For 2022 MY, the Toyota 4Runner comes with some crucial changes. It now comes standard with LED headlights, high beams, fog lamps, and a brand new TRD Sport variant that promises more off-road capability and ruggedness. The 2022 Toyota 4Runner looks big, boxy, and old-fashioned, as some might say. But it is one of the few SUVs with body-on-frame construction and has a rock-solid rear axle for off-road capabilities. 

This year, the 4Runner enters the market with a starting price of $37,605 and a variety of eight trims. The TRD variants will be reviewed separately. 2022 4Runner rivals the likes of Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, and Land Rover Defender. The rivals may look and feel more modern, but the 4Runner has its own distinct recipe.

2022 Toyota 4Runner Interior Design, Dimensions, and Comfort

The 2022 Toyota 4Runner gets large doors, which makes ingress and egress easier. Step inside, and you’ll find a utilitarian interior with 144.5 ft3 of passenger volume. As standard, the vehicle provides seating for five people, but you can equip optional third-row seats, which increases the seating capacity to seven. The interior’s design is orthodox, and it looks pretty dated now considering what the rivals have to offer. The dashboard is made of durable plastic and decorated with metal-look interior accents or wooden inserts in the Limited trim. The controls are clearly labeled and are easily accessible. Moreover, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a semi-digital instrument cluster with an integrated MID is standard in all the trims. You also get an overhead console that includes MTS and CRAWL switches. These controls come in handy while driving on rougher surfaces.

Coming to the seats, the front row comes equipped with manually adjustable or power-adjustable seats depending on the trim. As you move up the trim ladder, you get heated and ventilated seats too. The second-row seats come with adequate cushioning and offer decent legroom. However, that’s not the case with the third-row seats. The SR5 and Trail SE comes with fabric-trimmed seats in beige or black while the Premium trim comes standard with SofTex upholstery in beige or black. To justify the higher price tag, the Limited trim gets premium leather-trimmed seats in black, beige, or redwood. These seats come with better cushioning. Although the seats are comfortable, the ride quality is on the firmer side. Moreover, the lack of sound insulation makes things worse. In short, the interior is spacious and comfortable but it has its flaws.

Models	2022 Toyota 4Runner	2022 Nissan Pathfinder	2022 Subaru Ascent	2022 Land Rover Defender
Seating capacity	5-7	8	7-8	5-7
Interior Passenger Volume (ft³)	144.5	148	153.5	NA
Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	39.3/57.8/41.7	42.3/60.8/44.3	41.3/61.1/42.2	40.6/60.8/39.1
Second Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	38.6/57.8/32.9	39.6/59.6/35.5	40/60.3/38.6	40.4/59.2/39.1
Third Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	34.3/57.7/29.3	37.8/58.4/28	36.3/57.2/31.7	NA

2022 Subaru Ascent is the most spacious of the lot with 153.5 ft3 of interior passenger volume. It also offers the most spacious second-row seats. However, when it comes to comfort, the Pathfinder has an upper edge. You get Nissan zero gravity seats and the best headroom and legroom in the front row. Coming to the interior design, the Land Rover Defender has the most beautiful cabin. But if we had to choose one interior that has the best presence in the competition without burning a hole in your pocket, the Pathfinder is undeniably the best.

2022 Toyota 4Runner Infotainment

Though the interior layout looks dated, the 2022 4Runner manages to offer a decent infotainment system. As standard, you get an 8-inch touchscreen display with the latest version of Toyota’s Entune infotainment system. The interface is user-friendly but lacks a modern feel. Moreover, the display is complemented by numerous physical control buttons and knobs.

Coming to the infotainment features, an eight-speaker audio system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, advanced voice recognition, SiriusXM Satellite, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and four USB ports are standard in the SR5 and Trail SE. The SR Premium comes with a better UI, HD radio, dynamic voice recognition, and navigation with POI search. The Limited trim comes standard with a JBL 15-speaker premium audio system with a subwoofer and an amplifier, and a 1-year trial of Remote Connect.

Key Infotainment Features

• 8-inch multimedia touchscreen display
• 15-speaker JBL premium audio system with a subwoofer and amplifier
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Amazon Alexa
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Dynamic navigation with voice assist
• Dynamic voice recognition
• SiriusXM
• POI search and destination assistance

2022 Toyota 4Runner Cargo Capacity

2022 Toyota 4Runner offers 47.2 ft3 of standard cargo space behind the second row, which drops down to a mere 9 ft3 if you go for the optional seven-seater configuration (which we don’t recommend due to lack of practicality).

If that’s not enough, you can fold the second-row seats to get an additional 89.7 ft3 cargo space. It can be used to load heavier and larger items. Moreover, the cargo hatch is large, and the trunk opening is wide.

Models	2022 Toyota 4Runner	2022 Nissan Pathfinder	2022 Subaru Ascent	2022 Land Rover Defender
Cargo Capacity behind 2nd row (cubic feet)	47.2	45	47.5	34
Maximum cargo capacity (cubic feet)	89.7	80.5	86.5	78.8

2022 Ascent offers the largest standard cargo space, while the 4Runner comes with the maximum cargo capacity behind the first row. Although the Defender is the most charming car in the segment, it comes with significantly lower cargo capacity.

Additional Interior Storage Spaces

You get a mobile compartment, a cooled glovebox, and 1.3 ft3 of space inside the center console. The rear row comes with seat back map pockets and some space under the seats. Moreover, the interior comes with ten cup holders (12 in case of seven-seater configuration), an overhead console with some storage space inside, and all the doors come with bins.

2022 Toyota 4Runner Creature Comforts

2022 4Runner comes equipped with a decent number of creature comforts. The SR5 comes packed with a manual climate control system with second-row vents, fabric-trimmed seats, power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support, 40/20/40 split reclining second-row seats, leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, and several others. 50/50 split-folding third-row seats and a sliding rear cargo deck are also available as an option.

The Trail SE adds tan accent stitched black fabric upholstery, a 40-qt cooler, all-weather floor liners, and a sliding rear cargo deck. The SR5 Premium gets SofTex-trimmed seats, a pair of power-adjustable front seats and heated front seats. Moreover, you can add power panoramic sunroof, 50/50 split-folding third-row seats, and a sliding rear cargo deck via options list. Opting for the Limited trim gets you leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, moonroof and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Verdict

When it comes to the 4Runner’s interior, Toyota chose functionality over appeal. The cabin is driver-focused and simplistic. The seats are well-cushioned, heated, ventilated, and power-adjustable; hence, they are very comfortable. You also get a responsive and easy-to-use infotainment system with features you could ask for. The cargo trunk is large enough to store a decent number of bags and luggage. So, if you want an SUV with a large enough interior to house your family or for trips, the 2022 Toyota 4Runner is indeed a great choice.