The best and worst Toyota 4RUNNER years, by the numbers
Short answer: among Toyota 4RUNNERs old enough to judge (2005–2022), the 2017 and 2020–2022 have the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold. The 2005–2006 and 2010–2011 have the most.
We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for each model year and divided by how many were sold that year, so a year that sold more doesn’t look worse just for being popular. Years newer than 2022 are shown but not ranked — they haven’t been on the road long enough. How this is calculated.
Years with the most complaints
2005 Toyota 4RUNNER · 35.8 per 10,000 sold (3.8× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Body and panel corrosion, typically around 150,000 miles; then subframe, cradle and frame corrosion.
2006 Toyota 4RUNNER · 32.5 per 10,000 sold (3.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Body and panel corrosion, typically around 134,000 miles; then subframe, cradle and frame corrosion.
2010 Toyota 4RUNNER · 31.2 per 10,000 sold (3.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 85,100 miles; then abs module and wheel speed sensors.
2011 Toyota 4RUNNER · 36.8 per 10,000 sold (3.9× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 58,750 miles; then wiring harness, grounds and connectors.
Years with the fewest complaints
2017 Toyota 4RUNNER · 2.8 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Doors, windows, latches, seats and trim, typically around 26,000 miles.
2020 Toyota 4RUNNER · 2.6 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 9,000 miles.
2021 Toyota 4RUNNER · 2.5 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Tire wear and premature wear patterns, typically around 350 miles.
2022 Toyota 4RUNNER · 3.2 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration.
Every year: complaints per 10,000 sold
Typical Toyota 4RUNNER year: 9.4 per 10,000 sold.
Complaints are counted once each, even when an owner lists several parts. Sales are US units sold in the calendar year, a close stand-in for the model year.
Common questions
What is the worst year for the Toyota 4RUNNER?
Among Toyota 4RUNNERs old enough to judge (2005–2022), the 2011 has the most owner complaints per 10,000 sold: 36.8, about 3.9× a typical Toyota 4RUNNER year. The 2005–2006 and 2010 also stand out.
What is the best year for the Toyota 4RUNNER?
The 2021 has the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold among Toyota 4RUNNERs from 2005–2022: 2.5, against 9.4 for a typical year. The 2017, 2020 and 2022 are also well below typical.
What goes wrong on the 2011 Toyota 4RUNNER?
The most-reported problem on the 2011 Toyota 4RUNNER is airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 58,750 miles.
Why aren't the newest Toyota 4RUNNER years ranked?
The 2023–2026 haven't been on the road long enough. Newer cars have fewer complaints mainly because they're newer, so ranking them would flatter them.
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Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; US sales from public industry figures. Complaints are self-reported and not independently verified. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid any vehicle.