I Spent a Week With the 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro: Here's How it Went

By: Whit Norrad   |   23 Sep 2019
whit 2019 toyota tacoma trd pro in the okanagan

When it comes to choosing a new truck, I know how hard it is. Every time I decide to look into what my next vehicle will be, it feels like a rabbit hole. Sometimes there’s too much information out there and sometimes there’s not nearly enough. I was fortunate enough to spend a week driving a 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, one of the three “tiny trucks” (read: mid-size trucks) that I was considering for my next ride.

Initial Impressions: Hopping into the TRD Pro

If we’re being honest, my first impression when we learned from the rental agent that a Tacoma was one of our options for the week, was “aw, heck yeah!”

Why? Because not only do I love trying different vehicles, I’m a huge sucker for trucks. 

As someone that drives both a large SUV and a standard sedan daily, the change is exciting and something that always leaves me wanting a truck of my own.

Impression #1: This is a good-looking truck

There’s no denying that the bold body styling of the Tacoma is impressive. It looks small but mighty, and the stark lines make for a tough appearance. The added TRD Pro wheels and heritage grille shouting “tough TOYOTA” make it stand apart, and it truly looks like you’re ready to go off-road. Inside, the Entune touch screen display and red-on-black stitching make for a premium feel.

Impression #2: It’s going to be so convenient to have a truck bed. 

That is all.

Impression #3: Where are the car seat hooks? (Stay tuned)

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably experienced the horrors/joys of travelling with a car seat. Ours has a click-in base that always stays in our SUV, making it easy to get around. When we travel, the base remains at home and we use the old-school seatbelt-wrap-around-things-confusion method. 

Impression #4: This truck is smart!

As soon as we hopped in, we started interacting with the Entune interface. The buttons were intuitive, the GPS knew the addresses we needed, and it was easy to change between different displays for driving.

Daily Driving: Features Galore

When we knew we’d be driving a Toyota, we had a sense of the durability and reliability that comes with the brand name.

Because we were only driving the Tacoma for 10 days total, the long-term wasn’t our concern, but the safety of our family was. We immediately started noticing the benefits of features that our current vehicles don’t have in terms of safety, convenience, and connectivity:

Automatic high-beams were incredibly helpful at night: we’re city drivers and rarely need to switch from high to low beams. Where we were travelling, the road types varied and this feature prevented uncalled-for lighting.

Lane Departure Assist was a friendly reminder: while the only time I strayed out of the lines was when I saw the sign for “Lane Juts Left” (who knew?) and tried to navigate a little more smoothly, knowing that the vehicle is looking out for us was comforting. If one were to get too tired and start driving erratically, it would beep beep and tell you that you’re outside of the lines.

The truck bed: while this is something every truck has, being able to toss luggage, groceries, strollers, bikes, and swimming gear in the back without worrying about dirt or water was huge for us! When we camp in our SUV it’s always a game of where to put wet shoes and how to attach the bikes to the hitch. With a truck, these worries were instantly alleviated. 

Connectivity: Aside from Entune being easy to use and the GPS doing what we needed, we enjoyed the ease of the truck’s connectivity features. We were able to connect both of our phones, stream music via Bluetooth from Spotify, make/receive calls through the truck, access our contacts (always wipe your contacts from rental vehicles, folks!), just as if we were in a vehicle of our own.

While these things seem simple, navigating voice commands and initial set up is often a huge pain. With the Tacoma, it was easy.

Smooth handling: As someone fortunate enough to drive a lot of vehicles, I've become accustomed to the process of getting to know the feel of a new vehicle. With the Tacoma TRD Pro, this process was quick. Why? Because it handles well. There was no over/under compensating for poor brakes, the turning radius was as-expected, bumps and grooves felt smooth, and the automatic transmission did exactly what I needed it to -- and at the right times. We never felt like we were being jerked around by the truck. Great shocks? Check. Smooth ride? Check.

Compared to other trucks I’ve driven recently, such as the GMC Sierra and Ford F-350, this little guy was as smooth as butter.

The pre-collision system and dynamic radar cruise control are game-changers: When backing out of a parking space at any Target...there’s always a little bit of unpredictability. From people walking by with shopping carts to cars breezing far too fast through the lot, having a second set of eyes behind you, and “looking both ways” was a huge comfort that saved us from reversing prematurely, twice. Once we hit the road, I really enjoyed using dynamic radar cruise control, which essentially lets you keep the truck on cruise control without having to adjust for the car in front of you if it makes a speed change.

Fuel mileage: I’m not one to fuss about gas prices because they’re out of my control. With that being said, when we travel in the US I always grumble about the exchange when we fill up and I see the notification from my credit card come through. Our final fill's cost was $41.58 CDN, and we had driven all over the south of Florida, leaving it almost empty. While there are so many factors to consider when it comes to fuel mileage, this fuel mileage moment impressed me. The fill up before that cost roughly $30 CDN, but we weren't as close to empty.

The height: This truck is an ideal height for our family. Some trucks feel like you’re climbing Everest, and others don’t seem to position you high enough to see the road properly. The Tacoma TRD Pro provided enough height that we not only felt comfortable on the highway, but we also felt safe parking at some pretty steep angles -- and driving over obstacles to get there.

I’ve never felt this way in a sedan!

The air conditioning: Florida in August? A hot-blooded Canadian, in Florida, in August? You bet your britches I was toasty! Luckily, the AC in the Tacoma had the truck feeling cool in no time! It was quick, had enough variance between levels to find a setting for any temperature, and worked. Simple solutions for simple problems.

What Didn’t I Like?

Car seat situation: This one is incredibly individual, but I didn’t enjoy the car seat installation process. While it would be easier as a daily driver (hint: the car seat anchors are found behind the rear seats) with a base installed, taking the car seat in and out of the Tacoma’s backseat was a pain. The seatbelts weren’t quite long enough to go around and under, even at full-expansion, which meant tilting the seat and cursing a little. If we were at home with the base, it would be a “one-time” pain of installation and we could move on.

Backseat space: While it was sufficient, I felt like there could have been more legroom in the backseat. The backseat was incredibly comfortable, and it felt good, but I wished that there was more space to stick a backpack or something near my feet without feeling cramped. It was nothing like the old Ford Rangers (or the new ones) where you feel like a gnome, but I would prefer more space. Luckily, I don’t spend much time back there!

Wireless charging process: The Tacoma has wireless charging built-in, but it’s a feature that you need to turn on through the truck’s settings. In my experience, I just expect this to work. I want to toss my phone into the bucket and be done with it, knowing it will be charged when I arrive.

Benefits of Renting a Vehicle vs. a Test Drive

While it might not always be an option, I think that renting the TRD and using it daily was a great indicator of how the vehicle would fit into our lives. It helped me understand what features matter the most to me, and which of those I don’t care to have or wouldn’t pay more for.

This is something that can be more difficult to gauge when you’re taking a shorter test drive. 

If feasible, asking for a longer test drive, borrowing the vehicle of a friend, or conducting a full audit of your family’s current vehicle(s) will give you a more rounded understanding of these subjects. What do you know that you want in your next car, and what isn’t important but often marketed? Thinking about these things can help you find a great vehicle and select the right trim level for your family.

Would I Buy a Tacoma TRD Pro?

The short answer: absolutely. 

I’ll admit, it was in my top three, but not my top pick. 

This experience thrust the Tacoma forward in the race. I felt safe, sturdy, and cool. The menus and controls were easy-to-use and the technology made our lives better, without interference. The seats were more comfortable than those in the comparable Chevrolet Colorado, and the design bolder. Catering to the nerd in me, I was happy to find Apple CarPlay ready to roll, and a sleek design for the touch screen made easy viewing at all angles. The items that I found inconvenient were more specific to the fact that we were renting it, than the truck itself. 

Overall, we loved the experience. A hesitation we come back to when considering buying a truck is the cost of fuel, and this experience put that to bed in a single swipe. If you’re as ready as I am to get into a new Tacoma TRD, check out the inventory at Castlegar Toyota today

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