Toyota Owner Guides

Written & researched by Dakota Reyes Recovery & Trail Systems Editor

Published Sep 29, 2026

All five of Toyota's current 4x4 trucks and SUVs, the Tacoma, 4Runner, Tundra, Sequoia and Land Cruiser, now ride on the same TNGA-F truck platform, but their 4WD hardware still differs by model and by grade. Some grades are part-time 4WD, some are full-time with a locking center differential, and the electronic rear locker comes only on certain grades. Knowing which one your truck has decides how you use 4WD and which parts fit, so each model below has its own owner hub.

At a Glance

Models Covered

Tacoma: the midsize pickup, in its fourth generation since 2024, with a 278-hp turbo four or the 326-hp i-FORCE MAX hybrid and up to 6,500 lb of towing. 4Runner: the midsize SUV, all-new for 2025 after a 2010–2024 fifth generation; the hub sets out which grades are part-time and which are full-time. Tundra: the full-size pickup, with a 389-hp twin-turbo V6 or the 437-hp i-FORCE MAX hybrid and up to 12,000 lb of towing. Sequoia: the full-size SUV, hybrid-only (437 hp) with up to 9,520 lb of towing. Land Cruiser: back in the US for 2024 as the 250 Series, full-time 4WD on every grade.

Part-Time vs Full-Time 4WD Across the Lineup

A part-time system has no center differential, so it runs in 2WD until the driver selects 4H or 4L. A full-time system includes a center differential and drives all four wheels all the time, with a lock for loose surfaces. Toyota now offers both within the same model: a 2026 Tacoma Limited and a 4Runner Limited i-FORCE MAX or Platinum are full-time, while other 4x4 grades of those models are part-time. The Sequoia is part-time on every 4WD grade, and the Land Cruiser is full-time on every grade. Check the grade, not just the model, before following any 4WD how-to; each model hub links to its own.

The older generations differ again. The fifth-generation 4Runner (2010–2024) was full-time only on the Limited, with a Torsen center differential, and offered KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) on the TRD Off-Road. The 200-Series Land Cruiser (2008–2021) used a Torsen locking center differential with KDSS and had a 5.7L V8 and an 8,100-lb tow rating.

Common Toyota Ownership Questions

Is A-TRAC the same as a locking differential? No. Toyota says A-TRAC (Active Traction Control) uses brake and throttle intervention to control wheel spin, and it is fitted to every 4x4 4Runner along with an automatic limited-slip function. The electronic locking rear differential is separate hardware that locks both rear wheels together, and only some grades have it. Do the Tacoma and 4Runner share hardware? The current Tacoma and 4Runner share the TNGA-F platform and the same 278-hp turbo and 326-hp i-FORCE MAX powertrains, and both offer an electronic front stabilizer disconnect on their top off-road grades. Which Toyotas have a factory front sway-bar disconnect? The 2026 Tacoma TRD Pro and Trailhunter, the 4Runner TRD Pro and Trailhunter (optional on the i-FORCE MAX TRD Off-Road Premium) and the Land Cruiser grade of the Land Cruiser.

Looking for Accessories Instead?

For tonneau covers, lift kits or bumpers compared across the whole Toyota lineup, see the Toyota accessory fitment hub. The owner hubs cover 4WD use, known problems and mod priorities model by model.

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