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2023 Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary Review: Honour Thy Fathers

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but that hasn’t stopped Toyota from trying with the 2023 4Runner. And they’re doing it, unsurprisingly, by looking into the history not just of the 4Runner, but of the Toyota brand in general and more specifically, the Toyota brand’s various off-road racing efforts. 

Exterior of the 2023 Toyota 4Runner: 7/10

For 2023 that comes in the form of the Venture package you see here. It provides 17-inch bronze TRD-style wheels and graphics, a spectacular red, yellow, orange “hockey stick” graphic along the sides and a matching sticker on the front grille divide. Also, big “Toyota” script across the nose and a choice of three colours: red, white or black.

And well, it looks great in every shade. When I was told my tester would be red I was unsure. Would that fantastic graphic stand out against red paintwork? Yes. I’d still opt for the black, but that’s me. 

The colours represent Toyota’s off-road racing efforts through the years, namely the Baja racers found throughout the brand’s illustrious history. The retro 40th Anniversary badging tops off a very nice look.

There are practical items as well, in the form of blacked-out roof rails, fog lights and side steps. This really is the perfect stylistic tribute to such a storied model. 

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