As of April 2026, sales reports from both Honda and Toyota, two of the most prominent names in mainstream automotive, are reporting losses among their SUV offerings. With SUVs still being the most purchased vehicle type in the US, seeing big names like the RAV4 dip while the Accord, Civic, Camry, and Corolla report steady gains is noteworthy. That said, there is an SUV from Toyota that seems to be defying the current trend. The 4Runner Is Reporting Big Gains Despite The Surge Of Sedan Sales Toyota CanadaAccording to Toyota's most recent sales report, the4Runnerhas moved 11,929 units in the month of April. That may not sound like a lot, and it isn't compared to the 194,191 units moved by Toyota as a whole in April. Though, compared to the 4Runner's 2025 April figures, it's up 29.5 percent. The numbers really jump off the page when you zoom out and look at 4Runner sales in 2026 so far, which show 45,173. Again, it's not really a bulk seller compared to the 682,659 units from the entire Toyota lineup. Though the first four months of 2026 show the 4Runner up 156 percent from its 17,648 figure in 2025.As mentioned, SUVs from both Honda and Toyota are reporting losses. Not all, but some, including big names like RAV4 and Pilot, as well as top Lexus names like RX, NX, and GX. The biggest come-up comes from Honda, with the Accord surging up over 40 percent in April 2026, while the Civic posted respectable gains. In the land of Toyota, the Camry is still rocking and rolling, as are the Corolla and Lexus IS. The market shift raises the questions: are buyers finally tired of the tried-and-true SUV recipe? And why is the 4Runner defying this trend? Why The 4Runner Is Holding The Line Toyota The 4Runner entered its sixth generation in 2024 for the 2025 model year, which saw it take a hit in sales at the end of 2024 due to the new-gen switchover. It has since picked back up and been fairly consistent, though it's now on track to not only have its biggest year of the sixth gen, but also its biggest year since 2021, if its momentum holds steady through the rest of the year. We saw 4Runner sales slow a couple of years before the sixth generation arrived—likely due to people holding off on purchasing a fifth gen in order to snag a totally redesigned sixth gen. Then, as the sixth generation got underway, we saw the numbers pick back up to average 4Runner sales, and now we're seeing them inch closer to the high-selling years from the late 2010s and early 2020s.Toyota This could be due to a few reasons. Chief among them is time — now that the sixth-gen 4Runner has had time to be fully assessed by automotive outlets and buyers alike, it seems to be satisfying those who are in the market for a tough SUV. Another reason, which isn't confirmed and puts us on the cusp of tinfoil-hat conspiracy, could be that the2026 RAV4production has yet to catch up to demand. This is the reason we're seeing such a drop in RAV4 sales, and one wonders if, instead of waiting and paying hefty dealer markups on limited RAV4 stock, buyers are springing for the 4Runner instead. In other words, could the 4Runner be picking up the RAV4's slack? The RAV4 And 4Runner Satisfy Different Buyers, But A Toyota SUV Is A Toyota SUV Regardless Isaac Atienza | TopSpeed The unibody RAV4 is the more mainstream SUV, while the body-on-frame 4Runner appeals to those who enjoy rugged exploration. The 2026 4Runner is also a full $10,000 more than the 2026 RAV4. Though, if you can find one, you'll see dealer markups on the 2026 RAV4 close that price parity to the point where informed buyers could decide to make the jump to a 4Runner with little to no premium.Toyota Again, this theory isn't confirmed, and the more likely reason behind the 4Runner's hot sales numbers is that it's simply a good vehicle, and buyers have yet to be let down by what it offers. The fifth-gen 4Runner is also still fairly popular, as buyers enjoy the old-school V6 approach it takes compared to the new sixth-gen hybrids. Still, with the market popularity fluctuating between hybrids, EVs, sedans, and SUVs, seeing the 4Runner hold its ground and post big sales gains is more than a market outlier; it's impressive.Sources: Toyota, Honda