toyota elevates off road exploration with the TRD pro pickup trucks

the ‘TRD pro’ series from toyota returns for its next generation of off-road dominance. first unveiled in 2014, the TRD ‘PRO’ lineup was born from the japanese-automaker’s rich racing and off-road heritage. all vehicles offer unique styling, as well as highly capable, tried and tested performance off-road equipment, specifically tailored for when the pavement runs out. for 2019, toyota’s ‘tundra’, ‘4runner’ and ‘tacoma’ pickup trucks will all feature fox shocks and a host of impressive off-road equipment.

all images © toyota 

for 2019, toyota’s ‘TRD pro’ line-up rides on 2.5-inch exclusive fox internal bypass shocks. tuned specifically for each vehicle by the engineers at toyota racing design, the aluminum-bodied fox shocks offer impressive performance and supreme damping for a wide variety of driving situations. high-speed desert running, slow-speed rock crawling, or simply driving to and from work – drivers and passengers will be as comfortable as they are confident.

each high-tech fox shock compactly incorporates bypass zones inside of the shock. these multiple bypass zones offer a cushioned, plush ride during typical operation but get progressively stiffer through the shock stroke to provide excellent bottoming resistance. the front shocks are paired with specially-tuned springs designed for excellent ride comfort and to also produce additional lift, giving each vehicle an aggressive, heightened stance for improved trail-conquering capability.

distinguishing the exterior are unique ‘TRD pro’ badges, projector-beam headlights with black sport bezels and led daytime running lights, rigid industries LED fog lights, taillights with black sport bezels, and a black toyota grille. a host of additional equipment finds its way onto the new ‘tacoma TRD pro’, including an updated front skid plate with red lettering, while the cat-back exhaust is accented with a new black chrome tip. inside, passengers are treated to standard entune premium JBL audio with subwoofer amplifier, and integrated navigation and app suite.

the most eye-catching of the ‘tacoma’ upgrades, no doubt, is a ‘TRD’ desert air intake. created to sustain consistent off-road performance no matter how silty or dirty the terrain gets, the intake takes the 278 horsepower 3.5l V6 engine’s air intake away from dust that hovers inside the wheel well (where traditional air intakes are located) during off-road operation. this allows for air ingestion to occur in a cleaner space above the windshield, helping to benefit filter longevity and, ultimately, engine health.