2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro Channel Old-Fashioned Charm

Driving in 2022 toyota 4runner When I was driving the TRD Pro around the suburbs of Chicago for a week, from the 5-speed automatic transmission, from the ladder frame, from the 4.0-liter V-type 6-cylinder large displacement engine, passers-by said, (their pants) they don’t make them like this anymore.

SUVs don’t pretend to go off-road with bulky cosmetics like unibody crossovers. The off-road version of the 4Runner is his SUV for real. Toyota Tacoma medium-duty truck With 2 speed transfer case. As he recalls after a week of testing in winter weather, it’s far from untrodden, so the real thing comes with compromises.

Loud and inefficient with outdated technology and compromised packaging. But stubborn, if not stubborn Toyota: slow to change, eager not to fix what isn’t broken. His current 4Runner hasn’t changed much, despite his 2010 launch and revival. ford bronco and newer versions of jeep wrangler Including plug-in hybrids.

If Toyota keeps making it, it could sell more than 120,000 units in 2022, down from last year’s peak of 144,696 units in this millennium, so the popular SUV could possibly be redesigned with a 2024 Tacoma. There is a nature. It could be another beast.

This is where the charm of the 5th generation is, and where it is not.

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

Hit: Authentic SUV looks

Our tester was a bright orange color that Toyota calls Solar Octane. Adorned with bulging rib bodywork, crowning his rack with a tubular black roof and riding on his 17-inch black alloy wheels wrapped in Nitto Terra Grappler Mud his Terrain tires, the Great His Pumpkin , captivated passers-by. The suburban mom liked the look and her hairy teen looped and asked where the middle-aged men were going. Even if they didn’t like the look, they appreciated the off-road proposition, and the 4Runner TRD Pro stands out from the rest of his SUVs. Why build a new one when this one makes money?

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

Miss: Loud, crude, crude, charming

4Runner brings back the outdated adage that there is no substitute for displacement. The 4.0 liters are distributed over 6 large capacity cylinders instead of 8. It sounds like a tamer V-8 that bobs up and down with the throttle, but idling isn’t too much of a hassle. It also offers a combined EPA rating of 17 mpg, which I fell short of. On the road, the all-terrain tires and old-fashioned body make the cabin noise enough to drown out the sound of the people behind you. Add the TRD Pro Roof Rack and it’s a real cacophony. It could be good. Truckee suspension bounces like a dog coming home.

Hits: Buttons, Dials, Knobs

The stubby, blocky texture carried over to the inside, allowing me to claw around huge climate, temperature and drive mode dials, let alone gloved hands. But the console’s small roller dial for seat heating requires a delicate touch. There are some curiosities like traction control and ceiling crawl settings. The 8.0-inch touchscreen remains an afterthought, a surrender to modernity.

Miss: Infotainment

Fugitabaudit. Connect Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and you’re done. Blocky Dash minimizes the screen to fit 4Runner’s character. If you make the screen bigger, it morphs into something else and loses its charm. Even just for a week, it was a nice respite from distractions and big screen demands.

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

Hit: Power tailgate window

The 4Runner’s power sliding tailgate window is one of those simple yet smart features. Power buttons on the console and outer tailgate make it easy to load and retrieve items from the cargo area without the risk of loose cargo spilling out the gate. Dogs love it, and the open wind feel is more liberating than a sunroof, but not as exposed as a Wrangler (or Bronco) with the doors off. Being in is a good half step. However, it also has its drawbacks. For safety reasons, the engine must be turned off to raise or lower the window from the outside. Also, there is no power tailgate option.

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

Miss: Limited backseat room

Rear headroom is limited for passengers taller than 6’2. 38.6 inches of headroom and 32.9 inches of his second-row legroom are found in almost all midsize crossover SUVs and many of his compact crossovers. The bottom of the seat springs up onto the front seat backrest so the seat doesn’t slide and the rear seat backrest folds flat (but the headrests must be folded first). cubic feet. This is a cumbersome process compared to modern SUVs. The TRD Pro version does not have his 3rd row to boot. Other grades are too narrow, so that’s probably a good thing.

Hit: cute storage elements

Toyota makes up for its compromised interior seats with clever, if not obsolete, storage considerations. The asymmetrical layout of the console’s cup holders has several slots for phone and wallets, but the cup holders themselves can be removed for larger Yeti-like water bottles. There is a slot that says “tissue”, but you can also secure your wallet and hide it.

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

Miss: Sliding Cargo Deck

Our tester came with a floor deck that you could slide out of the cargo compartment. When camping, you can put an air mattress in there. That’s the best scenario I can think of. For tailgating or camping, it slides into two positions and holds up to 440 pounds, making it a sturdier, cleaner tailgate seat than a rear bumper. At only $350, it’s well worth it if you’re looking to sleep in the back. Otherwise you will occupy the cargo compartment.

The macho looks and genuine SUV of the 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro will appeal to a wide range of people, even those who have never used most of its features. But its compromised packaging, outdated infotainment, and powertrain drop his TCC rating to 4.8 out of 10.

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2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

Base price: $40,890 including $1,335 destination

Price tested: $55,725

drive train: 270 hp 4.0-liter V-6, 5-speed automatic, 4-wheel drive

EPA fuel efficiency: 16/19/17 mpg

hit song: A real SUV, power tailgate windows and a rugged control interface

miss: Noisy, shoddy, inefficient, with limited cabin and cargo space