Toyota 4Runner: History, Generations & Specs

Key facts

Generations at a glance

The Toyota 4Runner began as a variant of the Toyota Pickup (Hilux), fitting a fiberglass rear canopy over a short-bed truck to create a two-door SUV. It has been built on Toyota truck ladder frames throughout its production, sharing components first with the Pickup and later with the Tacoma. The sections below cover each generation's platform and powertrain in detail.

First generation (1984-1989)

The first-generation 4Runner (N60) was a two-door SUV based on the Toyota Pickup, with a removable rear top over the cargo area. Early U.S. cars used the 2.4-liter 22R and fuel-injected 22RE inline-four; a turbocharged 22R-TE four-cylinder (about 135 horsepower) was offered for 1986-1987, and a 3.0-liter 3VZ-E V6 rated at 150 horsepower arrived for 1988. Rear-wheel drive and part-time four-wheel drive with a solid front axle (1984-1985) were offered, with a double-wishbone independent front suspension replacing the solid axle from 1986, plus four- and five-speed manuals and an automatic.

Second generation (1990-1995)

The second-generation 4Runner (N120/N130) introduced a four-door SUV body and switched to a fixed roof, dropping the first generation's removable top. A two-door body was also offered for the 1990 and 1991 model years before being discontinued, leaving the four-door as the only body style. Engines included the 2.4-liter 22RE four-cylinder (116 horsepower) and the 3.0-liter 3VZ-E V6 rated at 150 horsepower. Rear-wheel drive and part-time four-wheel drive were offered with manual and automatic transmissions.

Third generation (1996-2002)

The third-generation 4Runner (N180) introduced coil-spring rear suspension in place of leaf springs and shared underpinnings with the Tacoma. Powertrains were the 2.7-liter 3RZ-FE four-cylinder (150 horsepower) and the 3.4-liter 5VZ-FE V6 rated at about 183 horsepower; the four-cylinder was dropped for 2001-2002, leaving the V6 as the sole engine. Both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive were available with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions.

Fourth generation (2003-2009)

The fourth-generation 4Runner (N210) grew in size and adopted the 4.0-liter 1GR-FE V6, rated at 245 horsepower early (2003-2005) and re-rated to 236 horsepower for 2006-2009, plus an available 4.7-liter 2UZ-FE V8 (235 horsepower, rising to 270 horsepower for 2005). It offered rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive with automatic transmissions (five-speed on V8 models), plus available electronic aids such as Downhill Assist Control and a rear locking differential on some trims. No other 4Runner generation offered a V8.

Fifth generation (2010-2024)

The fifth-generation 4Runner (N280) was powered almost entirely by the 4.0-liter 1GR-FE V6 rated at 270 horsepower and paired with a five-speed automatic. For the 2010 model year only, a 2.7-liter 2TR-FE four-cylinder (about 157 horsepower) with a four-speed automatic was offered on the base rear-wheel-drive model before being dropped. It was offered in rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations, with trims including the trail-oriented TRD Pro and the Trail/TRD Off-Road featuring a locking rear differential and the KDSS suspension option. This generation ran with periodic updates through the 2024 model year.

Sixth generation (2025-present)

The sixth-generation 4Runner moved to Toyota's TNGA-F body-on-frame platform shared with the Tacoma and Land Cruiser. It replaced the V6 with turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder power, offered as the i-FORCE engine (278 horsepower) and an i-FORCE MAX hybrid (up to 326 horsepower), paired with an eight-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive remain available across the trim range.