One Toyota SUV Has Nearly Doubled Its Sales This Year

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Thursday, 6 Aug 2026 12:00 0 4 autotech

Toyota SUVs are not ones that generally falter in the sales charts. With the likes of the ever-loved RAV4 still popular, the Land Cruiser getting a whole new generation of off-roading and overlanding fans on board, and newer lineups like the Corolla Cross balancing everyday duties with low costs, we can see why they are still so popular.

Toyota’s Biggest SUV Comeback Story Of 2026 Isn’t The One You’d Expect

Front 3/4 shot of 2026 Toyota RAV4 HEV Limited StormCloud parked

Toyota

According to Toyota’s latest sales figures, Toyota has sold 540,303 SUVs in 2026 YTD. This is a 4.3 percent decrease in sales compared to the same period in 2025, when Toyota sold 564,726 SUVs. Some Toyota SUVs are doing exceptionally well, while some of the models expected to always outsell everything are a little behind.

Why Toyota SUV Sales Charts Are Changing

Front 3/4 shot of 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser parked off-road

Toyota reports that they have even seen a 34.9 percent decrease in sales of the Land Cruiser, from 29,994 by this point in 2025, to 19,530 this year. Why is this happening? We are all becoming a lot more value-conscious while still expecting genuine versatility. The RAV4 remains a benchmark for many, but less-than-kind reviews — such as those on Kelley Blue Book, which rates it just 2.4 out of 5 — and the fact that it costs $31,900 at base level, could be putting some people off.

Then there is the competition that Toyota has made for the RAV4 itself with the new Corolla Cross. With a starting price of $25,335, up to 42 combined mpg available, a reasonable 46.9 cubic feet of cargo capacity in the gas-only models, and a 1,500-pound tow rating, there is little wonder why we have seen so many sold. However, the real sales winner at the moment is an older nameplate.

The 2026 4Runner Turned A Legendary Off-Roader Into A Modern Sales Hit

Front 3/4 shot of 2026 Toyota 4Runner parked

In an auto market becoming more obsessed with fuel efficiency and on-road comfort, you may not expect the 2026 Toyota 4Runner to be scorching the sales charts in 2026, but it is, and has grown in sales by some margin. According to Toyota’s latest sales report, the 4Runner had sold 44,734 models by this time in 2025. In 2026 YTD, 85,677 4Runner models have been sold. This makes for a 91.5 percent increase in sales. Only one other Toyota model beats that sales increase: the Mirai, with a 94.9 percent increase in sales, but that only accounts for 78 sales in 2025 and 152 sales in 2026.

A Complete Redesign Gave Toyota’s Iconic SUV A Second Life

Rear 3/4 shot of 2026 Toyota 4Runner parked off-road

The 4Runner may be one of the most respected SUV nameplates on the market, and for many years, they were a go-to for anyone who liked getting dirty. The fifth generation was one of those old-school SUVs that didn’t chase many trends; you got body-on-frame construction, rugged proportions, and the 4.0-liter naturally aspirated 1GR-FE V6 under the hood. In short, it was dependable and could tackle most things you threw at it.

When the sixth-generation model arrived for the 2025 model year, things had changed, and for some, not for the better. Gone was the V engine option, and in came new panels, squarer wheel arches, a more planted stance, shorter overhangs, and styling that appears to borrow from the Tacoma. Underneath, the sixth generation also rides on the TNGA-F body-on-frame platform, bringing a more rigid chassis and better packaging.

Profile action shot of 2026 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro driving off-road

Toyota

The lower sales last year could be attributed to the fear of teething problems, of which there have been a couple, but it is more likely that fans of the old 4Runner were skeptical about the new design and powertrain options when it was released. Now, though, we’ve all realized that Toyota did not ruin the nameplate.

Hybrid Power, Serious Capability, And New Tech Broaden Its Appeal

At the center of the new 4Runner are two powertrain options: a 2.4-liter turbocharged i-FORCE inline-four good for 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, and a 2.4-liter i-FORCE MAX hybrid inline-four good for 326 horsepower and a very substantial 465 pound-feet of torque. While some bemoan the loss of the V6, it could only achieve up to 17 combined mpg.

FuelEconomy.gov says the most efficient 2026 4Runners are the i-FORCE MAX models, which can achieve up to 23 combined mpg (23 mpg city / 24 mpg highway). This is estimated to cost you $2,650 a year for gas, while the non-hybrid i-FORCE models can achieve between 21 and 22 combined mpg. It may not be the most fuel-efficient SUV in 2026, but it is a big improvement on the previous generation, and brings the iconic nameplate well and truly into the 21st century.

Front 3/4 action shot of 2026 Toyota 4Runner towing

Despite being more fuel-efficient and relying on a four-cylinder, the new 4Runner can still do what it was bred to do: tow and haul. Toyota says the i-FORCE-equipped models can tow up to 6,000 pounds, while the i-FORCE MAX models can still drag 5,800 pounds behind them. The previous generation 4Runner could only tow up to 5,000 pounds.

You also get up to a 1,700-pound payload in the gas-only models, while the hybrid models have roughly a 1,000-pound payload. With the current model, you are getting the best of capability and more modern appeal, thanks to the lower fuel costs.

Shot of 2026 Toyota 4Runner interior showing cockpit

Then there is the cabin. Back when SUVs were just meant for adventuring and the worksite, you didn’t get much in the way of creature comforts. Now the market has changed, and Toyota has added just enough to strike a balance between useful and modern. Depending on what trim you opt for, you get either an eight-inch or 14-inch touchscreen running the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, paired with a seven-inch gauge or a fully digital 12.3-inch display.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, while available features like a 14-speaker JBL audio rig, a color HUD, a digital rearview mirror, dual wireless charging pads, and multiple USB-C ports can make things feel relatively fancy for its class.

Shot of the interior of a 2025 Toyota 4Runner Limited showing rear seats

SofTex or genuine leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, available heated second-row outboard seats, a power liftgate, and a sliding rear deck are all on offer, while the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite brings a wealth of modern safety gear that transforms the 4Runner from a weekend mud hunter into something genuinely comfortable for everyday use.

The 4Runner Is Stealing Buyers From Other Adventure SUVs

Profile shot of 2026 Toyota 4Runner parked off-road

The simple fact is that the new 4Runner is still an exceptionally capable off-road companion, despite the added techy features that will no doubt irk some purists. It is the balance of comfort and usefulness that so many marques get wrong, but not Toyota.

Entry-level four-wheel-drive models get a two-speed transfer case and active Traction Control, and as you climb the range, things get better. The TRD Off-Road adds an electronically locking rear differential, Multi-Terrain Select with different drive modes, Crawl Control, and Hill Start Assist Control, creating an SUV that can genuinely tackle everything from loose rock to muddy hills.

2026 Toyota 4Runner TrailHunter front shot driving over dirt hills

If you go for one of the highest trims, the 4Runner TRD Pro, you get a high-speed trail rig in the form of 2.5-inch FOX QS3 internal bypass shocks with rear remote reservoirs, while the Trailhunter gets 2.5-inch Old Man Emu forged monotube shocks, an ARB roof rack, steel rockrails, a high-mounted intake, and recovery hooks for real overlanding capability.

An electronically disconnecting front stabilizer bar, available for the upper trims, increases front wheel articulation over tricky trails, while up to 10.1 inches of ground clearance means the new 4Runner remains every bit as capable as its reputation suggests.

We have already mentioned the Land Cruiser’s 2025 to 2026 sales, and it is likely that the 4Runner has poached some of its sales. However, it is not just its Toyota brethren that it is taking on, but also the likes of the best off-roading vehicles from Ford and Nissan.

For the whole of 2025, Nissan reported selling 17,465 Armada models in the U.S., while this year, they have sold roughly 10,000. Things are looking a little better for Nissan, but it is still way behind the 4Runner. According to Ford’s latest sales record, circa 76,900 Ford Bronco models have been sold in 2026, down from 85,861 over the same period in 2025. Again, not bad numbers, but we could potentially blame the 4Runner for the decline in sales.

2026 Jeep Wrangler Willys JL driving trail side view

The only model in the same ilk doing slightly better is the Jeep Wrangler. By this time in 2025, Jeep had sold 85,631 Wrangler models; this year (to date), they have sold 86,254 models. This isn’t a huge increase in sales, and it isn’t massively more than the number of 4Runners sold, but it does show that there is still a huge amount of competition from America’s homegrown off-road icon.

Nearly Doubled Sales Prove This Is More Than Just New-Model Hype

Front 3/4 action shot of 2026 Toyota 4Runner driving on road

The massive leap in 4Runner sales may be surprising for some, considering the SR5 starts at just shy of $42,000 and the top-end Limited i-FORCE MAX, before extras, comes in at $61,300. So, any way you look at it, it is not the cheapest SUV on sale in 2026. However, there are a good couple of reasons beyond its off-road prowess that could point towards its growth.

Firstly, now that first-new-gen model-year nerves have died down a bit, there is likely a little more buyer confidence in the new 4Runner. Secondly, the price of a new Land Cruiser is roughly $60,000 — considerably higher than a new 4Runner — but perhaps the most important factor is that both Toyota and the 4Runner are among the most trusted names in the auto market.

Front 3/4 shot of 2025 Toyota 4Runner in blue parked off-road

Toyota is synonymous with dependability, and there aren’t many more trusted badges than the 4Runner’s. While there have been only six owner reviews on Kelley Blue Book, 100 percent of those reviewers said they would recommend buying a 4Runner, giving it 5 out of 5 for reliability. iSeeCars says the 4Runner has an estimated average lifespan of 197,025 miles, a 48.4 percent chance of reaching over 200,000 miles, and a 32.9 percent chance of reaching 250,000 miles.

This ranks it second only to the Toyota Sequoia in terms of chances of reaching a quarter of a million miles, and makes it 6.8 times more likely than the market average of doing so. In terms of value for money in longevity and off-road prowess, the 4Runner is it.

What The 2026 4Runner’s Success Means For Toyota’s Future SUVs

The 4Runner’s sales boom shows Toyota has resisted a trap that plenty of manufacturers have fallen into: changing successful SUVs just for the sake of it. Rather than blurring the lines between every model they have, Toyota has kept each one with a clear purpose. A Land Cruiser is still aimed at a different buyer than a 4Runner, and a Corolla Cross is not pretending to be something it is not. In a market full of SUVs that increasingly look and drive the same, this clarity matters.

It also proves we have not gone cold on proper SUVs; we have simply become less willing to accept compromises. If a vehicle is going to wear chunky styling, we expect it to have the engineering to match. Toyota has figured out that people still want a proper SUV with modern refinement, and nailed it.

Front action shot of 2026 Toyota 4Runner in rearview mirror

This thinking is likely to continue influencing what Toyota does with its upcoming SUVs. Toyota is not expected to start reintroducing a range of V8 SUVs simply because some buyers want them, but it is safe to predict that the brand will not be chasing increasingly niche segments. We can make a good presumption that they will refine what they have further, modernize platforms like the TNGA-F, and continue letting models occupy clearly defined parts of the market.

Probably the biggest takeaway from the 4Runner’s current sales success is that we are still looking for confidence in a brand and a nameplate instead of looking for the longest equipment list and unnecessary gimmicks. Toyota knew exactly what the 4Runner needed to evolve into, and more importantly, what it shouldn’t become. Judging by the massive sales leap, plenty of us agree.