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The 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD PreRunner pairs a rear-drive drivetrain with off-road enhancements.Toyota limits the PreRunner guise to the two-door Tacoma.The PreRunner comes standard with equipment including a locking rear differential and 17-inch all-terrain tires.Toyota ditched the PreRunner moniker from the Tacoma line following the 2015 model year. For 2024, however, the automaker’s bringing the trim back to its latest-generation mid-size pickup truck. Related StoriesOriginally introduced for 1998, the Tacoma PreRunner paired the four-wheel-drive Taco’s looks (and many of its off-road-focused dynamic pieces) with the rear-drive model’s drivetrain. That basic formula carries over to the 2024 Tacoma TRD PreRunner, which packs plenty of off-road goodies but pushes power from its turbocharged engine strictly to the rear wheels.Toyota limits the TRD PreRunner guise to one body style: the two-door extended cab (or XtraCab in Toyota parlance) with a six-foot-long bed. As with all extended cab 2024 Tacomas, the TRD PreRunner lacks any rear seats, and it instead uses the space behind the driver and passenger’s chairs for additional cargo space. The rear of the cab also includes a number of locking storage cubbies, and the front passenger seat’s back folds forward and creates a flat surface. Likewise, the TRD PreRunner retains the rear leaf springs of lesser extended cab trims (the four-door Tacoma supports its rear axle with a set of coil springs).Befitting its status as a two-wheel-drive off-road machine, the Tacoma TRD PreRunner comes standard with the likes of a suspension lift, a locking rear differential, and 17-inch wheels wrapped in chunky BFGoodrich all-terrain tires. Additionally, the TRD PreRunner is capable of towing up to 6500 pounds.Alas, the TRD PreRunner is an automatic-only affair. It’s a real bummer for buyers looking to pair the PreRunner’s looks with the Tacoma’s available manual transmission.On the plus side, nonhybrid Tacomas—with the exception of the entry-level Tacoma SR—with the truck’s eight-speed automatic gearbox feature a variant of Toyota’s turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Manual-equipped Tacomas, meanwhile, make do with just 270 horses and 310 pound-feet of twist.Much More on the TacomaPricing for all 2024 Tacoma trims remains under wraps, but we wager the TRD PreRunner will set buyers back at least $35,000. Look for the 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD PreRunner to go on sale before the end of the year.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorDespite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg’s career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend. More

The mid-size off-road-truck segment has always felt out of balance at the top end, with the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 unevenly matched because they didn’t follow the same wide-stance blueprint. Meanwhile, the Ford Ranger Raptor was still floating in the ether as forbidden fruit that was inexplicably excluded from these truck-happy United States. All that ends now, as the Colorado ZR2 has been upgraded, the Ranger Raptor has been greenlit for these shores, and the Tacoma TRD Pro has finally grown into the truck it always needed to be. All three are crew-cab trucks with a short bed. Let’s see how they match up.PowertrainTurbocharged engines are the order of the day with this trio, but all three have taken clearly different paths.See ZR2 Photos2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2.Michael Simari|Car and DriverThe Colorado is powered by a variant of the turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four that first surfaced in the full-size Silverado 1500. The ZR2’s high-output tune is the lightweight of the bunch at 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, but it didn’t feel underpowered when we subjected it to an extended off-road flogging across the Nevada desert. The engine is backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission that seemingly makes all the right moves.Ford’s Ranger Raptor is powered by a 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6, and it makes a class-leading 405 horsepower. Its torque output, on the other hand, is no better than the ZR2’s, as it ties the Chevy with 430 pound-feet. This engine is backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission, but we’re not sure this is a “more is better” situation, as we’ve gradually coalesced around the idea that eight is enough when it comes to gear ratios—and not just because of the TV show.More Specs, Details, and ComparisonsComing out of left field is the Tacoma’s iForce Max hybrid powertrain, which is what you get when you combine a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four with a powerful electric motor-generator. The combination is good for 326 horsepower and a class-leading 465 pound-feet of torque, and the combined output passes to the wheels through a new eight-speed automatic that replaces last year’s unloved six-speed. Last year’s six-speed manual is no longer available on the Pro, as the DIY gearbox is incompatible with the hybrid powertrain.It’s not yet clear if horsepower or torque will ultimately carry the day in real-world driving, but the Tacoma’s hybrid powertrain should handily win top fuel-economy honors once all three trucks’ numbers are revealed, and it alone possesses the hardware needed to support a 2400-watt onboard AC power inverter.SuspensionAll three trucks are similar in that they have wide-track suspensions consisting of control arms and coil springs up front and a solid axle out back. You’ll find 33-inch tires on all of them, with the Ford and Chevy rolling on 17-inch wheels and LT tires, while the Toyota runs on 18-inch rubber that stubbornly lacks the LT designation.2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro.ToyotaThe Chevrolet rides on clever and durable Multimatic DSSV shuttle-valve dampers, the nature of which results in remote reservoirs all around. The ZR2 is also the lone contestant that utilizes rear leaf springs, but this year’s truck has been greatly improved because the rear shocks are now mounted outboard of the springs and packaged tight against the wheel out of harm’s way.Easter Egg HuntingLike its bigger brother, Fox 2.5-inch live-valve adaptive dampers are fitted to the Ranger Raptor, with remote-reservoir rear units that are, like the ZR2, mounted in the inverted position to trim unsprung mass. The Ford’s rear axle rides on a new coil-spring setup, and it is located by four trailing links, with a Watts linkage keeping it centered.The TRD Pro’s wide-track stance is a first for this model. Fully three inches broader than the base SR5, we suspect it may eclipse the competition. Fox 2.5-inch dampers are used, but they are QS3 units with three levels of manually adjustable compression damping. The Pro also rides on a new coil-spring rear axle, which is located by four trailing links and centered by a traditional Panhard rod. The rear dampers are not inverted, because Toyota prefers to keep the shafts of the shocks up high away from bouncing rocks. The Pro has one other notable feature the others can’t match: Fox IFP hydraulic rear bump stops to cushion hard landings. Neat.Off-RoadEvery truck here uses part-time four-wheel drive with a low-range transfer case that enables a driver to select from 2WD High, 4WD High, and 4WD Low as needs dictate. All have skid plates underneath to protect vulnerable components.The ZR2 offers 10.7 inches of ground clearance, and clearance angles of 38.3 degrees on approach, 25.1 degrees at departure, and 24.6 degrees when breaking over the brow of a hill. There are three off-road drive modes: Off-Road, Terrain, and Baja. Terrain is meant for low-speed work and enables a slick one-pedal off-road crawl feature, while Baja uncorks the exhaust and eases up on the traction and stability control intervention. ZR2 also comes with push-button front and rear differential lockers.Ford’s Ranger Raptor offers a more modest 33.0 degrees of approach clearance, with a healthy 26.4 degrees at departure. Breakover clearance is 24.2 degrees, and maximum ground clearance is also 10.7 inches. The off-road drive modes are Off-Road, Rock Crawl, and Baja, and there’s a Trail Control off-road cruise control and a Trail Turn Assist feature that drags the inside rear brake to tighten the turning radius. The part-time four-wheel-drive system has an added 4-Auto setting, too. Like the ZR2, Ranger Raptor has lockable front and rear differentials.The TRD Pro offers 11.0 inches of maximum ground clearance, best of the bunch by a thin margin. Its approach and departure angles are second-best at 33.8 and 25.7 degrees, respectively, while its breakover angle trails slightly at 23.5 degrees. We can’t yet name each of its Terrain Management modes, but we can say they exist. For its part, Toyota says Crawl Control has been made smoother via a new electronic brake booster and rear disc brakes, and the system now operates in both 4-Lo and 4-Hi. As before, the TRD Pro only has a rear differential locker, but it does have a feature the others lack, and that’s a push-button front anti-roll-bar disconnect. Toyota says the bar can be disconnected under load and that doing so improves total suspension flex by 10 percent over the current model.Towing and HaulingThe ZR2 can tow 6000 pounds, which is 1000 more than last year. A two-inch receiver is standard, and 4-pin and 7-pin wiring are supported, with an electronic trailer brake controller mounted on the dash. A 360-degree camera with a hitch ball closeup is available to help when hitching up. On the payload side, ZR2 capacity is a lackluster 1151 pounds.The Raptor is rated at 5510 pounds, and it too has a built-in 2.0-inch receiver hitch. Payload capacity, at 1411 pounds, is significantly better than the ZR2’s. An integrated trailer brake controller will also be on the menu, but we don’t yet know if it’ll be standard or require the purchase of a trailer tow package. A 360-degree camera is in the offing, and Ford has announced Pro Trailer backup assist for the Ranger in general.Little is certain when it comes to the TRD Pro’s towing and hauling prowess, although the iForce Max crew cab, which describes the TRD Pro (but also other possible trims) is said to be good for 6000 pounds of towing and 1709 pounds of payload. Time will tell, and we’re assuming the latter corresponds to a two-wheel-drive truck. Meanwhile, a 2.0-inch receiver hitch is standard. Fully-integrated 4-pin and 7-pin wiring and an electronic trailer brake controller (a Tacoma first) were present on the Pro we examined, and they’ll offer trailer backup guidance system, a 360-degree camera, and a unique system that uses extra rooftop sharkfin antennas to support an accessory rearview camera you can mount on your trailer.InteriorThe Colorado ZR2’s cab is spacious up front but a bit cozy behind, with a bit less rear legroom than we’d like. Most controls are logical, but there are a few oddities, such as headlight controls that only appear on the central touchscreen. That screen measures 11.3 inches, and wireless smartphone mirroring is standard. Generally, the interior materials look unimpressive across the Colorado lineup, but the ZR2 comes across better than the rest of them.2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2.Michael Simari|Car and DriverFord newest Ranger cabin is similarly spacious up front, and the rear half should be more agreeable to tall folk because there’s over three inches more legroom. We’ll have to confirm this with a test sit, but the specs look promising. The central touchscreen is a portrait-oriented monster, surrounded by fewer fixed controls than we like to see. Wireless phone mirroring is optional on Ranger in general, but we’re not yet sure if it’s standard on Raptor in particular. As for the look and feel of the thing, we’re not bowled over by what we’ve seen so far.2024 Ford Ranger Raptor.Andi Hedrick|Car and DriverThe Tacoma TRD Pro is also very accommodating up front, with a raised seating position and higher roof than corrects the weird ergonomics of the past. No rear interior dimensions are available, so we’ll have to see. But the TRD Pro comes with unique shock-absorbing isometric front seats—they literally have adjustable air over oil shock absorbers built into the seatbacks—that trim more than a half-inch of rear-seat space. The jury is still out here, but off-road front seat ride comfort should be amazing on account of them. 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro.NATHAN LEACH-PROFFERMeanwhile, the Pro’s 14-inch central touchscreen looks compelling, and the physical controls throughout the cabin are both attractive and logical. The seats and dash materials look appealing, too.Availability and PriceThe only one we’re certain about is the ZR2 Colorado, which goes for $48,295 to start and is available now. The Ranger Raptor is significantly more expensive at $58,555, which is a full $10-grand more. It’ll start hitting the streets in late summer. What about the TRD Pro? It won’t be available until spring 2024, so Toyota probably won’t commit to pricing until year’s end. For reference, the outgoing model goes for $49,890 with an automatic. With all the changes, we expect the TRD Pro to cost significantly more than last year, but it may well undercut the Ranger Raptor by a goodly margin. After all, there’s significant headroom between the Ford and Chevy.Technical EditorDan Edmunds was born into the world of automobiles, but not how you might think. His father was a retired racing driver who opened Autoresearch, a race-car-building shop, where Dan cut his teeth as a metal fabricator. Engineering school followed, then SCCA Showroom Stock racing, and that combination landed him suspension development jobs at two different automakers. His writing career began when he was picked up by Edmunds.com (no relation) to build a testing department. More

• The Ford Taurus SHO turned America’s most popular sedan into a legitimate sporting machine.• A high-strung Yamaha V-6 is paired with a five-speed manual.• This first-year SHO has seen just two owners and 37,000 miles.Up for auction on Bring A Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of the Hearst Autos Group—is an example of a groundbreaking performance sedan that brought power to the people. “Ford Taurus SHO Shocks the World,” we said, with only minor hyperbole, after testing the new sports sedan upon its debut. Okay, so the Taurus SHO wasn’t quite a BMW M5, but by the standards of the day it filled the same brief—and for less than half the price. When this 1989 example hit the streets, we called it a “breakthrough car,” one that could nip at the heels of Camaros and Corvettes, while retaining its family-friendly brief with four doors and a commodious trunk.Bring a TrailerRelated StoriesPop the hood and take a good look at one of the best-looking engines ever made, a Yamaha V-6 with its basket-of-snakes cylinder head. Displacing the same 3.0 liters as the optional Vulcan V-6 of the regular Taurus, the SHO had 80 more horses under its belt, for a total of 220.Bring a TrailerYamaha had been tasked with developing the V-6 for a potential mid-engined sports car called the GN34 (think Ford’s never-happened NSX). When that project fizzled out, Ford’s Special Vehicle Operations team pleaded for the V-6 to find a new home in a stiffened-up Taurus. Since the Taurus was a mainstream hit already, why not? Lucky us, because it was a heck of a motor. In a 1988 review of the car, Csaba Csere wrote: “The Shogun engine is rev-limited to 7300 rpm—not to protect the internal components, but to keep the accessory drive system from flying apart. (The engine itself is safely able to turn more than 8500 rpm.) The engine’s durability comes from its forged-steel crankshaft and connecting rods; a high-strength cast-iron cylinder block with reinforced main-bearing supports and deck faces; and a cooling system that offers full, 360-degree water jackets around the cylinders, extra-large cooling passages, and an oil-water heat exchanger. Yamaha didn’t skimp when it designed this engine.”Bring a TrailerThe exotic engine also sent 200 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, dispatched exclusively via a Mazda-sourced five-speed manual transaxle. (An automatic wouldn’t be offered until the next-gen, ’93 SHO.) The SHO didn’t look much different from the hundreds of thousands of garden-variety Taurus sedans already plying America’s streets (370,000 of which were sold in 1989). And yet, it was quicker than any sedan at twice the price. It also could keep pace with a V-8 Mustang. Not just keep pace, but actually outrun it.From that same period road test: “Compared with the potent Ford Mus­tang V-8, the SHO is a mere 0.3 second slower in the quarter-mile. And all of that lost time occurs at the start; once rolling, the SHO keeps pace with the Mustang and finishes the run at the same 95-mph trap speed. Above 100 mph, the aerodynami­cally superior SHO steadily pulls away from the Mustang. The Taurus SHO is one fast five-passenger family sedan.”Bring a TrailerThis example has relatively low miles at 37K and has had just two owners. It has some wear that’s typical of the interior quality of a late-1980s Ford product, and a few other blemishes. Though the silver paint hides these well.Even today, most might not know the SHO from any other Taurus. But pop the hood at your local Radwood show or cars and coffee event, and show off Yamaha’s fine work. It will be clear this is no Hertz-spec Taurus.The auction runs through May 22. Car and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoContributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

This custom-built 2022 Lexus LX600 will make its debut at Overland Expo West.A 2.5-inch lift is one of many modifications that improve the SUV’s off-road readiness.An Off Grid Trailers Pando 2.0 camper that’s capable of tackling rugged terrain is also in tow.Toyota may no longer import the Land Cruiser to our shores, but its Lexus luxury arm still sends us the mechanically similar LX600. Despite its shared mechanical pieces, the LX600 lacks a dedicated off-road variant. Fortunately, the folks at Overland Expo are taking things into their own hands with a custom 2022 LX600 that serves as this year’s Ultimate Overland Vehicle. Following in the tread marks of last year’s Ultimate Overland Vehicle—a custom 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X—this off-grid-ready LX600 incorporates a multitude of aftermarket components to improve its off-road capabilities. Credit Mule Expedition Outfitters for turning this once-ordinary LX600 into a bonafide trail-conquering machine.The boxy Lexus SUV isn’t the only piece in this overlanding puzzle, as an Off Grid Trailers Pando 2.0 camper is also in tow. This is no run-of-the-mill camper, either. With a claimed 8.0 inches of wheel travel and 24.0 inches of ground clearance, the Pando 2.0 is ready to tackle tough terrain. A 360-degree articulating hitch ensures its presence has little effect on the Lexus it’s attached to.Overland ExpoThis camper has all the luxuries of home too, including a sleeping area capable of holding a queen-size mattress, an air-conditioning system, a shower enclosure, a hot water system, and a rear galley kitchen. The latter bit holds up to 33 gallons of fresh water for the sink. A dual-burner cooktop and a pizza oven that’s hidden within the camper’s slide-out storage space mean going off-grid doesn’t require sacrificing hot meals.Yet the Pando 2.0’s capabilities are only as good as those of the vehicle it’s attached to. The accompanying LX600 features a number of enhancements that improve upon the stock body-on-frame SUV’s shortcomings. Overland ExpoOverland ExpoNotably, an ARB Summit MKII front bumper replaces the stock setup. Along with seriously improving the LX600’s approach angle, the aftermarket bumper houses the likes of Comeup’s SOLO Series 12.5 winch, ARB’s Intensity IQ off-road lights, and Midland Radio’s Bull Bar Antenna, which works to improve the reception of the interior-mounted Midland MXT-575 GMRS radio. A 2.5-inch suspension lift by way of Total Chaos-sourced suspension pieces, Radflo’s 2.5 Diameter Remote Reservoir shock absorbers and coil springs, and a set of 17-inch wheels from Icon Dynamics wrapped in knobby Kenda Klever R/T tires further contribute to the Lexus’s off-road prowess.Those in need of additional sleeping spaces will be glad to know this LX includes a Prinsu roof rack with a rooftop tent and an associated awning. Complementing the new front bumper is a CBI Offroad dual swing-out rear bumper that carries a full-size spare tire, a 5.0-gallon jerrycan, and traction boards. Opening the rear hatch reveals a Dometic CFX3 45 refrigerator and other goodies, including an auxiliary power management system. Overland ExpoAll this kit is sure to take a hit on the 409-hp LX600’s performance, as the only upgrade to the twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V-6 comes courtesy of a MagnaFlow Overland Series cat-back exhaust. Consider the last LX600 we tested clocked in at just shy of 6000 pounds and needed 6.1 seconds to make its way to 60 mph. With thousands of pounds of accessories in tow and attached to it, this custom LX600 will likely need a couple of extra ticks of the second hand to hit the mile-a-minute mark.Then again, this LX600 is the Ultimate Overland Vehicle, not the Ultimate Accelerating Vehicle, so quick acceleration isn’t really a necessity. The sure hit this kit will have to the LX600’s fuel economy is likely more troublesome, as keeping this rig fueled up will mean less time spent off the grid and more time spent back in urban society pumping gas. Related StoriesThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorDespite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg’s career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend. More