2026 Toyota TRD Pro Models Add a Splash of Color
Toyota TRD Pro models are getting a new, special shade of blue dubbed Wave Maker for 2026.
This new finish is available on TRD Pro 4Runner and Sequoia SUVs and Tacoma and Tundra pickups.
This is the eleventh TRD Pro special color to join the company's color wheel since 2015.
If you're tired of muted silvers covering your car, Toyota has an answer. Well, at least in its top-tier TRD Pro versions you'll be able to snag the new 'Wave Maker' finish.
This new shade is the 11th addition to the special list of TRD paints and is scheduled to hit 4Runner, Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia models this fall.
Toyota says this finish was developed by Toyota's CALTY design team. This is the same group responsible for other TRD Pro exclusive colors like the more muted mud bath finish for 2025 models, and the terra finish from 2024.
Now, this new paint is obviously limited to just a handful of trim models in an already limited portfolio. That means you're out of luck if you want a more price-friendly version of Toyota's latest body-on-frame machines in this new color.
However, if you look at the trend of these limited colors, you might be in luck down the line as the colors move down the trim walk.
If you do plan on adding a new TRD Pro 4Runner, Tacoma, Tundra, or Sequoia finished in wave maker, you'll have to wait until the 2026 model year comes around this fall.
Toyota hasn't yet released pricing for the '26 model TRD Pros, but stickers should be close to the current $65,230 price admission into a Tacoma TRD Pro, which is the most affordable TRD Pro variant currently sold.
Do you think there should be more vibrant colors like this on cars? Tell us your thoughts below.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
31 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Tariffs Threaten Toyota's 2025 U.S. Lineup as Prices and Plans Hang in Balance
Toyota has a big year ahead, with fully two dozen new models set to debut under the Toyota and Lexus brand names. But the Trump administration's tariffs has left the carmaker in a state of limbo, while a new ruling by a federal trade court has only complicated matters. The Japanese automaker is stuck in a "wait and see mode," David Christ, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division, told Autoblog during an interview at Toyota headquarters. Under the tariffs announced in April, and formally enacted on May 3, automakers like Toyota face a 25% hit on imported autos and auto parts, potentially putting many products "out of reach for a lot of Americans," said Mark Templin, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Toyota Motor North America. How to respond to the new tariffs is a question Toyota is still trying to figure out, Templin and other senior executives told Autoblog. The answer could affect pricing, marketing, and manufacturing plans. Toyota has to rethink whether some base models should remain available in the US. Trying to figure out how to respond to the tariffs is no easy task, as manufacturers have yet to get clear guidance from the White House. The new sanctions are supposed to cover imported autos and auto parts. But how will parts and components that repeatedly cross the border be handled? How will they be applied to parts produced in Mexico and Canada covered by the USMCA trade deal signed during the first Trump administration? Meanwhile, Trump has signaled he might tweak the auto tariffs. He's already rolled back duties on imported computers and smartphones, rolled back tariffs on China, and delayed other sanctions. If those weren't complicating matters enough, the Court of International Trade on Wednesday ruled that the president didn't have authority to impose his sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as Trump claimed. But that ruling has been paused while it's reviewed by a federal appeals court. "We need to understand the rules," one Toyota executive said during a meeting at the automaker's headquarters in Plano, Texas last week. The new legal twist makes that even more challenging – and makes it more difficult for Toyota to move forward on its plans for the coming year, and beyond. One big question: is the product roll-out it has scheduled this coming year still viable? Among other things, Toyota has to figure out how much tariffs might add to each of its vehicles – and whether to pass higher prices onto consumers. It may also have to consider whether to shift production of some parts, components and vehicles to avoid or, at least minimize, the impact of tariffs. Toyota builds roughly 50% of the vehicles it currently sells in the United States at 11 U.S. plants. That climbs to 80% if you include three Canadian and Mexican assembly lines. But even those could be impacted by the new trade sanctions due to their reliance on imported parts and components. Last year saw U.S. auto sales nip the 16 million mark for the first time since the pandemic – though that remained well behind the 17.5 million record set in 2016. Nonetheless, the trajectory seemed bound to keep climbing. Toyota's target for the industry this year was 16.1 million, with some bullish estimates as high as 16.5 million. But there's widespread expectation that this will drop sharply should the tariffs remain in effect for an extended period. Cox Automotive now forecasts a figure of around 15 million and as low as 14 million should the new trade sanctions trigger a recession. While Trump has warned automakers not to pass tariff costs onto consumers, Christ said that would be difficult for even the most profitable manufacturers. Rival General Motors, for one, has forecast it could see a $5 billion impact from the new sanctions. For its part, said Christ, how much it passes on to consumers likely will vary by model line and market segment. For one thing, it needs to see what the competition is doing. No matter what product, "a 25% increase hurts" buyers, he said, though "maybe the higher-end customer has a little more flexibility in their budget than a low-end customer." Toyota is particularly vulnerable at the low end, the executive acknowledged, noting that it has six product lines available under $30,000, starting with the Corolla which carries a base price of $22,035. The problem is that for entry-level buyers, even "a 1% increase (in price) could take away 10% of the market" for affordable vehicles, said Jonathan Smoke, chief economist at Cox Automotive, during a meeting of the Automotive Press Association. Toyota's policy is to build as many vehicles as possible in the markets where they are sold, noted Templin. And it isn't averse to adding even more capacity. But that isn't as easy as simply throwing a switch. "You can't simply move production facilities overnight," cautioned Templin. It could take years to see new assembly plants added to the 11 Toyota already operates in the U.S. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Network of auto writers driven to carry out cross-country beagle rescues
Paul Eisenstein spotted the text message while in Paris celebrating his 72nd birthday and 17th wedding anniversary. The words delivered a plea for help. Eisenstein had been tapped as part of a rapid response team of beagle rescuers needed in Omaha, Nebraska, to make a trek to Portland, Oregon. His trip would include stopping at dog-friendly hotels in Laramie, Wyoming, and Salt Lake City. On this mission, the team broke off — one group went to Seattle and the rest to Portland. 'They needed drivers. It was pretty desperate,' Eisenstein said. 'Normally they have months to prepare for things like this, because the dogs are coming from foster families. But we had just days to rescue these beagles. I looked at my wife and we had plans for the Memorial Day holiday and I said, 'I don't know what to do.' And my wife said to me, 'You know you've got to do it.'' So Eisenstein and his wife, Jennifer Queville, an ad executive who works from home in Pleasant Ridge, Michigan, returned from France. She flew to Detroit. He flew to Dallas, for an important four-day Toyota event. From Texas, Eisenstein (and Toyota) re-routed his ticket to Omaha. He met up with a handful of other auto reporters — friendly competitors in everyday life but part of a single team committed to beagle rescue. Rescue vehicles usually have two humans each. They met up early on Friday, May 23, to take 14 dogs, including a very heavy adult named Big Booty Judy whose foster parents had a new foster beagle. Judy had to go. 'I saw beagles in a various state of concern, confusion and excitement,' Eisenstein said. A team from Basset and Beagle Rescue of the Heartland sent a covert operative into an auction house in Missouri to bid on the beagle puppies and keep them out of medical testing. Then they met up with rescuers in Omaha — and headed west. Five beagles had foster homes waiting in Seattle. The nine other beagles went to Lee Asher at his 240-acre Asher House sanctuary south of Portland. Asher, a 36-year-old animal advocate and social influencer, supports his nonprofit with ads on his video channels spotlighting dogs and cats. The journalists tag team along the route. Some fly in to relieve those who needed to move on to other tasks. These busy reporters accrue airline points the way stones gather moss. Eisenstein has traveled to 50 countries and every state in the U.S., working up to 80 hours a week. He writes for Forbes, The Economist, Cigar Aficionado and his website and others. 'I don't get a lot of sleep,' he said. 'I love my job.' Nik Miles, 60, of Portland, is the man behind the curtain of Operation Frodo. What began with a one-beagle rescue after the death of a pet in 2021 led to the launch of an ongoing 'mission from Dog' — so named by MotorTrend senior editor Aaron Gold, 52, of Los Angeles — in 2022. Miles test drives cars all over the globe and may be spotted doing pieces for NBC Sports, Fox Sports, CNN and local stations in New York, Chicago and L.A. 'I spent years as a paramedic. I saw some of the worst things in the world. I have saved many lives and lost many lives,' Miles said. 'It's the hardest thing in the world to not cry continually when you're on this trip. I've realized that this trip isn't just saving these dogs, but saving ourselves.' Miles doesn't work alone. Harvey Briggs, 65, of Madison, Wisconsin, editor and publisher of overcame insane logistical challenges and put together the latest mission. Briggs, a board member of the charity that supports these rescues, he made five trips including the one this week. 'When you see the people on the receiving end, it really does add another layer of meaning.' Miles lined up a Kia Carnival, Ram Pro Master 2500 and a Volkswagen Atlas with just a few days' notice. It was up to Briggs to find people who would drive all or part of the 1,700 miles on a holiday weekend, plan hotels, meals and find supplies. 'We wanted to make sure we could deliver on the promise,' Briggs said. How this big beagle campaign came to life is better than a movie script. After Miles' beagle Joey died of respiratory disease, he spotted a look-alike named Frodo while on assignment in Germany and scrolling Facebook. He learned that the rescue group didn't have a physical shelter. It was run with foster families. Miles was intrigued. He talked to other journalists over dinner at a Toyota program in San Diego, and the conversation turned into a movement that has evolved over five years. Miles discovered that puppy mills produce a lot of unwanted beagles that end up dumped if unsold. Hunters also abandon beagles in the woods at the end of the season, too. One breeder told a rescuer said if the excess pups weren't taken, the breeder would just shoot them. 'That's one of the things that motivates us,' Eisenstein said. Beagles come from Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Meanwhile, people on the West Coast wanted beagles. As someone who drives as many as 150 vehicles a year, Miles told automakers of the crazy mission and many offered to help. Cars, trucks and vans came from Jeep, Nissan, Mercedes, Toyota, Ford, Ram, Subaru, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis and VW. The first commitment came from Nissan, which built an animal rescue truck. It led to the creation of the nonprofit run by Miles, who has donated about one-third of his automotive journalist salary to the charity over the past five years. While emergency rescues come up throughout the year, it's the Christmas delivery that's planned in advance because puppy mills always have too many unsold beagles. 'Several carmakers have asked if they could have only their vehicles (involved) and pay all expenses at Christmas,' Miles said. 'But this is not about a car company or an individual. It's about a movement. It's about everybody working together. It's about being better human beings, standing in line and passing buckets to put the fire out. You can't have one person do it. You've got to have everybody do it together.' Christmas is the big event every year: The team delivered four beagles in 2022, 12 beagles in 2023 and 20 beagles in 2024. 'There just seems to be a cadence,' Miles said. 'Our first year, Jeep loaned us a Wagoneer to come back and we hit the worst snowstorm in 100 years. It was minus 70 degrees in Wyoming. We got trapped in the snow, slid off the road, ended up face-down in the ditch. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face.' So far, 62 beagles have been rescued by journalists with Operation Frodo, Miles said. His time-sensitive rescue alerts usually come from Kathi Ortmeier, 57, of Omaha, when Basset and Beagle Rescue of the Heartland foster homes hit maximum capacity; she finds veterinarians, homes and supplies to make the epic journey. 'We do 300-350 dogs a year,' Ortmeier said. This rescue at the end of May, however, was critical and significant. 'We have no open foster homes and the foster homes we have are getting burnt out. When we saw this latest batch come up for auction, we wanted to buy them and find homes so they wouldn't go back into breeding or medical testing,' Ortmeier said. '… If they hit shelters, there's no space. They'll die.' Beagles are good family dogs because they love people, train easily with food and don't require a lot of grooming, Ortmeier said. Miles has two beagles — plus two labradors, a golden retriever and a German shepherd. Eisenstein adopted a beagle after the Christmas rescue last year. Melvyn Torme, the dog in question, had a home waiting for his arrival by Dec. 25, but Eisenstein fell in love the dog and pleaded to keep it. Miles negotiated a swap with Melvyn's brother, Fred, during a break at a truck stop between Denver and Salt Lake City. Eisenstein cried with relief and joy. He hopped a plane to Detroit to deliver Melvyn and then flew Fred to Portland. The two dogs had been found in the woods of Tennessee, abandoned by hunters. 'I love Melvyn,' said Eisenstein, who has another dog and two cats. 'We bonded instantly.' The families of Melvyn and Fred have stayed in touch since Christmas 2024. Fred's new beagle sibling, Kirby, was among the 4,000 beagles surrendered to the U.S. Humane Society after a federal investigation into an Enviro research breeding facility in Cumberland, Virginia. The company was fined $35 million by the U.S. Justice Department for animal welfare and environmental crimes. Sara Stamper, 70, of Milwaukie, Oregon, is a retired vet clinic receptionist with two dogs plus Fred. 'He is sweet and gentle and funny. We're in love.' That rescue trek inspired stories to remember forever. Gold drove a Mercedes van on loan for review (for a year) from Los Angeles to Omaha to Portland with freelancer Jeff Zuschneide of Tillamook, Ore. They joined a dozen or so others to rescue 23 beagles, stopping in Denver and Boise. Puppies weren't beaten but they hadn't been loved, Gold said. The animals went from cowering in the kennel to racing outdoors to explore the world. 'On that last morning, I was lying in bed just bawling,' he said. 'I later learned that the breeder was going to shoot those beagles if we didn't take them. I'm glad I didn't know that. At home, if you ask my landlord, I have one dog. If you walk into my place, you'll find four dogs.' Cathy Faulkner, 58, of Beaverton, Oregon, said her heart was so broken after the loss of her 15-year-old beagle Sammy that she didn't want to ever get a beagle again. She had serious depression and adopted a yellow Labrador named Foster instead. But then she found Buddy online through Miles and his rescue squad. 'Beagles are just very sweet,' Faulkner said. 'They love so hard. I swear, Buddy sees into my soul. Sammy, my other beagle, was the same way … They have a lot of energy and they're so enthusiastic and they want to explore everywhere.' Rescuers sometimes name the dogs after cars — like Elantra, Nexio and Mercedes. 'Dogs make everything better,' said Gold, who is traveling in Korea this week. 'You can have the crappiest day where you feel unaccomplished and no one respects you and you feel like crying. You walk in the door — and no matter how low and how bad and how small you are made to feel — all you have to do to be loved by a dog is exist.' 'Nik told me, 'This will change you.' It changed me,' Gold said. 'I'll keep doing this until there are no dogs left to move.' To help: values financial contributions and the gift of time. Needs include legal, social media, IT, web development and fundraising support. Phoebe Wall Howard, who was a Free Press auto reporter for nearly seven years, writes a column on car culture, consumer trends and life that appear periodically on and in print. Her Shifting Gears column appears on Substack at Contact her at phoebe@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Auto writers are driven to carry out cross-country beagle rescues
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY) Soars Almost 29% After Securing $250 Million Investment from Toyota
Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY) stock surged significantly on Wednesday after the electric air taxi developer announced it had received a $250 million investment from Toyota. This funding is part of a previously disclosed $500 million commitment from the automaker, aimed at helping Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY) move closer to certification and large-scale production of its electric air taxis. Toyota initially revealed the investment plan in October. Joby specializes in electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, which operate similarly to helicopters. The technology is designed to help ease urban traffic and lower emissions. The new funding adds to Toyota's earlier $394 million investment in Joby during a Series C funding round in 2020. Toyota North America CEO Tetsuo Ogawa joined Joby's board in July 2023, and the company has had a Toyota representative on its board since 2020. CEO and founder of Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), JoeBen Bevirt, made the following comment in the release: 'We're already seeing the benefit of working with Toyota in streamlining manufacturing processes and optimizing design. This is an important next step in our alliance with Toyota to scale the promise of electric flight.' Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY) closed nearly 29% higher on May 28. While we acknowledge the potential of JOBY to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than JOBY and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ MORE: and Disclosure. None. Sign in to access your portfolio
