Test-Driving The Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD
Toyota
The Tacoma TRD Pro is a hasty, angry, delicious pickup that took a severe beating off-road during its week's test and came out properly caked with muck and ready for more driving. If you're a Tacoma fan, here's a trim particularly suited to the impatient, the power-hungry and those with a thirst for banging it freestyle over dirt, rocks and what-have-you.
The TRD Pro is the most hardcore, off-road-focused version of the 2025 Toyota Tacoma. It's built to do sand, dirt, forests, streams with exclusive features like the FOX suspension, all-terrain tires, skid plates and a factory lift. It's also packed with tech to handle serious trails straight from the factory - you can buy it and head for the hills, literally. Prices start at MSRP $63,735, $67,410 with options.
2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD
NATHAN LEACH-PROFFER
The TRD Pro now comes with a hybrid powertrain as standard (i-FORCE MAX), an improved suspension setup, new multi-link rear suspension (no more leaf springs), and a fresh interior loaded with new tech. Toyota also introduces IsoDynamic Performance Seats—special seats designed to stabilize the driver and passenger over rough terrain.
The 2025 TRD Pro looks like what it is, a tough little punk with flared fenders, a lifted suspension and exclusive TRD Pro grille with an integrated LED light bar. It rides on 33-inch Goodyear Territory R/T tires and boasts a hood scoop, rock sliders and a high-clearance front bumper. The signature color for 2025 is Terra, in case anyone's wondering. (That's a burnt-orange shade.)
2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD
Toyota
It's not one of those trucks whose insides are cushy, coddling and plush, and you don't want it to be. Even during every day use, you're reminded that the truck's happy place is in the forest or the stream.
You've also got leather-trimmed upholstery with red contrast stitching as well as a a 14-inch touchscreen with Toyota's latest infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto and Premium JBL sound system with a detachable Bluetooth speaker. Multi-Terrain Monitor (that's a camera system for off-road navigation)
2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD
Toyota
The TRD Pro comes with a 5-foot composite bed, so no need for a liner unless you want to put down your own. You also have Power outlets (120V & USB), built-in storage compartments and a tailgate with an integrated step.
You've got a 2.4L 4-cylinder turbocharged hybrid (i-FORCE MAX) engine making 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. There's an 8-speed automatic transmission but unfortunately no option for a manual with the TRD Pro. Mileage is around 23 MPG city-highway combined, less of course when you're off-roading.
Moments after I got in, belted up and set off, I was sold. I thought I was driving a 6-cylinder, but no, the hybrid-assisted turbo 4 shot me forward to my heart's content. Daily driving was a continued thrill, with steering sharp, braking swift, cornering reasonable and visibility excellent. You've got a coil-spring rear suspension and those shock-absorber seats so there's no bashing around as in previous models.
Off road, I showed no mercy. I drove into the forested mountain and went as fast as I safely could, enjoying the tossing and turning and seeking whatever terrible terrain I could find to test the truck's mettle. It took everything I threw at it, and back down the mountain I drove, caked with mud, thumbs-up.
2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
Toyota
FOX QS3 adjustable shocks, remote reservoirs, front skid plates, and a factory lift all add to the experience. Crawl Control & Terrain Modes: Toyota's Crawl Control (off-road cruise control) helps with rough terrain, and multiple terrain modes adjust traction control settings.
Finally, the TRD Pro comes standard with a rear locking differential and a new front sway bar disconnect, giving it better articulation over rocks.
The TRD Pro comes with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which includes a Pre-Collision System (with pedestrian detection), Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Blind-Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, 360-degree camera with underbody views for off-roading and so much more.
Conclusion: The Tacoma TRD Pro did what any owner wants it to do - whatever is asked of it - and therefore gets the big thumbs-up.
Ride safe! JM
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