The Right Spec: 2022 Toyota 4Runner

Matthew Guy
by Matthew Guy

With every mainstream automaker on the planet seeking to pad their bottom line with tasty SUV profits, the number of jacked-up wagons on offer is truly dizzying. Most of them are car-based, of course, including several in Toyota’s own wheelhouse – witness the mystifying Corolla Cross introduced this year.

This makes the 4Runner something of a glorious throwback. Perched on its toes and looking out into traffic with a lantern jaw, this SUV may be old as the hills but is enjoying some of its most robust sales to date.

It’s also more expensive than ever, with this year’s base price some $540 north of the 2021 model. There is often heated debate around these parts as to the 4Runner’s value, with Toyota seeming to charge these prices because they can, even though the truck itself hasn’t changed substantially in well over a decade.

This author will opine that buying a two-wheel-drive 4Runner is pointless, equating such a machine to owning a sleeveless winter jacket. Why the company chooses to offer a 2Runner is beyond my comprehension since they are surely not chasing an attractive price point given the base model Monroney. With this in mind, the Trail Special Edition is $40,650 while a TRD Off-Road is $41,135. That’s not a huge spread, less than some of us have spent on a snazzy meal. The mighty TRD Pro, if you’re wondering, is an eye-watering $52,120.

No matter the trim, 4Runner is powered by a 4.0L V6 engine making 270 horsepower and roughly a like amount of torque. Lashed to this engine is a five-speed (yes, five) automatic transmission. A big advantage of the TRD Off-Road trim is the addition of a locking rear differential, which can make all the difference between hauling oneself out of a mudhole and having to call for help. Or, it makes for bragging rights if you’re into buying SUVs but not using them for their intended purpose. I feel these part-time 4×4 systems in these 4Runner trims are superior when compared to the full-time system in the Limited with its Torsen limited-slip center diff lock. Feel free to duke it out in the comments about this point.

The TRD Pro trim goes on to add Fox-branded shocks with remote rear reservoirs and TRD-tuned front springs yet add little in terms of approach/departure angles and total ground clearance. Given the price walk of nearly 10 grand, there’s an argument to be made that money is better spent in the aftermarket if one is hell-bent on building the baddest 2022 4Runner on their block. There is no shortage of well-crafted parts available for this thing from any number of off-road suppliers.

It’ll have not escaped your notice we haven’t said much about interior differences between the trims – that’s because there aren’t many. All 4Runners pack the same pathetic infotainment system, and only top-drawer examples get the likes of dual-zone climate control and panoramic view monitors. The latter doubles as a trail cam on the TRD Pro, by the way.

Will the crew at Toyota soon introduce a new 4Runner? Maybe. Look how long they kept the old Tundra in production, not to mention the current Tacoma. Neither of them, particularly the Taco, seems worse for wear in terms of sales. As for the 4Runner, we’ll recommend the TRD Off-Road and its locking rear diff. Hey, at least you’re likely to rake in the bucks come trade-in time.

Please note the prices listed here are in United States dollars and are currently accurate for base prices exclusive of any fees, taxes, or rebates. Your dealer may (and should) sell for less (obscene market conditions notwithstanding). Keep your foot down, bone up on available rebates, and bargain hard.

[Images: Toyota]

Matthew Guy
Matthew Guy

Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.

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  • Picard234 Picard234 on Oct 13, 2021

    Cannot believe nobody has commented on the hideousness of this vehicle. It will haunt my dreams forever.

  • MR2turbo4evr MR2turbo4evr on Oct 13, 2021

    So much hate for the T4R...sad. My parents bought a '05 V8 Sport Edition new in 2005. It has just over 142,000km on it now. Lots of short distance driving for most of the year but is also used to haul their camper trailer in summer. In the past 15 years, they've had to replace: battery (2x), brake caliper piston ($30 from Toyota), 2 lightbulbs (side marker & interior info panel), CV boots. Of course the timing belt & water pump, air filters, oil filters and fluids were replaced as necessary. That's it. Even the headlight bulbs are original from the factory. THAT is why people buy them.

  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
  • Oberkanone Where is the value here? Magna is assembling the vehicles. The IP is not novel. Just buy the IP at bankruptcy stage for next to nothing.
  • Jalop1991 what, no Turbo trim?
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