2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Specs, Review, Pictures

2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Specs, Review, Pictures   –  If you’re searching for a four-wheeled time machine, the Toyota 4Runner TRD is your best bet for the time being. The fifth version of Toyota’s legendary body-on-frame SUV, introduced over 15 years ago, is the oldest vehicle now on sale in Canada, with a well-deserved reputation for being one of the hardest, most durable, and longest-lasting vehicles on the road or trail.

While that will soon change with a revised version slated to debut next year, the 2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD demonstrates that the if-it-ain’t-broke philosophy can readily be used in the automotive business. Ultimately, however, it all boils down to execution.

2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Redesign and Update Plan

Exterior and Interior

We’ve often pined for old-school hydraulic steering for its better road feel than the electrically-boosted systems in modern machines. The 4Runner TRD’s hydraulic rack may offer more feedback, but it’s filtered out through a slow ratio and tires with squishy sidewalls in the case of this tester and its TRD Off Road package. Driving the 4Runner TRD at speeds above the posted limit on winding, undulating mountain roads became daunting as it keeled over nautically in the corners and threatened to kiss the pavement with significant nose-dive under braking.

Those accustomed to contemporary SUVs may find this behaviour hair-raising at first, as reactions always feel a half-beat behind driver input at speed. Even still, at highway speed, the 4Runner TRD doesn’t need the constant steering corrections a Wrangler requires, instead tracking straight and true, making it a more relaxed cruiser and better road-trip machine.

Of course, evaluating the 4Runner TRD’s driving feel based on its on-pavement behaviour is missing half the point. The sluggish on-road response is to the driver’s benefit when trying to maintain grip on loose surfaces on the trail. Despite wearing winter tires instead of all-terrain rubber, the 4Runner TRD tested here never threatened to lose its grip on terra firma, even when tackling the steep inclines on loose, rocky surfaces.

2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Specs

This 4Runner TRD was optioned with the TRD Off Road package that adds some key features to help it thrive during trail use. The co-called crawl control system works well at keeping the 4Runner TRD moving smooth and steady without pedal input, whether climbing over rough surfaces or on especially steep inclines and declines – although it makes a lot of disconcerting noises while doing so. The terrain view monitor is a surprisingly modern feature that utilizes a series of on-board cameras to help a driver see obstacles on the trail. There’s a lockable rear differential, and easily-accessed recovery points front and rear, although our trail time never warranted use of any of those goodies. 

One of the best features fitted to the TRD Off Road is Toyota’s kinetic dynamic suspension system (KDSS), which features a set of heavy-duty stabilizers that, through hydraulic pressure, provide roll resistance on the road, yet allow significant articulation off it. It’s a bit like a disconnecting sway bar setup, although it doesn’t require any driver input to actuate. The TRD Off Road package skimps on tires, offering a basic setup that’s ill-suited to any proper off-road activity. Likewise, the front skid plate is a woefully inadequate piece of thin steel that’s unlikely to do much good after even a modest brush with an obstacle. On the bright side, these are items that can be easily replaced.

Engine and Performance

Nothing about the 4Runner TRD takes a driver back in time as much as its drivetrain. The 4.0L V6 isn’t augmented by turbochargers or small electric motors, instead asking for some revs (5,600 of them, in fact) to wring out its peak 270 hp. It needs 4,400 rpm to reach its peak 278 lb-ft of torque, which can make the 4Runner TRD feel a little long-winded and wheezy compared to the boosted units used by rivals.  2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Specs

The 4Runner TRD does just fine around town and still has enough oomph on tap at highway speed to execute a pass without having to schedule it too far in advance. If the standard automatic transmission had more than five speeds, it would help the 4Runner TRD stay in the heart of its power; but at least the gear changes are smooth, and it intuitively downshifts to utilize the engine’s compression for braking – handy on mountain declines on the way home from the trail. Plus, unlike the system in the Jeep Wrangler that can be finicky, shifting the 4Runner TRD’s transfer case between high- and low-range gearing is always a precise operation.

2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Fuel Economy

Having only five gears also takes its toll on the 4Runner TRD’s fuel consumption. A mix of highway driving from Nanaimo, B.C., to Tofino and back, along with a few hours spent exploring some logging roads netted an overall average during this test week in the low 12s. While that’s not great, it’s on par with other serious off-roaders like the Ford Bronco Badlands.     2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Specs

2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Safety Features

By not offering some of the latest advanced safety aids like lane keeping, the 4Runner TRD takes us back to an age when drivers were responsible for driving. Even still, adaptive cruise control, lane departure and blind spot warnings, and automated high-beam control are contemporary features found here. For a vehicle expected to spend a fair amount of time bashing around off road, Toyota has wisely omitted parking sensors in the bumpers.   2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Specs

Beyond a cabin that offers decent space for five people (or seven in the Limited trim), the 4Runner TRD truly embraces the utility of being an SUV. Cargo space is excellent, with more than 1,300 L available behind the second-row seats, expanding to 2,540 L when they’re folded. The 4Runner TRD also came fitted with a Class IV hitch receiver and standard trailer sway control, plus the ability to haul up to 2,268 kg (5,000 lb). That’s more than both the Wrangler and Bronco. Countless 4Runner TRD owners on Vancouver Island seem to be putting the standard roof rails to good use, with all manner of racks for kayaks, bikes, and tents spotted during this test.

2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Price and Release Date

At its most affordable, the base trim 4Runner TRD is a very simple, $55,000 machine before tax, but with the addition of the TRD Off Road package, this $60,000 rig represents a stronger value for buyers intent on using their 4Runner TRD as it was intended. Even still, those buyers should plan a few grand more for better tires and skid plates, and possibly a slight lift if they want to keep from bouncing the chin and tail off the rocks when chasing Wranglers and Broncos down the trail.   2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Specs

The TRD Pro is better-equipped out of the box, but adds significantly to the cost, and a buyer could comparably equip this truck in the aftermarket for less money. Similarly-equipped four-door Bronco Big Bend and Jeep Wrangler Willys trims are competitively priced with this 4Runner TRD.