Holli Said They All Look the Same, but the 2027 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro Rides Better

Cory Fourniquet |

Oct 4, 2026

The 2027 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro in Hot Honey driving past a field on a dirt road. — The Hot Honey 2027 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro picks up speed on the dirt at the Texas Auto Writers Association’s Texas Truck Rodeo. (Photo by Kevin McCauley)

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Holli took one look at our next speed date at the Texas Auto Writers Association’s Texas Truck Rodeo and declared that they all look the same. She had a point. The 2027 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro shares its platform, its hybrid powertrain, and very nearly its paint color with the Tacoma TRD Pro we had just climbed out of. Tucker sat this one out, so Holli rode shotgun as I pointed the Hot Honey 4Runner at the obstacle course. It is a contender for SUV of Texas, and the biggest surprise came before we ever reached the rocks.

Same Family, Different Ride

Front view of a yellow Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro parked on a gravel lot with a TOYOTA grille and LED light bar. — From the front, the Hot Honey 4Runner TRD Pro wears the same TOYOTA grille, LED light bar, and dark accents as its Tacoma sibling. (Photo by Kevin McCauley)

Hot Honey is the 4Runner’s take on the new yellow for the 2027 TRD Pro lineup, a slightly different shade than the Tacoma’s Honeycomb. Basically the same, I told Holli. Completely different colors, she told me. Either way, the bigger difference is inside. The 4Runner skips the Tacoma’s IsoDynamic Performance front seats, so there is more room for rear passengers, and that alone makes it more livable for a family.

It rides better, too. On the cobblestone section, the 4Runner smoothed out the hits noticeably better than the Tacoma. It is not plush, and you still feel every stone, but back to back, the difference was obvious.

Hybrid Power and Real TRD Hardware

Under the hood is the i-Force Max, a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid making 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque through an 8-speed automatic. TRD Pro adds TRD-tuned FOX QS3 internal bypass shocks with remote reservoirs, an electronically controlled locking rear differential, a Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism, Multi-Terrain Select, and Crawl Control.

Outside, a heritage-inspired grille with an integrated 20-inch LED light bar, Rigid Industries fog lights, and a TRD front skid plate set it apart. Meanwhile, EPA estimates come in at 23 MPG city, 24 MPG highway, and 23 MPG combined.

Two Tires in the Air, Still Moving

A yellow Toyota SUV flexing its suspension over uneven ground on an off-road course. — Crossing the twist ditch, the 4Runner TRD Pro keeps its momentum as the suspension works over uneven ground. (Photo by Kevin McCauley)

Event organizers asked us to run the course in 4Lo. With the two-speed transfer case, that means shifting from 2Hi to 4Hi, slipping into neutral, and then selecting 4Lo. Once we were back in drive, the 4Runner was ready to work.

The twist ditch is where lesser vehicles get a tire in the air, lose traction, and stall out. With constant throttle, the 4Runner just kept moving. On the most dramatic section, we had one front tire and one rear tire completely off the ground, and it kept going. The engineering that makes that possible is impressive. Over the rock sections, it also felt much more comfortable than the Tacoma. Holli agreed, more or less, while holding onto every grab handle she could find.

Cameras Worth Having, Just Not Often Enough

A muddy yellow Toyota SUV climbing out of a mud hole toward the camera. — Climbing out of the mud hole, the 4Runner’s forward camera shows the driver what a sky-high hood hides. (Photo by Kevin McCauley)

Switch into 4Lo and the Multi-Terrain Monitor comes alive. The forward camera shows the path ahead when the hood is pointed at the sky, and the side views show exactly where the tires are going. I could even spot the cone markers on the course. Toyota, you have done well.

My nitpick, and I say it every time I drive a Toyota: I wish we could get these camera views outside of 4Lo. It is a great setup that deserves more screen time.

Mud, Hills, and a Brave Co-Pilot

A yellow SUV splashing through a muddy water crossing surrounded by brush. — Making a splash, the 4Runner TRD Pro plows into the mud hole before climbing the slick hill on the other side. (Photo by Kevin McCauley)

Then came the mud. I always like making a big splash, while Holli worries about the climb out. That is why 4Lo matters here, keeping traction as the tires claw up a slick, rutted hill. The 4Runner walked right out of it, and the tire selection and off-road hardware deserve the credit.

Speaking of credit, please spam the comments with “Way to go, Holli.” Off-roading is not her favorite thing, and she gave up an entire day to ride along, raising her blood pressure just for us. We had just come from the indoor obstacle courses at the State Fair of Texas, so she had earned a break long before we reached the dirt.

Final Thoughts

Close-up of a Hot Honey Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro driving across a dirt course. — Back in 2WD after the obstacles, the Hot Honey 4Runner TRD Pro proved just as fun at a brisker pace. (Photo by Kevin McCauley)

If you have a family and want a Toyota TRD Pro, but the full-size models are too big or too pricey, the gap between the Tacoma and 4Runner is bigger than I expected. The 4Runner feels much more comfortable, has more room in back, and shares the Tacoma’s smart everyday storage, including an overhead cubby, a phone cubby with a charger, and plenty of grab handles. For daily livability, the 4Runner is the better pick on this platform.

Pricing for the 2027 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro starts at $68,400, and our tester came in at $72,884. Learn more about the full lineup on Toyota’s 4Runner site.