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It may be a fossil by modern SUV standards. Still, the fossil-fueled 2023 4Runner remains one of the most popular vehicles in Toyota’s lineup. Nearly 40 years of cult-classic popularity has culminated in a recent renaissance for the Toyota 4Runner. Demand is up, and prices remain high — even though the current generation 4Runner has been around for a decade. What gives?

The 2023 Toyota 4Runner retains its popularity by occupying a unique position of durability and capability amid the height of the off-road craze.

4Runner remains a top seller for Toyota despite age

A new Toyota 4Runner in white propping up one wheel on a black floor at an auto show.
Toyota 4Runner l Scott Olson, Getty Images

If there is any vehicle that has pulled off resting on its laurels, the 4Runner is it. Toyota’s brawny SUV hasn’t changed much in the last 10 years. It uses old technology: a 20-year-old V6, a five-speed automatic transmission, a solid rear axle, and a brutishly square body with little regard for aerodynamics. Put it all together, and the 4Runner’s mpg average sits solidly in the mid-teens. On paper, modern competitors run circles around the 4Runner. 

And yet, it sells. Toyota sold more than 100,000 4Runners in 2022, According to Car Figures Automotive Data & Intelligence. In fact, Toyota has sold more than 100,000 4Runners every year since 2016, per its own reporting. The SUV is as popular as ever.

The SUV is known for its toughness

The Toyota 4Runner has a reputation for simple durability. Its design is time-tested, with many anecdotes of owners running their 4Runners for hundreds of thousands of miles on routine maintenance alone. 

SUVs are getting complicated. Turbocharged engines, active suspension, and ten-speed transmissions are rampant. While these advancements can help SUVs keep up with modern comfort and efficiency sentiments, they can also lead to more maintenance appointments. 

In this case, the 4Runner zigs while most others zag. Its archaic ladder frame design, ancient V6, and outdated five-speed automatic transmission are indeed boons to the 4Runner reliability reputation.

Off-road culture keeps it going

Off-roading has reached its zenith within car culture. Its rise over the last decade has kept the Toyota 4Runner popular and competitive. 

The 4Runner occupies a relatively unique space in the off-road vehicle market. It’s a truck-based, body-on-frame, high-ground clearance SUV with a solid rear axle and available four-wheel drive — just the combination of features off-road enthusiasts crave. But unlike the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, it’s a fully enclosed SUV that some drivers may find more livable. On the other hand, many believe the 4Runner delivers superior reliability to competitors like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Land Rover Defender. It’s a sweet spot in the market that the 4Runner happens to nail.  

Should You Buy a 4Runner or Another Toyota SUV?

While the Toyota 4Runner remains popular among SUV drivers, it serves a specific use case. It’s tough as nails, capable as hell, and boasts outstanding resale value. But the SUV lags far behind rivals, and even Toyota peers, regarding ride quality, safety, technology and fuel efficiency. 

If an old-school SUV with analog charm is the goal, then the 4Runner will be a runaway success. But if comfort and efficiency are higher priorities than off-road prowess, Toyota’s other two sales-leading SUVs take the prize: the 2023 RAV4 and 2023 Highlander.

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Staff Writer, Producer - SUVs

Scott Prewitt

Scott Prewitt joined the MotorBiscuit team in 2023 as a Staff Writer for the SUV section. During college, he began his career in journalism as Editor in Chief of The Creightonian. After graduating from Creighton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, News and Public Relations, Scott spent time in a local newsroom. He soon found his way to the world of automotive journalism and has been writing about cars since 2017.

A passion for all things automotive began at a young age. Playing Gran Turismo racing games in the early 2000s sparked an interest in cars and Scott began devouring Car and Driver stories when he was in the fourth grade. Since then, Scott’s enthusiasm for autos has grown to become the focal point of his career as a journalist.

By combining the skills that earned him the News Graduate of the Year 2016 and the Omaha Press Club Recognition & Academic Scholarship with a craving for knowledge of automotive industry, Scott covers a wide range of content from breaking news about the latest SUV models to designated off-road and overlanding rigs. His reporting is informed by personal experiences like road trips, intriguing automotive history, and time spent poring over various outlets and YouTube channels. Scott is drawn to car culture because, in his own words,  “these vehicles are a combination of purpose-built engineering and emotive, expressive design.”

The personal aspects of the autos world are of particular interest to Scott, and he is fascinated by the relationship between humans and cars. Years of writing for dealerships across the country and time in the corporate communications world lend to his expertise as a writer here at MotorBiscuit.