Compare the2025 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2025 Dodge Durango

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 4Runner are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Durango doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Toyota 4Runner has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Durango doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The 4Runner has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Durango doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the 4Runner TRD Off-Road/Trailhunter/TRD Pro’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Durango doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The 4Runner’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Durango.

The 4Runner Premium/Limited/Platinum/Trailhunter/TRD Pro has a standard Panoramic View/Multi-Terrain Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the 4Runner and Durango have rear cross-traffic warning, but the 4Runner Limited/Platinum/Trailhunter/TRD Pro has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Durango’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

The 4Runner’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Durango doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 4Runner and the Durango have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available four-wheel drive.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4Runner for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Dodge doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Durango.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the 4Runner have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Durango.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 109 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 9th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Dodge is ranked 21st.

The 4Runner’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 57 lbs.-ft. more torque (317 vs. 260) than the Durango’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6. The 4Runner’s optional 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 75 lbs.-ft. more torque (465 vs. 390) than the Durango’s optional 5.7 V8.

On the EPA test cycle the 4Runner gets better mileage than the Durango:

Regenerative brakes improve the 4Runner i-FORCE MAX’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Durango doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota 4Runner uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Durango with the 5.7 V8 engine requires mid-grade for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 49.8 cents more per gallon.

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Dodge Durango only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The 4Runner has a standard full size spare so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare costs extra on the Durango. Without the option you must depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The 4Runner has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the 4Runner flat and controlled during cornering. The Durango’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The 4Runner Trailhunter/TRD Pro has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Durango doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the 4Runner is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Durango.

For better maneuverability, the 4Runner’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Durango’s (39.4 feet vs. 41 feet).

For greater off-road capability the 4Runner Trailhunter/TRD Pro has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Durango (10.1 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the 4Runner to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Toyota 4Runner may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 400 pounds less than the Dodge Durango.

The 4Runner is 5.9 inches shorter than the Durango, making the 4Runner easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 4Runner has 1.5 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more rear hip room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Durango.

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Durango.

The 4Runner’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Durango’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 4Runner’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Durango doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The 4Runner Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Durango doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The 4Runner’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Durango’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The 4Runner’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Durango’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the 4Runner the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Durango can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Toyota 4Runner outsold the Dodge Durango by 72% during 2023.