2025 Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter Towing Test

The most off-road-capable 2025 4Runner is also a great tow rig for adventurous owners.

Benjamin Hunting | 

Oct 14, 2025 | 4 min read

Benjamin Hunting

Tough trucks sometimes falter when trailering, as their combination of generous ground clearance and a hardened chassis doesn't always play nice with a load hanging off the back bumper. After a full day spent hauling a classic race car through the mountains of Quebec's Eastern Townships, I found it clear that the 2025 4Runner Trailhunter strikes a good balance between off-road acumen and genuine towing chops.

Benjamin Hunting

Hybrid Power Is Nice but Doesn't Boost Tow Rating

The 2025 Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter that I drove came standard with a hybrid drivetrain featuring a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a single electric motor. Together they generate 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

That's respectable for an SUV of its size. Still, grunt isn't the only consideration when determining safe towing capacity, as the additional weight of the Trailhunter's off-road equipment and its hybrid battery eats into its gross vehicle weight rating. That means that you can actually beat the Trailhunter's towing capacity by about 200 pounds with cheaper, non-hybrid editions of the 4Runner (pushing it up to 6,000 pounds).

Still, the extra power always helps, especially as you approach a vehicle's trailering limits.

Benjamin Hunting

Minimal Towing Tech in the 4Runner's Arsenal

There weren't many electronic assists specifically designed for towing on my test vehicle. During my test drive, I found that I could save a trailer's details — how many axles, whether it has an electronic braking system — across multiple profiles. Frustratingly, however, this had to be done via the tiny gauge-cluster screen, using the steering wheel buttons instead of the large infotainment touchscreen. Toyota also displays an overlay on the 4Runner's rearview camera display to help you line up the hitch, which I appreciated.

There's a button on the center console to activate the Trailer Backup Guide, which can automatically steer the 4Runner and trailer straight while reversing. I tried to calibrate it before use, which proved impossible. It asks you to perform a series of maneuvers that aren't truly achievable unless you're hitched up in a big empty parking lot. I tried multiple times to get the feature to work, but it continually aborted the calibration process. In my experience, other trailer-steering-assist systems exist that don't require calibration.

During my test drive, I observed that the SUV also deactivates some of its safety systems with the trailer attached — based on experience, I didn't find that unusual. Two days after towing, with the trailer long gone, however, the system continued to detect its presence. It took four ignition cycles for the phantom trailer to disconnect and the safety systems to return.

Benjamin Hunting

Trailhunter Is Still Powerful When Hitched Up

The Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter had no difficulty handling the 3,500-pound load that my Datsun 280Z and the trailer represented. With the transmission set to Tow/Haul mode, the truck always had the power I needed, even when facing steeper inclines. The included trailer-brake controller, meanwhile, let me dial in the right amount of assistance. I only wish that the Trailhunter's snorkel — positioned just ahead of the passenger window — didn't flood the cabin with intake noise at all times.

The small hybrid battery pack was capable of moving the unloaded trailer a short distance around my yard on EV power alone. Most impressive was the 4Runner's maneuverability, thanks to a short wheelbase (so good on narrow trails) that easily negotiated the tight kink in my driveway. Full-size pickups can't manage it when backing up with a trailer attached.

As with any towing experience, don't expect stellar fuel mileage from the 4Runner's hybrid powertrain. I saw 10.2 mpg over the course of my trip, which is less than half the Trailhunter's EPA-estimated 23 mpg in combined city and highway driving.

Benjamin Hunting

A Civilized Towing Companion

Despite its large, knobby tires, its hardcore suspension, and its taller ride height, the 2025 Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter proved to be a surprisingly capable tow rig. Comfortable, predictable, and with plenty of acceleration and stopping power, the SUV easily handled a load comparable to a modest camping trailer or fishing boat.

Toyota provided the vehicle for this 2025 4Runner review.

Benjamin Hunting

Nearly two decades into his career as an automotive journalist, Benjamin has had his hands greasy, his hair blown back, and his heart broken by more than one project car. In addition to his work at Capital One, he has contributed features and reviews to Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Hagerty, Driving Line, Inside Hook, Super Street, European Car, Roadkill Magazine, Motor 1, The Drive, the Toronto Star, the National Post, Business Insider, NAPA, Autoblog, Automotive News Canada, and AutoGuide. He is also cohost of the Unnamed Automotive Podcast and cocreator of the Code 45 and Dead Air graphic novels. In his spare time, he's a friend to vinyl and enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days.