Toyota will add a sporty version of its 4Runner midsize SUV for this fall, with adaptive shock absorbers to improve on-road comfort and handling.
The 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport also gets body-color accents on the grille, rocker panels and body moldings.
The automaker’s TRD, or Toyota Racing Development, group already creates back-country equipment and trim for 4Runner Off-Road and Pro models. The Sport is TRD’s first vehicle addressing on-road comfort and performance.
The corners talk to each other
The adaptive shocks connect the SUV’s opposite-corner front and rear in what Toyota calls the Cross-Linked Relative Absorber System, or X-REAS. It reduces the SUV’s tendency to feel like a seesaw when the front and rear corners get different inputs from bumps or cornering surfaces.
The result should be a truck that feels less “tippy” and more securely planted on the road in sporty driving or over rough surfaces.
Exterior features include:
- 20-inch dark gray machined wheels
- TRD hood scoop
- Front spoiler
- Black roof rails
- Body-color door handles and TRD nameplate
Other features on the 4Runner TRD Sport will include black SofTex upholstery with gray accent stitching; TRD logos on the headrests, floor mats and shift knob; heated front seats; an 8-inch touch screen; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant and Wi-Fi capability.
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2- or 4-wheel drive
The 4Runner TRD Sport has a 270-horsepower 4.0L V6 engine, five-speed automatic transmission and 5,000-pound towing capacity. It’s available with rear drive, four-wheel drive and a two-speed transfer case with a low range.
Standard safety and assistance features will include:
- Collision alert with pedestrian alert
- Lane departure alert
- Automatic high beams
- Adaptive cruise control
The 4Runner, which rides on a pickup-type frame-rail chassis, has been a mainstay of Toyota’s truck lineup for decades. It competes primarily with off road-oriented SUVs like the Jeep Cherokee and upcoming Ford Bronco.