The 22RE engine powered several Toyota light trucks and SUVs, most notably the Toyota Pickup (Hilux) and the 4Runner, during the late 1980s and 1990s; it was the fuel-injected variant of the 2.4-liter 22R family.
The 22R family began as a 2.4-liter engine and evolved into the 22R-E with electronic fuel injection (EFI). The -E designation signals EFI. These engines were used primarily in North American-spec Toyotas, designed for reliability, torque for off-road work, and compatibility with emissions regulations of the era. They represented Toyota's shift from carbureted to electronically controlled fuel systems in their popular light trucks.
Vehicles that used the 22R/22RE
Below are the primary Toyota models that carried the 22R or 22RE powerplant, with typical production spans and notes on the carbureted versus EFI versions.
- Toyota Pickup / Hilux (North America and other markets) — carbureted 22R engines were common in the early 1980s, with 22R-E EFI variants appearing from the late 1980s through 1995.
- Toyota 4Runner — used the 22R/22RE in early second-generation models, roughly 1989–1995, especially in North America.
These two lines represent the core audience and usage: compact trucks and mid-size SUVs that benefited from the 2.4-liter displacement and reliable EFI systems in rugged applications.
Notes on 22R vs 22RE
The 22R denotes the carbureted version of the 2.4-liter engine, while the 22R-E refers to the fuel-injected variant. The EFI version introduced electronic fuel injection control, often with improved performance and emissions compliance compared with the carbureted 22R. Over time, many markets shifted entirely to the 22R-E for new-model iterations.
Summary
The 22RE engine is best known for powering Toyota's popular light-duty vehicles of the era, especially the Toyota Pickup/Hilux and the 4Runner, across late-1980s to mid-1990s model years. If you're restoring or researching a mid-90s Toyota truck, chances are it’s equipped with either a 22R carbureted block or the EFI-equipped 22R-E variant.