No Road? No Problem: The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road 4X4 Double Cab

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road 4X4 Double Cab.

Getting away from the crowd is harder than ever.  Some of the fault no doubt goes to cheap gasoline and the internet revealing what seems to be every secret place on earth, along with GPS to help all of humanity find them.

To truly get away from all those people requires the ability to go where they cannot.  And that is what the 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road 4X4 Double Cab is for.

2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road 4X4 Double Cab.

Based on the already rugged and all-new 2016 Tacoma, the TRD Off Road 4X4 Double Cab is purpose-built for off-road adventures.  Buy any 4X4 Tacoma and you get 4WDemand part-time four-wheel-drive with an electronically controlled transfer case and automatic limited-slip differential.

2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road Multi-Terrain Select.

But by selecting the TRD Off Road, you also get an off-road tuned suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers, a multi-terrain select system (only available with the automatic transmission) which allows you to choose between different types of terrain---loose rock, mud, sand---adjusting throttle and brake pressure to give maximum traction for each condition.

The TRD Off Road also adds a locking rear differential, hill start assist control, clutch start cancel (only available with the manual transmission), active traction control and crawl control, which allows you to choose a speed between 1 and 5 miles per hour.  The truck then takes over throttle and braking, allowing to to concentrate purely on steering.

The 3.5-liter, 276-horsepower V6 provides more than adequate power and, even in this rugged off-road application, delivers the same EPA-estimated 18 miles per gallon city and 23 miles per gallon highway as other Tacomas with the same engine.

The base price for our test vehicle was $33,730. There were two option packages added, the Premium & Technology Package, which has dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, rear parking sonar,  a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic headlamps and a moonroof for $2,330.

There was also the V6 Tow Package which includes a Class IV towing receiver hitch, an automatic transmission fluid cooler, engine oil cooler, power steering cooler, a 130-amp alternator, a 4 and 7 pin converter and trailer-sway control for $650.

With $900 for delivery, processing and handling, the as-tested price came to $37,610.  That's good value for a rugged off-roader that can hit the hidden trails as soon as you drive it off the dealer's lot.