For the first time in 15 years, there’s a new Toyota 4Runner. And while the 2025 edition may be new, it remains what it’s always been: a steel box standing on its toes with the long-term survival instincts of Cher.

Having hibernated without a significant change since the debut of the Apple iPad, the 2025 Toyota 4Runner no longer seems as if it were smuggled out of a 2010 Cabela’s catalog. Now boxier and angrier, it has a more youthful sporting vibe than the similarly sized Land Cruiser. For its sixth generation, its new look is evolutionary not revolutionary, something that will no doubt please the 4Runner faithful, who remain loyal to this rig like the uncle who insists on wearing socks with sandals because it’s comfortable.

Under the refreshed wardrobe lies the underpinnings of the recently revised Toyota Tacoma pickup, with which it shares its interior décor. It boasts a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, although the 8-inch infotainment touchscreen can be replaced with a 14-inch display. The larger screen is welcome, but the smaller one works well enough. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a plethora of USB-C ports, and a digital key come standard. A wireless smartphone charging pad is optional.

The driver sits up high, but the sitting-on-the-floor feel remains intact. The 4Runner’s extreme ground clearance, short cabin height and narrow windshield hinder the view off-road. It’s not helped by cameras that shut off at 5 mph, not 20 mph as in competitors. Yet they come on constantly in city and suburban driving when you don’t need them.

With three rows of seats, there’s room for adults in the first two rows, and room for those you despise in the third row. The seats are firm and water-resistant, perfect in case you spill your Mountain Dew. The materials seem durable and the air-conditioning works well. The 4Runner’s natural disposition is not one that’s lavishly equipped with options. Certainly the SR5, a Baja-style-road rat with a lack of pretense, seems far more honest than other 4Runner models’ attempted haughtiness.

The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is powered by the "I-Force" 2.4-liter turbo offering 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. It’s standard on the SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Sport Premium and available on the TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium and Limited. Standard on the TRD Pro, Trailhunter and Platinum trims and available on TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium and Limited grades is the "I-Force Max" hybrid, a name that sounds like an energy drink for the oblivious. Its 2.4-liter turbo/electric motor powertrain generates 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel drive is standard, Full-time four-wheel drive is available with a two-speed transfer case with high and low range. Depending on model, there’s an array of off-road gear to make exploring nearby verdant valleys easy. And it can yank 6,000 pounds of your favorite plaything.

Hit the highway and you’ll find the ride is harshest on the SR5, with upper trims being far smoother. Neither is as composed as the Land Cruiser. Nonetheless, off-road is where the 4Runner excels. Crawl mode, locking diffs, a disconnecting sway bar — you’ll venture where Jeeps fear to tread and Subaru owners would bypass, lest they get dirty. Opting for the base engine is certainly fine, as power seems up to the task of tugging this truck wherever you want it to run, off-road or on. But the hybrid adds refinement along with the extra power and is fairly quiet. And Toyota stuffed it with all the modern annoying driver aids you'd expect in an effort to save your life, even if you're a fool.

The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is a celebration of the pig-headed and the well-prepared. Its sturdiness, utility and impossibly high ride height will ensure its longevity that will outlast your career, your 401(k) and possibly even your marriage. Surely, it's the only SUV that will continue to function long after the rest of civilization does not. Just ask Cher.

2025 Toyota 4Runner

Base price: $40,770

Powertrain: Turbocharged 2.4-liter gas/electric hybrid

Horsepower/Torque: 326/465 pound-feet

EPA rating (combined city/highway): 23 mpg

Fuel required: Regular unleaded

Length/Width/Height: 195/80/75.5 inches

Ground clearance: 8.8 inches

Payload: 1,135 pounds

Cargo capacity: 12-84 cubic feet

Towing capacity: 6,000 pounds

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