I have had the opportunity to drive some awesome vehicles while in the military and overseas. By far the two vehicles that stood out to me were the Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser. I have been drawn to Toyota since those experiences and when the time came to purchase a new vehicle, I knew exactly what I wanted. While we can’t purchase the Hilux in the states, the Tacoma stands out as one of, if not, the best mid-size pickup trucks on the market. I am by no means an expert on vehicles, but these are my first impressions after a month with the 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road.
Our Unbiased Review of the Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road
Interior
Lack of Luxury Amenities
For the last 5 years I have been driving a 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude. While it wasn’t my favorite vehicle that I’ve owned, it spoiled me with heated seats and a heated steering wheel. My Tacoma TRD Off Road doesn’t have any of that. As far away from base as this truck is, the interior lacks some amenities that other vehicles in the same price point have. I’ll have to learn to deal with a cold rump in the winter.
Ample Storage
Storage is plentiful in the double cab Tacoma TRD Off Road. The glove box and center console are spacious; there is enough room to store even large electronics. Behind the second-row seats are two cubbies for storage. Additionally, under the second-row seats is where the jack is stored but can also hold items like jumper cables and other recovery equipment.
Stereo
From what I’ve read about the Entune system in older Tacoma’s, I’m glad it’s a feature no longer available. The head unit in the 2020 Tacoma TRD Off Road is excellent. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both compatible with this unit, making buying the GPS upgrade unnecessary. Simply plug your phone into the USB port on the dash and your phone’s navigation will be displayed on the head unit’s screen.
Interior Tacoma TRD Off Road Pros:
- Ample storage
- Big display for maps
- Plenty of leg room
Interior Tacoma TRD Off Road Cons:
- Terrible sound quality
- No heated seats
- Counter intuitive music controls on steering wheel
Exterior
Chrome
One of the reasons that we bought the Tacoma TRD Off Road is how it looks. We are huge fans of this truck, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. For as much aftermarket support there is for the Tacoma you would think Toyota would make standard some of the things people change right away. I am not a fan of chrome. In fact, I hate chrome. There isn’t much on the vehicle except the badges and the rear bumper.
T-Track Slots
T-track slots are standard in the bed and make adding additional tie-down points and accessories easy. I do question how much force they can withstand though. The tracks made some unnerving sounds as I cinched down a ratchet strap to hold some lumber last week.
Shocks
Bilstein 4600 shocks are standard on the Tacoma TRD Off Road. For my purposes the stock suspension is fine. Many people upgrade to the Bilstein 5100 or the OME suspension kit.
Exterior Tacoma TRD Off Road Pros:
- T-track for mounting accessories in bed
- 120v outlet in bed
- TRD tuned suspension
Exterior Tacoma TRD Off Road Cons:
- Too much chrome
- Only 1100 lb payload capacity
Summary
Overall, we are really happy with the Tacoma Off Road. We can easily fit our little family in the truck, and it will get us anywhere we need to go. I’m sure we’ll find more things we like and dislike about the Tacoma TRD Off Road in coming months, but first impressions are good. We’ve made a few affordable Tacoma mods in the first few weeks of owning the vehicle, too.
We also wrote an entire article on the 2020 Tacoma manual transmission.
As always, you can connect with us on Instagram to stay up to date on our current projects and subscribe to our YouTube channel to see even more remodeling, backyard chicken, and Tacoma content!
Disclaimer: We’re not professionals or experts on this topic, so all we can do is share our own personal experience in hopes that it helps you in your journey! We always recommend consulting with the pros directly.