Toyota 4Runner vs Jeep Wrangler: MPG, Fuel Cost, Recalls and Safety
On EPA ratings the 2025 Toyota 4Runner's best version gets 23 mpg combined against 21 mpg for the Jeep Wrangler.
Toyota 4Runner
23mpg
Best 2025 version: 2.4L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · 4WD · 8-speed automatic
Jeep Wrangler
21mpg
Best 2025 version: 2.0L turbo 4-cyl · 4WD · 8-speed automatic · 2-door
The cheapest Toyota 4Runner to fuel costs $2,800 a year at EPA's prices, $300 less than the cheapest Wrangler. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2025 4Runner and 6 recalls for the Wrangler.
Side by side
| 2025 model year | 4Runner | Wrangler |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy (EPA) | ||
Best combined rating | 23 mpg (clearly better) 2.4L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · 4WD · 8-speed automatic | 21 mpg 2.0L turbo 4-cyl · 4WD · 8-speed automatic · 2-door |
Best gas rating Gas engines only; hybrids and diesels excluded | 22 mpg | 21 mpg |
Hybrid or plug-in available | Hybrid 23 mpg | Plug-in hybrid 49 MPGe on electricity |
AWD or 4WD available | Yes | Yes |
Lowest annual fuel cost 15,000 miles at EPA fuel prices | $2,800 (clearly better) | $3,100 |
5-year fuel cost vs average new vehicle Cheapest-to-fuel version (EPA) | Costs $2,500 more (clearly better) | Costs $4,000 more |
| Safety (NHTSA) | ||
Safety recalls, 2025 model year Counts depend on sales and time on sale | 1 | 6 |
Owner complaints, 2025 model year Filed with NHTSA so far | 59 | 75 |
NHTSA overall crash rating Range across tested versions | 4 stars | Not rated |
Rollover risk Range across tested versions; lower is better | 18.5% to 20.4% (clearly better) | 21.2% to 26.7% |
Marks the clearly better figure. Small gaps (under 2 mpg or 5%, $100 a year in fuel) and overlapping crash-test ranges are not marked, and recall and complaint counts are not scored because they depend on how many were sold.
Best combined rating by model year
The best-rated version of each, every model year since 2016. The 4Runner rated higher in 3 and the Wrangler in 7 of the 11 years both were sold; they tied in 1.
- Toyota 4Runner
- Jeep Wrangler
2025: Toyota 4Runner 23 mpg · Jeep Wrangler 21 mpgTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
| Model year | Toyota 4Runner | Jeep Wrangler |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 19 | 18 |
| 2017 | 18 | 18 |
| 2018 | 18 | 24 |
| 2019 | 18 | 24 |
| 2020 | 17 | 25 |
| 2021 | 17 | 25 |
| 2022 | 17 | 25 |
| 2023 | 17 | 25 |
| 2024 | 17 | 21 |
| 2025 | 23 | 21 |
| 2026 | 23 | 21 |
Recalls by model year
Safety recalls NHTSA lists for each model year. Counts depend on how many were sold and how long each model year has been on the road.
- Toyota 4Runner (left bar)
- Jeep Wrangler (right bar)
2026: Toyota 4Runner 2 recalls · Jeep Wrangler 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
| Model year | Toyota 4Runner | Jeep Wrangler |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 8 | 5 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
| 2018 | 5 | 14 |
| 2019 | 4 | 9 |
| 2020 | 1 | 13 |
| 2021 | 1 | 17 |
| 2022 | 3 | 16 |
| 2023 | 1 | 16 |
| 2024 | 1 | 14 |
| 2025 | 1 | 6 |
| 2026 | 2 | 3 |
More on each model
- 2025 Toyota 4Runner MPGEvery version and a fuel cost calculator
- Toyota 4Runner by yearMPG, recalls and complaints
- 2025 Jeep Wrangler MPGEvery version and a fuel cost calculator
- Jeep Wrangler by yearMPG, recalls and complaints
Questions
Which gets better gas mileage, the 4Runner or the Wrangler?
For 2025, the 4Runner. Its best version is rated 23 mpg combined; the Wrangler's best is 21 mpg.
Which is cheaper to fuel?
The 4Runner. At EPA's assumptions its cheapest version costs $2,800 a year against $3,100, a $1,500 difference over five years.
How do they compare in NHTSA crash tests?
The 2025 4Runner is rated 4 stars overall and the Wrangler not rated. Rollover risk is 18.5% to 20.4% for the 4Runner and 21.2% to 26.7% for the Wrangler.
Sources and method
- US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026, and EPA fuel prices.
- NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.
We compare the best-rated version of each model unless a row says otherwise. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.