Have you ever given any thought about ratcheting up your game and going pro? Well, Toyota has
and that’s good news for you off-road fans because you can spec three of their vehicles
for TRD Pro duty, including this 2016 Tundra.There are 3 color choices when it comes to this
Tundra but none that ignites confabulation like this. Its formal name is Quicksand, though
I heard other less flattering terms used to describe it this week. New for 2016, I give
it a thumbs up, mostly because I love when automakers do something bold, but also because
it really does fit a TRD Pro truck. TRD stands for Toyota Racing Development and the Pro
part is added to distinguish this as a serious off-road kit. In addition to the Tundra, it’s
offered on Tacoma and 4Runner. Going beyond the TRD Off-Road Package already offered on
certain Tundra grades, the Pro goes all in where it matters most…underneath. That’s
where you’ll find these Bilstein High-Performance shocks with bump stops for more impact control
and external reservoirs to help dissipate heat, provide more sensitive damping and extend
wheel travel. Red Eibach coil springs pop from inside the front wheel wheels and are
TRD tuned for a softer ride. The ¼”, silver, powder-coated aluminum skid plate keeps the
underbelly safe while black, 18” TRD alloy wheels come fitted with Michelin LTX tires
designed to resist chipping and tearing, provide long life on gravel and deliver on road refinement.
And for the aesthetic, the TRD Pro wears a throwback TOYOTA grille, special bed panel
stamping, matte black badges and black headlight bezels. Inside, there’s new black leather
seating with red stitching for 2016 and a TRD shift knob for the 6-speed automatic transmission.This
here is the Double Cab with the 6.5’ box with seating for up to 6 though an even more
commodious rear seat can be specified in the Crew Max though that comes with the short
bed.With a 2” lift in the front and no side steps, it would have been nice if Toyota had
put a grab handle on the driver’s side.Unlike the Ram Rebel I recently tested, you can’t
lower this Tundra for easier access. The driver’s seat is the only spot that doesn’t get a
helping hand. Turn the key – there is no push button start – and there’s the familiar
sound of the TRD Performance Dual Exhaust System, the same setup I had on my last Tundra
tester. It is something with a deep, throaty resonance that turns heads making it the best
sounding truck on the market. But with no on-off switch it can get a little droning.
The ruckus it creates starts with the standard 5.7-liter V8 – a Toyota big truck staple
that produces 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. It helps this Tundra tow up to
10,300 pounds and provides sport-truck acceleration – it’s quite fast. But it’s also one
of the least economical engines on the market, rated at only 15mpg in combined driving. I
only netted 13mpg. So Toyota has some work to do here. To compensate for the requisite
short driving range, the gas tank has been enlarged to 38 gallons this year – that’s
12 more than before.Off-roading in a pickup is fun but rigs like this are so big that
you’d better make sure your trail is wide. But it’s on-Road where this Tundra will
surprise you. Not only are the Bilsteins tough enough for serious dirty work, but they do
a magnificent job in giving the Tundra a super smooth ride. And of course the i-Force provides
more than enough power and with the TRD exhaust there’s no hiding from it.10.6” of ground
clearance affords the freedom to go just about anywhere and the TRD Pro is all poise under
pressure. Unlike the Rebel, 4-wheel drive is standard as is an auto limited slip differential
activated by pressing the traction control button. Smooth and effortless is the name
of the game on and off road and I always felt confident on the trail. It’s a great truck
and at $43,640 it’s 10 grand cheaper than the Rebel I tested. But, that price cut is
evident in the more work-like nature of the cabin and the absent features, such as power
folding mirrors, power, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, etc. Plus, the leather
isn’t as rich and the seats are formless and somewhat uncomfortable. The Entune system
with navigation is pretty good and simply laid out but like some others, the Apps are
slow to load.The 6.5-ft. box is nice to have, but it’s pretty rare these days that I test-drive
a truck without at least some sort of bed liner.It’s big, looks cool, sounds awesome
and isn’t afraid to go anywhere at an attractive price point for a specialty off-road truck.
But The Tundra TRD Pro will also please the owner who keeps it primarily on the pavement.