit comprises a garage door opener, an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, Connected Services by Toyota, an eight-speaker stereo, a power tailgate window, leather-trimmed steering wheel with tilt-and-telescopic adjustments, eight-way power front seat adjustments, heated front seats with Softex upholstery, fog lights, LED taillights, front wiper de-icer, 17-inch wheels, heated side mirrors and a Class IV tow hitch receiver.
TRD Off-Road trim adds a hood scoop, locking rear differential, crawl control with multi-terrain select, navigation, Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, and black roof rails. Venture trim matches the TRD Off-Road's features list, and adds black wheels and roof rail crossbars.
Limited adds a third row of seating, full-time 4WD, 20-inch wheels, sport suspension, driver's seat memory, ventilated front seats, leather upholstery and a 15-speaker stereo. A Nightshade appearance package builds on the Limited, losing that model's 20-inch wheels but gaining automatic running boards.
Finally, TRD Pro builds on the TRD Off-Road, but gives up the Kinetic Dynamic suspension and gains the Venture's black wheels.
Fuel Economy
Toyota's fuel consumption estimates for the 4Runner are 14.3/11.9 L/100 km (city/highway).
Competition
Toyota's closest competitors are the Jeep Wrangler (particularly in its four-door Unlimited configuration) at the utilitarian end of the scale, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee at the posher end. The Land Rover Discovery Sport comes in at a similar price point, albeit projecting a different image.