Over the past decade, crossover shoppers have turned their attention to anything that appears rugged and off-road-ish – Subaru Outback Wilderness, Hyundai Palisade XRT, and the Ford Explorer Tremor are great examples of this. However, since most of these are purely aesthetic dress-ups without the actual hardware to back up their fierce facades, those who want the real deal can consider the 2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport for about the same cost.

Style notes

The Toyota 4Runner is going on strong, in its sixth generation since 2025, and it still rides on a body-on-frame truck like its predecessors. The styling has been chiseled up to look leaner and more athletic, and we love that despite looking more modern than ever, the 4Runner still looks unmistakable. Personally, I think the new 4Runner is a very handsome truck with great proportions and a great evolution from the previous generations.

What comes with the TRD Sport?

The TRD Sport is intended to be a sportier version in the 4Runner lineup with sport-tuned suspension, although I don’t think it has given it any special ability to go around corners faster. It sits lower on the lineup than the TRD Off-Road Premium, and many dedicated off-road goodies are not available on this TRD Sport model.

These include a locking rear differential, Bilstein shock absorbers, upgraded underbody protection, and additional terrain programs and gadgets that are designed for life on the trails. Those who do not intend to take on the treacherous terrain will have no problem with the TRD Sport offering sound year-round capability, and it still tows 6,000 pounds, which can be a huge selling point for many.

Powertrain

Two powertrains can be found on the 4Runner – a 278-horsepower 2.4-litre turbocharger 4-cylinder engine found in this tester, or a 2.4-litre turbocharged hybrid that ups the horsepower output to 326. Despite having the base engine, this 4Runner can still move pretty well thanks to most of its 317 foot-pounds of torque being available at the low end of the rev-range.

It's can't be considered quick by any modern measures, but I like the responsiveness of the engine, especially in traffic. This powertrain is a huge improvement from the outgoing V6 in every way, except I find myself missing the burly growl from the previous generation 4Runner.

Efficiency

Observed fuel economy came in at 12.8L/100km, which is slightly over the rated 11.2L/100km official combined rating, but is acceptable for a body-on-frame truck like the 4Runner. For reference, we had recorded a 14.3L/100km average in the winter with the Hyundai Palisade XRT Pro, so the 4Runner is quite a bit more efficient thanks to having two less cylinders. Regular grade gasoline is fine for the Toyota 4Runner with both the hybrid and regular turbocharged models.

interior accommodation

While I feel okay to miss out on the dedicated off-road features that I don't need or even really want, the 13 blank buttons (count'em!) inside the cabin do feel a bit like reminders that I also do not need or want. Aside from that though, I like the interior design a lot, as it has retained the utilitarian vibe from previous generations that most have come to love, and all the knobs and buttons are prominently displayed to make usage a breeze.

The TRD Sport can feel a bit spartan with the 8-inch infotainment screen and the lack of power adjustable seats, but it includes a few critical convenience features such as heated steering wheel, wireless charger, and Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 drivers assistance technology to make up for it.

There is good space inside the Toyota 4Runner – the cabin feels wide and airy, and there is good head and legroom throughout. Our lone complaint is the higher ride height that makes ingress and egress a bit challenging, but the trade-off is a commanding view of the road, a more than justifiable trade-off for some.

The materials are easy to clean for off-road or family users, and the cargo space measures in at 1,269 litres behind the back seats, and expands up to 2,381 litres with them folded. It is worth mentioning that both of these figures are larger than the hybrid counterpart.

Money

The 2026 Toyota 4Runner starts at $55,520 for the base model, and the TRD Sport package adds $4,802 to bring the as-tested sticker to $60,322. This price puts it directly in line with the Honda Passport Trailsport – both trucks are similarly sized from reputable Japanese manufacturers, carrying a similar appeal and purpose.

The Honda Passport lacks the cult following and a bit of the dedicated truckiness, but makes it up with a fuller spec sheet, while the Toyota 4Runner looks like an instant classic and has the real truck roots to back it up - if you can tolerate the baker's dozen of blank buttons constantly reminding you you're are getting the lightened version of what the 4Runner can be.

Wrap it up

Overall, the 2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport offers solid value and utility for those looking for some real ruggedness from their family crossover, despite that shorter features list. There are not many SUVs that combines comfort and capability as well as the Toyota 4Runner, and buyers can decide whether they want to pay for a real rugged product that is created by an engineering team like this, or one bred by marketing departments like some of the others.