I do think the 4 Runner would
I do think the 4 Runner would welcome a hybrid option soon. I do not see a serious makeover with the vehicle for 2022, but I have to assume it will be 2023. About 4 years ago I heard of a diesel option for a powertrain but I am not sure how strong that rumor is. A hybrid or if they want to be real ambitious a PHEV would make a lot of sense with government regulations wanting to phase out petrol engines by 2030 at the earliest.
I have a 2018 Toyota 4Runner TRD off road edition and overall I really like it. Sure there are a few flaws with that year as it was the second year of the TRD off road level. The 4Runner needs a 6 cylinder that can put out the minimum of 300 hp. If it wants to continue with an automatic transmission a 5 speed is outdated and could at least a 7 speed. It could stand to be more efficient for fuel mileage as you are pushing 560 km on a full tank. Notice the KM as I live in Canada. The tire monitoring system is a guessing game in winter as with colder weather can result to lower pressure on tires. A tire indicator comes on in my 2018 model what will not label which tire it is. I could live without the pressure amount but not without the specific tire. I believe the more current versions have blind spot monitoring which is a nice safety feature to have and so many vehicles have it now.
What I do like about the 4Runner is you know what type of vehicle it is. Sure it may be a dinosaur in many ways, but it has a lot of charm. It still looks and feels like an SUV as I get tired with so many cookie cutter CUV's on the market. It is quite easy to operate as within a few days you know the overall daily habits of it. The 4X4 is a bit complex but if you have time to read the colossal manual it is a great system. Whether it is for aggressive trails or a serious snow storm, this vehicle is apocalypse lite. Only reason it is lite would be not being set up like a vehicle from Mad Max! My dog loves riding in this vehicle just for the viewing ability where he sits at also!
Another thing is the 4 Runners like mine have held their value extremely well. They barely depreciate and if a driver can put only 15K to 20K per year with regular service they almost sell nearly the same value as they were MSRP in 2018! I guess it is because they are unicorns on the sales lot and they only last for a few days if not a day. Finally I think a huge reason why 4 Runner needs to look at new powertrain options is the arrival of the Ford Bronco. I know the traditional SUV with good 4 wheel drive capability are dwindling for options, Ford has to make the competitors plan out thoroughly for the next generation model such as the Toyota 4Runner.