Redline Reviews: 2024 Tacoma TRD Pro Is An Extremely Capable & Powerful Hybrid Truck

TacoFreak said:

@WKTJR1 I see from your signature that you have found another Limited, and it is red! Congrats.

Now that I have my truck I have a good sense of what a great truck a Limited hybrid will be, and in the long run I think that your hassles and time spent will be well rewarded.

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TacoFreak said:

A good review and I can't argue with any of his points, good or bad.

Is the Pro perfect? Of course not, because all trucks are compromises as daily drivers. But as a truck it is the best balance of looks, size, handling and instant power when you need it that I have ever driven, and I have driven trucks my whole life.

I personally have no need for back seat room and if I did I would have stuck with a Tundra. But I have been in the back of many mid size trucks and none of them are comfortable or a place where you would want to spend a lot of time. So I think the obsession with room in the back is kind of beside the point.

I spend a couple of hours on mountain two lanes today and my Pro was ready to do whatever I asked with strong, confident power in every situation. I am still amazed how much time it spends running on the battery, even out on the highway and the transitions from electric to ICE and back are seamless. Very impressive and it just feels like quality.

I don't find the ride bouncy myself, but I have driven off road trucks for years, so maybe I can't be objective. I also am not bothered that it still feels like a truck, because it is a truck and that is what I wanted. There are SUVs with beds for people who want a car, but for me it is either a serious sports machine or a truck, and this is the truck I want.

Absolutely no regrets here, even at this price. People who are shocked by the price must not have shopped the competition. The Ranger Raptor is a good value, but not for me and the GM mid size trucks are not really much less expensive.

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tacorancher said:

I could not put my finger on it, but the RR lacked refinement and felt one dimensional. I can’t argue with the value for money, but it was not for me.

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trailhunger said:

Reviewers need to apply weight to the bed and then revisit the ‘bouncy’ remarks. Sure a lot of trucks are driven empty, suspension might feel that way at first blush.

I have about ~450# on the bed of my TH this week just get a feel of how it handles. The goal most of the time is ~300# on the back in the form of a GFC shell & misc gear. Drive modes really show differences when loads are applied too

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TacoFreak said:

Yeah - I drove one too and that is why I said it was not for me. I actually find it funny that so many people treat the Pro and TH as completely different trucks, when they really are very similar. I think the 10 year olds in all of us love the Pro, and my inner kid is still strong. lol

The internet seems to think my truck sucks, which is probably why there are not more markups. They can think what they want because I have the truck I want.

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tacorancher said:

I wouldn’t say the internet thinks it sucks. They are selling every single one within a few days. I think people are stunned by the price and so they really focus in on anything they find wrong with the truck. It’s still clearly a halo truck in the segment. Can you get a faster truck? Yeah. Raptor. But that’s not the only dimension of evaluation.

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WKTJR1 said:

Most Raptors will never see anything other than a dirt driveway. GM is pricing its Colorado/Canyon models in the same range and has a $10K package to compete with the PRO. The Frontier is the result of having limited funds; the Titan, while a nice truck, used funds that probably should have been allocated to the Frontier. Did you know Nissan was planning to use RAM as the basis for the new Titan? The financial crisis of 2008 killed that deal. They probably should have gone that route.

Based on the comments I’ve read, the MAX is many people’s first experience with hybrids. The technology has been around for decades and is mature and well understood. However, the ignorance surrounding it, especially on other sites and Facebook, is shocking. People are often afraid of what they don’t understand.

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TacoFreak said:

I was reminded about how people talk about the Pro by the comments in the video Bill posted. I only made it a page or two, but every one said it was under featured or overpriced or both. Luckily I have been around long enough to figure this stuff out for myself and I love my truck. In the last two days I have put over 200 miles on it and the more I drive it the more I like it. What a great travel machine on freeways or two lane back roads, not even considering its excellent off road chops.

I was in my back seat with the driver's seat set for me the other day (5'10") and I had plenty of room. No, not lux as @Tom Sellick said, but doable. That is about the best I have been able to say about any midsize that I have ridden in.

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tacorancher said:

I used to drive an E550 and I feel like my Trailhunter is pretty nice and luxurious on the inside. It has everything.

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