Sixth Generation Toyota 4Runner Coming on April 9 (UPDATED)
We don’t know much about the sixth generation 4Runner yet, but Toyota has confirmed it is keeping its most iconic feature.
UPDATED. Toyota has confirmed that a 4Runner Trailhunter grade will debut with the new SUV at 7:15 pm Pacific tomorrow, April 9.
Previous. The Toyota 4Runner is one of the most beloved vehicles in the Toyota portfolio. It is a classic old school SUV that is famous for its ruggedness and reliability. The 4Runner is also famous for evolving at about the same pace as earth’s continents. The current fifth generation 4Runner has been with us since 2010 and has looked basically the same since 2014. That is forever in the automotive industry. But now the new sixth generation 4Runner is finally almost here. It will be officially revealed on April 9. But Toyota has been dropping some teasers over the last week. And while we must reserve final judgment until then, we know that one feature is going to make the 4Runner faithful very happy.
Toyota posted a short video reel on their official Instagram page recently. In that reel they demonstrated that the new sixth generation 4Runner will indeed retain the roll-down rear window. To the non-4Runner crowd, a roll down rear window might not seem like a big deal. But that feature has been on every 4Runner since it debuted back in 1984. As the owner of a fifth-generation model myself, I can say that it is one of my favorite features. And my dog also loves it. So, this roll down window is a big win for owners and their dogs. But what else will the new generation bring? TRD JON dropped a new video on his YouTube channel and discusses what we can gather by the teasers so far.
What We Know
We already mentioned the rear window. We also can see that the interior of the new 4Runner appears to be very similar in design to the latest generation Tacoma. So, love it or hate it, that is probably what we will be getting. We can clearly see the 14-inch multimedia touchscreen in the latest teaser. On the exterior, we can easily see that the beautiful Heritage Blue that is also available on the new Land Cruiser will make its way to the 4Runner. TOYOTA will be spelled out on the rear hatch handle. And of course, the buttons to open and close the window from the outside remain. At the bottom of the rear hatch, you will find the 4RUNNER lettering. On the model in the teaser, we can also see rear parking sensors. There is no question that the sixth-generation model will be the most technologically advanced yet.
What We Don’t Know
The list of what we don’t know is much longer. However, some of the biggest remaining questions are, will it still be built in Japan? 4Runner owners love the fact that the SUV is made in Japan. Many believe that is one of the big reasons why these rigs are so durable. What will power it? The V8 was dropped several years ago, and we expect the V6 won’t survive in the next generation either. Expect some turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, some with hybrid assistance ala the new Tacoma. Will there be a manual transmission? The Tacoma has that option so there is hope. And what will the overall design look like? We have to wait until April 9 before all of our questions are answered. We will be right here sharing all the latest information with you the moment it drops.
Images: Toyota
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