TRD Sport or TRD OffRoad?

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This is the Toyota 4Runner. It hasn’t had a new generation since 2009. Sure it’s had a facelift between then and now, but 2009 was13 years ago.

How do you keep customers interested in a 13 year old product? Well, one by making it legendarily durable and reliable, but also by introducing special versions or trims

Currently on the Toyota website there are 8 individual trims of 4Runner for sale, and what we’re going to drive today is the newest and weirdest one there is

This is the 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport. It was about a year ago this thing came out and I was “perplexed” now after spending a week with it I’m still pretty “perplexed”

And we’ll get into why I’m perplexed in a minute, but for now let’s start by covering what this thing is

This, of course, is Toyota’s dedicated, go-to offroader. It’s body on frame like other off roading vehicles.

It has a 4 liter v6 engine and a 5 speed automatic transmission

It can be had with 2WD, but what we have today is a 4x4 equipped example and than god for that…I cant imagine something less 4Runner than a 2WD TRD Sport?

And paolo hits the nail on the head right there. This just seems like such a strange concept to rollout to the 4runner.

A SPORT trim?

Sure it’s a big V6 but it’s from the stone age and makes under 300 hp so it takes over 7 and a half seconds to hit 60…and it’s not like the transmission provides any theater

However, they did do a couple things to sharpen this old girl up

You do get 20 inch wheels and more stree oriented tires, and genuinely, this is the best road manners we’ve ever felt in a 4Runner

It’s worlds better than Matt’s old TRD Offroad…

But one of the biggest things Toyota did to give this the “Sport” treatment is to add XREAS suspension

There’s a very technical explanation for how this system works including diagonally connected shocks with hydraulic oil going through a center floating piston…

However, in simple terms - it’s a road-based sport suspension

And it works shockingly well!

The car stays flat through a corner so much more than KDSS cars - there’s so much less pitch and roll, and with the more street-oriented tires, I have a much better idea of whats happening with the tires

It feels so much more effortless and natural to drive on the road, but Toyota says specifically, this system is designed to not impede offroad performance, and after all this is a 4Runner so let’s see if that’s true

this may be a strange trim, but lunar rock paint is good
That’s about where the greatness stops
This has the body kit of the limited up front
But without the black chrome so it looks chonky
Not auto headlights. I don’t even think they’re LED
Weirdly you do get auto highbeams
You get the TRD hood scoop (fake)
20 inch limited wheels, but wack finish
Wrapped in all season tires
Auto deploying running boards
I’d rather have auto headlights…or wipers
9.6 in of clearance (9 on 2wd)
Trd sport badge on the c pillar. Classic
Rear is pretty similar to all 4Runners
Bumper is the limited but color matched
5000 lbs towing
Not power lift gate
But the best thing is the rear window that goes down

It feels like 2009 in here
Some will like that, but it’s just not it from a 22
There’s so much silver which dates it
Also the infotainment dates it
Also the terrible camera date it
No auto headlights
No rain sensing wipers
In fairness it’s the third cheapest at under 41k
But still over 40k I’d expect heated seats
But this has the best feature that no other car has
A water bottle holder that fits my bottle
Wired car play
Bluetooth is trash
Radar cruise but no lane keep
Semi digital cluster is meh
Infotainment is new for 2020 and it’s old
4wd selector is out of a sr5
No sunroof
Black softex leather
Silver stitching with trd in headrest
Visibility is good, it feels good to drive
Rear seats are spacious and so is the trunk
Seats fold flat
This has the cargo shelf option
120 volt outlet in back