Are You Down With the Hybrid Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter and TRD Pro?
Jeep has been sending hybrids off-road for years, and now Toyota is making its top off-road models hybrid only.
The 2025 Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter and TRD Pro, its most aggressive factory off-road models, can only be had with a hybrid electric powertrain. I've seen a range of comments about this around the internet, so we figured we'd host a focused discussion. Would you be concerned about the system's complexity and potential expense to repair, or are the benefits to performance and efficiency well worth any risk?
Toyota was making hybrid powertrains back when some of us were still eating crayons. I don't think a lack of reliability with the i-Force Max engine and electric-power combo are likely to present an issue, even in rough-condition use.
At the same time, I have to admit that if I was planning a solo, unsupported trip to the bottom of Baja and had to choose between a Trailhunter hybrid with off-road optimized suspension and lots of power, and a TRD Off-Road with a single-turbo four-cylinder, I would be very tempted to go with the simpler setup just in case I needed backcountry repair.
But realistically, that's such a narrow situation. I might buy the non-hybrid 4Runner personally, but the main reason would be cost—not fear of reliability issues.
Is anyone out there skeptical of this technology being put into rough-country off-roaders? We've seen Jeep Wrangler 4xe hybrids on trails for years, but I have heard anecdotal reliability complaints about them. Does Toyota's reputation for dependable hybrids sufficiently assuage worries? Tell us how you feel in the comments.
