Top 5 Best Tires For Toyota 4Runner [2023 Review]

What To Look For When Buying The Best Tires For Toyota 4Runner?

You can’t buy cheap Chinese tires for your 4Runner and expect them to win the Baja 500. Here are a few major details to look for when buying new tires for your Toyota 4Runner:

Tire Type—Tread patterns

You need to figure out what type of treads fit your driving style. For example, all-season tires built for light trucks are a great choice for your Toyota 4Runner if you mostly drive on the highway.

At the same time, Yokohama A/T and Toyo A/T tires masterfully navigate both offroad terrain and highways. Mud terrain or rugged terrain tires are ultra heavy duty and meant for mostly offroad conditions.

Fix suspension and alignment problems before mounting

Many tire shops recommend a four-wheel-drive alignment after mounting up a set of tires to help prevent premature treadwear. Because nice tires aren’t cheap.

One of the biggest conflicts I’ve seen in the tire shop is when the technician passionately wants the customer to have a 4WD alignment service before mounting the new tires.

The reason why we mechanics want you to have an alignment before new tires is because we see how uneven your old treads are, and we want the customers to get their money’s worth out of the tires. For your own sake, fix your suspension first if there are underlying issues.

Speed Rating/Load Rating

Compare speed ratings because some rugged terrain tires have pitiful speed capability (like 50 MPH limit bad). BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires have a slow speed rating but they’re more reliable in the sand.

You’ll also notice that tires with faster speed ratings have harder rubber, a firmer feel, and middle-range speed all-season tires typically last the longest. It never hurts to talk to someone who knows a lot about tires.

UTQG ratings are also another way to compare tires. And don’t forget about load rating.

3-Peak Mountain Snowflake

Tires with the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake are rated well for the powdery snow, and they’ll run in harsh conditions as long as you didn’t forget your snow chains/snow socks. But I recommend driving with dedicated winter tires for the best consistent results on icy roads.

How Much Do Tires For A Toyota 4Runner Cost?

4Runner owners, you shouldn’t spend less than one hundred fifty bones a tire on a vehicle that will be put to the road performance test. This is an offroading vehicle that deserves durable and capable treads. Here’s a quick estimate of the cost for Toyota 4Runner tires in different quantities:

Four New Tires

Say you get lucky and find a full set of tires for one hundred bucks a pop. A full set of tires for the Toyota 4Runner will cost at least $500 in total with installation costs, and that’s being generous.

If you buy Yokohama or Toyo tires for your 4Runner (which you should), you’re looking at around three hundred bucks a tire. That’s $1200 plus mount & balance for a high-end set of tires for your 4Runner.

Two New Tires

You’ll pay anywhere from $200-$600+ for two new 4Runner tires. Don’t forget to pencil in shipping and installation costs.

Single Tire

I recommend spending anywhere from $150-$300 for a single tire for your Toyota 4Runner. Anything cheaper isn’t very safe, and anything over $300 a tire isn’t necessary.

Please remember that the 4Runner is a four-wheel drive vehicle that requires the tires to be replaced in pairs.

What Tire Size Is Best For A Toyota 4Runner?

The stock tire size for many Toyota 4Runners is 265/70/R17, but tire sizes change from model to model and year to year.

You might notice that 4Runner TRD Pro/TRD Off-Road and Tacoma TRD Pro have the same rims and wheels with matching lug patterns.

How Long Should Your Toyota 4Runner Tires Last?

Any of these Toyota 4Runner tires should last at least 50 thousand miles when properly inflated and rotated.

Luckily, it’s super easy to inspect the tires on a 4Runner for uneven treadwear. Try drawing on your treads with a piece of chalk turned sideways to check for premature treadwear when you buy née tires. Try to identify parts of the tire that don’t get covered with chalk when you covered an entire section of the tire.

When To Replace Tires On Your Toyota 4Runner?

If you do a lot of off-road driving, you’ll be replacing your 4Runner tires around the 50-thousand-mile mark or below. On the other hand, if you only drive on the highway with quality all-season treads, your tires could last 80+ thousand miles.

The general rule for mechanics is to replace the tires once the tread depths are below 2/32” (1.6 mm).

Does The Brand Matter For A Toyota 4Runner When Replacing Tires?

Yes, brand matters. For example, if you’re going to sell your Toyota 4Runner, the buyer is going to have a lot more confidence in the purchase if you’re running Toyo, Yokohama, or any other name brand tire compared to a cheaper brand.

Other tire brands to check out for your Toyota 4Runner are General Grabbers, Bridgestone Dueler H, Firestone Destination, Cooper Discoverers, Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus, Michelin Latitude X-Ice.

Does the Year of Your Toyota 4Runner Matter When Buying New Tires?

Sure, the older Toyotas had smaller wheels. Older Toyota trucks and SUVs had 15 and 16-inch diameter wheels while newer models have anywhere from 17 to 20-inch wheel sizes.

Always plug your 4Runner information into Tire Rack’s website for a complete list of tire sizes that will fit your stock wheels.

What Are The Biggest Tires I Can Put On A Toyota 4Runner?

I wouldn’t go bigger than 32-inch tires for any wheel size. I don’t ever recommend drastic suspension lifts and bigger than stock tires because it puts unnecessary strain on the 4Runner’s all-wheel-drive and suspension system.