The New Jeep Wrangler vs the Competition

The Toyota 4Runner has long been considered a competitor to the Wrangler, but the 2026 model year highlights just how far ahead the Wrangler has pulled. In terms of performance, the Wrangler's refined 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, producing 285 horsepower, significantly outperforms the 4Runner's aging 4.0-liter V6 with its 270-horsepower output. Drivers from Norfolk have noted that the 4Runner's five-speed automatic transmission feels outdated compared to the Wrangler's smooth eight-speed automatic, which offers superior gear ratios for both acceleration and off-road climbing.

Technology-wise, the gap widens even further. The Wrangler's Uconnect 5 system, with its 12.3-inch touchscreen, dwarfs the 4Runner's 8-inch display, offering faster processing and more intuitive controls. The Wrangler includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard features, while the 4Runner still requires cable connections. The Wrangler's available seven-inch customizable driver information display provides detailed vehicle data that the 4Runner's basic analog gauges simply cannot match.

Safety features represent perhaps the most significant advantage for the Wrangler over the 4Runner. While the Wrangler comes equipped with over 80 available safety and security features, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, the 4Runner lacks many of these modern driver assistance technologies. The absence of adaptive cruise control alone makes the 4Runner feel like it belongs to a previous generation.