Feature Friday: 8 Aftermarket Tail Light Options For the 5th Gen 4Runner

Hey guys, how’s it going!? Welcome back to another Feature Friday! This week, we are taking a look at that sweet, timeless 4Runner rear end and focusing on aftermarket taillights. There are only a few name-brand and off-brand companies out there that make quality taillights for the 5th Gen 4Runner. Surprisingly, though, they are all pretty unique in their own way.

Some companies decided to make their own take on OEM+ when it comes to tail light housing design. Others have stepped outside the box a little to give us a more unique design. This variety of options leaves us, the consumers, with a tough decision of which brand we think looks the best, while still performing well.

Hopefully, this compilation of 4Runners will help with your purchase of tail lights this year, and if you need even more examples, check out this article for the top 4Runner tail light housings of 2022.

Why Do You Need Aftermarket Tail Lights?

Like everything when it comes to modifying our 4Runners, you don’t really need it, right? I mean, especially when it comes down to tail lights.

The 4Runner’s taillight housing from the factory is pretty awesome in both its design and function. Honestly, the only con for many would be the excessive amount of chrome accents that Toyota decided to add inside the housing. That one issue can easily be taken care of by tinting your OEM taillight housing.

Another cool mod that people will do to their OEM taillights is the Tail as Turn Mod by Diode Dynamics. This awesome mod essentially gives you the ability to run two LED reverse lights, and it makes your super-bright brake light function as your blinker as well. This mod is a game-changer for reverse light output.

But what if the OEM housing isn’t your style and you want a little bit more flair for your 4Runner’s rear end?

This is where aftermarket tail light housings come into play. These housings can potentially perform better than the OEM in brightness and functionality. Some brands add super cool features like sequential turn signals or even eye-catching start-up animations. Aftermarket tail light housings also open the door to unique designs such as smoked-out color options.

Some rigs listed below really follow that OEM+ vibe, making you wonder, why didn’t Toyota do it like this from the factory?

I hope these eight rigs below help you out on your tail light search for your 4Runner. Enjoy!

1. Christian Nubel (@voodoornr) – Morimoto

Tail Light Specs

• Model: XB
• Price: ~$675
• Features: Sequential Blinker & Startup Sequence

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

So far, I have been rocking the Morimoto taillights for about a year now, and I have nothing but good things to say about them. The light output on these things is absolutely ridiculous! A major upgrade over the stock taillights. The sequential turn signals have worked flawlessly. I love that you have the option to make them sequential or not. As of right now, they are running for around $675, which is a little bit on the pricy side, but you get what you pay for.

2. Tim Curley (@milk.wagon) – Depo (DIY)

Tail Light Specs

• Model: Black-Out Facelift LED Tail Lights
• Price: ~$430
• Extra: Lamin-X Gunsmoke Tint Film

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I love how my taillights maintain an OEM+ look. They are the same exact taillights as stock, but all of the chrome in the housing is blacked out. I took it one step further and added some Lamin-X Gunsmoke color tint film over the lights to give it a uniform smoked finish. The film was super easy to apply and still looks great a year and a half later!

3. Dres (@Darkrnr) – Anzo USA

Tail Light Specs

• Model: Black House Smoked Lens
• Price: ~$680
• Features: Red Light bar w/ Sequential Turn Signal

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

These rear tail lights by Anzo USA look clean and maintain the OEM+ look. The black housings make the lights fit right in with my black paint, and the red sequential gives it a nice touch as well. I really like how these lights retain that OEM+ look, but add a lot more character to my rig as well. The sequential turn feature is so sick!

4. Crystal Stegman (@pnwt4rgal) – Cartrimhome

Tail Light Specs

• Model: Plug-And-Play Tail Lights
• Price: ~$500 (lengthy shipping time)
• Features: Smoked Color & Start-Up Sequence

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

The thing I like most about these taillights is their cheesy start-up feature. I originally came from the Subaru world, where glitz and glam are the things that can help set you apart from other cars. When I saw the start-up sequence of these lights, I just had to have them. Despite being smoked in color, the LEDs are very bright and do not seem to impede any safety functions. They retail for approximately $500 and can take a while to ship.

5. Rod Rosine (@drksd_4rn) – AlphaRex

Tail Light Specs

• Model: Pro Series
• Color: Red Smoke
• Price: ~$495
• Features: Red LED Tubes, Sequential Blinking Turn Signal Lights, Smoke Red Lens

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

What I love about these taillights is their design and color. The red LED tube and the smthe oke red lens pair well with the MGM color in my opinion. When I installed the taillights, they turned out better than expected! These AlphaRex tail lights complete the theme of the rig I am going for. Join the dark side, we’ve got cookies! Lol.

6. Jonathan + Leeza Reyes (@sd4hnid) – Morimoto

Tail Light Specs

• Model: XB (Smoked)
• Price: ~$650
• Features: Sequential Blinkers & Startup Sequence

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

These Morimoto XB tail lights are amazing, especially in the smoked-out option! I like them because they change the rear look of the 4Runner compared to the OEM taillights. I’m a huge fan of the sequential turn signals. The taillights as a whole are super bright! I have zero worries about people not being able to see my turn signal or brake lights.

7. Ryan Lau (@4runnersaurus) – AlphaRex

Tail Light Specs

• Model: LUXX-Series (Red/Black Color)
• Price: ~$575
• Features: Activation Sequence, Sequential Turn Signal, Smoke Lens, Full LED

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I really like the AlphaRex LUXX tail lights! They definitely have a unique look and are a vast improvement over the stock ones. I went with the Red/Black colorway over the Alpha Black (totally blacked out) because of the pop of red of the LED tubes. The tail light housing itself is still a smoked lens, so they still retain a pretty blacked-out look from afar.

It’s hard not to stare at the activation sequence and sequential turn signals, they’re just so cool! The final improvement that these taillights bring is their shape. Gone are the weird contours and shapes of the stock ones; these have a nice uniform shape and add to the awesome overall aesthetic!

8. Osvaldo Maldonado (@d3v1lsrnr) – Cartrimhome

Tail Light Specs

• Model: Plug-And-Play Tail Lights
• Price: ~$500
• Features: Smoked Color, Start-Up Sequence, Bright LEDs

What Do You Like About Your Setup?

I love the smokiness of these taillights. These taillights from Cartrimhome look super cool, and the price is not bad either. Most importantly, the customer service is like no other. They are made of high-quality plastic and are assembled in an ISO 9001 facility to ensure high standards. They are plug-and-play, making them super easy to install.

Final Thoughts

What an awesome round-up of 4Runner rear ends. No, this isn’t a mod that you really, really need, but hey, they look great, right? Which one is your favorite? Comment down below to let us know!

We want readers to get inspired by a variety of rigs/products. Next week, we will be showcasing TRD Pro 4Runner builds.

Have a great weekend, nd everyone!