1984 Toyota 4Runner's Decals Find a New Home In 2023 40th Anniversary Edition

40 years ago, Toyota debuted the 4Runner which was Toyota’s off-road capable, family-hauling, stylish, and minimal SUV. Fast forward 4 decades and you have one of the most reliable SUVs available on the market. It’s so reliable, that people don’t want to upgrade to another generation if it comes out. While unreleased pictures have been circulating the internet of the next-generation 4Runner, owners of the current generation 4Runner say they don’t want to see any changes.

After 40 successful years, Toyota just released the all-new 2023 Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary Edition and it looks amazing. While it’s still a 4WD 4Runner, the 40th Anniversary Edition is far from looking like one. Keeping the reliability, the 2023 Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary Edition takes the side decals from its older brother and wheels too. I would even go as far as to say it looks like a resto-mod rather than a tribute.

In addition to all these tributes and decals, you get badges everywhere. A really nice 40 with '80s styling font and the tri-color decals fill the 2023 Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary Edition with the sense of pride and brag that you get when you drive this behemoth of a car. The seats have embossed imprints of the 40 badge and they look really nice in the all back interior.

The decals go really well with the current-gen, and I honestly see the wheels as a very valuable contribution towards the all-around aesthetic of the 2023 Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary Edition. Let’s take a look at some of the new features that Toyota is adding to this new edition.

For starters, it will only come as a 4WD model and just like any other special edition Toyota, will be made in a specific quantity. Because this is the 40th Anniversary Edition, Toyota said they will only make 4,040 of these models.

With the edition of these new paint and decals, your 2023 Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary Edition will also come with a Toyota heritage grille with TOYOTA printed on the grill instead of its logo. I personally love that, and I wish all Toyota 4Runners, Tacomas, and Tundras would come with that grill. It looked amazing on the FJ Cruiser, and it looks sick on anything they put on it.

Of course, your 2023 Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary Edition will come with all the standard amenities you are already accustomed to such as your Toyota Safety Sense, blind-spot alert, 5-speed ECT transmission, and your 270hp DOHC v6.

Just like the Nightshade editions, this 40th Anniversary edition will be mostly cosmetic. The decals and wheel color bring back nostalgic memories for those who had the earlier models and just the fact that this car has thrived through the recession, the pandemic, and now still going with gas prices costing an arm and leg, serves as a testimony to other carmakers that the Toyota 4Runner is and will be one of the best and long-lasting off-road SUVs on the market.

The question arises, who would buy this? Well as a member of many 4Runner forums and groups, I can tell you firsthand that there are tons of enthusiasts who love these cars and even collect them. Rugged Toyotas seem to be a pretty big enthusiast topic. I have even seen countless group members and forum activists collect these 4Runners and Hiluxs simply because of the aesthetic and nostalgia.

So if you either loved your old 4Runner as a teenager in high school and want to relive your glory days and still be able to take the kids to soccer practice, by all means, this car is for you.

What do you think? Should Toyota bring back more of their older styling on newer cars? Let us know in the comments below.

Harutiun Hareyan is reporting Toyota news at Torque News. His automotive interests and vast experience test-riding new cars give his stories a sense of authenticity and unique insights. Follow Harutiun on Twitter at @HareyanHarutiun for daily Toyota news.