The all-new 2025 Toyota 4Runner has been fully revealed now and with it the hottest new trim-grade I think is the new Trailhunter – dialed in especially for the “Overlanding” crowd. We’ve already gotten a taste of Trailhunter from the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma, but today we’re talking about what it all means for the brand spanking new 4Runner.
To begin with Trailhunter is a new trim-grade theme that will eventually make its way to other vehicles in the Toyota lineup and is a combination of top-end off-roading suspension hardware and capabilities previously reserved for TRD-Pro but also adds a number of trim and accessories that focus a little more upscale and toward that camping adventuring customer that wants to explore the world and be a little extra while doing it.
While TRD-Pro is still the off-roading choice for many, Trailhunter just simply offers up a different flavor of it. Toyota calls it a manufacturer-developed overlanding rig straight from the factory. And. to give it some credibility in the established Overlanding world, Toyota collaborated with aftermarket companies like ARB and RIGID for many of its component content.
Straight to its capabilities it has a lifted off-road suspension featuring some pretty exotic looking forged front control arms and ARB Old Man Emu 2.5-inch forged shock absorbers. They have external piggyback remote reservoirs at the rear.
Wheels are a chunky and expensive looking set of bronze 17-inch alloys with 33-inch Toyo Open Country A/T tires. These along with the unique off-road springs and the Old Man Emu shocks bring the ride height up 2-inches at the front and 1.5-inches at the back. It’s hardware that’s all on the same level as TRD-Pro, just different.
Exterior accessories include an ARB purpose built roof rack. Down below are some beefy rock rails and underneath a full array of skid plates to protect the underbelly. Styling touches continue with a TOYOTA lettered retro grille with an integrated 20-inch LED light bar and RIGID fog lights that offer two-different colors. There’s a standard low-profile high-mount air intake to boot and Trailhunter badges are found on the doors and at the rear gate.
The cabin features unique trims on the dash and high-grade upholstery on the chairs. Yellow accented stitching and bronze finish accents make it all special and unique along with more Trailhunter logos. Standards include high feature content levels of infotainment system and creature comforts. Rugged and upscale it looks to me much like the treatment found in the new Tacoma Trailhunter.
Overlanding gear standard here are a 2400W AC inverter with an outlet up front and one at the cargo cargo area. There are also auxiliary switches pre-wired throughout.
Powering the Trailhunter is the 2.4-liter i-FORCE MAX 2.4-liter turbocharged four and hybrid electric system. Sandwiched between the engine and eight-speed transmission is a 48 horsepower electric motor powered by a 1.87-kWh NiMH battery pack. Total system power is 326 ponies and 465 pound-feet of torque.
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter will likely be one of the most expensive in the lineup along with the new ultra-luxury Platinum trim-grade. All of them will continue to be assembled in Japan and will arrive in the United States this fall.
