2026 vs 2027 Toyota 4Runner: What We Know So Far

2026 vs 2027 Toyota 4Runner: What We Know So Far

By Plaza Toyota · Published November 11, 2026 · 2721 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

The 2027 Toyota 4Runner is the same sixth-generation SUV as the 2026, sold in the same nine grades with the same two 2.4-liter turbo powertrains. What changes is the sticker, by $590 to $2,120 depending on the grade on toyota.com, plus two paint swaps: Hot Honey for the TRD Pro in place of Wave Maker, and Inked in place of Black. Per toyota.com, Toyota-paid maintenance also drops from 2 years or 25,000 miles to 1 year or 10,000 miles.

Everything below comes from Toyota or the EPA: Toyota's releases and price sheets, fueleconomy.gov, and toyota.com's 2027 4Runner spec and color pages as of November 11, 2026.

2026 vs 2027 4Runner at a Glance

Is There a 2027 4Runner? What We Know

Yes, and you can price one today on toyota.com. Toyota simply hasn't written its usual model-year announcement for it. Here is how the evidence breaks down:

• Announced by Toyota: the July 28, 2026 TRD Pro color release names Hot Honey as the 4Runner's version of the new golden shade. The Tundra, Sequoia and Tacoma TRD Pro get a related color called Honeycomb instead.
• Shown on toyota.com: sixteen priced configurations, unchanged horsepower and torque for the gas engine, fuel-economy estimates that line up with the 2026 EPA labels, and a nine-color palette in which Hot Honey and Inked take the places of Wave Maker and Black.
• Not yet published: a 2027 4Runner press release, a feature-by-feature list of changes and an on-sale date.

The sixth generation arrived for the 2025 model year, so the 2027 is its third year. Toyota hasn't announced a refresh. Until it does, treat talk of new 2027 hardware as unconfirmed.

i-FORCE vs i-FORCE MAX (4Runner Hybrid): Which Powertrain Fits?

Neither powertrain changes between the model years, so the choice you make for a 2026 holds for a 2027:

• i-FORCE: 2.4-liter turbo four, 278 hp and 317 lb-ft, 8-speed automatic. Standard on SR5, TRD Sport and TRD Sport Premium and offered on TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium and Limited. It's the only way to get rear-wheel drive and the only engine that offers the available third row, which toyota.com lists for the SR5 and Limited.
• i-FORCE MAX: the same turbo four plus a 48-hp electric motor, for up to 326 hp and 465 lb-ft. Every hybrid is four-wheel drive, the Limited and Platinum with full-time 4WD, and every hybrid has 2,400-watt AC outlets in the rear seat and cargo area. It's standard on Platinum, Trailhunter and TRD Pro and costs $2,800 more than the gas version of TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium or Limited on both model years.

The EPA numbers are close: 23 mpg combined for the hybrid against 21 for a gas 4x4 and 22 for a gas 4x2. The bigger differences are space and seats. The hybrid battery sits under the cargo floor, so toyota.com lists 42.6 cubic feet behind the second row on a hybrid against 48.4 on a gas truck, and hybrids seat five only. Pick i-FORCE MAX for the low-end torque and the power outlet, and pick the gas engine if you want seven seats, rear drive or the lowest price.

Trailhunter & TRD Pro: What's Different for 2027?

Both flagships use the hybrid and both tow 5,800 lb on toyota.com, and their 2027 listings keep the hardware Toyota described for 2026:

• TRD Pro: FOX QS3 adjustable internal-bypass shocks with rear remote reservoirs, a TRD air intake and exhaust, 33-inch tires on 18-inch black wheels and a 20-inch LED light bar in the heritage grille. The 2027 news is paint: Hot Honey, a golden yellow, replaces Wave Maker as the TRD Pro's signature color on toyota.com. Toyota's July release saved its redesigned FOX shocks for the Tundra and Sequoia; the 4Runner keeps its current units. 2027 MSRP: $68,870, up $670.
• Trailhunter: forged Old Man Emu monotubes with remote reservoirs, 33-inch rubber on bronze 18s, a low-profile high-mount air intake, an onboard air compressor and an ARB roof rack. Toyota has announced no 2027 changes. 2027 MSRP: $68,590, up $590.

TRD Pro trucks reach dealers in smaller numbers than the volume grades, so ask us early if you want a Hot Honey one.

2026 vs 2027 4Runner Prices: Which Grades Went Up Most?

The pattern is uneven. The entry SR5 takes the biggest jump, $2,120 with rear drive, TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road rise $1,270, Platinum rises $890 and TRD Pro $670, while the Premium grades, Limited and Trailhunter move only $590. The SR5 jump isn't matched by new equipment we can confirm: everything Toyota's 2026 release listed for the SR5 (8-inch touchscreen, 7-inch driver display, LED headlights and fog lights, power rear window, Smart Key, 12 cup holders) is still standard on toyota.com's 2027 SR5, and toyota.com marks nothing as new. It also lists heated, 8-way power fabric front seats, which the 2026 release didn't mention either way, so compare window stickers on the two years. One quirk works in a 2027 SR5's favor: four-wheel drive now adds $2,000 to it instead of $2,500. For grade-by-grade equipment and colors, see our 2027 Toyota 4Runner guide.

Buy a 2026 4Runner Now or Wait for a 2027?

Because the engines, body and ratings match, timing and money decide most cases.

Lean toward the 2026 when:

• You're shopping an SR5, TRD Sport or TRD Off-Road, where the 2027 asks $1,270 to $2,120 more at MSRP.
• You value two years of Toyota-paid scheduled service over one.
• Our lot has your grade and color now, and this month's Toyota offers stretch the savings.

Lean toward the 2027 when:

• You want a Hot Honey TRD Pro or Inked paint.
• You're comparing Premium, Limited or Trailhunter grades, where the gap is only $590, and plan to trade in while the newer model year still helps.
• A 2027 lease offer beats the 2026 deal on the same grade.

Two New York details are worth weighing whichever year you pick. Every grade measures 194.9 inches long, so a TRD Pro takes no more curb than an SR5. Height varies more: toyota.com lists 72.6 inches for the SR5 and 74.0 inches for the Trailhunter and TRD Pro, so check the clearance sign before you commit to a building garage. The hybrid's 2,400-watt outlets can run power tools or a campsite fridge, but its battery costs cargo space you'll notice on a Costco run or an airport pickup with luggage. Whichever way you lean, settle the trade-in first: get your current vehicle appraised, then compare out-the-door totals.

Compare a 2026 and 2027 4Runner at Plaza

Phone our sales desk with the grade, drivetrain, engine and color on your list. We'll line up an in-stock 2026 against the equivalent 2027, side by side, on price.

Toyota 4Runner 2026 vs 2027: FAQs

Five new-car franchises share one Brooklyn block at Plaza Auto Mall, the family-run group behind Plaza Toyota since 1975. That makes it easy to test a ladder-frame 4Runner against crossover rivals without moving your car.

Over at Plaza Honda, try the 2027 Honda Passport; at Plaza Kia, the 2027 Kia Telluride. On the Toyota side, compare the 2026 vs 2027 Tacoma, which shares the 4Runner's platform and engines, or step up to the 2026 vs 2027 Land Cruiser.

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Sources: Toyota Newsroom, 2026 4Runner release (Nov 5, 2025), 2027 TRD Pro colors release (Jul 28, 2026) and Toyota full-line pricing (Nov 5, 2026); toyota.com, 2027 4Runner specifications and colors (Nov 11, 2026); fueleconomy.gov, 2026 Toyota 4Runner ratings (Nov 11, 2026).