Toyota has deep roots in the off-road industry. When they launched the Tacoma TRD Pro, enthusiasts across the US fell in love with it. Their latest Tacoma TRD Pro is everything the previous generation was, but with even more features. Let’s take a look at what makes the latest TRD Pro so good for off-road use.

Suspension

One of the single most important components of any off-road truck is the suspension. Toyota gave the TRD Pro specially designed coil springs that provide one inch of lift up front. In the rear Toyota replaced the stock leaf springs with progressive rate leaf springs that provide more travel and articulation. The new TRD Pro uses Fox 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks instead of the Bilstein shocks found on the previous generation.

These upgraded suspension components help the TRD Pro soak up massive bumps. A stock Tacoma would likely bottom out the suspension if you pushed it too hard. The TRD Pro’s spring and shock package will make it much harder to bottom out. Although Toyota doesn’t recommend jumping a TRD Pro, we’ve seen it been done and the truck did great.

Traction Aids

Toyota didn’t just stop at the improved suspension. The TRD Pro receives an electronic locker in the rear differential. It also receives a limited-slip center differential. Hopefully, in the future Toyota will give it lockers in both axles.

On top of the rear locker, the TRD Pro also gets all of Toyota’s fancy off-road features. The Multi-Terrain Select system is an advanced traction control system that is optimized for different kinds of terrain. Hill-start assist helps you take off after stopping on a hill without digging the tires into a hole. When crawling on rocks the Crawl Control system will maintain an appropriate speed, allowing the driver to focus on steering.

All of these traction aids combine really help the TRD Pro perform off-road. The only thing that could make it better is a locker in the front axle. The new Chevy ZR2 has a front locker, so we hope Toyota will eventually add one to the TRD Pro.

Wheels and Tires

Toyota outfitted the Tacoma TRD Pro with unique 16-inch off-road wheels. Mounted on those wheels are 265/70R16 Goodyear Wrangler A/T tires. These tires are an excellent blend for street and dirt usage. Most buyer will likely be using their truck on the road every day so Toyota’s tire choice makes sense.

We would probably upgrade the tires, but for the average buyer, the Goodyear Wrangler A/T tires will be great. Unfortunately, Toyota didn’t include those fake bead locks that everyone seemed to love so much.

Summary

All things considered, the Tacoma TRD Pro is a great little truck. The Fox shocks and custom tuned TRD springs let this truck absorb massive bumps with ease. Chevy turned up the heat with the release of the ZR2 this year. Hopefully, we’ll see an upgraded TRD Pro in the near future.

For now, the Tacoma TRD Pro remains one of the most popular trucks in the off-road segment. Do you like the new Tacoma TRD Pro? Let us know in the comments below!