Yahoo Autos 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road Road Test Review | Adding a TRD Lift Kit
Toyota knows its Tacoma fanbase is a rabid one. More folks buy its mid-size pickup than any other in the country, and it’s not even close. That means Toyota can find specialized slices of the Tacoma pie everywhere. There are three levels of TRD models for off-road enthusiasts, multiple engine options, and you can even get it with a manual transmission. That means there's a very good chance you'll find a 2021 Toyota Tacoma with the exact set of factory equipment and off-road performance you're looking for. Then again, if you can't, there's always the lively aftermarket scene, too.
That desire to modify is what led Toyota to introduce a TRD Lift Kit earlier this year. It’s a complete factory solution to fill a gap normally filled by aftermarket companies. Toyota tossed us the keys to a Tacoma TRD Off-Road with this TRD Lift Kit fitted to it so that we could get an idea of what owners should expect were they to drop $1,450 for the gear.
The big draw to this particular lift kit is that it’s a little more than your typical lift. TRD engineers designed and tested it to be compatible with the full suite of Toyota Safety Sense features that come standard on the Tacoma, making it the only lift kit that is validated to work properly with those systems. That means your adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and more will work exactly as they’re intended to from the factory.
Toyota made this possible by including a new grille with a new radar sensor and camera designed to fit its special grille (that it will not sell you separately). You’ll notice that it looks just like the TRD Pro grille with the “TOYOTA” lettering spelled out. Badass. There is one slight disappointment, though. Instead of redesigning the lower fog lights (or re-aiming them), Toyota simply took them out and installed black bezels to cover the holes up, citing regulations. It looks and feels lazy, especially given the efforts made elsewhere.
But about the actual lift. The kit brings the Tacoma’s front up by 2 inches and the rear by 1 inch, essentially leveling the truck out. New Bilstein shocks designed for this lift are designed to improve off-road vehicle dynamics and on-road drivability. The front shocks have an extended rebound stroke to take advantage of the extra suspension travel, and the rear shocks have a larger shock body (2 inches versus 1.5 inches) with additional oil volume for better heat dissipation. Those rear shocks also have larger pistons and piston rods for increased strength. If you peer into the wheel wells, you’ll notice TRD red dust boots on the shocks and “Tuned by TRD” graphics to make them stand out.
What does this new suspension get you in terms of numbers and capability? Well, the frame ground clearance goes up by 1.7 inches to 10 inches. The approach angle increases by 3.5 degrees to 35.5 from the TRD Off-Road and by 3.1 degrees to 32.1 for all other models; the departure angle goes up by 0.5 degrees to 24, and the breakover angle by 1.6 to 22.6 degrees. That’ll let you get just that little bit more off the beaten path when off-roading. It’s similar to the TRD Pro lift in height and leveled stance — that model is 1 inch taller than the Off-Road. Plus, the Tacoma TRD Off-Road wears the lift handsomely. With the TRD Pro-inspired grille, you could fool folks into thinking your lesser Tacoma TRD Off-Road is the pricey and highly-capable Pro at first glance.
How the Tacoma responds to this lift is as predictable as it gets. It drives much taller (shocker!) on the road. Some of the Tacoma’s charming agility and small-truck feeling is diminished, as it rolls and wobbles back and forth from quick steering wheel movements. Despite its smaller size, the dulled reflexes make it drive more like a full-size pickup. You’re still obviously piloting a narrower and smaller truck (it’s very livable on city streets), but there’s a handling price to pay when you jack a truck up.
