2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO Reviewed – Great Looks, Plenty of Off-Road Cred

EDITOR’S NOTE: Images in this story reflect a somewhat dirty vehicle and not the atypical sparkling clean images you find in other reviews. In other words, we had fun and got it dirty. Be forewarned.

On the heels of our 2015 Toyota Tundra TRD PRO drive, I got the chance to take out the 2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO version. It is all sorts of awesome in its own way with just a few nitpicks.

Tall grasses, rocks, muddy creek beds or steep inclines don’t pose any problem for the 2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO.

When Toyota announced the new TRD PRO lineup, my focus, understandably, was on the Tundra and Tacoma. While the 4Runner was cool, I just didn’t give it a lot of my attention. My mistake, I should have.

Exterior

Starting with the exterior, the 2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO immediately pops out at you with its assortment of “blacked-out” emblems, tires and grill. This blacked-out look has really caught on over the years and it is truly incredible how much it changes a vehicle’s appearance. In the case of the TRD PRO 4Runner, it gives it a much younger, hipper look. It also led me to want to take it off-roading more than a base model 4Runner.

Trying to describe the 4Runner TRD PRO as anything other than “bad ass” is hard to do.

What’s interesting about the 4Runner is how quickly we get over polarizing looks. For example, when the new angular looks of the 4Runner came out in 2014, it was a big departure from the smooth lines of the 2013 model (see my review here). While the angular lines still stand out to me, I’ve become accustomed to them and often have to Google previous generations to remember what they used to look like.

The driving position puts you in ideal position to access all the knobs, switches and shifters.

Interior

Lots of great goodies are inside the cabin.

On the inside, the cabin is stocked full of buttons for off-road goodies like Crawl Control, Multi-Terrain Select, Locking Rear Differential and a real 4WD shifter. It also has heated front seats, a back-up camera, keyless entry and the old-school power sliding rear window. All told, it definitely takes a minute to get used to the sheer number of features found in this model. More on the interior later.

Driving Impressions

Driving the 4Runner is where things get really fun. I took the 4Runner out to 300+ acres of a family farm 25 miles from my house. This farm is anything but flat and offers a lot of different terrain with a pond and a stream flowing through it. While there, I tackled boggy areas, steep inclines and plenty of dips (and even outright holes). The 4Runner didn’t have any issues at all with anything I threw at it.

The 2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO is one of those vehicles that allows you to pick out a spot ANYWHERE to have a picnic at.

Interestingly, I never even got to use ALL of the off-road features. Frankly, it never needed all of them. With its narrow wheel-base and 4WD capability, the locking rear differential, Crawl control and Multi-Terrain Select weren’t needed. Sure, if I had decided to descend down the Rubicon Trail in California, I may have needed all of these features, but all the driving I did, they just weren’t necessary. (I did use them as the video below shows).

On the highways, the 4Runner reminds you it is a truck-based SUV with a bit of a rough ride. This doesn’t bother me, though, since I know what it is and I wouldn’t buy this vehicle for the ride quality or the 17/21/18 MPG city/highway/combined. It does stand out though since the rest of the market has largely dropped these body-on-frame SUVs in favor of the smoother rides and better MPGs offered in a uni-body construction.

Off-roading in the 4Runner makes for a fun afternoon.

Nitpicks

While the 2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO has a LOT to like, I found several things I think Toyota could improve on. Actually, these items don’t apply on the TRD PRO 4Runner, they apply to all 4Runner models. In no particular order, here they are:

Interior Sensory Overload – one of my big complaints with the 4Runner lineup is while they have a TON of cool off-road features, the sheer amount and size of the buttons, knobs, shifters, 4wd shifter, etc… creates a sensory overload for the driver. It also creates issues with simple things like cup holders and having a place to set down a smartphone. I get the legacy appeal of the 4WD shifter as well as the large knobs for the radio and temperature controls, but enough already. Ironically, the features I really like – Crawl control and Multi-Terrain Select – have the perfect size knobs. This leads to my simple question: Why is the radio button twice the size and quite a bit more obnoxious?

Weak Engine Sound – maybe it is because I still have the throaty roar of the Tundra TRD PRO in my mind, but the 4Runner definitely could use something. I mean it has the whole cool blacked out look and wheels, yet it doesn’t sound cool. If I were to buy one of these, first thing I would do is put in the TRD exhaust.

Powered by a 4.0L V6 mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission producing 270HP and 278 lb-ft of torque, the Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO could use a performance boost.

Powertrain Improvements Needed – I really, really wanted this 4Runner to have more “pop.” It just doesn’t have it. Sure, it has plenty of power and can handle any terrain, yet I just want a bit more low-end torque/”put me back in my seat” in this vehicle. Yes, I get it isn’t a sports car, but the V-6 produces only 270HP with 278 lb-ft of torque.

I just can’t help feeling like this vehicle would benefit from a turbo-charged engine option. I know Toyota has stood by its pledge of Quality, Reliability and Dependability and this pledge certainly applies to the 4.0L V6 engine, but a turbo would be a great upgrade.

Ultimately, I feel like this TRD PRO is the “desert runner” trim level, yet it doesn’t have the power to back it up.

In the end, our $43,224 2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO looks great and offers nearly unparalleled off-road performance (a Jeep Wrangler is a comparable). Yet, we just wish it was faster and sounded better.

Up next, I am driving a 2015 Toyota 4Runner Trail Premium edition. I’ve often wondered if the differences between a TRD PRO and Trail edition are significant enough to justify both vehicles. Stay tuned.

What do you think? Should it be more powerful? Is low-end torque and HP a big selling point?