2024 Toyota 4Runner

The 2024 4Runner is the final year of the fifth-generation N280 and carries the sole 4.0L DOHC V6, making 270 hp at 5,600 rpm on every trim — a modest, dated figure that lands in the lower third of the SUV band. There is no engine option and no electrification this model year.

The naturally aspirated 4.0L V6 produces 278 lb-ft, but it peaks high at 4,400 rpm — there is none of the low-end shove that turbo or hybrid rivals deliver. A mid-pack torque figure that feels less muscular in a ~4,750 lb body-on-frame SUV.

Toyota publishes no figure; instrumented tests of the V6/5-speed 4Runner cluster around 7.4–7.7 s. Adequate but unremarkable, held back by only five gears and a heavy ladder frame — the slow half of the SUV band.

The 1GR-FE V6 is a known, durable unit with linear, lag-free naturally aspirated delivery, but it is coarse and vocal near its high torque and power peaks and feels short on effort in day-to-day driving. Smooth off idle, but reviewers consistently call the whole powertrain dated.

The A750F 5-speed automatic is smooth and utterly dependable and rarely hunts, but with only five ratios it is the clearest sign of the platform's age — taller gaps hurt both acceleration response and highway efficiency versus rivals' 8- and 10-speeds. Decisive and unobtrusive, just short on gears.

Rated at 5,000 lbs across the lineup with a standard integrated hitch receiver and 4/7-pin wiring — solid for a mid-size off-road SUV and ahead of the Wrangler (3,500) and Bronco (4,500/4,500), though short of the newer 2025 4Runner's 6,000 lbs and full-size body-on-frame rivals.

Serious four-wheel-drive hardware is widely offered: part-time 4WD with a two-speed transfer case on SR5/TRD trims, and Limited's full-time 4WD with a Torsen locking center differential, plus Active Traction Control and downhill/hill-start assist. Held below the very top because SR5, SR5 Premium, TRD Sport and Limited are all still sold in rear-wheel drive.

Among the most off-road-credible mid-size SUVs sold: the TRD Pro adds 2.5-in Fox internal-bypass shocks and a front lift, and TRD Off-Road grades bring an electronic locking rear differential, CRAWL Control, Multi-Terrain Select and available KDSS, all on a ladder frame with ~9.6-in ground clearance and skid protection. A notch below the extreme Wrangler Rubicon only for lacking front/factory dual lockers.

A single powertrain for the entire lineup — the 4.0L V6 with the 5-speed auto — with no turbo, hybrid, PHEV or EV alternative in 2024. The electrified i-FORCE MAX option did not arrive until the redesigned 2025 model, so this final N280 year is take-it-or-leave-it.

The 2024 4Runner is the final year of the N280 generation with only the thirsty naturally aspirated 4.0L V6 and a 5-speed automatic, and no hybrid this model year. Its 17 MPG combined sits below the SUV normalization floor — worse than most full-size body-on-frame SUVs and near the bottom of anything called an SUV.

City economy of 16 MPG sits at the very bottom of the SUV band — the heavy ladder-frame chassis, full-time/part-time 4WD hardware, and an ungeared 5-speed auto with no engine stop-start punish stop-and-go driving.

Even on the highway the boxy, high-drag 4Runner manages only 19 MPG, below the SUV band floor — the tall gearing gaps of the 5-speed and the brick-like aerodynamics leave it well behind modern turbo and hybrid crossovers.

The large 23.0-gallon tank offsets the poor economy, yielding roughly 390 miles of combined range — a mid-pack figure for the SUV segment and enough for long overland stints, which is the one efficiency-adjacent metric where the 4Runner is not a laggard.

At EPA standard assumptions the 4Runner costs about $3,050 per year to fuel, near the top (worst) of the SUV cost band — the direct consequence of 17 MPG combined, though it does at least run on cheap regular unleaded rather than premium.

The 4.0L V6 is designed to run on regular 87-octane unleaded with no premium requirement and no complicated energy needs — the cheapest fuel grade at any pump. It scores high here even though it burns a lot of that fuel.

NHTSA rates the 2024 4Runner 4 stars overall, held down by a 3-star rollover result typical of a tall, body-on-frame off-road SUV; the side test earns 5 stars and frontal 4 stars. These carry over from the long-running fifth generation (2010-2024).

The fifth-gen 4Runner posts Good in moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints, but only Marginal in the driver-side small overlap front test — the structure and safety cage failed to adequately protect the driver — and its headlights rate Poor. A Marginal in a key structural test plus Poor headlights keep it well off any Top Safety Pick, and it lands in the lower band.

Toyota Safety Sense P is standard on every 2024 trim (Pre-Collision System with pedestrian detection, Lane Departure Alert, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Automatic High Beams), and — new for 2024 — Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert became standard across the entire lineup. So AEB, ACC, lane-departure warning, BSM and RCTA are all present on the base SR5; the only gap versus a top-band suite is true lane-centering steering assist.

The standard Pre-Collision System with pedestrian detection earns Superior in IIHS vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention and includes pedestrian braking, so daytime avoidance is strong. It is the older TSS-P generation, however, without the intersection/turn-assist scenarios or the stronger night-pedestrian performance of Toyota's newer TSS 3.0, so it sits mid-band rather than top.

For 2024 Toyota made Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert standard on every trim, a genuine improvement over prior years when it was reserved for upper trims. Coverage is alert-only — no active cross-traffic braking and no trailer-aware extension — which caps the ceiling, but standard availability across the lineup is a clear strength.

The 2024 4Runner's TSS-P provides only Lane Departure Alert with a sway-warning function — a warning system, not active lane keeping. There is no lane-centering or lane-tracing steering assist anywhere in the lineup, so the driver gets an alert but no corrective steering, which is crude relative to segment rivals that hold a lane.

The 4Runner uses high-speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (operates roughly above 25 mph), not the full-speed-range stop-and-go system, so it disengages in traffic and cannot bring the vehicle to a stop. With no lane-centering to pair with, there is no integrated highway assist — it is functional radar cruise with dated limits rather than a modern highway aid.

The 2024 4Runner offers no hands-free highway driving system. DRCC and Lane Departure Alert are hands-on features requiring the driver's hands on the wheel — there is no equivalent to Ford BlueCruise, GM Super Cruise, or Tesla FSD anywhere in the lineup.

IIHS rated the fifth-gen 4Runner's headlights Poor — low-beam visibility was adequate on straightaways but inadequate in all curve tests, with some glare. Even the better-equipped variants only reach Acceptable. Poor headlights on the volume trims are a primary reason the 4Runner cannot earn a Top Safety Pick.

The boxy, upright fifth-gen body gives a tall, commanding seating position, a large glasshouse and relatively thin pillars, so natural forward and side sightlines are good. A backup camera is standard; a 360-degree Multi-Terrain Monitor is limited to the top Limited/TRD Pro trims, and the tailgate-mounted spare and thick rear pillars are the main compromise, largely offset by standard blind-spot coverage.

The 4Runner's tall, boxy cabin offers wide rear-door openings and a roomy second row that makes fitting rear-facing and convertible seats straightforward, but the lower LATCH anchors sit fairly deep in the seat bight and require some digging, and the optional third row is impractical for car seats. Workable rather than best-in-class LATCH access.

The volume SR5 configuration seats 5; a cramped, kids-only third row is a rare option that pushes capacity to 7.

Generous front headroom typical of the tall, boxy body-on-frame fifth-generation 4Runner.

Ample front legroom; reviewers praise the comfortable, roomy front-seat position.

The upright, square roofline gives strong second-row headroom for the segment.

Second-row legroom of 32.9 in is tight for a mid-size/off-road SUV; the dated fifth-gen platform trails modern crossovers, and adults are relegated to short trips in back.

The rarely-optioned third row is a token, kids-only bench with just 29.3 in of legroom, awkward access, and it leaves only 9.0 cu ft of cargo when raised; most 4Runners ship as two-row 5-seaters.

Behind the second row the two-row 4Runner holds 47.2 cu ft of boxy, usable space — competitive but not standout, and a slide-out rear cargo deck is available.

With the second row folded the 4Runner offers a generous 89.7 cu ft of square, easily-loaded cargo volume — a strength of the tall wagon body.

Competitive everyday storage with a deep center console, useful door and dash bins, and an available pull-out sliding rear cargo deck rated to 440 lb plus a roll-down rear window — practical but not class-leading innovation.

Front seats are comfortable, supportive, and coddling with plenty of legroom, but the second row is flatter and tighter with limited underleg support, dragging the overall long-haul comfort down.

The truck-based body-on-frame chassis delivers a bouncy, stiff ride that bounces over broken pavement and trails nearly every modern crossover for on-road smoothness — the expected trade-off for its off-road hardware.

Mixed noise character: the boxy shape stirs up noticeable wind noise at highway speed, though the body-on-frame construction keeps tire/road noise relatively tame and the low-revving V6 stays subdued in normal driving.

Dual-zone automatic climate is standard, with heated front seats, ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel available on SR5 Premium and up to Limited; rear-seat comfort amenities are sparse and top features require mid-to-upper trims.

The 2024 4Runner is the final year of the long-running fifth generation, and its base SR5 opens at $40,455 plus $1,395 destination — noticeably cheaper than the all-new 2025 sixth-gen ($42,220 delivered) and squarely mid-band for a body-on-frame mid-size SUV. The aging platform keeps the entry price down relative to newer rivals.

The TRD Off-Road 4WD ($44,300 + $1,395 destination ≈ $45,695 delivered) is the fifth-gen 4Runner's traditional volume sweet spot — the grade buyers gravitate to for the locking rear differential, Multi-Terrain Select and CRAWL Control — with SR5 Premium ($44,910 delivered) close behind. That places the representative config mid-ladder in the mid-size SUV band.

The fifth-gen 4Runner's naturally aspirated 4.0L V6 and 5-speed automatic are simple, proven, low-maintenance hardware, and Toyota body-on-frame SUVs are consistently among the cheapest trucks to keep. Estimates cluster around $5,000–6,300 over five years — a touch above compact crossovers but well below the truck-based SUV average.

Resale is the 4Runner's signature strength. The fifth generation is one of the best value-retaining vehicles on the US market — scarcity, a devoted following and rugged-SUV demand keep it holding roughly two-thirds of MSRP at five years, dramatically better than the ~46% mid-size SUV average.

Toyota's 36-month/36,000-mile basic coverage is the industry floor — level with Honda and Nissan but far short of Hyundai/Kia's 5-year bumper-to-bumper terms.

The 2024 4Runner is gas-only (4.0L V6), so it carries Toyota's standard 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage with no longer hybrid-component or battery terms — the segment floor against Hyundai/Kia's 10-year powertrain warranty.

ToyotaCare covers all factory-scheduled service for 2 years/25,000 miles plus 2 years of unlimited-mileage roadside assistance — real included maintenance where body-on-frame rivals like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco offer none. It falls short of top marks because the window is shorter than Hyundai/Kia's 3-year/36,000-mile plan and there are no fuel credits.

$45,695 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (63% retained, or about $28,788) leaves about $16,907 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $22,507 in total.

As the final year of the mature, fully-sorted fifth generation (2010-2024), the 2024 4Runner earns top-tier predicted reliability — Consumer Reports rates its predicted reliability well above average and it perennially tops longevity studies (iSeeCars repeatedly ranks the 4Runner #1 among vehicles most likely to reach 200,000+ miles).

Toyota consistently ranks at or near the top of Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and stays above average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study, giving the 4Runner an exceptionally strong brand backbone.

By its final model year the fifth-gen 4Runner had accumulated a clean, low-volume recall record with no systemic powertrain or structural defects; 2024 saw minimal recall activity on a design refined over 14 years of production.

The 2024 4Runner uses the naturally-aspirated 4.0L 1GR-FE V6 (270 hp) paired with a simple 5-speed automatic — one of the most durable, high-mileage-proven powertrains Toyota has ever built, with no turbocharging or hybrid complexity and a 14-year track record of reaching very high odometer readings.

The 4Runner's cabin was the most dated in its class by 2024 — reviewers routinely criticized the hard plastics, aging switchgear, and small 8-inch infotainment, materials that fall well short of similarly priced rivals despite durable, rugged execution.

Built on a long-proven body-on-frame platform, assembly is solid, tight, and rugged with Toyota's consistent initial quality and no widespread rattle or misalignment complaints — old-school truck build integrity even if the design is dated.

Toyota operates one of the densest nationwide US dealer/service networks (~1,200 dealers) with consistently strong service-satisfaction scores, giving 4Runner owners broad, well-supported coverage.

The 4Runner carries one of the largest off-road/enthusiast aftermarkets of any SUV, and the simple naturally-aspirated V6 and 5-speed automatic are cheap to service with abundant, competitively priced parts — repair economics are a genuine strength.

The 2024 4Runner is the final year of the fifth-generation (N280) platform and carries the 8.0-inch touchscreen that became standard on all grades in the 2020 refresh — there is no larger screen option anywhere in the range. It sits at the floor of the SUV band.

The 2024 4Runner runs Toyota's pre-Audio-Multimedia head unit — a dated system with low-resolution graphics, dated menus and modest responsiveness that reviewers routinely flagged as the vehicle's weakest area, though it keeps a full set of physical HVAC and off-road hard controls. It sits in the middle-to-lower band: functional and physically easy to use, but visibly a generation behind rivals.

Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa are standard on every 2024 trim including the base SR5 — but wired only. The fifth-generation 4Runner never offered wireless phone projection on any grade, so it lands in the wired-standard band with no wireless path.

The 4Runner offers command-word voice recognition and available Dynamic Navigation (connected nav with a multi-year trial, then subscription) rather than a natural-language cloud assistant. It is functional but dated — most owners default to CarPlay/Android Auto maps — placing it squarely mid-band.

The available JBL Premium system is a genuine strength — 15 speakers with subwoofer and amplifier, tuned to the cabin — while the standard eight-speaker system on the volume SR5 is merely adequate. Strong optional ceiling, ordinary floor, so it lands in the mid-upper band.

Every 2024 trim uses analog gauges flanking a small 4.2-inch color multi-information display — there is no full-digital configurable cluster on any grade, not even TRD Pro. That is an analog-dominant setup and falls in the low band.

The fifth-generation head unit has no meaningful over-the-air software capability; the only remote-refreshable content is Dynamic Navigation map data via the connected-services subscription. There are no whole-vehicle, feature-adding OTA updates, keeping it near the floor.

The Toyota app with Remote Connect covers the core set — remote start and climate, lock/unlock, vehicle status and finder — but the 4Runner has no Digital Key phone-as-key, and Remote Connect is subscription-gated once the factory trial lapses. Core functions present, no premium features, paywalled: mid-band.

The 4Runner provides multiple USB ports (older USB-A charge/data, not USB-C) plus an available 120V AC outlet in the cargo area handy for overlanding, but there is no Qi wireless charging on any trim. Adequate but dated provisioning lands it mid-band.

Smart Key proximity entry with push-button start is standard from the SR5 up, and remote start works through both the fob and the Remote Connect app; the signature power roll-down rear window is retained. It stays mid-band because there is no hands-free power liftgate (the tailgate is manual) and no phone-as-key.

A rear backup camera is standard, and the available Multi-Terrain Monitor / Panoramic View Monitor adds a 360-degree stitched view on the upper trims (Limited, TRD Pro) — useful off-road — but the imagery is low-resolution on the 8-inch screen and surround view is confined to top grades. Rear-standard, 360 top-trim-only, dated image quality: solid mid-band.

No head-up display is offered on any 2024 4Runner trim, including TRD Pro. The item scores at the floor.

Wide, upright rear doors, LATCH anchors on the outboard seats and the signature power-down rear tailgate window make loading kids and gear easy, and SR5/SR5 Premium/Limited can add an occasional-use third row; but the body-on-frame step-in height is tall for small children and the aging fifth-gen cabin has fewer clever family touches than newer crossovers.

Toyota Safety Sense P (pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert, auto high beams, dynamic radar cruise) plus blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on every trim including the base SR5, which is a genuine family plus; a dated 4-star NHTSA overall and the older TSS-P suite (no lane-tracing/road-sign assist) keep it short of the class benchmark.

Roomy first and second rows and a big 89.7 cu ft max cargo hold make it a capable multi-hour hauler, but the trucky body-on-frame ride, notable road/wind noise, thirsty V6, dated 8-inch infotainment and a tight occasional-use third row cap its long-trip refinement versus unibody family SUVs.

The tall body-on-frame chassis, old-school 5-speed automatic that hunts and holds gears, vague steering and large footprint make it competent but never effortless in daily traffic; the commanding view and light low-speed steering are the bright spots.

At an EPA 17 mpg combined (~$2,850/yr in fuel), per-mile running cost is among the worst in the mid-size class and well behind the 2025's more efficient powertrain; it does at least run on regular unleaded and has no complex hybrid hardware to service.

A ~191-in mid-size footprint and boxy, upright greenhouse give good outward visibility and a class-manageable turning circle, and a rearview camera is standard, but the height, squared-off ends and lack of a surround-view camera on most trims make tight urban spots more work than a compact crossover.

A 5,000-lb tow rating and the torquey 270-hp/278-lb-ft V6 handle small trailers, boats and jobsite runs, but as an enclosed SUV it lacks a cargo bed and trails real mid-size trucks and the 2025's higher 6,000-lb rating on outright work capacity.

The fifth-generation 4Runner is one of the most durability- and resale-proven vehicles on the market, with a famously bulletproof naturally-aspirated 4.0L V6, simple 5-speed automatic and body-on-frame chassis that shrug off abuse; this is a core strength.

Standard roof rails, cargo tie-downs, a 120V bed outlet, the roll-down rear window and an available slide-out rear cargo deck, backed by one of the deepest overland/upfit aftermarkets, make it well-suited to gear and jobsite prep; the carpeted interior on most trims is less wash-friendly than a work truck, and there's no high-output inverter.

Comfortable seats and a large 23-gal tank give a useful ~390-mile cruising range, and dynamic radar cruise eases highway stints, but the body-on-frame ride, wind noise from the boxy shape and dated cabin keep it a step behind quieter unibody tourers on long hauls.

This is the 4Runner's headline strength: TRD Off-Road adds an electronic locking rear differential, CRAWL Control, Multi-Terrain Select and KDSS, while TRD Pro layers on FOX shocks and a 1-in lift; high ground clearance, part-time 4WD and a 5,000-lb tow rating make it a genuine trail and overland enabler with a legendary reputation.

Up to 89.7 cu ft of cargo, flat-folding rear seats, the signature power roll-down rear tailgate window, standard roof rails, an available slide-out rear cargo deck and a hitch add up to exceptional gear-hauling flexibility for road trips and adventure loads.

In its 15th and final model year the fifth-gen 4Runner rides on a 2009-vintage body-on-frame platform: it turns in reasonably but leans heavily in corners, floats over undulations, and has low grip limits from its off-road-biased tires. Predictable and honest, but clumsy and dated by modern-SUV standards.

The hydraulic-assisted rack-and-pinion setup is light and vague with a slow ratio and little on-center feedback; the TRD Pro's Nitto all-terrain tires make it worse. Adequate for parking-lot duty but numb and imprecise on the road.

Instrumented 60-0 stops of ~113 ft are respectable for a ~4,700-lb body-on-frame SUV, but pedal feel is soft and jumpy with noticeable nosedive under hard braking, keeping confidence merely adequate.

The naturally aspirated 4.0L V6 (270 hp/278 lb-ft) paired with a smooth-shifting but antiquated 5-speed automatic has no turbo lag or stop/start shudder, yet response is lazy — it makes noise before it moves and is never quick, and the shortage of gears blunts drivability versus modern 8- and 10-speeds.

The old 4.0L V6 is vocal and coarse under load, droning noticeably during acceleration and highway climbs; it is inoffensive at a cruise but well behind quieter modern crossovers in refinement.

The fifth-gen 4Runner's 37.4 ft turning diameter sits mid-pack in the SUV band — manageable for a mid-size body-on-frame SUV, though not as tight as car-based crossovers.

A commanding, upright seating position with an excellent tall sightline and big glass makes it easy to place and see out of, but the low-mounted dash, dated control layout and higher step-in height show the platform's age.

On pavement it is slow, floaty and dated rather than entertaining, but its rugged old-school character, genuine off-road ability and cult appeal give the final fifth-gen 4Runner real charm for its intended buyer.

The base SR5 at $40,455 includes Toyota Safety Sense P (full ADAS), an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and standard 4WD availability, but the overall content is dated for the money — a small screen, aging infotainment, hard-plastic cabin and no modern conveniences, so it reads as merely adequate rather than generous next to newer rivals.

On paper the content-for-price is weak — a 270-hp 4.0L V6, a five-speed automatic and 17 mpg combined are well behind rivals for ~$40k+, but genuine body-on-frame capability, legendary durability and best-in-class resale value materially offset the sticker, making it a defensible long-term value rather than a bargain.

Seven well-spaced 2024 grades — SR5, TRD Sport, SR5 Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, Limited and TRD Pro — span a ~$14.5k range with RWD or 4WD, on-road-focused to hardcore off-road hardware, and an optional third row on several trims, giving buyers broad choice within the segment.

Even in the final, oldest year of a 15-year-old design the 4Runner sold 92,156 US units — remarkable staying power for a body-on-frame off-roader and clear evidence of durable, broad market acceptance well beyond its niche.

The 4Runner pairs Toyota's reliability halo with a genuine enthusiast cult following, translating into the strongest resale in the SUV market and steady demand — an aspirational, beloved nameplate within its off-road niche despite the dated hardware.

As the outgoing generation, 2024 4Runners saw more end-of-run clearance flexibility than Toyota trucks typically offer — dealers discounted aging stock in the back half of the year — but strong underlying demand and sought-after trims like the TRD Pro still transacted at or above MSRP, so buyer-side deal availability is moderate rather than generous.

2024 is the 15th and final model year of the fifth-generation (N280) 4Runner, a platform introduced in 2010 — the powertrain, five-speed automatic and infotainment are all a generation or two behind the class, and the all-new sixth-gen replacement was already confirmed and arriving for 2025, making this the definition of an aging model with imminent replacement.

Reviewers consistently respected the 4Runner's off-road ability, durability and class-leading resale but were sharply critical of its antiquated interior, weak-for-segment V6/five-speed powertrain and dismal 17-mpg economy, so it rarely won broader midsize-SUV comparison tests even as it earned resale honors — a well-regarded specialist, not a class sweep.