Toyota 4Runner vs Jeep Wrangler Comparison: Hype vs Helpful

For the first time in well over a decade, we have a new 4Runner.

The Toyota 4Runner has long offered an appealing blend of rugged capability with a semblance of on-road compliance. In the realm of old-school SUVs, it’s a well-judged mix of old and new.

Same goes for the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, mixing America’s most iconic off-roader with a dash of wholly modern electrified oomph. After updates last year brought in some more manners, we had to see just how these two contrast with each other. We spent a week with them doing what most buyers will: a road-heavy mix with a bit of trails sprinkled in.

Toyota 4Runner: The whole thing, for the first time in 15 years. The Tacoma now rides on the TNGA-F platform, the global foundation for every one of Toyota’s (and Lexus’) body-on-frame models. Dimensionally similar to before, it ditches the big ol’ V6 for a pair of turbo-fours like the Tacoma: one hybrid, one pure gas. Big changes are afoot inside with a welcome update to technology and creature comforts. There are new trims as well, including the rough-and-tumble Trailhunter.

Jeep Wrangler: Not much has changed for Jeep’s icon after a thorough refresh last year. It still rolls with a wide variety of available powertrains: from a simple 3.6-liter V6 (with available manual transmission) to a muscular and silly 6.4-liter V8. Two 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinders occupy the middle ground: the one in the 4xe gets a helpful boost from a pair of electric motors, one integrated into the eight-speed transmission.

4Runner: The latest 4Runner takes a lot more cues from the Tacoma than it has in decades, and that’s largely a good approach to our eyes. An aggressive front clip is the obvious cue, but the SUV has a better integrated lower bumper that appears more cohesive—even if it still also has that jutting black plastic spoiler. With swollen wheel arches and a chopped roof relative to its Land Cruiser sibling, the 4Runner looks ready for action instead of retro. And the wraparound rear glass that tucks into the roof? Excellent. Wrap it all up in this popping Heritage Blue paint and the 4Runner is one good-looking truck.

Wrangler: It’s a Wrangler. We all know what it looks like. Kids who can barely even draw know what it looks like. The ‘41 Edition bits do ratchet up the coolness quotient with all that army green however, and some of the best replica wheels we’ve ever seen.

4Runner: While the hybrid motor would have made a better match for the Wrangler, this pure-gas Limited was our only option. Personally, I prefer the engine: as wonderfully torquey as the hybrid is off the line, it doesn’t offer dramatically more power the rest of the time, and only fractional fuel economy benefits. This 2.4-liter is a good match to the 4Runner, the 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of peak torque smartly moving it down the road at an appropriate clip, with a suitably rumbly engine note to match. The eight-speed auto is such a massive improvement over the old five-speed too, providing more flexibility as well as quicker and smoother shifts.

Our biggest complaint? Surprisingly aggressive tip-in, making the 4Runner a little challenging to work with in stop-and-go traffic.

Fuel economy isn’t stellar: the 4Runner manages just 20 mpg city and 24 mpg highway for a combined rating of 21 mpg. (Canadian figures: 12.0, 9.9, and 11.1 L/100 km, respectively.)

The Limited boasts the 4Runner’s maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds, nearly double that of the Wrangler 4xe.

Wrangler: The Jeep has the distinct on-paper advantage: its 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque eclipsing even the available i-Force Max powertrain in the 4Runner—and matching the torque of the wild Rubicon 392. The 17.3-kilowatt-hour battery pack does add significant weight though, so while the Willys will briefly pull away from the 4Runner from a dead stop, that gap doesn’t last for long.

The powertrain also has some serious refinement issues. Not that we expect buttery smoothness in a Wrangler, but Jeep’s 4xe system switches between electric and gas power with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, the 2.0-liter waking up in the mid-range with a loud drone. We also find the different hybrid drive options superfluous: trying to use e-Save mode, the Wrangler will still use up charge.

Officially, the Wrangler will average 20 mpg (11.7 L/100 km) when driven like a regular hybrid. Assuming you start the day on a full charge, it will run 22 miles (35 km) on electric power.

Wrangler 4xe drivers can tow up to 3,500 pounds when properly equipped.

4Runner: This being the Limited trim, the 4Runner is in one of its more road-biased forms. That’s okay: as much as we want to pretend otherwise, most first owners are going to be driving these things on tarmac most of the time. The Limited comes with full-time four-wheel drive, with a two-speed transfer case.

Unsurprisingly, the 4Runner is the friendlier of these two in day-to-day activity. It has good road manners now: it’s still distinctly body-on-frame, but with a calm and predictable feel. Turn the wheel, and you’re not left waiting an entire second before seeing the results up ahead a la Wrangler. This applies off-road too—no doubt the Wrangler can handle bigger obstacles, but on dirt, the 4Runner remains more positive and easier to read.

Wrangler: While comfortably heavier than the 4Runner, the Wrangler at least has most of its extra weight sitting low in the chassis. Nonetheless, it still suffers from the typical Wrangler limits on the road, namely vague steering feel and an inability to track straight for prolonged periods on the highway. It’s admittedly part of the Wrangler charm, but regardless, the 4xe can be a lot more of a workout than expected for those unfamiliar with it.

The Jeep is also generally uncomfortable with its extra power too, with plenty of pitching and weight shift during full-throttle application.

Off-road, while the Wrangler does take a seeming age to respond to steering inputs, it’s an easy model to get comfortable with. The 10.8 inches (274 millimeters) of ground clearance and much better approach and departure angles mean when the trail does get tougher, the 4xe will likely go further than the 4Runner. That’s even without all the fancy bits that the hardcore Rubicon has, like the sway bar disconnect and twin e-lockers (the Willys just has a rear locking differential).

4Runner: On these big 20-inch alloy wheels, the 4Runner can occasionally succumb to vibrations, especially over prolonged bumps. The Limited does have the adaptive variable suspension, so on the typical city street it’s quite composed. Get out on the highway and it’s much more relaxing to drive, but boy does it have a lot of road noise for something seemingly more shapely than the box-on-wheels Wrangler.

Needless to say, the 4Runner’s first- and second- row seats are more comfortable than the flat, upright ones in the Wrangler. Not only that, but it’s much easier to access the second row thanks to a regularly-sized opening. Sure, there’s only 34.8 inches (884 mm) of legroom, which is officially less than offered in the Wrangler, but it doesn’t feel that way sitting back there.

This 4Runner has the available third-row seating but truly, unless you absolutely need it, don’t bother: the way-back is tiny and uncomfortable, and knocks storage space to practically nothing.

Wrangler: Rolling on chunky 33-inch all-terrains with massive sidewalls, the Wrangler actually has a soft and comfortable ride—provided the road is glass-smooth. Encounter any sort of bumps and that solid rear axle makes itself known, especially if surface irregularities aren’t perfectly parallel with the axle itself. Mike calls it no less than the worst vehicle on sale when it comes to staying in a straight line—well, second-worst, because the two-door still exists. Wrangler owners will be used to this, and it’s a far sight better than it used to be, but it needs to be said.

The Wrangler’s upright windshield can make it feel a little tight up front, but there’s plenty of space. The second row is decidedly less good: a tiny aperture makes it hard to get in without cracking a knee or noggin, the seats are flat and unsupportive, and the roof bar sits directly in front of your head.

4Runner: Keeping the chunky aesthetic but bringing into the current decade, the 4Runner cabin is suitably rugged but balances that with the excellent Portobello leather seating. Toyota has wisely kept most of the common functions as physical controls, ensuring it’s easy to operate the 4Runner on the move without taking attention away from the road. Material quality is consistent if not excellent: the goal here is long-lasting, not fancy. That being said, the 4Runner feels nicer inside than the equivalent Land Cruiser, which is meant to be a more premium product. Awkward…

Wrangler: The Wrangler’s characteristic cliff-face dashboard and inboard window controls are, like so many other aspects of the experience, part of the charm. The knit material on the dashboard is a welcome bit of tactile goodness, and the myriad controls in the center console all have a satisfying physical heft to them. There are large swathes of black plastic everywhere but it’s all consistent and feels properly screwed together, even the bits less visible.

4Runner: The 4Runner has the larger touchscreen, but it isn’t necessarily the better one. Toyota’s latest infotainment is good, especially with the update to keep the main menu on the left side of the screen at all times. It’s a little too basic however: great for those of us who immediately switch to the (wireless) Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and never look back, but lacking some of the native features buyers appreciate. The digital instrument cluster is sharp with clear graphics, providing easy-to-read notice of drive mode changes.

The 4Runner also enjoys more features than the spartan Wrangler, with heated, ventilated, and memory-position power-adjustable front seats. The JBL sound system’s removable front speaker is a fun party trick, too.

Toyota provides plenty of standard driver assists with the 4Runner as part of the Safety Sense 3.0 suite. A 360-degree camera with multiple selectable angles makes itself useful on trails, while front- and rear cross-traffic alerts should keep the extremities scrape-free at the local Costco.

Wrangler: Jeep added to the Wrangler’s standard safety kit as part of last year’s update, adding in first- and second-row curtain airbags, front collision warning, and adaptive cruise control. Nonetheless, buyers will need to shell out for the Active Safety Group ($1,595 / $1,195 CAD) to get common features like automatic high beams and blind spot monitoring.

Stellantis has a long-held reputation for excellent infotainment and the setup in the Jeep is no exception. The app view can become a bit too tile-busy, but the rest of it is clear to use, with fast responses and good visibility in all lighting. A dedicated page for the hybrid powertrain lets owners get properly nerdy about it all.

4Runner: As equipped, the 4Runner Limited lists for $61,930 ($70,929 CAD) including destination. The 4Runner range is broad, and that puts it almost right in the middle between the SR5 ($42,765 / $56,130 CAD) and the TRD Pro and Trailhunter, both of which are priced at $68,895. Canadian pricing puts the Trailhunter atop the TRD Pro at a heady $86,131 CAD.

Wrangler: Unsurprisingly, the plug-in is the pricier in this pairing, coming in at $69,700 ($78,290 CAD) including destination, thanks to a few choice option packages and the three-piece, body-color roof. The Wrangler has an even broader price range too, since a basic two-door kicks off at $34,090 ($42,995 CAD), yet the Rubicon 392 is now a six-figure vehicle.

These two couldn’t be more different while ostensibly competing in the same segment—and we’re not even talking about the powertrain mis-match. As ever, the Wrangler is an acquired taste: so achingly cool and iconic, it nonetheless asks owners to make significant sacrifices in terms of comfort, space, and on-road manners for that unmatched look. When the road runs out, it’s the one we’d want.

The 4Runner, true to Toyota form, is exceedingly practical. The overdue update has given it better road manners without significantly altering its off-road capability. Yes, you’ll be better suited taking almost any other trim off the tarmac, but for its price, the 4Runner offers a more well-rounded everyday SUV.

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