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2026 Toyota 4Runner: What Its Gas Engine Offers—and What It Doesn’t

The 2026 Toyota 4Runner offers a nonhybrid turbo four-cylinder alongside a more powerful hybrid. Here’s how Toyota’s ratings and grade availability compare.
Entry269 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team
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The 2026 Toyota 4Runner still offers a nonhybrid gas powertrain, but it is not old-school in the traditional V6 sense: it is a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder. Toyota’s published figures show that it makes less power and torque than the available hybrid, while carrying a higher EPA-estimated highway figure. Those specifications clarify the tradeoff; they do not prove how the SUV feels on the road or what fuel economy owners will achieve.

What “gas power” means in the 2026 4Runner

Toyota offers two versions of a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder: the nonhybrid i-FORCE gasoline engine and the i-FORCE MAX hybrid. So the gas 4Runner is a conventional, nonhybrid choice, but it is not a naturally aspirated engine or a return to the model’s traditional V6 formula.

The distinction matters when interpreting claims that the 4Runner proves “old-school gas power” still works. Toyota’s specifications establish what each powertrain is rated to produce, not whether either one feels strong enough in every driving situation.

Gas and hybrid powertrains compared

Powertrain Toyota-published output EPA-estimated highway economy
i-FORCE 2.4-liter turbo gasoline 278 horsepower; 317 lb-ft of torque Up to 26 mpg
i-FORCE MAX 2.4-liter turbo hybrid 326 horsepower; 465 lb-ft of torque Up to 24 mpg

These are Toyota’s published figures for the 2026 model, announced November 5, 2025; the mpg figures are EPA-estimated highway ratings, not promises of real-world economy. Toyota lists the hybrid with more horsepower and torque, and the nonhybrid with the higher stated highway estimate. The figures alone do not establish total ownership cost, actual fuel use, or which powertrain will feel preferable to a particular driver. Toyota USA Newsroom

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Which 2026 4Runner grades offer each engine?

The powertrain choice depends on grade. Toyota’s announcement describes nine grades, and it does not offer both engines across the entire lineup.

  • i-FORCE is standard: SR5, TRD Sport, and TRD Sport Premium.
  • i-FORCE is also available: on select TRD Off-Road and Limited trims.
  • i-FORCE MAX is standard: TRD Pro, Trailhunter, and Platinum.
  • i-FORCE MAX is also available: TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, and Limited.

Because availability is grade-specific—and Toyota says the nonhybrid is offered on select versions of some grades—check the exact configuration when comparing vehicles. A grade name by itself may not tell you which engine a particular vehicle has.

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What the ratings do—and don’t—say about capability

Towing

Toyota lists a maximum towing capacity of up to 6,000 pounds for the 2026 4Runner. That is a lineup maximum, not a rating Toyota’s announcement establishes for every grade or configuration. Confirm the towing limit for the specific vehicle and account for the trailer and load before towing.

Toyota identifies a trailer brake controller and digital rear-view mirror as available towing technologies, and describes Trailer Back-Up Guide with Straight Path Assist. If you are considering a brake controller, verify that the vehicle, trailer, and controller are compatible; Toyota’s announcement does not establish fitment for any particular aftermarket product. Toyota USA Newsroom

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Traction and off-road equipment

Toyota says two-wheel-drive models have Auto LSD. Four-wheel-drive variants add a two-speed transfer case with high and low range, Active Traction Control, and Auto LSD. An electronic locking rear differential is standard on TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter, while Multi-Terrain Select and CRAWL Control are available. These are manufacturer descriptions of equipment, not independent test results.

Some of the lineup’s named overlanding and off-road hardware is exclusive to hybrid-powered grades. Trailhunter is exclusively i-FORCE MAX and includes Old Man Emu shocks, a high-mount air intake, 33-inch Toyo tires, an onboard air compressor, and an ARB roof rack. TRD Pro is also exclusively i-FORCE MAX; Toyota lists TRD-tuned FOX adjustable shocks and 33-inch Toyo tires for that grade. These features should not be taken as equipment included on every 4Runner.

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Does the gas 4Runner “get the job done”?

The published specifications support a narrow answer: Toyota rates the nonhybrid i-FORCE at 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft, and gives it an EPA-estimated highway figure of up to 26 mpg. They also show that the hybrid has higher rated output, at 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft, with a lower stated highway estimate of up to 24 mpg.

Whether the gas model has enough performance for your needs is a driving question, not one those numbers settle. Toyota’s announcement does not provide independent road-test findings, owner fuel-economy data, reliability evidence, or a direct measure of driving satisfaction. Treat “gets the job done” as a judgment to make against your own use—not as a conclusion proven by the specification sheet.

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