A comparison between the 2023 Ford Bronco and the 2023 Toyota 4Runner pits two classic off-road vehicles against one another. The Ford Bronco came to market about 50 years ago, established a strong reputation, and then vanished when Ford execs decided that a fuel-thirsty 2-door off-roader wasn't what Americans were looking for in the mid-Nineties.
While perhaps not quite as colorful as the Bronco's, the Toyota 4Runner has a proud history of its own. While Ford abandoned the market for a couple of decades, the 4Runner has continuously provided its buyers with rugged, truck-based off-road machines for 40 years. So, the candles on its most recent birthday cake resemble a forest fire.
The original Ford Bronco came to market in the 1966 model year, and its competition included the forerunner (if you will pardon the expression) of the current Jeep Wrangler. The first Toyota 4Runner entered the market in the mid-Eighties, and it was essentially a Toyota HiLux pickup truck with a second row of seats and a shell over the bed. It followed in the footsteps of a pickup truck conversion called the Trekker, which offered much the same configuration.
Ford pushed the pause button on the Bronco at the conclusion of the 1996 model year. That same year, Toyota introduced the third generation of the 4Runner with an all-new 4-door version that placed it smack in the middle of the building midsize SUV market. Still truck-based, the 1996 4Runner used the Toyota Tacoma's chassis and drivetrain, which solidified its off-road credentials. Toyota would introduce both fourth- and fifth-generation 4Runners before Ford revived the moribund Bronco name for the 2021 model year.
Now, Toyota is celebrating the 4Runner's 40th birthday with a 4-wheel-drive (4WD) 2023 4Runner 40th Anniversary Special Edition. Toyota says it will make only 4,040 of these special editions for the U.S. market and will deck them out in graphics that recall—if not recreate—the mid-Eighties. For its part, Ford is creating new Bronco variations at a nearly alarming rate. Two Heritage Editions are the latest to join the fold, and their graphics channel the late-Sixties Broncos to a remarkable degree.
While the histories of the Ford Bronco and Toyota 4Runner crisscross one another, these days, the two models share some attributes and diverge significantly in other areas. The Bronco is available in both 2- and 4-door configurations, while the 4Runner is strictly a 4-door. The Bronco enables its owners to remove the doors and top with remarkable ease, while the 4Runner is a closed-body vehicle, pure and simple. The Bronco offers three engines and is strictly a 4x4, while the 4Runner has a single engine and comes in rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and 4WD forms.
So, while both the Bronco and 4Runner have serious off-road chops, one is not exactly like the other. As they say in France, "viva la difference." Here is the comparison of the 2023 Ford Bronco and the 2023 Toyota 4Runner.
2023 Ford Bronco Everglades
The successful reintroduction of the Ford Bronco has prompted Ford to create several new variants. The 2023 Ford Bronco is available in 10 trim levels: Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands, Heritage, Wildtrak, Everglades, Heritage Limited, and Raptor. Most trims are available in 2- and 4-door body styles. The Everglades and the Raptor are only available with four doors.
The Base model has an attractive entry price of $32,295. But it is also the "gateway drug" to a raft of Bronco options, parts, and packages. The Base Bronco has part-time 4WD, 16-inch steel wheels, and 30-inch all-season tires. It proves its off-road mettle with a terrain-management system with individual driving modes and offers the optional Sasquatch off-road package.
The Big Bend ($36,285) has 17-inch aluminum wheels and adds creature comforts. The Black Diamond ($38,950) emphasizes off-road capability with added modes in the terrain-management system, 17-inch black steel wheels, rock rails, and bash plates.
The Outer Banks ($41,855) stresses style and comfort with 18-inch black aluminum wheels, LED lighting, and powder-coated tube steps. The Badlands ($45,095) is another trim that pushes the off-road envelope with 33-inch all-terrain tires on 17-inch aluminum wheels. Ford outfits the Wildtrak ($52,780) for high-speed running with its standard 2.7-liter V6 engine. The Everglades ($53,895) takes the Bronco's fording ability to the highest level with its snorkel intake system.
At the top of the pyramid, Ford equips the Raptor ($73,780) with a 3.0-liter V6 and semi-active dampers that suit it for Baja. The Heritage ($44,305) and Heritage Limited ($66,895) have appealingly retro touches like a white-painted grille, white wheels, and plaid seats.
All 2023 Ford Bronco SUVs carry an additional $1,595 destination charge.
The 2023 Toyota 4Runner lineup is also filled with choices, though not quite as many as Ford offers with the Bronco. For 2023, Toyota offers the 4Runner in eight trims: SR5, SR5 Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, Limited, TRD Pro, TRD Sport, and 40th Anniversary. Most come in RWD and 4WD; the exceptions are the TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and 40th Anniversary, which are 4x4 only.
The SR5 trim ($38,805) is the most basic. Adding 4WD costs a very reasonable $1,875 across the 4Runner lineup. SR5s have 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, and push-button start. The 4x4 version has skid plates for the engine, front suspension, fuel tank, and transfer case. The SR5 Premium trim ($41,865) adds heated power outside mirrors with turn signal indicators and puddle lights, plus a rear spoiler.
Toyota equips the TRD Sport ($41,665) for on-road driving with 20-inch alloy wheels and X-REAS suspension. The TRD Off-Road ($43,650) is the more affordable of the two TRD all-terrain 4Runners, while the TRD Pro ($53,270) includes a boatload of off-road-oriented tech like a locking rear differential.
The Limited trim ($48,040) is the 4Runner for suburbanites. Its 4x4 version has a full-time 4WD system and a locking Torsen center differential. Comfort features include dual-zone automatic climate control and heated and ventilated perforated leather front seats. The 40th Anniversary Edition ($46,370) includes unique bronze-colored alloy wheels, black synthetic leather upholstery with bronze stitching, and 40th Anniversary floor mats. All 2023 4Runners are subject to a $1,335 destination charge.
Advantage: Ford Bronco
2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
The Ford Bronco does not rank among the top three models in its segment in either the JD Power 2022 Vehicle Dependability Study(VDS) or the JD Power 2022 Initial Quality Study (IQS).
The 2023 Ford Bronco has the following warranty, roadside assistance, and scheduled maintenance coverage:
The Toyota 4Runner performs very well in JD Power's studies that measure initial quality and long-term dependability. Indeed, the popular Toyota model ranks second in the Midsize SUV segment in the 2022 VDS and ranks highest in the Upper Midsize SUV segment in the 2022 IQS.
The 2023 Toyota 4Runner has the following warranty, roadside assistance, and scheduled maintenance coverage:
Advantage: Toyota 4Runner
2023 Ford Bronco Raptor
The 2023 Ford Bronco offers three engine choices, with the highest-horsepower engine available only in the Bronco Raptor. The base engine is a turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder with direct injection. It delivers 275 hp and 315 pound-feet of torque on regular-grade fuel. Those figures jump to 300 hp and 325 pound-feet of torque with premium gas. Many Bronco trims offer the option of a 2.7-liter V6 with direct injection and turbocharging. It provides 315 hp and 410 pound-feet of torque on regular gasoline. Using premium, 330 hp and 415 pound-feet of torque are possible.
Ford offers a 7-speed manual transmission with a "crawler" first gear with the 4-cylinder engine for those who prefer to shift gears themselves. But most Bronco buyers will opt for the 10-speed automatic transmission. It is the only transmission offered on Broncos with the V6 engine. The standard 4x4 transfer case is part-time with shift-on-the-fly capability. An automatic 4WD system is optional. Ford offers sway bar disconnect on some Bronco trims.
The Bronco Raptor kicks up its heels with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. Rated at 418 hp and 440 pound-feet of torque, Ford mates it to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The 4WD system uses a 2-speed transfer case with automatic engagement. Both front and rear axles have electronic differential locking.
The Bronco's 2.3-liter 4-cylinder and 2.7-liter V6 offer similar fuel economy. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the 4-cylinder at 20 mpg city/21 mpg highway/20 mpg combined. Similarly, the V6's fuel economy is 19 mpg city/21 mpg highway/20 mpg combined. The performance-oriented Raptor is the least fuel-efficient, with EPA ratings of 15 mpg city/16 mpg highway/15 mpg combined.
The 2023 Toyota 4Runner keeps things very simple in the engine compartment. It is available with just one engine: a normally aspirated 4.0-liter V6. The engine delivers 270 hp and 278 pound-feet of peak torque. Toyota backs it with a 5-speed (yes, 5-speed) automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is the standard configuration. Toyota offers part-time 4WD across much of the lineup, and the Limited trim has a full-time 4WD system of its own.
The 4Runner's engine is neither very powerful nor very fuel efficient. But it does have a reputation for ruggedness. In RWD 4Runners, the 4.0-liter V6 delivers fuel economy of 16 mpg city/19 mpg highway/17 mpg combined. With 4WD, the numbers don't change.
Advantage: Ford Bronco
2023 Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary
The Ford Bronco and Toyota 4Runner offer valuable advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Some safety and driver-assistance features are not standard, but you can purchase them through option packages.
The 2023 Ford Bronco has Ford Co-Pilot 360 technology as the backbone of its ADAS offering. In base form, the collection of systems includes automatic high-beam headlights, hill-start assist, pre-collision braking assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and hill-descent control. Several trims offer an optional package that adds blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. Those ADAS are standard on the majority of the more expensive Bronco trims.
At the time of writing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not issued an overall safety rating for the 2023 Ford Bronco. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not rated the crashworthiness of the 2023 Ford Bronco, either. However, the structurally similar 2022 Bronco received Good ratings in six of seven crashworthiness categories.
All 2023 Toyota 4Runners have the Toyota Safety Sense P roster of ADAS. It includes forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, automatic high-beam headlights, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot warning, hill-start assist, and rear cross-traffic warning are not part of Toyota Safety Sense P but are also standard. Limited and SR5 4x4s have standard Downhill Assist Control that helps maintain a constant slow speed on descents. The TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro trims have Crawl Control that regulates engine power and braking to maintain a driver-set speed. It only operates when the transfer case is in the Low position.
The NHTSA gave the 2023 Toyota 4Runner an overall rating of four stars (out of five) in its Star Safety Rating Program. The IIHS has not published an overall safety rating for the 2023 4Runner. The structurally similar 2022 4Runner received Good ratings in four of five crashworthiness categories.
Advantage: Neither
Both brands offer basic ADAS but require buyers to step up to a higher trim level to access more sophisticated safety systems commonly found in other models costing much less. Also, neither model distinguishes itself from the other in terms of crash tests.
2023 Ford Bronco Wildtrak
Despite their rugged natures, the Ford Bronco and Toyota 4Runner offer impressive standard and optional infotainment systems. Both offer robust connectivity as well.
The 2023 Ford Bronco's Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, and Badlands trims offer the automaker's Sync 4 infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen. It has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L, AM/FM radio, and 7-speaker audio. FordPass Connect and AppLink provide connected services.
The Outer Banks, Heritage, and Wildtrak trims add a voice- and touchscreen-activated navigation system. The Everglades, Heritage Limited, and Raptor have a 12-inch touchscreen in addition to the enhanced infotainment system with navigation. The Raptor has a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, while the other Bronco trims have an 8-inch digital cluster. Ford offers a 10-speaker B&O premium audio system in the Heritage Limited.
The base 2023 Toyota 4Runner SR5 has an 8-inch touchscreen display with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, hands-free phone capability, voice recognition, and music streaming via Bluetooth. It also comes with a trial plan of SiriusXM satellite radio.
The TRD Off-Road adds HD Radio and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The SR5 Premium and TRD Off-Road Premium trims up the ante still more with integral navigation and eight speakers. The Limited and TRD Pro trims supplement all that with 15 JBL speakers plus an amplifier.
Regarding connectivity, the 4Runner offers Wi-Fi Connect, which gives the vehicle an AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot plus integrated streaming from the Apple Music app. It also comes with Toyota's Safety Connect with a one-year complimentary trial. Limited and TRD Pro trims add Service Connect with a 10-year trial, Remote Connect with a one-year trial, and Destination Assist with a one-year trial. The vast majority of 4Runners have one USB media port and four USB charge ports.
Advantage: Ford Bronco
2023 Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary
The Ford Bronco and Toyota 4Runner differ markedly in body configuration. And thus, their characters are very different. The 4Runner is a traditional 4-door SUV. Its "two-box" design is similar to the scores of other models on the road today.
Meanwhile, the Bronco enables buyers to remove the roof and doors for an open-air experience. In doing this, the Bronco plainly emulates its arch-rival, the Jeep Wrangler. And unlike the Wrangler, the Bronco has an onboard storage arrangement for the doors. It also allows owners to remove the doors without compromising the side-view mirrors. Beyond that, the Bronco offers removable bumpers, side steps, rock rails, and other features that the 4Runner doesn't.
The 2023 Ford Bronco has an attractive interior that is more distinctive than the 4Runner's. A big touchscreen dominates the center of what otherwise is a very low-key dashboard. The front seats are familiar bucket seats flanking a wide console. The rear seats in the Bronco 2-door are belted for two passengers. In the 4-door, the back seat accommodates three passengers. Some versions of the Bronco offer vinyl seat upholstery and interiors that you can hose out.
The Ford Bronco 4-door and the Toyota 4Runner are almost exactly the same length. The Bronco has an edge in rear-seat legroom and headroom, but both vehicles offer accommodating rear seating areas. The 4Runner outpoints the Bronco 4-door in cargo space. The Bronco 4-door's rear cargo area has 38.3 cubic feet of space, and with the back seat folded, it has 83 cubic feet of cargo room.
The 2023 Toyota 4Runner has an attractive interior that would look right at home in any number of current SUVs. Perhaps giving a clue regarding the age of the platform, its conventional round instruments are clearly visible through the steering wheel. Topped by a pair of vents, the center-dash infotainment display has easy-to-use complementary controls rather than relying on a full touchscreen experience. Two large knobs help control the interior temperature. The gated gearshift that occupies a large portion of the center console area is another Old School touch.
Toyota typically outfits the 4Runner as a 5-passenger vehicle, but buyers can get a third row to increase seating capacity to seven. Upholstery includes cloth, synthetic leather, and genuine leather, depending upon trim. Dual-zone automatic climate control is standard on the Limited trim. An optional sliding rear cargo deck with an underfloor storage area is a nice convenience.
The 4Runner offers a wealth of cargo space compared to the Bronco. A 5-passenger 4Runner has 47.2 cubic feet of cargo area behind the rear seats. With the rear seats folded, that increases to 89.7 cubic feet of cargo room. 4Runners with the optional third-row seat have just 9 cubic feet of storage behind it. With the third row folded, the cargo area is 46.3 cubic feet.
Advantage: Toyota 4Runner
If you'd like to learn more about these off-road-oriented midsize SUVs, be sure to read our expert reviews of the Ford Bronco and the Toyota 4Runner. To find out how people like you rate models in this segment, check out our ratings from verified vehicle owners.
Also, please keep in mind that while the information in this article was accurate and valid on December 1, 2022, it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker's website or your local dealership.
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