Video: 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Review

Now, TRD Pro, TRD Off-Road, it's a little confusing, so, let's take a look at the differences. While the TRD Off-Road may be a new trim level for 2017. It's definitely not a new grouping of equipment. It's essentially, what in 2016 was called the Trail trim level. Now TRD, other than an acronym with an unfortunate phonetic pronunciation, stands for Toyota racing development and the TRD Pro still embodies, what TRD represents more than the TRD Off-Road. The TRD Off-Road is kind of a light version of TRD Pro. At its core, though, is the inclusion of crawl control. Crawl control has been on the 4runner long before the TRD pro, that they viewed on the trail trim level, which is essentially what has morphed into this car, the TRD off road. So, what is crawl control? Well, it's a traction assist feature. It has some semi-autonomous function, basically, if you're at the base of a hill or you're coming down a hill, if it's rocky or there's some loose terrain, you put the transfer case in low range, you activate the feature and it's going to automatically accelerate and brake, and it's going to get the wheel speed right on the various corners of the car, to find the most traction. Now, you can set the speed of the vehicle to, you know, a few different speeds with the controls on the overhead council, but, pretty much it's a, it's an aid, it's an assist to find traction. Adding to the TRD Off-Road's capabilities, the electronic locking rear differential that locks the rear wheels together to find traction as well as 9.6 inches of ground clearance, which all four by four, four runner models have. The 4Runner already has a commanding presence on the road. Behind the wheel, you feel like you're riding above every other car, but the TRD Off-Road trim enhances that even more with this hood scoop. Now, it's totally not functional. There's nothing here. There's nothing underneath, but, you know, I'm okay with it. It looks cool. Elsewhere on the TRD off road, you're going to find these silver accents on the front and rear bumper, and to the TRD off-road badges on the side are a little out of place. I don't know what it is, if the typeface is too big or they're just, you know, too dominating on the side of the vehicle, but they look cheap, almost like when you see a Shelby GT 500 badge on the V6 Mustang. On the inside, there's a unique center council that's covered in a carbon fiber light trim. And then, there's also a TRD off-road badging on the formats and TRD embroidered headrest. They're all on a place though. Cause you see TRD, you think racing, you think high-performance, but, this is more TRD light than anything. One of the biggest differentiators between the TRD pro and the TRD Off-Road, is in this general area. And that's the shock package and the tire package. Now, on the pro models, you have these very aggressive, very naby off-road tires. But here, you have a very streetable Bridgestone dueler HT, and I was surprised by how well they rode and how quiet the car drove on the highway. Then you get those off-road capable features like the ground clearance and the crawl control and electronic locking rear differential. But, you also have the great duality of an everyday driver and that capability with this trim level. It's worth noting that the 4Runner is a very rugged off-road SUV. It remains body-on-frame construction. So, it doesn't drive as planted and refined as something like a Toyota Highlander. What you're getting here is that rugged off-road capability and for $39,000 with destination and this TRD off-road model. Now, if you look at the scope of the 4Runner lineup, this TRD Off-Road is definitely the sweet spot.