2026 Toyota 4Runner: Still Selling Like Hotcakes

Reviews across the globe are mixed on the 2026 Toyota 4Runner, but one fact is solid: buyers still love the 4Runner and it continues to sell well year after year.

That’s because it continues to be a solid SUV, one that is still quite the powerhouse wherever you take it.  It’s that middle brother who acts like the older brother who’s in charge but can play around like the baby brother who can get away with hijinks that the older boys can’t.

The 4Runner is the favorite that may not be perfect (prices start at just over $40K US), but it always gets all the accolades on holidays, and everyone can’t help talking about him, flaws and all, no matter how much the other brothers may complain about his mischief. 

(Be sure to keep your ‘4’s straight, if you will: Toyota also makes the RAV4, which is also a good SUV, but it is much more compact.)

The 4Runner looks like a truck and acts like a truck because it’s built like a truck.  It has a body-on-frame construction, which is what the big trucks have that makes them more heavy duty, as opposed to a unibody construction, which is what most cars have so they are lighter and travel more easily.

Standard is a 4-cylinder turbo offering 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Rear-Wheel Drive is the default, yet for a vehicle of this capability, that just does not make much sense; go up the food chain a bit and 4-Wheel Drive is available.

I tested the hybrid version of the 4Runner, and there are 6 different trims of that. Hybrid 4Runners start at around $60K US. Horsepower and torque are improved but cargo space is a bit less because the batteries take up a bit of room.

Effectively, mileage for the 2026 gasoline-only 4Runner and the hybrid are the same: 22 to 23 mpg. Indeed, so many things to consider when thinking about getting a new car. But unlike getting a new dog, you don’t have to worry about get it shots.  Or detailed grooming.

The midsize SUV market is a crowded market, so before you open your wallet, take a weekend afternoon and do some research.  Figure out what you want and see what will work for you, your partner, your financial backers (like your parents) and map out the best way forward.

Getting a car, new or used, if a big decision.  As I have stated before, this is not like getting a pizza (or a date) off an app. There effectively is no return policy.  Choose wisely.

Spring has sprung, and that means many of you have been busy strutting your stuff like full-feathered peacocks (the prettiest ones are male) and making a difference.

I want to give a big shout-out to all our Bear brothers who are part of Imperial Courts all over the world, as many of those courts currently are holding their annual Coronations this Spring, crowning new Empresses and Emperors for 2026.

Here in Denver, we just crowned a new Emperor of the Imperial Court of the Rocky Mountain Empire, Emperor Cubby, who is a former Mr. Leather Colorado and a former Mr. Front Range (Colorado) Cub. Like most Bears, he never stops caring and he never stops helping those who need help.

It is so important that we recognize and appreciate all the important work that all our Bear Brothers (and Sisters) do. Almost all of it is charity, and it is all for the betterment of society.

And these days, it is always at great personal risk, as the world get more dangerous for all of us who simply try to just live our own personal truth.

We here at Bear World want you to constantly live your own personal truth.  Every day.  No exceptions. And, of course, we want you to look great while you are doing that.

As you travel, be out, be proud, don’t hide.  Yes, protect yourself, but show respect to yourself and others by showing off your True Colors. Your silence benefits no one, but, as always, use discretion. 

And know that we are here to help.