Tested: 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro Is an SUV from the Jurassic Era

Even by body-on-frame-SUV standards, the Toyota 4Runner is antiquated. The current generation of the 4Runner has existed with only minor changes since 2009, and its 1GR-FE 4.0-liter V-6 engine has been around since the early 2000s. Its previous competitors—the likes of the Ford Explorer, Mitsubishi Montero, and Nissan Pathfinder—have either disappeared entirely or morphed into unibody crossovers. This leaves the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco as the Toyota's most natural rivals.

You can't remove the 4Runner's roof or doors, but it does have that roll-down rear window in the liftgate that's been a hallmark of this model for decades, which is kind of like the next best thing, right?

Given the old 4Runner's new framing in the context of these 4x4s, it's only logical that Toyota has played up this SUV's off-road chops in recent years. The TRD Pro trim was introduced for 2015 and has received small updates over the years to keep this off-road-focused model fresh. Our test car was hard to miss in its Lime Rush paint, a new hue for 2022, and the TRD Pro also comes standard with a front skid plate, black 17-inch wheels, a chunky roof rack, and a different grille with badass retro "TOYOTA" lettering.

Suspension upgrades are also part of the package and include Fox-branded dampers front and rear and different front springs. Nitto Terra Grappler All-Terrain tires look appropriately chunky, and there's also an upgraded exhaust that makes itself heard even when you might not want it to—the drone gets annoying at highway speeds. But all the ingredients are here to satisfy off-road enthusiasts, including a manual transfer case, 9.6 inches of ground clearance, hill-descent control, and driving modes for various types of terrain.