Armando Castro knows trucks. He’s a professional monster truck driver and for almost a decade has been at the wheel of some of the most well-known trucks in the series. “I started driving monster trucks when I was 19 years old so playing around in the dirt is second nature to me.” While Castro’s day job has him piloting a truly gargantuan truck, we tossed him the keys to the all-new 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro to see how much mischief he could get into outside of the arena.
Living Legend
The Toyota Tacoma is a legend in its own right, with a rock-solid reputation for off-road aptitude. And after almost 30 years since it first introduced the nameplate in the United States, Toyota has completely redesigned the fourth generation Tacoma for even more multi-purpose capability than ever before. The all-new Toyota Tacoma comes available in 8 different grades: SR, SR5, TRD PreRunner, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter. The latter two are the most predisposed to handle difficult, off-road terrain right off the showroom floor, which meant that Castro’s affinity for dirt and mud was a perfect match for the TRD Pro. The TRD Pro and Trailhunter grades come standard with an i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain that mates a 2.4-liter turbocharged four cylinder engine with a 48-hp electric motor to produce a total system output of up to 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft. of torque. This nearly doubles the torque output of the Tacoma’s outgoing V6 engine.
It also shares the same platform as its full-size Tundra and Sequoia siblings. Built on Toyota's TNGA-F truck platform, the Tacoma uses a new high-strength, boxed steel-ladder frame that’s been laser welded for increased rigidity and durability. A new front cross member with additional support enhances steering input, and a new available multi-link rear suspension swaps the previous generation’s leaf springs for a set of coils to provide a confidence-inspiring ride both on and off the road.
Since there are so many grades to choose from, Toyota deliberately created separation between each of them in order to tailor the truck to a wide variety of drivers. And while each grade may be as well-considered as the next, they branch out to offer their own unique take on that Tacoma thing. Trailhunter comes to life as a factory-developed overlander, while the TRD Pro has its go-fast roots in desert racing.
King of the (Off-)Road
Just a few hours outside the City of Angels, some of the most scenic but treacherous terrain lies waiting for us and Castro. Johnson Valley is known for its high-desert topography scattered with unforgiving rocky outcroppings, and is home to Means Dry Lake, where King of the Hammers, one of the most infamous off-road races, takes place every year.
Out here, the all-new Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro is in its element. Behind the wheel, Castro breaks free from the roadway and we’re instantly transported to a time that not only predates Castro’s career in motorsports, but also his birth. Toyota’s heritage in off-road racing can be traced back to the early ‘90s and the all-new Tacoma TRD Pro “looks every bit of a Baja warrior,” says Castro. The Tacoma draws on the formidable stance and rugged exterior of the very trophy truck that graced the winner’s circle in 1993—securing a highly-coveted triple victory at the Baja 1000, Baja 500, and Nevada 400, awarding its team with the crown jewels of desert racing.
From the front, the Tacoma’s fascia features a bold, heritage-inspired “TOYOTA” nameplate set against a hexagonal grille and underscored by an integrated 20-inch LED light bar. Together with LED headlamps and RIGID Industries® LED fog lamps, its light signature casts a pattern that pierces through thick clouds of desert dust to increase visibility. The TRD Pro is also outfitted with an aluminum TRD skid plate at the front and a high-clearance ARB® steel bumper for added protection at the rear. A new high-lift jack point integrated into the frame is standard on all Tacoma grades, too—a welcome addition when the off-road scenario calls for critical recovery.
The TRD Pro chassis also comes well-stocked with aluminum TRD upper control arms, new FOX® QS3 three-way internal bypass shocks with remote reservoirs that can be adjusted to tune compression dampening, and FOX® Internal Floating Piston (IFP) rear bump stops that work overtime to make butter out of undulating whoops at higher speeds. The lofty ground clearance helps too. The all-new pick-up sits raised, maxing out at 11.5 inches on the TRD Pro grade. Castro, who typically has to climb into his work truck quips, “It’s got some height on it,” as he makes his way in and out of the Tacoma throughout the day.
Even from the cabin, the Tacoma TRD Pro works in tandem with movement of the vehicle to deliver responsiveness and connection with the surrounding terrain. Both driver and front passenger areas debut segment-first IsoDynamic Performance front seats, which use an air-over-coil shock absorber system to dampen body movement to stabilize occupants’ heads, necks, and spines as they tackle dirt and rocks. Similar to the FOX® QS3 shocks, these seats are tunable based on body mass or driver and rider preference.
At the center of the dashboard, the driver is greeted by an intuitive and tactile flow of infotainment and technology. A chunky dial to the left of the gear shift controls the Multi-Terrain Select system, which is now accessible in 4WD-High and 4WD-Low ranges, which grants drivers access to preset powertrain and chassis settings for Dirt, Sand, Mud, Snow Rock, or Auto. The Tacoma also employs an updated CRAWL Control function that acts like a low-speed, off-road cruise control, smoothly and quietly modulating the throttle and brakes so the driver can focus solely on navigating through the trickier parts of the trail. And with a push of a button, the all-new available Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism (SDM) allows for a wider range of suspension travel and articulation across the whole truck for better balance and traction on uneven terrain. The TRD Pro grade also gets a standard electronic locking rear differential, which redistributes power evenly to the rear wheels to get up, over and through the most technical sections of the trail.
Just above the layout of critical knobs and switches, a well-defined 14-inch multimedia touchscreen with 3D Multi-Terrain Monitor lets you view front-, rear-, and side-camera angles— acting as an extra spotter and extra reassurance when your route includes sheet metal-scarring obstacles. And tucked just behind the screen and built into the dashboard is a removable JBL® FLEX Bluetooth speaker that’s waterproof and dust-proof so you can take your music anywhere the trail takes you. “Every truck has a good theme song,” Castro winks as the dirt rooster tails off the Tacoma’s back tires.
As the sun sets on Castro’s sandbox just east of Los Angeles and we bid him goodbye, we can see the glow of the LED taillights disappearing in the distance. And while his typical daily driver may have a power output in the thousands, it can’t take you from the Hollywood hills of Mulholland Drive to the rock canyons of Johnson Valley. The all-new 2024 Toyota Tacoma is more powerful and more off-road ready than ever before. This mid-size pickup is a fraction of the size of a monster truck, but it reignites the age-old debate that maybe size doesn’t matter.
Mara Balagtas McIlwrath
Associate Creative Director - Hearst Autos
Mara is an associate creative director with Hearst Autos. Her writing has appeared in Road & Track, Car and Driver, Autoweek, Harper's Bazaar, Esquire, Condé Nast Traveler, and more.
