Top SUVs That Compete with the Toyota 4Runner

The Toyota 4Runner is a legend in the SUV world, but it’s not the only off-road hero out there. From rugged midsize SUVs to refined all-terrain machines, these 10 alternatives deliver serious performance, comfort, and reliability without sacrificing adventure-ready capability.

Ford Bronco

Honestly, the Bronco is the one that makes 4Runner loyalists sweat a little removable doors and roof, crazy trail modes, and trims that scale from “chill” to “send it.” It starts around $42K-ish, but spec it right and you’re well into the $50Ks, with the Raptor going way higher if you’re wild like that. On-road, it’s better than old-school 4Runners, and off-road, it can be outrageous, but you’ll want to be realistic about wind noise and tires, you know.

Jeep Wrangler

Not gonna lie, if you want pure “climb that rock because why not,” Wrangler’s still the icon. Lockers, solid axles, doors off, the whole fantasy. Pricing depends a lot on trim and options, but figure mid-to-high $40Ks for nicely equipped 4-door models and way up from there, especially if you get Rubicon-happy. It’s less comfy on the highway than most, but every trailhead nod feels like a fist-bump from the universe.

Toyota Land Cruiser

This one’s like the 4Runner’s fitter, hike-every-weekend cousin who also wears nice boots hybrid-only powertrain now, great torque, and a tough frame. It lands in the high-$50Ks to start (call it around $56–58K) and climbs from there, but you do get the nicer cabin and legit trail tech baked in. If you were eyeing a TRD Pro 4Runner, the LC makes you think twice, for real.

Lexus GX

So, the new GX is basically a fancy hammer same body-on-frame bones, more power, more leather, still ready to scrape sliders. Pricing starts in the mid-to-high $60Ks to get in, and it can climb fast with options and the off-road Overtrail bits. If the 4Runner is “weekend warrior,” the GX is “weekend warrior who also likes a quiet cabin on Monday.”

Land Rover Defender

This one’s the stylish troublemaker. Super capable, tons of configurations (90/110/130), and electronics that do black magic on sketchy terrain. You’re looking at high-$50Ks to start  about $56–59K depending on body style and yeah, it stretches way up if you tick boxes or go V8. If you want adventure plus curb appeal, this is a vibe just budget for the nameplate, ahem.

Honda Passport

Hear me out: no, it’s not body-on-frame, but it’s the “I camp, I kayak, I don’t want my spine to file a complaint” option. Trailsport adds legit tires and some underbody love, and pricing starts low-$40Ks and goes mid-to-high $40Ks for the off-road-ish trims. It’s the rational counterpoint to the 4Runner’s “I might need to ford a river someday” energy.

Subaru Outback Wilderness

Yeah yeah, it’s a wagon, but like… a tall, scrappy one with chunky tires and real approach/departure numbers in Wilderness trim. Roughly low-$40Ks for the Wilderness, and the everyday comfort is so easy you kind of forget it’s trying to be a trail buddy too. If your off-roading is mostly forest roads and snow days, it just works quietly, dependably.

Chevrolet Tahoe (Z71 vibe)

This is the “I need space, tow stuff, and want some trail swagger” pick. The new Tahoe lineup starts around low $60Ks overall and the Z71 off-road variant is typically nudging into the low $70Ks to start, so it’s not cheap, but you get big V8 energy (or torquey diesel) and a ton of room. It’s more overland road-trip king than tight-trail crawler, but that counts depending on your weekend plans.

Ford Bronco Sport (Badlands)

Okay, smaller sibling, yes but the Badlands trim is a sneaky good 4Runner alt if you don’t need size. It’s trail-capable with the trick rear diff and modes, and pricing for the spicy Badlands lands around the upper $30Ks, often near $40K with bits added. It’s basically “Bronco lite,” easier to live with, still playful enough to find a muddy detour home.

Toyota 4Runner (context setter)

Quick reality check on the benchmark: the 2025 4Runner kicks off around $41K–$43K-ish depending on trim and goes up to the mid-$50Ks for the high-spec models, with towing around 6,000 pounds on the new gen. It’s still the Swiss Army knife for people who like actual knobs and durability vibes and yeah, the new powertrain finally modernizes the daily drive a bit.