When it comes to automotive nameplates that have risen to dare we say iconic status in the modern automotive landscape, Four Runner its one of them. We guarantee you know at least one person who owns one, owned one, or wants one. Like so many other cars and trucks that have reached this level of notoriety it is not by mistake. The Four Runner has always been known as a robust, capable, reliable and mostly simple SUV that’s long on function and not weighed down by too many frills. As we got tossed the keys to the 2026 Toyota Four Runner Limited we were interested in seeing how a luxuriated version of the venerable rig would suit us, new power plant and all. Gone was the old school V6 and in a smaller turbocharged inline four engine that promised more power than the V6 offered. So how did it go?

As clarified in the title we were driving the 2026 Toyota Four Runner Limited which is the top of the line trim package bringing all the interior, tech, and refined upgrades to the basic Four Runner package. In a lot of ways we may see ourselves as TRD package buyers over the Limited but that’s largely a personal preference on the styling, wheel and tire options, and other small things. The Limited keeps the same cool blocky and chunky body as the other models in the line have but a large visual differentiator are the 20″ wheels on the corners and much more conservative “on road” rubber rather than the all terrain tires found on a TRD model. This leads to a quieter ride and in the cases of more aggressive driving, more grip than the compliant off-road tires can give in a corner.

We genuinely liked the monochromatic look of the blue paint on our tester and feel as though adding chrome or shiny bits on the outside of this package would be gaudy and a less refined look than is presented here.

Inside the 2026 Toyota Four Runner Limited you are greeted by a familiar sight up front. If you have been in or around a 2026 Toyota Tacoma you recognize most of it. As the Four Runner is built on the Tacoma platform, some elements like the dashboard and controls are identical. The large screen is well laid out and easy to use, the fact that there are still actual tactile dials and knobs is a good thing in our book. Living in cold weather places, touch screens on cold mornings means having to take off your gloves and fumble with things. This allows the normal operation of HVAC, radio volume and more. The tan leather interior in this Limited is a nice complimentary color to the blue exterior and there’s nice quality materials in use here as well. There is a third row of seats but in our opinion those are best used by kids or the smaller members of your group, if you are loading the Four Runner fully up with people.

Interior storage and utility space with the third row down flat is significant. The load in height is a smidge on the high side as this is what we’d consider a full sized SUV. Even with the rear seats up there is plenty of usable room. We’d say 4 carry on sized bags could fit across while standing upright and with the seats down you could seemingly load half the plane’s luggage back here.

Yes there is an engine under there. The former V6 has been swapped out for a turbocharged 2.4L four cylinder that makes 278hp and 317 lb-ft of torque which is sent through an eight speed automatic transmission. This is more power than the previous V6 made on both fronts but it does not really result in a dramatic improvement in performance. The reason why? Weight. Like so many things, this Four Runner is a few hundred pounds heavier than its predecessor and so the performance is basically a straight across trade in terms of acceleration numbers. Due to the size and weight of this Four Runner it is not, nor is it advertised as being a fuel economy champion. We got about 23mpg on the highway and just shy of 20mpg observed in around town driving. Not bad, but proof that the four cylinder engine is working to move all this couple of tons of fun around.

With an as tested price of just over $60,000, the Limited is not for the weak of wallet. This said, we feel as though it delivers the proper levels of refinement, technology, and upscale interior experience to place it in that price bracket, especially when compared to the rigs it is competing against in this class.

We love that it still feels like a four runner should. It is truck like in all the right ways. Your driving position, visibility, and the suspension performance does not ever try to fool you into thinking that the Four Runner is something it isn’t even in the plussed up Limited trim package.

The optional powered running boards were welcomed by the smaller of stature among our various passengers through our week of driving, the interior, while simple is modern and well laid out. We cannot reiterate the handiness of having things like a normal shifter, the physical knobs, large buttons, and wide switches to operate in the winter. Small but practical things that you interact with virtually every time you get inside are the important things to get right and Toyota once again did.

The 2026 Toyota Four Runner Limited keeps the proper ethos and lineage of the Four Runner going in the right ways. People love these things and many buyers are on their second or third example. We can see why. Truck like chassis brawn, looks that allow it to fit in on the trail or the country club, and room to get you anywhere comfortably. Could it use 25-30 horsepower? We sure think so but that’s not something that would deter us from recommending a drive of the Four Runner Limited the next time you are shopping for an SUV that has done and continues to do all the important things right.