What Toyota Truck or SUV, including 2020 RAV4, Has the Best TRD Off-Road

With the recent release of the new 2020 RAV4 TRD Off-Road, Toyota truck and SUV buyers now have a more difficult decision to make than in the past. The 2020 4Runner, Tundra, Tacoma and RAV4 form a formidable lineup of tough and reliable Toyota offerings. But what one is the best TRD Off-Road both at highway cruising speeds and off-roading adventures?

Although they all share the name “TRD Off-Road,” these vehicles each come with varying equipment, tools and resources that might benefit drivers in different ways. Here are tips to help you choose the right one for you and your family.

Performance and power, including the 2020 Tundra

I will first give you one quick TRD note worth mentioning. The 2020 4Runner, Tacoma and RAV4 each have their own TRD Off-Road grade or trim level. The 2020 Tundra utilizes this only when buyers add the “TRD Off-Road Package” to an SR5 or Limited truck, which makes it unique from the others in what it does and how to buy it.

With that being said, 2020 Tundra has the most power, with 381 horsepower and 401 lb.-ft. torque. It achieves this with its 5.7-liter V8 engine that is matched with a 6-speed transmission.

If you want a 2020 4Runner you will have a 4.0-liter V6 engine that delivers 270 horsepower and 278 lb.-ft. torque. The 4Runner comes with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

The 2020 Tacoma TRD Off-Road produces 278 horsepower and 265 lb.-ft. torque with its 3.5-liter V6. Tacoma is unique in that buyers can choose between a 6-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission. Long live the manual!

Since it is a smaller vehicle, the 2020 RAV4 TRD Off-Road does not need a V6 engine (although many people still wish this was the case). It utilizes the combination of a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that is matched with a direct-shift 8-speed automatic transmission. RAV4 produces 203 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. torque.

Off-Roading tools for 2020 Tacoma TRD Off-Road and others

Not everyone buys a new TRD Off-Road with the plan to take it off-roading just about everywhere they go. However, many people do. With this in mind, we should see how each of these vehicles, including 2020 Tacoma, is equipped to handle such travel.

The 2020 Toyota Tacoma comes standard with TRD Off-Road tuned suspension with Bilstein shocks. It utilizes part-time 4WD and has important off-roading tools like locking rear differential, multi-terrain select and also crawl control.

RAV4 TRD Off-Road takes advantage of a completely different system – dynamic torque vectoring all-wheel drive with rear driveline disconnect. This system can send up to 50 percent additional power to the back wheels and give extra power to individual left or right sides based on the surface and loss of traction you are encountering. It disconnects this power and operates as a front-wheel drive vehicle when not needed, which results in improved fuel efficiency. 2020 RAV4 comes with TRD-tuned suspension.

Similar to the Tacoma, the 2020 4Runner TRD Off-Road gives drivers resources like part-time 4WD with active traction control, crawl control, multi-terrain select and rear locking differential. Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road has coil-spring double-wishbone suspension in the front and coil-spring 4-link suspension in the rear. One important option you can request is a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) upgrade.

The 2020 Tundra Off-Road package upgrade features trail-tuned Bilstein shock absorbers. It uses a part-time 4WD with electronically controlled transfer case, active traction control and automatic limited-slip differential. Tundra does not come with crawl control or multi-terrain select.

Time for your thoughts about 2020 Toyota TRD Off-Road models

There are so many other factors to consider between models like gas mileage, pricing and cab configuration. I based my initial comparison on power, performance and off-roading tools.

WATCH: I compare all Toyota TRD Off-Road models in my video review.

What do you think is your favorite TRD Off-Road, including 2020 Tundra, Tacoma, RAV4 and 4Runner? Also, what factors play into your decision?

Thanks for reading everyone. See you next story when I detail all the standard features across the board for the all-new 2020 Toyota Highlander.

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