2025 Toyota 4Runner fuel economy manages to be better—and also worse
Turns out the optional hybrid powertrain doesn’t do it any favors.
The Toyota 4Runner is brand new after an impressive run that spanned across three decades. It introduces a host of refinements to go with its off-road prowess, including a dedicated hybrid powertrain.
The bad news is that if you were hoping that the new hybrid would transform the 4Runner into a hypermiling power trooper that won’t run out until the adventure returns to the asphalt, that's not quite the case.
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Opting for the hybrid drops highway fuel economy
Toyota
The figures are in for the 2025 Toyota 4Runner. Rear-wheel-drive (RWD) models get 20 mpg city, 26 highway, and 22 combined. Opting for four-wheel-drive (4WD) drops those figures by 1 mile per gallon.
Meanwhile, the i-Force MAX hybrid, which comes standard with 4WD, is rated at 23 mpg city / 24 highway / 23 combined. That’s a loss of one gallon on the highway and a gain of three in the city over the non-hybrid 4Runner. Toyota Toyota
Weirdly, fuel mileage doesn’t improve over the 2025 Land Cruiser, which is slightly bigger and uses the same powertrain. However, the new 4Runner does have a larger 19-gallon tank, so it will go further. In a rare feat, though, the non-hybrid 4Runner achieves greater highway fuel mileage than the stereotypical fuel-sipper, but those hoping for a frugal 4Runner are still likely to be disappointed.
Regardless of how you feel about these mileage figures, they are still a notable improvement over the 2024 4Runner, which was rated at 16 mpg city / 19 highway / 17 combined.
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At least the 2025 4Runner brings ample power
Toyota
To reiterate, the 2025 Toyota 4Runner uses a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder in lieu of the 4.0-liter V-6 that served the last two generations. Dubbed "i-FORCE," it makes 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque.
The optional i-Force MAX hybrid powertrain keeps the same engine but adds an electric motor, adding 48 horsepower and gobs more torque for a combined output of 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. From 2025 on, every 4Runner will use an eight-speed automatic.
Off-road trims such as the TRD Pro and Trailhunter are hybrid-only, so the high torque at low RPMs will be useful.
Final thoughts
Toyota
Although the 2025 Toyota 4Runner is far from a frugal performer, it’s far more potent than any 4Runner that’s come before it. At last, the overdue design brings it up to date with the rest of the lineup. Pricing starts at $42,315 and should arrive in dealers soon.
