Truck goes anywhere in sturdy style
Pickups are utilitarian vehicles used to haul and tow stuff for work and/or for pleasure. But if your inclination is toward more pleasure than work, the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Double Cab 4x4 short-bed should suit you just fine.
We’ve all seen jacked-up, crud-encrusted 4x4 trucks, the owners of which clearly flaunt their offroad adventures in some far-off bog pit, logging trail or desert dunes. Toyota has joined with other truck makers in creating a decidedly higher-end hauler for just such warranty-flaunting purposes.
The trend really gained traction with the arrival of the 2010 Ford SVT Raptor. This rip-snorting pickup looked and acted every bit the rock crawling, dirt devil it purported to be. With a beefy V-8 engine, special suspension, under-body protection and knobby boots, the original Raptor and its twinturbo V-6 successor are clearly the alpha-dogs of the group.
The Tacoma TRD Pro (TRD stands for Toyota Racing Development), a subset of the Toyota’s midsize pickup that was significantly updated for the 2016 model year, joins in the fun for 2017. What it lacks in size and muscle compared to the Raptor, it makes up for in content and that special bruteforce appearance that’s important in this league.
The first thing you’ll notice about the TRD Pro is the blacked-out grille and fender cladding, along with a hood scoop and the removal of the lower chin spoiler (replaced by a protective aluminum skid plate) for increased ground clearance. LED fog lights are also standard.
That’s just for starters. Toyota also swapped out the Tacoma Double Cab’s standard wheel-and-tire package for 16-inch black alloys fitted with Goodyear Wrangler All Terrain tires.
Beneath the bodywork, the specialty content continues, including off-road tuned front and rear suspension and Fox-brand shock absorbers that provide a 2.5-centimetre gain in ride height. The standard four-wheel-drive system includes a limitedslip centre differential and an electronic locking rear differential. For rugged off-road activities, this hardware is considered essential.
The finishing touch is a class IV tow hitch that allows the truck to pull up to 2,950 kilograms.
Inside, it’s premium content all the way, with leather-covered seats (heated in front), navigation, premium audio and backup-warning systems.
Naturally, Toyota has installed the Tacoma’s beefiest engine in the TRD Pro. The 3.5-litre V-6 produces 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. It can be hooked to a six-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed automatic. With the automatic, you get a traction-control system with five separate terrain settings, plus Crawl Control that keeps the truck on a tight leash when heading down steep grades.
During paved-road highway driving, the TRD Pro performs just like any other pickup. The chassis feels taut, but not overly firm and, except for some tire noise, the cab is quiet and comfortable. Once off the beaten path, the TRD makes you feel absolutely invincible. Crank up the air conditioning and the tunes and the truck takes care of the rest. Heading up some seriously steep, wet and rockstrewn grades in four-wheel low range is a no-sweat exercise for this rig. Point it back down the same hill while engaging the speed-limiting Crawl Control and all you do is steer while keeping your foot off the accelerator.
Over flatter, greasy surfaces, the 2,000-kilogram TRD Pro is a total hoot to fling around and will have you grinning from ear to ear as the paint gets coated with mud and weeds.
The larger and similarly equipped Tundra TRD Pro delivers the same confidence-inspiring performance, yet it feels a bit too unwieldy performing the same stunts as the Tacoma.
The price for all this unbridled fun comes to $51,700, including destination charges, for the manual-gearbox TRD Pro and $55,000 for the automatic. With either version, good times are practically unavoidable.
THE SPEC SHEET
2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Type: Four-door, four-wheel-drive mid-size pickup Engine (h.p.): 3.5-litre DOHC V-6 (278) Transmissions: Six-speed manual; six-speed automatic (opt.) Market position: For off-road trucks such as the TRD Pro, the necessary equipment is properly engineered and is built into the monthly payments. Buyers don’t have to come out of pocket for that gear after the vehicle purchase. Points: A rugged-looking truck that also has a strong practical side. • Too bad that the TRD Pro package is only available in four-door models and not in extended cabs. • Standardissue V-6 is potent enough, but some added power would have been appropriate with this model. • Off pavement, there’s plenty of fun to be had with this comfortable, capable pickup. Active safety: Blind-spot warning with cross-traffic alert (std.); active cruise control (n.a.); emergency braking (n.a.) Fuel economy, L/100 km (city/hwy) 13.2/10.7 (MT) Base price (incl. destination) $51,700