2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Road Test and Review

It may look a lot like the 2019 truck, but the 2020 Toyota Tacoma gets a mild refreshing and a number of significant upgrades and updates. This top-selling mid-size pickup receives an updated infotainment system with a larger touchscreen and Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa capability, and there's now a power-operated driver's seat. Tied to that, this desert-racer-inspired TRD Pro version gains a version of the Multi-Terrain/Panoramic Monitor similar to the one in the iconic Toyota Land Cruiser. Underpinning the 2020 Tacoma TRD Pro are new 16-inch wheels that are 4.2 pounds lighter, reducing unsprung weight for improved suspension performance. And it’s all capped off with new C-shaped LED headlamps, sequential LED front turn signal lamps, and Rigid Industries LED fog lamps for a new look.

At a base price of $43,960 not including the recently increased $1,120 destination and delivery charge, the 2020 Tacoma TRD Pro tops an extensive model lineup with 32 different cab, bed, powertrain, and trim configurations that begin with the two-wheel drive $26,050 Tacoma SR. All TRD Pro vehicles are four-door Double Cabs with 5-foot beds and four-wheel drive. 

While all four-wheel drive Tacomas are willing off-road explorers, the TRD Pro separates itself from the pack with its standard 2.5-inch diameter FOX internal bypass coil-over front and remote reservoir rear high-pressure long-travel shock absorbers that can handle rough terrain without losing their damping ability.

Working in conjunction with beefy Kevlar-reinforced Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain 265/70R16 tires, 1-inch-lifted TRD-tuned front coil springs, and TRD-tuned progressive-rate off-road rear leaf springs, the high-riding TRD Pro has generous ground clearance as well as increased approach, departure, and breakover angles for clearing rocks, humps, logs, and other off-road obstacles. New lightweight black alloy wheels not only reduce unsprung weight by a little more than 4 lbs per corner for quicker suspension response but also have increased offset, widening the TRD Pro’s track by an inch for a more stable and cooler-looking wide-body stance. Also standard in automatic-transmission versions of the TRD Pro (it’s not available with the manual) is a multi-terrain select system. It offers custom settings for things like loose rock, sand, or mud, and custom-tailors throttle response, shift points, and traction control to handle each challenge.

The TRD Pro comes standard with the Tacoma’s uplevel 3.5-liter D-4S V6 engine, which features both direct and port fuel injection as well as intelligent variable valve timing. It’s rated at 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque. A 4WDemand part-time four-wheel drive system and a driver-selectable locking rear differential are standard as well.

While maximum torque doesn’t kick in until a heady 4,600 rpm, it’s a smooth-running V6. And thanks to its low-restriction TRD cat-back exhaust, it's a bit more talkative than that offered in the standard Tacoma. While 278 horsepower pales in comparison to, say, the twin-turbo 450-hp V6 in the Ford F-150 Raptor, the TRD Pro carries about a half-ton less weight around than the aviary Ford. EPA estimates for the TRD Pro are 17 mpg city/20 mpg highway/18 mpg combined with the standard six-speed manual gearbox or 18 mpg city/22 mpg highway/20 mpg combined with the optional six-speed automatic. Fun fact: The Tacoma is one of a disappearing breed of vehicles available with a stick-shift transmission, so if you like the mechanical feel and involvement of rowing your own gears, the TRD Pro is worth a look. The TRD Pro’s max tow rating is 6,400 lbs.

The Tacoma TRD Pro isn’t just about hardware. As the range-topper in the Tacoma lineup, the TRD Pro comes standard with black leather front bucket seats with TRD logos and red accent stitching. The shift lever and tilt/telescope steering wheel are leather-trimmed as well.

Newly available for the 2020 Tacoma lineup and standard in the TRD Pro is a 10-way power-operated driver seat. The front passenger seat is still adjusted manually. Both are heated as well. Smart keyless entry with push-button starting is standard (except in manual-transmission models) as is a HomeLink garage-door opener and an auto-dimming day/night mirror. A standard power tilt/slide moonroof with a sliding sunshade cheers the TRD Pro’s cabin.

Say goodbye to the Tacoma’s vintage Entune head unit with CD player and hello to, at long last, one with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and even Amazon Alexa compatibility. The new TRD Pro touchscreen grows from 7 inches to 8 this year, and even though the screen can be configured to mimic the one on your phone, Toyota wisely kept the handy analog volume and tuning knobs as well as quick key hard buttons. There are no remote touch interfaces to deal with or series of menus to scroll through. The driver can also access the system via steering-wheel controls and voice commands.

Standard in the TRD Pro is an uplevel JBL AM/FM audio system with six speakers, a subwoofer, HD radio, SiriusXM, and dynamic navigation. Connected services for various trial periods include onboard Wi-Fi, destination assist, safety connect, service connect, and remote vehicle access.

A wireless inductive charger for Qi-enabled phones and tablets sits atop the center console, eliminating some of the console cable clutter associated with trying to charge multiple devices. There is also a 12-volt plug and three USB ports for electronic detritus within handy reach, one for streaming media and two for charging.

All Tacomas come with standard air conditioning, but the TRD Pro’s is a dual-zone set-and-forget automatic system that provides individual settings for the driver and front passenger. Also shown here are power switches for the TRD Pro’s standard sonar rear parking assist, sliding rear window, and 120-volt cargo bed-mounted electrical outlet.

The TRD Pro comes only as a Double Cab, which means four full-size doors for the whole crew and a rear seat with 8 inches more rear-seat legroom than available in the Tacoma Access Cab.

In all, this Tacoma has roughly equivalent second-row seat legroom to what Toyota offers in a 4Runner SUV. A power sliding rear window with privacy glass is standard on the TRD Pro.

With an open bed and interior in full view, most pickups don’t have a lot of hidden storage for valuables, say, if you’ll leave the truck parked at a trailhead for several hours while you and the crew take a hike. The TRD Pro has that situation covered, offering stash space for items you may want to put out of sight.

Under the rear seat bottom cushion is a compartment that can easily handle a purse, camera, or small tablet. And behind the rear seatback cushion is a larger space, handy to stash a larger laptop, a purse, or a rear headrest you may want to store temporarily and keep it from rolling around on the floor.

You’ll never need to get a bedliner or worry about dents or rust with routine use, because the TRD Pro comes with a built-in fiber-reinforced sheet-molded composite-lined inner bed as standard. It’s a 5-foot long bed that’s 19.1 inches deep and has a deck rail system with four adjustable tie-downs plus storage bins.

There’s also a 400-watt, 120-volt power outlet in the side of the bed to use for power tools, tailgating parties, and such. The truck is shown here with an optional accessory rubber liner, while other bed accessories include a $300 flip-down bed extender, a $149 LED bed lighting package, a $389 cargo divider, a $169 power tailgate lock, and a $300 flip-down bed step at the rear corner near the bumper.

The big fun of the Tacoma TRD Pro is getting out there and going places at pavement’s end that most four-wheeled vehicles can’t handle. One factor is the TRD Pro’s mid-size proportions, which along with competitors such as the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, enable it to fit between boulders, trees, and other tight spaces a full-size rig like the Ford F-150 Raptor can’t squeeze through. The TRD Pro has a two-speed shift-on-the-fly transfer case and a driver-selectable locking rear differential, hill-start assist, active traction control, and Crawl Control. The latter is akin to low-speed cruise control, used with low range to negotiate challenging terrain. With the control panel on the forward part of the headliner above the rearview mirror, the driver can set one of five speed settings and, once it's engaged, concentrate on steering as Crawl Control handles speed duties.

A cool optional accessory is the desert air intake shown in some of these exterior photos: a snorkel mounted on the front passenger side windshield pillar that takes cleaner (and theoretically less dusty or water-splashed) air from rooftop level, instead of from behind the grille or under the hood.

It’s had several names since first being sold here in 1964, but Toyota’s smaller pickup has had a strong following in the U.S. for more than a half-century based on its strong reputation for durability. While many brands temporarily or permanently stopped selling compact or mid-size pickups here, Toyota persevered in the market. In 2019, the Texas-built Tacoma was besting the total combined sales of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, as well as the recently reintroduced Ford Ranger.

The 2020 Tacoma and its many variations such as the TRD Pro are poised to continue this success with an extensive roster of standard safety equipment. This includes automatic emergency braking, a lane-departure alert, high-speed dynamic cruise control, and, on the TRD Pro, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic detection. Along with a long-anticipated infotainment system upgrade to include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, the TRD Pro’s new 8-inch backup camera screen now features a panoramic 360-degree view and Land Cruiser-like multi-terrain monitor for customizable camera views around the vehicle.