Toyota currently offers just four models with a manual transmission: the GR86, GR Supra, GR Corolla and Tacoma. Hypothetically there could be a fifth manual model in the redesigned 4Runner, which shares its underpinnings with the Tacoma, but Toyota says there isn’t enough customer interest in to justify building and selling a manual 4Runner.
In a conversation with Car and Driver, a Toyota spokesperson confirmed the company could engineer and offer a three-pedal 4Runner, but “there hasn’t been any strong customer request for it.” If the company wanted to offer a manual 4Runner, it would be fairly easy because the 4Runner and Tacoma are mechanically related, as the spokesperson explained to Car and Driver. If Toyota did offer a manual 4Runner, it would be the first time the automaker has done so in 25 years. Take solace in knowing that there is a possibility of a manual 4Runner, but even if customers start asking for it, don’t expect to see one coming to market any time soon for two very good reasons.
For one, take rates for the manual would likely be extremely low, and you can look to the Tacoma for actual examples. Toyota confirmed that just two percent of buyers went for the manual Tacoma in 2024, a number that was only up 0.6 percent over the year before. Then there’s the issue of availability, as you’d probably never find a manual 4Runner in stock at a dealership. Again, using the Tacoma as an example, there’s currently 23,166 new 2024-2025 Tacomas for sale across the country, according to CarGurus. You know how many of those are manuals? Just 228.
If Toyota did offer the 4Runner with a manual, at least it would be paired with a decent enough engine. As Car and Driver pointed out, the Tacoma and 4Runner being mechanically related means that the 4Runner’s manual would only be available with the 270-horsepower turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-4, as Toyota doesn’t offer the manual for the Tacoma hybrids. So if you’re interested in an off-road vehicle from Toyota with a manual transmission, you’ll just have to be satisfied with the Tacoma until something changes.