The Tacoma has always been the brand’s mid-size truck. It offers different trim levels, including the popular TRD Pro model. The 2023 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro is focused on giving people off-road capability straight from the factory. It builds on a long heritage of producing 4×4 trucks. With serious competitors arriving on the scene, is it still considered the best off-road pickup?
Is the 2023 Tacoma TRD Pro a Good Off-Road Truck?
In terms of being an off-road pickup, the TRD Pro Tacoma does a good job. It comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. While it may not be the most efficient midsize pickup, this engine has been around for quite some time. They are known for their ability to pack in the miles.
While a six-speed automatic transmission is available at an additional cost, the standard transmission is actually a six-speed manual transmission. And in a world where you can’t really find a new truck that will let you tidy up your gears, that’s a good thing.
Of course, an off-road truck needs more than that to be the best. It comes from the factory ready to hit the trails. The suspension has been improved, and skid plates are standard fare. In addition, it has more aggressive approach and departure angles.
The Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro has some competition
Toyota is known for keeping things old. For the most part, the brand relies on proven technology and components to keep things reliable. But other manufacturers like Chevy and Nissan have updated their midsize trucks.
All-new for 2023. And it has a bunch of off-road trims, including the ZR2. While the Colorado doesn’t offer a V6 anymore, it does come with more power and torque via its four-wheel drive.
On the other hand, there’s the 2023 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X, which is also a newer truck than the current Tacoma. Toyota has to compete with these newer pickup trucks. And because it’s newer, the Tacoma TRD Pro could fall behind.
When will there be a new Tacoma?
It’s not really clear when Toyota plans to launch the next generation Tacoma. The third-generation Tacoma was introduced for the 2016 model year. So, it’s been around for a while. It is rumored that we can see the future in 2024 or 2025.
With competition heating up, one has to assume Toyota hopes to update its midsize truck sooner rather than later. Especially to help it stay competitive with the other off-road rigs out there.
At the end of the day, only Toyota knows when the next generation Tacoma is coming. Another vintage car in the brand’s lineup is the Toyota 4Runner. And this is one of the oldest new SUVs you can get today.
