Toyota Made a Bold Change to the 4Runner to Give it Broader Appeal
Lisa Steuer McArdle
· 3 min read
For almost 40 years, the
Toyota
4Runner has had a reputation as one of the most capable and durable off-road SUVs on the market. After all, the Toyota 4Runner can tow up to 5,000 pounds and has a rugged suspension for crossing tough terrain. This is a big advantage over other similar SUVs, making the 4Runner a good option if you are
shopping for a new car
and need a good off-road SUV. However, the 4Runner’s strength as an off-road vehicle has always come at the cost of on-road comfort. In fact, its handling has been described as jittery and cumbersome for daily driving.
That’s all about to change with the new Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport, which is going to be the company’s on-road-focused version of the vehicle.
Toyota 4Runner’s new feature
The 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport will be a little different than the tough off-road SUVs that people have come to expect from the Toyota 4Runner, according to
Autotrader
. Instead of just focusing on off-roading, TRD Sport was designed with on-road driving in mind. That means it will have an added emphasis on everyday comfort and enhanced road dynamics with an exclusive Cross-Linked Relative Absorber System.
The system is meant to enhance on-road handling with adaptive dampers and a central controller. When you’re driving over bumpy surfaces or cornering, the feature will automatically adjust the damping force of shock absorbers.
The center control absorber cross-links the shock absorbers on opposite corners of the vehicle like an "X." By doing so, it will help reduce pitch and yaw by offsetting opposing inputs.
The Cross-Linked Relative Absorber System on the TRD Sport trim and the Limited grade.
Other features of the new Toyota 4Runner
The good news is that the 2022 4Runner TRD Sport will maintain the off-road capabilities that consumers have come to expect from the 4Runner lineup.
Those vehicles with rear-wheel drive will even have nine inches of ground clearance, with four-wheel drive versions will have 9.6 inches. The 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport rides on the same 20-inch wheels as the Limited model, and is equipped with all-season tires.
In addition to its superior on-road handling capabilities, the new 4Runner TRD Sport will also get high and low beam LED lights and fog lights, according to
Motor Authority
. In addition, all 4Runner models use the same 4.0-liter V-6 engine that makes 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque. There’s also a 5-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive models getting a standard limited-slip differential.
Every 4Runner also comes with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa capability, and is equipped with a standard 8-inch multimedia touchscreen display.
All 2022 4Runner models come standard with Toyota Safety Sense P. The suite of driver-assist technologies includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with sway warning system, automatic high beams, and high-speed dynamic radar cruise control.
Coming soon
Overall, the 2022
Toyota
4Runner looks like it will be a modern SUV that will be efficient driving both on-road and off-road. It is expected to be available later this year. Pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle’s release. 
