2026 Toyota 4Runner: Green Brook Buyers Guide
Quick Answer: The 2026 Toyota 4Runner at a Glance
The 2026 4Runner carries over the 6th-generation TNGA-F redesign that landed for model year 2025, so this is a running-change year, not an all-new truck. Nine trims split into two personalities: SR5 ($41,570 MSRP), TRD Sport ($48,350) and TRD Sport Premium ($53,710) lean toward the street; TRD Off-Road ($50,290), TRD Off-Road Premium ($56,070), TRD Pro ($68,200) and Trailhunter ($68,000) lean toward the trail; Limited ($56,500) and Platinum ($63,960) lean toward comfort. Every 2026 4Runner runs an 8-speed automatic behind either the standard i-FORCE 2.4L turbo (up to 278 hp) or the optional i-FORCE MAX turbo hybrid (up to 326 hp, standard on Platinum, TRD Pro and Trailhunter). Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard across the board, and 2026 adds Proactive Driving Assist plus wider detection for motorcyclists and guardrails. Prices exclude the $1,450 destination charge. Empire Toyota of Green Brook, on Route 22, stocks the lineup for Middlesex and Somerset County shoppers.
Same truck, sharper details
If you shopped the 4Runner two years ago and walked away, it's worth another look — not because it changed, but because of what it became. Toyota moved the whole nameplate onto the TNGA-F body-on-frame platform it shares with the Tacoma and Land Cruiser for model year 2025, which is the biggest thing to happen to this truck since the fifth generation launched back in 2010. 2026 doesn't repeat that trick. It's a running-change year: the Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism, which lets the front sway bar disconnect for extra wheel articulation off-road, is newly available as an option on the hybrid TRD Off-Road Premium, and the safety suite gets sharper eyes. Nothing about the sheet metal or the trim ladder moved. Nine trims carried over unchanged from last year, so a 2025 4Runner on the lot next to a 2026 is a fair comparison on nearly everything but the badge.
What sets this generation apart from the old one is the split personality baked into the lineup. SR5 through Limited chase daily comfort and Route 22 commutes; TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro and Trailhunter chase the Watchung Reservation, the Delaware Water Gap, and everything past the pavement. Both camps get the same cabin tech and the same safety suite. What changes is suspension tuning, tires, and — on five of the nine trims — access to a hybrid powertrain that trades some low-end thirst for a genuine torque bump.
Two engines, and the trim ladder decides which one you're allowed to have
This is the part of the 2026 4Runner that trips people up, so it's worth stating plainly: the hybrid isn't a checkbox you tick on any trim you like. The standard engine, Toyota's i-FORCE 2.4-liter turbo four, makes up to 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft, and it's the only engine available on SR5, TRD Sport, and TRD Sport Premium — no hybrid option exists on those three at all. Move to TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, or Limited and the i-FORCE MAX turbo hybrid becomes an optional upgrade, worth roughly 48 more horsepower and a genuinely different 465 lb-ft of torque. Move to Platinum, TRD Pro, or Trailhunter and the hybrid stops being optional — it's the only engine Toyota builds those three trims with. Both engines pair with an 8-speed automatic, and Toyota hasn't published a 0-60 time for either one as of this writing, so treat any number you see quoted elsewhere as a guess.
Drivetrain follows a similar split. Rear-wheel drive is standard on SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Sport Premium and Limited, with 4WD available as an option (Toyota hadn't published the exact upcharge at the time this guide was written — ask at the dealership for current figures). 4WD comes standard, not optional, on TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, Platinum, TRD Pro and Trailhunter. EPA combined mileage runs 22 mpg on the lightest RWD non-hybrid configuration down to 21 mpg on the heavier 4WD non-hybrid setups, with the hybrid splitting the difference at 23 mpg combined — not a dramatic swing either way, since the hybrid system adds over 600 pounds it has to haul around too.
Pick your 2026 4Runner
4Runner SR5
from $41,570 MSRP
TSS 3.0, push-button start, and the lowest door into 4Runner ownership. RWD standard, 4WD optional.
4Runner TRD Sport & TRD Sport Premium
from $48,350 MSRP
Sport-tuned suspension and TRD styling without the off-road hardware. Premium adds a bigger screen and richer trim.
4Runner TRD Off-Road & TRD Off-Road Premium
from $50,290 MSRP
Locking rear diff, Multi-Terrain Select, and the only trims where the hybrid upgrade is optional rather than mandatory.
4Runner Limited
from $56,500 MSRP
Leather, JBL audio, and 20-inch wheels for buyers who want the 4Runner shape without the trail gear.
4Runner Platinum
from $63,960 MSRP
Hybrid standard, glass roof, digital rearview mirror — the comfort flagship, one step under the trail specialists.
4Runner TRD Pro
from $68,200 MSRP
FOX QS3 shocks, 33-inch Toyo tires, and the desert-runner tune of the two off-road flagships.
4Runner Trailhunter
from $68,000 MSRP
ARB roof rack, onboard air compressor, Old Man Emu shocks — built for the overlanding crowd, not the dune crowd.
What buyers say about the store
Empire Toyota of Green Brook carries a 4.6-star average across more than 2,400 Google reviews, and the 4Runner shows up by name more often than almost anything else on the lot. One buyer, after her RAV4 was totaled in an accident and she walked in "just to look": "Kevin made the whole experience super smooth. He was professional, full of energy and did not miss a detail with our new 4Runner. Thank you Kevin!" Another buyer summed up the whole visit in one line: "I am in love with my 4Runner and the deal I got on it and I will be back to get my wife a Seqouia next year!"
A third review captures the thing that keeps coming up across dozens of 4Runner mentions here — patience over pressure: "Buying my Toyota 4Runner was such a smooth and actually FUN experience... No stress, no pressure — just great vibes and amazing service." That's not one salesperson's style; it shows up under different names (Byron, Kevin, Wael, Jordan) across a two-year span of reviews, which is a better signal than any single five-star post.
Living with a 4Runner on Route 22
The 4Runner's body-on-frame chassis rides taller and drives heavier than the crossovers most of its cross-shoppers are coming from, which is exactly the point for buyers who split time between the Route 22 commute and something less paved on weekends — the light trails through the Watchung Reservation, a Delaware Water Gap camping trip, or just towing a boat up to Lake Hopatcong. The ownership side gets its own 4Runner service & repair guide, covering the maintenance schedule, ToyotaCare, and what a New Jersey winter does to the underbody. Money questions — trim-by-trim MSRP, New Jersey's 6.625% sales tax, and how to read a lease quote — live in the pricing & leasing guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2026 4Runner any good?
It carries the same TNGA-F platform, powertrains and safety suite that launched for model year 2025, which reviewers generally credit as a real step up from the outgoing 5th-generation truck in ride quality and tech while keeping the body-on-frame toughness the nameplate is known for. Toyota's own reliability track record on the 4Runner nameplate is one of the stronger arguments for it.
Will there be a 2026 Toyota 4Runner?
Yes — it's on sale now. It's not a new generation, though; the ground-up redesign happened for 2025, and 2026 carries the same nine trims with a couple of running changes (an optional Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism on the hybrid TRD Off-Road Premium, and an expanded Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite).
Does the 2026 4Runner require premium gas?
No. Both the standard i-FORCE turbo and the i-FORCE MAX hybrid run on regular unleaded.
What's the most common complaint about the current 4Runner?
Most published early feedback centers on ride firmness on the off-road-oriented trims (TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, Trailhunter) when driven mostly on pavement, and on the fact that hybrid availability is trim-gated rather than open to every configuration. Neither is a defect — they're trade-offs buyers should weigh against how much of their driving is actually off-road.
How much does a 2026 4Runner cost?
MSRP runs from $41,570 for a base SR5 to $68,200 for a TRD Pro, plus the $1,450 destination charge on every trim, before tax, title, and registration. The pricing guide breaks out every trim plus what a New Jersey buyer actually pays out the door.
Where can I see one in Green Brook?
At Empire Toyota of Green Brook's new inventory on Route 22, or call the sales line to check what's currently on the lot before making the drive.
Nine trims, one lot
The trim guides below go deeper on what each one actually adds and drops, but the fastest way to pick is still standing next to an SR5 and a Limited on the same afternoon. Empire Toyota of Green Brook keeps the 4Runner lineup on Route 22 alongside its certified pre-owned inventory, a short drive from Dunellen, Bridgewater, and the rest of the Route 22 corridor.
MSRP figures exclude the $1,450 destination charge plus taxes, title, registration, and dealer-installed options; the dealer sets the actual selling price. Fuel-economy numbers are EPA estimates and real-world results will vary with drivetrain and driving conditions. Equipment, colors, and availability can shift with production timing; confirm current specs and pricing with Empire Toyota of Green Brook. ToyotaCare terms per Toyota Motor North America's published program. Customer quotes are excerpts from public Google reviews of Empire Toyota of Green Brook.