Talk about delayed gratification. The fifth-generation Toyota 4Runner (available in the United States for the 2010 through 2024 model years) recently tied for the top spot in JD Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study, even as the industry’s overall problem rate rose to 204 problems per 100 vehicles. The study evaluates models following a period of ownership, not initial quality. Three years ago, the 4Runner came standard with a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V6, whereas the new, sixth-gen flavor, launching as a 2025 model, carries a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder.
The powertrain change put the fifth-gen 4Runner in a unique spot. It became one of America’s final simple ladder-frame SUVs built with a naturally aspirated V6 that’s also stupendously reliable. The used market understands this, as current 4Runner depreciation rates are far lower than the average SUV. Right now, owning a late fifth-gen 4Runner is the epitome of having your cake and eating it, too.
The 4Runner Triumphed Because Its Old-School Formula Worked
2024 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro front 3/4 angle finished in red with black interiorBring A Trailer
The JD Power Vehicle Dependability study is one of the most important out there, as it tells us which vehicles are more reliable after a few years and which aren’t. The study covers three years, meaning JD Power has largely proven the fifth-gen 4Runner’s penchant for reliability is widespread. As the problems-per-100-vehicles report continues to climb, owning a fifth-gen 4Runner becomes increasingly tantalizing.
Most of the 4Runner’s reliability rests on a few major components. Its 4.0-liter V6 engine makes its power without the help of forced induction or complicated hybridization, making it among the last ICE V6s available in the segment. The powerplant produces 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque, which is plenty for what the 4Runner needs to do, but not enough to overstress the engine. Backing up the mill is a simple five-speed automatic gearbox, a surprise considering most automatic transmissions in modern cars have many more gears. More complicated usually means there are more things to go wrong.
The fifth-gen 4Runner is built on an old-school body-on-frame chassis. While this layout sacrifices some ride comfort, body-on-frame vehicles tend to withstand more abuse, while also being simpler and, by proxy, cheaper to repair. Fifth-gen 4Runners equipped with four-wheel drive use an old-school setup, consisting of mechanical gear-locking and even a physical floor lever in lower-spec models.
The main theme found throughout the fifth-gen 4Runner is conservatism, and it pays dividends when it comes time for repairs. A fifth-gen 4Runner should only cost its owner about $6,492 in repairs over the course of 10 years, which is well below the $8,208 market average. RepairPal indicates you’d need about $514 per year, on average, to maintain one.
Toyota Changed The Formula Just As The Old One Became Proven
2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro front 3/4Toyota
The sixth-gen 4Runner isn’t the older one’s nemesis, but it does things quite differently. Instead of the 4.0-liter V6, the 4Runner now uses a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four from Toyota’s Dynamic Force Engine family. Higher-spec 4Runner models can pair the little mill with a hybrid system for added power and efficiency. Toyota also dropped the ancient five-speed automatic transmission, replacing it with an eight-speed automatic.
The change was likely not Toyota’s preferred path for the 4Runner, but it was necessary. The new, smaller engine makes the 4Runner more competitive on efficiency and helps it meet newer, stricter emissions standards. The increased power also makes the SUV more competitive in its segment, with the base-spec mill producing 278 hp and the optional hybrid version making 326 hp.
2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro rear 3/4Toyota
The new 4Runner is also, well, new. The fifth-gen recipe has been around since 2009 in virtually the same configuration, giving Toyota time to hone it to near-perfect reliability. With the shift to smaller, turbocharged engines and hybrid power systems, it’s understandable if customers are a bit nervous about giving a sixth-gen a go. The vehicles simply aren’t as proven as the previous version, but that’s not to say they’re worse.
However, for a used-car buyer shopping for a 4Runner, springing for a fifth-gen would almost undoubtedly be your best bet if reliability is the customer’s primary concern. It had over a decade of proven durability before it went away. Plus, the 4Runner has an extremely well-established repair ecosystem, along with a wealth of DIY knowledge online that the average home garage mechanic can use. There’s also a robust aftermarket community for them.
The Market Knows The Fifth-Gen Is Special Because Its Value Refuses To Dip
2023 Toyota 4RunnerIan Wright / CarBuzz/ Valnet
Overall, the fifth-gen Toyota 4Runner has some of the most impressive depreciation figures in the SUV market. CarEdge, for example, reports the 4Runner loses only about 25% of its value over five years. Over the same period, iSeeCars says it loses 26% of its value. Others report anywhere between 20% and 29% on average.
Trying to figure out which depreciation authority is more right than the others is a fool’s errand. It’s best to look at the big picture: the fifth-gen 4Runner is almost as close to depreciation-proof as you can get. If you currently own a fifth-gen 4Runner, you’re in a great spot financially, since you’ll likely get a huge chunk of your money back when it’s time to sell. If you’re in the market for one, you’ll have to pony up to get in. In the end, though, you’re also likely to get loads of money back, too.
2023 Toyota 4RunnerIan Wright / CarBuzz/ Valnet
The fifth-gen 4Runner’s depreciation-resistant strategy comes down to what it offers owners. It’s incredibly reliable, as shown by a whole host of owner testimony and JD Power’s recently released study. It’s built simply, with ladder-frame bones and a naturally aspirated V6. It’s extremely capable off-road, and its four-wheel drive system is simple and robust. The modding scene for the 4Runner is huge, and its owner base is also exceedingly loyal for obvious reasons.
In reality, the major shift in personality and powerplant in the sixth-gen iteration has possibly boosted the fifth-gen 4Runner’s appeal. Many folks aren’t sold on the new model’s added powertrain complexity. Plus, you can’t buy a brand-new, V6-powered 4Runner at the dealership anymore, adding a little urgency to the equation and likely driving fifth-gen used prices even higher. Loads of fifth-gens are still on the road and aren’t going anywhere soon, so you can mitigate any real FOMO by remembering that.
The Final V6 Version Looks To Be Smart Money’s 4Runner Of Choice
Front view of 2024 Toyota 4RunnerToyota
Unfortunately for the new sixth-gen 4Runner, its older brother offers plenty of positives the latest version of the SUV simply can’t match.
As a prospective used buyer, you’ll also need to pay attention to maintenance patterns. Because the sixth-gen 4Runner is relatively new on the market, most folks haven’t nailed down excellent ways to work on them yet. The fifth-gen’s long tenure has given independent mechanics and DIYers time to nail down exactly how to work on it across most systems, meaning repairs are typically cheaper and easier. As always, look for maintenance history, inspect your prospective fifth-gen, and go from there.
When it comes time to sell your fifth-gen 4Runner — if you want to — you’ll probably get most of your money back, even if you’ve put some miles on it and have a small dent here and there. The market loves a fifth-gen, and the current used prices reflect that. As for used sixth-gens, they’re likely to ride the fifth-gen’s coattails for a bit regarding used pricing, but the market always figures it out in the end.
We can’t definitively say the sixth-gen 4Runner is, or will be, worse than the fifth-gen. JD Power shows that the fifth-gen version carries its used value so highly because of real-world, demonstrable traits, such as insane durability and 15 years of proving the formula works. And that is cake you can eat, too.
Sources: Toyota, JD Power, iSeeCars, RepairPal, CarEdge,
