What sort of fuel economy can you expect with the 2025 Toyota 4Runner?
We’ve been putting Toyota’s all-new, sixth-generation 4Runner through its paces off the pavement in Moab (including against the Land Cruiser) and on the Ike Gauntlet. We also put it up against our “cheap” Jeep Warngler Sport, and Tommy gave a general update on the ownership experience after its first couple weeks in the TFL fleet. In today’s video, we’re taking a closer look at one element of the most impactful pieces of that experience over the long-term: fuel economy.
You see, while the 2025 Toyota 4Runner has undergone a host of styling and technological updates — and after 15 years of fifth-generation models, it’s high time we finally get a complete overhaul — but a lot of the conversation has centered around its new powertrain. Instead of a almost bombproof 4.0-liter V6, Toyota’s introduced a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine to the lineup, with and without hybrid assistance. That’s been one of the most contentious parts of the launch, since it’s a seismic change from the automaker’s old approach of fitting large, naturally aspirated engines to something (relatively) unproven.
With 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque on tap, the downsized engine makes better power, obviously thanks to forced induction. With an equally-new 8-speed automatic transmission, the 4Runner can also make better use of what power is available, or manage better fuel economy thanks to having more ratios at its disposal than the absolutely ancient, but decently bombproof, 5-speed automatic.
The new 4Runner hybrid model sandwiches an electric motor between the engine and transmission. That allows for limited electric driving capability and more power, with the overall output bumped up to 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. Despite the added grunt and being a hybrid, its EPA rating is just 23 mpg, so you’re slightly better off for fuel economy sticking with the standard engine, at least on paper. (We’ll also test the hybrid 4Runner when we have the opportunity.)
According to official EPA figures, the 2025 Toyota 4Runner should do markedly better than it’s forebear — not that it faces a high bar in the first place. The old model managed 16/19/17 City/Highway/Combined mpg, while the new 4Runner (with the standard engine, mind you) should get 19/25/21 City/Highway/Combined. Apart from just having the new engine, Toyota also fitted a massive air dam below the front bumper to aid aerodynamics. It doesn’t exactly make this sixth-gen SUV into a wallflower, but will it actually help on a longer-distance MPG run?
That’s what Tommy aims to find out in the video below. We’re running our Denver 100 MPG loop, which mostly runs at highway speeds around the Denver metro area (with a bit of mixed driving on surface streets), to see how different vehicles perform. Check out how it does, then watch another video below the MPG run for a broader take on the new 4Runner as a whole:
