2023 Toyota 4Runner Flaunts That 40 Never Looked So Good

When you are discussing vehicle longevity, how many vehicles are still in production today after 20-30 years on dealer's lots? Well, not only have more than 4 million 4Runners rolled off the production line after 40 years, but the 4Runners popularity is still growing with sales revealing that the last five years have been the best in the popular SUV's history. I asked my son, who owns his second 4Runner, why he thought it was still popular, and he was quick to say, They are bulletproof. To my son's point, the 4Runner came in at number five in a 2019 study ranking it as one of the longest-lasting vehicles in the US. The 4Runner accounted for 3.9 percent of vehicles over 200,000 miles, according to the study. By the way, my son didn't trade in his first 4Runner which has over 200k miles on it; he still owns it as well.

Let's take a quick stroll down memory lane since we are celebrating 40 years of a vehicle which is quite rare these days. The 4Runner is an SUV that has been in production since 1984 when engineers utilized the Hilux pickup truck to create Toyota's first compact SUV. Since that time, the 4Runner has undergone significant development and improvement over its 40 years with five generations of changes that have consumers still buying the popular mid-size off-road SUV. The name 4Runner was coined by Robert Nathan with the Saatchi & Saatchi advertising company. The 4Runner name is a shortened version of the word forerunner. According to Toyota, the 4 described the vehicle's 4-wheel drive system while Runner was a reference to its all-terrain capabilities and how it could run off-road.

Generation 1

The first-gen 4Runner was a modified Hilux short-bed pickup body that was sold everywhere in the world except North America. Engineers utilized the truck chassis and cab then added a fiberglass shell over the bed back to create the compact SUV. This was not a unique concept utilizing an existing short-bed truck platform in the 80s; it was already popular with the second generation Ford Bronco, and the Chevrolet K5 Blazer.

Generation 5

Today the 4Runner is considered a mid-size SUV and is still going strong while the manufacturers shelved their off-road SUVs for a time with a reintroduction within the past couple of years. I would have to assume that the reason the 4Runner not only survived but is still capturing market share with competitors back in the segment is, as I see it, that the 4Runner stuck to its roots as a true off-road SUV first and suburban grocery-getter second while others in the segment became suburban and highway-friendly vehicles first and off-road vehicles second. Today, the 4Runner has had several facelifts and trim additions since its introduction in 2009, but one constant that has never changed is the 4Runner is still a body-on-platform (GA-F). The only change is that it now shares the platform with other Toyota off-road minded vehicles such as the Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tacoma, and Tundra.

40th Anniversary Special Edition

To celebrate this great milestone of 40 years of 4Runner production, instead of giving away ruby rings to buyers, consumers will be able to buy a limited production of 4040 throwback 4Runners in four-wheel-drive and three exterior colors: White, Midnight Black Metallic and Barcelona Red Metallic. The best part of the limited edition 4Runner is the distinct retro-inspired yellow/orange/red body graphics that were created especially for this anniversary model. There are also bronze-colored 17-inch alloy wheels, a body-color-matching TOYOTA heritage grille, and a bronze-colored 40th Anniversary exterior tailgate badge. All of these standard add-ons for this 40th-anniversary vehicle were designed to pay homage to those early off-road racers of the past. I'm of the age that I remember seeing those graphics the first time around as did so many men in my demographic, and the number of head nods and thumbs up were fun to see.

• 40th Anniversary Interior Badging
• Bronze-Colored Emblem on Dash
• Center Console Badging
• Bronze-Color Stitched Seats and Shift Knob
• Embroidered Headrests
• 40th Anniversary Floormats

I enjoyed scooting around town in this retro 4Runner. It is not a gimmick marketing ploy to sell an additional 4,000 4Runners, it was a real attempt to honor the legacy of an off-road beast that deserved its time in the sun again and it was done right without compromising on comfort and style. Well done!

Specifications

Engine: 270 horsepower 4.0L V6
Torque: 278 pound-feet
Transmission: 5-Speed Auto w/Hill-Start & Downhill Assist
Wheels: 17” Retro Gold
Sound: Premium Audio
Touchscreen: 8”
Color: Midnight Black Metallic
Fuel: 16/19/17 (mpg city/highway/combined)
MSRP (shown): $47,085

Learn More

For more information or to test drive this vehicle for yourself, stop by a local dealer or visit online at:
Toyota 4Runner

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 39 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold 2.8 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.