Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
17 City / 22 HWY
Horsepower
270
Seats
5 -7
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Ashley A
Great vehicle, reliable, and safe.
The 4runner is comfortable to ride in and fits so much stuff. My husband and I are always shocked at how much we can fit inside even when it looks impossible at first. We just drove the vehicle from the east coast to the west coast and it was perfect. We felt safe and it didn't have any issues at all.
accountCircle Lana J
Spacious, reliable, and comfy.
My car is large enough for camping gear. It's also strong enough to pull a large boat, which is great! Downside is fuel efficiency. It's good for an SUV, but could be better
accountCircle Mal L
Comfort and reliability for all occasions
I have had no issues with my vehicle other than the routine maintenance. I would highly recommend a Toyota 4Runner. The comfort and stability is fantastic. The car is also great in the rain and snow, I've had no issues at all in any kind of weather related conditions.
accountCircle Angie M
Terrific vehicle new or used.
I love the durability, reliability, and just overall consistency of Toyota. The interior is sleek and made well. Plenty of room and lots of added features. Very quiet ride and I feel safe while driving it. Gets pretty good gas mileage for a larger SUV.
accountCircle Emily A
Buy the 4runner. Get the 4runner.
Love my 4runner. Drives great, comfortable seating (I have cloth interior), not to big, not to small.. Just the perfect size for me. Can fit three car seats easy. Lots of room in the back, not too expensive to fix if there is an issues. Just wish it was a little bit better on gas.
accountCircle Christina C
Car is very reliable great on long trips.
Comfortable ride and plenty of space. Able to manage small loads as well as larger loads from repair store. Maintenance schedule not bad.
accountCircle Brittany M
Excellent choice for anyone and everyone.
Excellent vehicle, comfortable, reliable, attractive body style. Love the folding seat feature for my dogs and hauling things. It is big enough for a queen size air mattress which made it great for spur of the moment camping trips. I love the reliability of owning a Toyota and knowing that I'll have this SUV for at least 300k miles. Would definitely buy again and would recommend for anyone.
accountCircle Lauren P
That it is great for all types of driving: mountain, highway and city.
I love the size, not too bit and not too small. I like that I can pop up the 3rd row if I need extra seating or leave it down for cargo room. I dislike the technology (iPod/bluetooth)! It does not consistently work.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Kristina R
The 4 runner runs and looks good. Great for small family and pets.
It has a ruff ride. I've had problems with my tail light going out. Not enough room if you up size your family and want to go on trips. It's good for a small family. If your wanting a 4runner get a 4x4 they seem like they are better than the 2 wheel drive one. They come in 3rd row seating which is nice to run across town with extra kids not for adults though. Not enough room for adults to sit or bring any baggage to put in back after the 3rd row seating is up. Good engine. All in all it's a great SUV I have just ran into problems.
accountCircle Amy C
Highlights of the 4runner.
The vehicle is rough and seats are uncomfortable! Very dependable! Fair gas mileage! Has enough from for our family! Love that the back slides out for easier use! Back seats recline a bit for comfort! The trail addition is awesome if you are into climbing and off-roading! I would recommend it!

Toyota 4Runner Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
SR5
270 HP 19 MPG 5-7 Seats
car
Trail
270 HP 19 MPG 5-7 Seats
car
Limited
270 HP 19 MPG 5-7 Seats
Photos may not match model

2012 Toyota 4Runner Owner Reviews

4.69
109 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 71%
4 stars 28%
3 stars 2%
2 stars 0%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Brittany M on June 18, 2021
Excellent choice for anyone and everyone.
Excellent vehicle, comfortable, reliable, attractive body style. Love the folding seat feature for my dogs and hauling things. It is big enough for a queen size air mattress which made it great for spur of the moment camping trips. I love the reliability of owning a Toyota and knowing that I'll have this SUV for at least 300k miles. Would definitely buy again and would recommend for anyone.
accountCircle Trina W on June 9, 2021
Happy forerunner owner from Atlanta Georgia.
Love that my car is luxurious but sits on a truck style suspension. It sits high and I feel safe. It is durable, cost efficient and reliable. I have not had any issues with it. I keep it well maintained. To be an eight year old vehicle the leather and interior trim has held up very well. It gets great gas mileage and I have only kept oil changed. I have the tailgate package which has been nice but would possibly choose 3rd row seat with next purchase for additional people. Stereo system is great, speaker have held up and not gotten crackleley. Interior is very spacious with tons of leg room. Additional plugs for accessories with the tailgate package has been a lifesaver with extra people. I love the floor mats are rubber and not carpet, very easy to clean any spills or mud and sand from the beach. I have had to replace the electric window mechanism but that is the only repair I have had done. SUV currently has 162k so I think that I have made a great investment. Windshield has a few Knicks and a small crack but I do not think that had anything to do manufacturer buy with normal wear and tear. Only negative I can think of is that you must turn on the charging station every time you want to charge your phone it is not an automatic plug-in that stays on. That can be annoying at times when you forget and you lose charge on cell phone.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Andrew K.

This car has a lot of cargo space, so you can fit many large items in the trunk and back seat. This car is great in the snow and ice because it has four-wheel drive. This car has Bluetooth as well and you can take it on rough roads.

likeFilled Matt R.

Pro: 4x4, dependability, simple interior, rugged, radio, storage, still has a body on frame design that is hard to find in today's crossover age. Toyotas and 4runners in particular have a high resale value.

likeFilled Robert T.

The only con is that it is underpowered. Other than that I completely love the vehicle. It is very spacious, stylish and comes with many nice features such as the party mode speaker button and multiple 3 prong outlets.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Andrew K.

This car goes through gas very quickly. It is also very large and can be very hard to drive at times. The speakers are not the greatest and Bluetooth is kind of weird to use. There are no back row seats, which can be bad if you have a large family. The car is very loud while driving on the highway.

dislikeFilled Matt R.

If I was forced to answer, Fuel mileage. Price is slightly above it is true worth. I have no other cons for this vehicle. I did a lot of research to select this of SUVs. Toyota makes a great car. I wish American model could compete.

dislikeFilled Robert T.

Given the size of the motor the vehicle feels underpowered at times. Another con of the vehicle is that it is so expensive to purchase given other options for the same style of vehicle from other makers such as Honda or ford.

Ranks #2 Midsize SUV by Owners

The 2012 Toyota 4Runner has an average owner rating of 4.69 out of 5 which ranks it #2 of 22 other Midsize SUVs.

1
car
4.88
2
car
4.69
3
car
4.62

Ranks #7 Midsize SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2012 Toyota 4Runner has a combined MPG of 25 which ranks it #7 of 22 other Midsize SUVs.

1
car
29 MPG
2
Tie
car
27 MPG
7
Tie
car
22 MPG

Is The 2012 Toyota 4Runner A Good Car?

Yes, it is sleek, runs well, and comfortable to drive. It is also higher up, which I much prefer to smaller cars.
Rhonda B.

How Reliable Is The 2012 Toyota 4Runner?

Yes, the car is very reliable, I have not encountered any problems thus far in my ownership of the 4Runner.
Keith B.

Is The 2012 Toyota 4Runner A Good Value?

The 2012 Toyota 4Runner likely costs around $35,000 or so, although I bought it for cheaper since I bought it in 2019 and used.
Dave D.

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Frequently Asked Questions

If a 2012 4Runner's automatic running boards do not work, what could be the problem?

Answer: If the automatic running boards are not working on a 2012 Toyota 4Runner You will want to check the fuses to make sure none of them have been blown. Remove the fuse from its holder. In some cases You may need a...

2012 Toyota 4Runner: What is the oil type and capacity?

Answer: The 2012 Toyota 4Runner takeS6.2 liters (6.6 quarts) 0W-20 engine oil, but 5W-20 is a suitable replacement, if the first option isn't available. If You plan on changing the fluid Yourself, a few recommended...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety