Friend of TTAC Robin Warner has a walkaround of the 2025 Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter for you.
If you’re curious about this new Toyota, go ahead and click on the video. This one is a $70K large SUV with off-road chops, a hybrid powertrain, and more.
Views on Vehicles focuses on new car reviews and news, presented by Robin Warner, a perennial car nut. The reason for the channel’s focus becomes crystal clear when you look at Robin’s experience. He spent five years of his adult life as an engineer: four years in traction and stability control calibration, and little over a year in vehicle dynamics. He also spent 15 years of his adult life as an editor at various magazines, including stints at Car and Driver, Road & Track, and Autoweek.
The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and amplifies creators from all corners of the car world, including culture, dealerships, collections, modified builds and more.
For those who would rather read words than watch video, a transcript, cleaned up by AI and edited by a staffer, is below.
[Image: Robin Warner/YouTube screenshot]
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Transcript:
Toyota went big with the sixth-generation 4Runner in several ways. It’s dimensionally larger, offers more power, and now comes in nine different trims, including the new top-of-the-line 2025 Trail Hunter.
Looking at the front, the 4Runner still looks familiar compared to the Limited trim, but the details make the Trail Hunter stand out. The bronze Toyota emblem on the heritage front grille catches the eye, and behind it is a thick, three-dimensional pattern. Rigid fog lights are mounted high on either side, with a light bar in the center that makes a noticeable difference, especially at night. The high-mounted plastic bumper sits above a steel front skid plate, standard on the Trail Hunter. Unique to this trim is a low-profile, high-mounted air intake that channels air under the hood to the engine and is clearly audible when driving.
Trail Hunter and TRD Pro 4Runners have wider front and rear tracks, enhanced with fender flares. The modern LED headlamps feature projector beams and daytime running lights, with a grill cutout that exposes more tire for better off-road clearance.
The Trail Hunter comes standard with a turbocharged 2.4L inline-4 hybrid engine producing 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. It’s longitudinally mounted on a rear-wheel-drive, body-on-frame chassis shared with the Tundra, Tacoma, and Sequoia. The turbo and catalytic converter are positioned on the engine’s side, and the ABS pump is easily accessible. If you opt out of the hybrid, the non-hybrid turbo 2.4L produces 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque.
From the side, the Trail Hunter features the standard Everest color, a deep dark teal. It has a frame-mounted tubular rock guard, an ARB roof rack, prominent fender flares, black door handles, matte black side mirrors, and a rear window that folds up into the roof. The vehicle sits 10.1 inches above the ground, two inches higher than the base SR5. The Trail Hunter’s bronze-finished 18-inch wheels are fitted with 33-inch Toyo Open Country all-terrain tires, providing extra sidewall protection for off-road use. Six-lug wheels and OM (Old Man Emu) 2.5-inch monotube shocks complete the off-road-ready suspension, which uses a double-wishbone front layout.
At the rear, the Trail Hunter resembles other 4Runners but is notably tall. A power rear window and tasteful roof-mounted spoiler are included. LED D-pillar lights, a carpeted cargo mat, privacy panel, full-size spare, and single exhaust tip are all standard or optional features. With the second row up, cargo space is 43 cubic feet, expanding to 83 cubic feet with the seats folded. An onboard air compressor kit and AC plugs with 2.4 kW of power are included, along with convenient storage for small items.
Inside, the Trail Hunter features the mineral interior with contrast stitching, hard plastic surfaces, and a JBL sound system. Rear passengers have cupholders, USB-C ports, and AC power. The second-row seats recline, and there’s ample headroom with no moonroof. Up front, the Trail Hunter includes driver seat memory, power-adjustable seats with lumbar support, and multiple auxiliary ports. The steering wheel has a flat-ish bottom, thick rim, cruise control, media buttons, and push-button start.
The 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster is paired with a 14-inch center display offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless smartphone charging, and an 8-speed automatic transmission with manumatic mode are standard on higher trims. The Trail Hunter includes a two-speed transfer case, part-time four-wheel drive, hill descent control, crawl control, and multi-terrain select. Additional features include a 360-degree camera system, electrically controlled rear locking differential, and a disconnectable front anti-roll bar for increased articulation.
The base rear-wheel-drive SR5 4Runner starts at $42,765, while the top-of-the-line Trail Hunter is $68,895. With accessories, my test vehicle came to $70,037. While it’s a significant jump, the Trail Hunter’s features make it a capable and modern interpretation of what a 4Runner should be, especially for off-road adventures.
I’m Robin Warner. Thank you for watching.
