For anyone familiar with the off-roading world, they will know that the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro is one of the coolest SUVs in the market right now. But, regardless of how cool it is, it’s pretty surprising that the off-roading vehicle costs $50,000.
In this guide, we will take a tour of this vehicle to look at why exactly it so expensive, and what it has to offer.
Brief Background
Before diving into the nitty-gritty of the TRD Pro, let’s take a look at its background. In North America, the lineup starts with the Rav4, which is the smallest one. The mid-sized one is the Highlander, followed by the Sequoia. The massive vehicle is the Land Cruiser, and somewhere in the middle of all this is the 4Runner.
Although the 4Runner is the same size as the Highlander, it is well-liked by many enthusiasts. This is surprising in this era of crossovers and top technology featured by most off-roaders.
The TRD Pro is very old-school, but it experienced one of its best sales in 2017, even with its expensive price. Toyota sold 128,000 of these vehicles, so the 4Runner even sold more than the Lexus RX.
This is a huge improvement from the 19,000 that were sold in 2009. Many thought it was going to be discontinued when this happened,
The different versions of the TRD Pro include the Tacoma TRD Pro which is a midsize pickup truck and the Tundra TRD Pro is a full-size pickup truck too. But, the 4Runner TRD Pro is considered the best among them.
Quirks and Features of the 4Runner TRD Pro
Now, let’s look at how ridiculously old-fashioned the 4Runner TRD Pro is regardless of its $50,000 price tag. The engine is a 4-litre V6 motor with no turbocharging, no supercharging, and no attempt to improve the fuel economy. It also comes with an old-school 5-speed automatic and its six-cylinder feature is shown in the plastic engine cover fitted with six circles. The engine of this car is durable and long-lasting.
Another old-school feature of this car is the headlights. With an expensive $50,000 price tag, this car only comes with halogen headlights. Many off-roaders were discouraged by this and ended up replacing their lights with high-intensity alternatives.
The 4Runner TRD Pro is most likely one of the most expensive vehicles left in the market that still uses a traditional key to open the door. Even cars like the Rav4 with half the price of the TRD Pro come with a feature where you open the car door by tapping it.
There is also no push ignition button like most modern cars feature. If you want to turn the ignition of this car on, you have to take your key out of your pocket and stick it into the keyhole, and then twist it.
The gauge cluster in the vehicle’s interior is another evidence of its old-school nature. Most cars now feature full-colour LCDs between the gauges, but this $50,000 car is still using an ancient-looking, black and white screen with about 19 pixels. All the menus, settings and information offered in modern cars won’t be found in this one.
The infotainment screen is in the same situation, featuring a small screen that is the average size of a smartphone. Don’t expect to see other advanced features like 360 cameras or parking sensors. Even if it has a backup camera for reversing, its view is limited and unclear because of the old-fashioned screen. The clock of the 4Runner TRD Pro will make you feel like you’re back in a 1980 car. It features an analogue clock radio with H and M buttons beside it for you to manually adjust the time.
As it’s a $50,000 car, you might be expecting some top features in terms of equipment. Unfortunately, this vehicle does not have these. There is nothing like fuel efficiency, talk less of blind-spot monitor, forward collision warning, automatic braking, adaptive cruise control and more. These features and more cannot be found in the 4Runner TRD Pro.
The vehicle is still using a lever to operate the four-wheel-drive while others have switched to switches and buttons. Not only this but every time you turn on the truck, it shakes, giving an old-school feel to it.
The TRD Pro also comes with rubber floor mats which is another feature that makes it old-fashioned. The mats are fitted with many warning labels, ensuring that one does not get affected when driving.
Why People Buy The 4Runner TRD Pro
The 4Runner TRD Pro at first glance is not worth its $50,000 price tag in any way. The car has no modern or technology features to enhance the off-roading experience, is not smooth on the road – talk less of off-roading, and seems to be ridiculously expensive.
But surprisingly, it is some of these classic and old-school features that many enthusiasts are looking out for. People still buy it because of the simplicity that it features. There are no too many options, buttons, selections and choices that you have to select or make whenever you’re using the car. There’s no massive screen on the dashboard that incorporates every driving function.
This car is a simple, uncomplicated and old-fashioned vehicle that anyone would like to take for an authentic off-roading experience. You don’t have to worry about many things, like electronic braking and more.
Regardless of the $50,000 price, it still has a wide range of features from the interior to the exterior, and even concerning its off-roading capabilities. The car will give the driver the original off-roading experience that they desire, which is why, although the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro is old-fashioned, it still costs $50,000.