Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road

The Toyota truck goes back to the late 60s, and it is legendary for durability. The Tacoma name was introduced to Americans in 1995. Before that it was simply known as the Toyota pickup and before that, the Hi Lux. With the new name came more refinement, comfort and features. The Toyota Tacoma has grown up.

The Toyota pickup I drove back in the day had no comfort features. It had no carpeting, no radio, no power steering, no AC, vinyl bench seat, manual windows, single wall bed, and latch-style tailgate. It did have one great feature: It got the job done. It was a great truck and was reliable with its legendary 22R engine, which also had great fuel economy. Today’s Tacoma is far different, but it is a truck you can do so much more with.

Shopping for a Tacoma can be difficult because there are 11 trim levels to choose from. The base Tacoma is the SR model, which starts out at $31,590, but go for the top-of-the-line TRD Pro and now you have doubled the base price to $63,735.

Once you have selected the trim level, you can choose other things, such as bed length and cab configuration. Not all packages are available with all body styles, so you have to be alert when making your selection. For example, the SR is only available as an extended cab with 6-foot bed or a crew cab with 5-foot bed. The TRD Off Road is only available as a crew cab, but you get a choice of 5-foot or 6-foot beds. Go for the top-of-the-line TRD Pro and you can only get a crew cab with 5-foot bed. So, it may be better to decide what configuration you prefer and then select your trim level afterward.

The old 4.0-liter V6 is gone from the Tacoma lineup, and in its place is a new four-cylinder turbocharged engine. At first, it seems like that is the only engine choice, but in reality there are three choices. Once again not every engine is available with every trim or body configuration. The standard engine is a 2.4-liter DOHC 16-valve turbo four-cylinder, but the horsepower numbers vary depending on what you get. On the base SR model, the engine is detuned to 228 horsepower. Get the higher line trim levels and power goes up to 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. However, you can only have the 278-horsepower engine if you have the eight-speed automatic transmission.

Toyota does offer a six-speed manual, for now, but for some reason not with the 6-foot bed. If you go for the manual, you get 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque.

Then there is the hybrid system that adds electric assist to the four-cylinder, and that brings up the horsepower to 326, and the torque to 465 pound-feet. But wait! If you get the Trailhunter hybrid trim, you lose 3 horsepower because that engine breathes through a snorkel.

Our TRD Off Road Tacoma test vehicle had the 278-horsepower engine and eight-speed automatic. Typical of today’s four-cylinder truck engines, it does not sound very good. Depending on your configuration, the Tacoma can haul from 1,380 to 1710 pounds in the bed and tow around 6,000 to 6,500 lbs. At first, we were skeptical about those claims, but in our testing, the Tacoma was a beast. Keep in mind that we did not have the hybrid system and “only” has 278 horsepower, but climbing big, long hills was never a problem while towing a big trailer. It didn’t even break a sweat and it could do it all day long. That was impressive.

Fuel economy also was impressive. Our TRD Off Road was rated at 22 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. And you can be comfortable knowing that the Tacoma only needs 87 octane fuel to survive.

Our TRD Off Road edition was well equipped, with lots of comfort features such as LED lights, power sunroof, power open and close tailgate, integrated trailer brake controller, 2,400-watt power inverter, coil-spring rear suspension, 12.3-inch digital screen, heated and vented front leather seats, heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, 14-inch multimedia screen with 10-speaker JBL audio and so much more. It is truly stunning what you can get in a Tacoma these days.

The TRD Off-Road model is equipped with monotube Bilstein remote-reservoir shocks for extended wheel travel and greater heat dissipation. The dampers include an end-stop control valve that provides increased damping force as the suspension comes closer to full bound stroke. You also get different terrain modes, two-speed transfer case with 2.57:1 gearing, remote anti roll bar disconnect and enough cameras to see everywhere. Those Bilstein shocks work wonders on the street when driving around the pothole-infested cities, gliding over them like they do not exist.

The onboard cameras are one of the most useful features of the Tacoma. If you are off-roading, they help guide you on where to place your vehicle. If you are hauling stuff, you can see the contents of the bed as you are driving. If you are towing, you have help seeing the tow ball. And if you are parking in a tight spot, you can see the front, rear and full 360-degree views of the truck.

The Tacoma is an amazing vehicle that really impresses no matter what you do. The TRD Off Road package with the Bilsteins is a great choice, and the $41,800 MSRP is not bad considering the special 265-70-R17 all-terrain BF Goodrich tires and the great suspension. It will take you hours to select the right Tacoma model, but in the end it will be worth it. Time will tell if the new Tacoma is going to live as long as the older models, but you will be a lot more comfortable.

Specifications