The Jeep Wrangler has established itself as one of the most iconic off-road SUVs. However, that doesn’t mean the Wrangler doesn’t have some steep competition when it comes to the offroading scene. One of the Wrangler’s most notable competitors is the Toyota 4Runner.

While the 4Runner certainly has the credentials to give the Wrangler a run for its money, it seems that the 2024 Jeep Wrangler has one huge advantage over the 2023 Toyota 4Runner. Here’s why. 

A look at the 2024 Jeep Wrangler and the 2023 Toyota 4Runner

The 2024 Jeep Wrangler is available in seven various trim options, including Sport, Sport S, Willys, Rubicon, Sahara, Rubicon X, and Rubicon 392. According to Jeep, the baseline two-door Sport has an MSRP of $31,895.

In contrast, the highest trim level, which is the four-door Rubicon 392, starts at $88,190. The baseline S trim is powered by a 3.6L V6 engine with 285 hp. In addition, the base trim comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission and 4WD. Upgrading to the 8-speed automatic transmission will add an extra $2,500 to the sales price.

In comparison, the 2023 Toyota 4Runner is available in eight different trim options, including SR5, TRD Sport, SR5 Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, 40th Anniversary Special Edition, Limited, and TRD Pro. 

Toyota sets the MSRP on its baseline SR5 trim at $40,155. In contrast, the highest TRD Pro trim has an MSRP of $54,620. Under the hood of an SR5 Toyota 4Runner, consumers will find a 4L V6 engine with 270 hp. In addition, the base trim comes standard with a 5-speed automatic transmission and 2WD. Opting for 4WD will add an additional $1,875 to the build price. 

The one big advantage the Wrangler offers over the 4Runner  

While both the 2024 Jeep Wrangler and the 2023 Toyota 4Runner are great offroading SUVs, they provide very different experiences to consumers. For one, the builds on these two SUVs are quite different.

When it comes to the Wrangler, there are both two and four-door options, with two-door being the base option on all trim levels. In contrast, all 4Runner models come standard with four doors. In addition, the Wrangler seats a maximum of four passengers, while the 4Runner can seat a maximum of seven passengers. 

While the baseline 4Runner trim offers more in terms of seating capacity, the Wrangler does have one big advantage over the 4Runner, which is its standard 4WD drivetrain. For consumers looking for an all-terrain SUV, having 4WD is a must. The Wrangler delivers in this department, as even the baseline trim comes standard with 4WD. In contrast, the baseline 4Runner trim only comes standard with 2WD, which simply doesn’t cut it for most offroading adventures.

Of course, consumers can choose to upgrade to 4WD during the build process, but this addition will increase the MSRP by nearly $2K. This addition will also make the MSRPs of the Wrangler and 4Runner closer to $32K and $42K, respectively. This $10K difference just for baseline trims may have many budget-conscious offroading enthusiasts looking toward the Wrangler rather than the 4Runner. 

More advantages of the 2024 Jeep Wrangler 

Along with its standard 4WD drivetrain, the 2024 Jeep Wrangler offers several advantages over the 2023 Toyota 4Runner. According to MotorTrend, the biggest advantages the Wrangler brings to the table include its fuel economy, manual transmission option, superior horsepower, and affordability.

Looking at fuel economy, the Wrangler provides an average 17/25 mpg, while the 4Runner only provides 16/19 mpg. In terms of power, the baseline Wrangler provides 285 hp to the baseline 4Runner’s 270 hp. 

Some additional areas where the 4Runner comes out on top include torque and towing capacity. The Wrangler only provides 260 lb. ft. of torque and 2,000 lb. towing capacity to the 4Runner’s 278 lb. ft. of torque and 5,000 lb towing capacity.

Another note is that while the Wrangler is more affordable than the 4Runner when comparing baseline trim options, the highest Wrangler trim is around $35K more than the highest 4Runner trim.