Toyota 4Runner: Which Should You Buy, 2021 or 2022?

Most significant changes: A new-for-2022 TRD Sport trim level combines sporty TRD exterior and interior style elements with a more street-friendly suspension for a price just above the 4Runner’s base SR5. 

Pricing: $38,520 to start for a base SR5 with rear-wheel drive, up $580 including a $40 increase in the required destination fee to $1,215. Other trim levels get higher increases, with the greatest on the top-end Limited ($1,260) and TRD Pro ($1,415) models.

On sale: Now

Which should you buy, 2021 or 2022? Probably a 2021, since most 2022 versions are little changed except for higher prices. Definitely a 2021 if you like the discontinued Venture or Nightshade special editions. But if you like the new TRD Sport model, you’ll have to take a 2022. 

Toyota’s 4Runner SUV is one of the few remaining old-school body-on-frame SUVs. It has built its reputation as a rugged and reliable truck with significant off-road capability that can rival a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, but in a roomier, more family- and road-friendly package. The current iteration of 4Runner dates to 2010, with the most recent significant freshening done for 2020. The 2022, which just went on sale, rolls on from 2021 with few changes yet higher sticker prices. For most trim levels, you could let the deal you’re offered decide.

Related: 2022 Toyota 4Runner Borrows TRD Sport Trim From Tacoma

You’ll have to opt for a 2022, however, if you want the new TRD Sport version. It echoes the similar TRD Sport trim offered on Toyota’s Tacoma pickup truck, and aims to be relatively more user-friendly on the road than more aggressive 4Runners. It is, in some ways, a poor man’s version of the 4Runner Limited — similar in concept to the upscale trim level, but at the lower end of the price ladder starting at $41,365 (all prices here include $1,215 destination). 

Building off the SR5 base trim, the TRD Sport gets the Limited’s sophisticated Cross-Linked Relative Absorber System (X-REAS) suspension that offers a better on-road ride and handling. It does not, however, offer the Limited’s option of a full-time four-wheel drive system with a locking center differential. The Sport is offered with rear-wheel drive and limited-slip differential or, like other 4Runners, a part-time 4×4 system with a two-speed transfer case.

The Sport also comes dressed up with polished 20-inch wheels, similar to those on the Limited, and a TRD-style hood scoop, front spoiler, body-color trim and black roof rails. Inside, leatherette-trimmed upholstery with contrast stitching replaces the base model’s cloth. Like other 4Runners since 2020, it also has a standard 8-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa compatibility.

You’ll have to shop for a 2021, meanwhile, if you liked the Venture model with its plus-size Yakima cargo basket on the roof, or if you want the blacked-out Nightshade version. These upper-echelon special editions have been dropped for 2022. That cuts the total trim levels to eight in the 4Runner’s complicated list of trims and option packages, most with escalating levels of off-road skills and equipment up to the top-of-the-line TRD Pro.

Other than the new TRD Sport, the few updates for 2022 include standard LED high-beam headlights complementing the already standard LED low beams and foglamps; the LED low beams were added for 2021 to replace headlights that were rated poor by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Another change is new availability on most trim levels of a blind spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert; the package is optional on the TRD Sport and standard on the SR5 Premium, TRD Off-Road Premium, Limited and TRD Pro. The features would be useful for the tall truck on the road and in parking lots, and could tilt you toward a 2022. 

The top-dog 2022 TRD Pro model adds the Multi-Terrain Monitor, which is also available on some other Toyota trucks. It lets you check your immediate surroundings for obstacles with front, rear and side camera views on the 8-inch display. The MTM is an option for the 2022 TRD Off-Road Premium trim level.

The 2022 continues with the standard Toyota Safety Sense-P bundle of driver assistance technology. The suite features automatic emergency braking, lane departure and sway warnings, automatic high-beam headlights and full-speed range dynamic cruise control (the cruise control doesn’t operate down to a stop, unlike in many other Toyotas). All 4Runners remain powered by a 4.0-liter V-6 with a five-speed automatic transmission, and get an EPA-estimated, truck-like gas mileage of 17 mpg combined. The 4Runner SR5 and Limited grades still offer an available third row with a 50/50-split seat that folds flat. 

More From Cars.com:

• 2020 Toyota 4Runner Review: At Home Where the Sidewalk Ends
• 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro: 3 Things That Make It a Pro in the City 
• How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2020 Toyota 4Runner? 
• 2020 Toyota 4Runner Adds Venture Edition for Your Off-Road Adventure
• Research 4Runner Models and Years Here
• Toyota SUV Buying Guide

Pricing by Trim

The 2022 prices for all carryover trim levels are up from 2021 and include a $40 increase in the required destination fee to $1,215. Full pricing, including destination, is below:

• SR5: $38,520 ($580 increase)
• TRD Sport: $41,365
• SR5 Premium: $41,930 ($930 increase)
• Trail Edition: $42,665 ($875 increase)
• TRD Off-Road: $42,350 ($445 increase)
• TRD Off-Road Premium: $45,295 ($795 increase)
• Limited: $48,105 ($1,260 increase)
• TRD Pro: $53,335 ($1,415 increase)

4WD is available on SR5 and SR5 Premium levels for an additional $1,875, and on the Limited for $2,035.

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