Chicago 2014: Toyota TRD Pro Ups The Off-Road Ante

TTAC Staff
by TTAC Staff

With Toyota serving as the market leader in body-on-frame trucks (the Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner and now departed FJ Cruiser), taking aim at the off-road segment seems like a logical next step for their TRD aftermarket division. The new TRD Pro lineup, shown above, clearly apes the styling cues of the Ford Raptor, and is evidence that Toyota is not going to let the Blue Oval have that market all to itself

The TRD Pro trucks won’t get any engine upgrades, but every truck in the lineup gets TRD Bilstein shocks with a remote reservoir, TRD-tuned front springs, a front skid plate, and unique grille with a large Toyota badge in the center. All three of the vehicles will have lifted front ends, with the Tundra and Tacoma getting a 2 inch raise while the 4Runner makes do with 1.5.

The Tundra will get 18 inch wheels, with the 4Runner getting 17 inchers and the Tacoma sporting 16″ wheels. Each vehicle will get an upgraded interior with TRD parts, with the 4Runner sports an extra inch of wheel travel and the Tacoma gets a TRD exhaust.

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  • Azmtbkr81 Azmtbkr81 on Feb 06, 2014

    It isn't much but I'm glad to at least see some signs of life from the largely abandoned 4x4 market.

  • Billfrombuckhead Billfrombuckhead on Feb 06, 2014

    Desperate attempt to save face after the the failure of the FJ Cruiser

    • See 3 previous
    • IHateCars IHateCars on Feb 07, 2014

      @azmtbkr81 "From a sales standpoint the FJ was a failure..." I wonder....from a ROI perspective, Toyota took an existing platform, the Prado, put a different body on it and sold quite a few of them (I know I'm oversimplifying the process, but it's not like they developed the vehicle from scratch). Based on those terms, I think they probably did quite well with it. I don't think they ever expected to beat Wrangler sales. Like the Raptor, I think it was a (relatively) inexpensive experiment that worked....but it has run its course.

  • IHateCars IHateCars on Feb 07, 2014

    I like the TRD concept across the model line that they've chosen. I've had an FJ, and now drive a Raptor. If and when I get rid of the Raptor, I'd seriously consider a TRD Forerunner. As far as thought that these kinds of vehicles just have a few aftermarket goodies bolted on, I have to disagree. In the case of the Raptor, it has the extreme off road capability baked into the inherent goodness of the F-150....a total package that's engineered to work together. The Raptor is quite comfortable/capable on road as well as off road...something that can't be said of a truck with an aftermarket suspension lift bolted on...there's always going to be a handling compromise. With a vehicle like the Raptor, and I suspect with these TRD variants, that compromise will be very much reduced if not eliminated altogether.

  • Zip89123 Zip89123 on Feb 07, 2014

    Much ado about nothing. Not one of these comes with a limited slip. After they're stuck, the owners will probably find out they didn't come with tow hooks either.

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