It’s Been 20 Years Since the Toyota 4Runner Has Gotten a Bad Reliability Score
It’s been 20 years since Toyota 4Runner has had a bad reliability score, but what are the trade-offs?
Written by Andrew Kidd
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
If one SUV should win props for being consistent in its reliability over a span of 20 years, it’s definitely the
Toyota
4Runner.It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Toyota 4Runner is a reliable vehicle, especially given its reputation as such over the past two decades. According to
Consumer Reports
, the last time 4Runner received a bad reliability score was in 2001, with marginal to excellent performance every year that followed.The Toytoa 4Runner: reliable, but not comfortable
Of course, that stellar reliability rating comes with few trade-offs, especially where ride quality is concerned. While reliability is a major selling point for 4Runner, the major pain point for CR evaluators is the ride comfort and handling:
“Soft springing masks road bumps pretty well at low speeds but body motions are constant and grow wearing,” reads the report for the 2022 4Runner. “Even mild braking provokes nosedive. The highway ride is OK but even there, pavement flaws make the body bob.”
Handling is clumsy, the review continues, with the body “leaning considerably” during routine cornering. An available premium suspension package helped a little, but didn’t do much to make the 4Runner feel more agile.
This and a steering system that felt “disconnected from the road” and a wide, 45-foot turning circle sparked CR reviewers to give the 2022 4Runner a 55 out of 100 on its road test.
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Is the Toyota 4Runner worth it?
Sure, if you’re OK with the aforementioned trade-off of good reliability for mediocre handling and ride comfort. The 2022 Toyota 4Runner has been the subject of one minor recall concerning an inoperable driver’s side high beam, which may reduce visibility if left unaddressed.
Overall, 2022 4Runner’s predicted reliability rating sits at 71 out of 100, contrasting with the lower predicted reliability ratings of similar models such as Ford Bronco (30) and Jeep Wrangler (25). CR expects the 2022 model to be more reliable than the average new car, based on data from the past three model years. The vehicle’s overall rating stands at 61 out of 100.
But you might want to wait on it for a bit—at least until the 2023 model hits dealer lots, or causes dealers to price their previous model year stock to move. But if previous indicators (like a global semiconductor shortage) are to be believed, you might be hard-pressed to find a new Toyota 4Runner in general.
A refresh is on the way
If you’re willing to wait it out and try your luck, a long-overdue new 4Runner is in the works.
The current fifth-generation Toyota 4Runner hit the streets in 2009, and apart from a few mid-cycle refreshes, it’s still got the same bones (apart from a few minor upgrades) in 2022 as it did more than a decade ago.
But if you’d prefer to wait, you might be in luck. The sixth-generation 2023 Toyota 4Runner is slated for release sometime this summer and is expected to have an updated 4.0-liter, 270 horsepower V6 engine and a revamped exterior while maintaining the same body-on-frame construction you typically see in most workhorse pickup trucks.
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