Ride Quality: Sport vs. Offroad

[Visa_Declined]

Lot of people really like that scoop. Kind of makes it stand out from the pack a bit so I get it.

It would be cool to see a Sport built into a kickass street truck, with meaty street tires and such. But every time I see one modified, it gets off road tires and a lift, etc, and I'm like, you could have simply bought an SR5 4x4 and gotten the same off road capability for multiple thousands less. The SR5 doesn't have a hood scoop though, so...

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[oxi]

Let me clear this all up, this is a street truck my old 2005 Tacoma X-Runner, a RWD truck specifically built as a "street truck":

 

[oxi]

This is NOT a "street truck" my 2024 TRD Sport 6MT:

 

[oxi]

After driving Toyota 4X4's for over 30 years, I can spot a "street truck" and a 4X4 that can off-road.

My 3 key points are, tires, the W angles and rear axle gearing indicating what an off-roader is vs a "street truck."

Tires are the most important on any truck, you can have slicks on a TRD Off-Road and it will not go far off-road.

The W angles are approach angle, breakover angle and departure angle. These are vital because if you lack proper numbers, you will destroy your vehicle off-road. This corresponds with running ground clearance that mostly comes from larger tires, point #1.

Finally, lower gearing is important for an off-roader. Having X-Runner gearing or 3.73 type, you get the idea, higher gearing is not for a true off-road vehicle. Lower gearing is vital.

My simple 2024 TRD Sport 6MT boasts off-road capabilities, not "street truck" creds.

I am running 265/70 R18 BFG KO2's which are solid off-road tires.

My W angles have improved with the larger 32.6" tires. I actually have 12" under the lower front cross member, that is off-road worthy and not for street. I would drop the truck if it were a "street truck."

Finally my rear axle gearing is impressive at 4.30 gears in the 9.5" axle of my TRD Sport. I had 4.30 gearing likewise on my 2016 SR 4x4, my 2010 SR5 and 1986 desert racing Toyota 4x4 had 4.10 gearing. Again, not street gearing but off-roading gearing.

Just because you have a TRD Off-Road decal and some bells and whistles like sway bar disconnect or locking rear diff does not mean other Toyota 4x4's cannot or should not be classed as an off-roader.

My TRD Sport will and can off-road with any TRD Off-Road because it is a legendary Toyota 4x4 and not some Colorado or Ranger.

I have built and driven plenty of lower grade Toyota trucks to off-road just fine. My 2024 TRD Sport will join that personal history of mine some day. Wife will have to let me , hehehe...

We all drive legendary Toyota 4X4's, and as long as it has a front diff, it can off-road with the best of them.

 

[Visa_Declined]

You can turn any vehicle into an off road vehicle, nobody's arguing against that.

My TRD Sport will and can off-road with any TRD Off-Road

Until you lose traction in one of your front tires, and one of your rear tires at the same time... then your truck isn't going anywhere without using rocks, branches, or traction boards to recover.

The Trailhunter, Pro, and Off Road can put power to all 4 wheels at the same time via MTS, because Toyota designed them to be off road trucks. Toyota also didn't put one of those huge chin spoilers on any of these forementioned trucks either, because Toyota designed them to be off road trucks.

 

[boring_truck_driver]

I’m mostly interested in how the TRD Off Road handles on the road. How’s the body roll? I have a Gen 2 SR5 and it was terrible from the factory. I had the “rough ride” TSB done (replaced all 4 shocks and the rear springs with the stiffer “Mexico springs”) and had the front springs replaced to level it. It was much better, albeit stiff. I’d like to have the more plush ride of the Off Road, but hope it’s not as squirrelly as my SR5 was.

 

[oxi]

You can turn any vehicle into an off road vehicle, nobody's arguing against that.


Until you lose traction in one of your front tires, and one of your rear tires at the same time... then your truck isn't going anywhere without using rocks, branches, or traction boards to recover.

The Trailhunter, Pro, and Off Road can put power to all 4 wheels at the same time via MTS, because Toyota designed them to be off road trucks. Toyota also didn't put one of those huge chin spoilers on any of these forementioned trucks either, because Toyota designed them to be off road trucks.

Saying my TRD Sport 6MT sporting 4.30 gears plus my 30 years driving Toyota 4x4's including racing my 86 down in Baja and my 05 on tracks like Road America, you have a lot to learn about off-roading.

Note: I gutted my front end on our desert truck and welded the spider gears, thus making it a true posi truck, how did we ever survive the silt beds in Baja with just rear drive is beyond me...

 

[Visa_Declined]

The Sport is a street truck, Toyota designed it that way, it is delivered with street tires, an air dam, and street tuned suspension. It has no ATRAC, no MTS, and no locker. If two wheels lose traction, the truck is not moving. These are facts, and dredging up photos from your past do not change these things.

YouTube is chock full of people with Sport model trucks getting stuck, not making it up hills, etc.

 

[oxi]

The Sport is a street truck, Toyota designed it that way, it is delivered with street tires, an air dam, and street tuned suspension. It has no ATRAC, no MTS, and no locker. If two wheels lose traction, the truck is not moving. These are facts, and dredging up photos from your past do not change these things.

YouTube is chock full of people with Sport model trucks getting stuck, not making it up hills, etc.

I can search and post vid's of precious TRD Off-Road stickered trucks getting stuck and breaking stuff off-road, not hard to find because the old saying is, if you ain't getting stuck, you ain't trying hard enough.

Insulting a Toyota 4x4 will not get you far, especially in this forum.

The best indicators if a Toyota truck is an off-roader vs a street truck is tire size/ground clearance and most important rear axle gearing.

Larger tires give you ground clearance, something a street truck avoids at all costs. Gearing is what pulls those larger meats without struggling off-road or even on road. Lower gearing means lower range means more success off-road, depending on tire choice.

Toyota trucks with lower gearing, 4.10 or lower are primed for off-roading regarding the powertrain. It is simply geared low, again something a street truck avoids at all costs.

You brag about your bells and whistles because you have the TRD Off-Road stickered Toyota 4x4. Congrats on that premium model. It will do fine off-road, but to insult Toyota 4x4 owners as having inferior off-road trucks because of a sticker, is not going to get you far.

I have 30 years running Toyota 4x4's and I did well without the sticker as I sought lower grade trucks to save $$$ to afford to buy lifts for larger tires and yes, I tried the gearing from 4.10 to 5.29 once.

My 2024 TRD Sport 6MT is a sleeper. You think because it has a TRD Sport sticker that it is some dropped, low-rider street huger truck, but in reality it is not.

It is a 4x4 with a front differential the same size and grade as your off-road. I installed a moderate spacer lift and I am now running 32.6" BFG KO2's, where I get 12" of front ground clearance just like you have in your setup within sizes.

I also have the 9.5" rear axle boasting 4.30 gearing. That my friend is not a street truck!

That 4.30 gearing is off-road gearing. I had the same gearing in my standard 2016 SR 4X4 with 265/75 R16 BFG KO2's. I have raced down in Baja and I actually owned a Toyota STREET TRUCK called the X-Runner, a dropped pickup with high gearing for street performance. If I had 4.10 gearing in my X-Runner, I would struggle on the track trying to find gearing shifting through my 6-speed manual.

My old X-Runner is the Toyota Street truck bud, not a Toyota 4x4! Notice that it is dropped with ground effects for downforce indicating a STREET TRUCK.

 

[Visa_Declined]

Insulting a Toyota 4x4 will not get you far, especially in this forum.

I'm not insulting Toyota, you're simply getting upset because I called the Sport a street truck, which it is. Get real.

You brag about your bells and whistles

Go back and read my original comment in this thread, I simply told OP that his Sport has stiffer suspension because it's a street truck tuned for the road.

You immediately took offence and started plastering pictures of old vehicles we've all seen a dozen times, and going on a tangent.

because you have the TRD Off-Road stickered Toyota 4x4. Congrats on that premium model.

The OR is priced withing a couple K of the Sport from what I remember, and my truck has no premium features.

but to insult Toyota 4x4 owners as having inferior off-road trucks because of a sticker, is not going to get you far.

You are the only one who is insulted apparently? It wasn't my intention, I was simply stating the truth, and that is that the Sport model is a street truck.

I have 30 years running Toyota 4x4's and I did well without the sticker as I sought lower grade trucks to save $$$ to afford to buy lifts for larger tires and yes, I tried the gearing from 4.10 to 5.29 once.

So what, the Sport is still a street truck.

My 2024 TRD Sport 6MT is a sleeper. You think because it has a TRD Sport sticker that it is some dropped, low-rider street huger truck, but in reality it is not.

Stop putting words in my mouth, you're acting irrational. Lets just drop this.

 

[Drakka01]

Got something for both of you here since this squabble is completely pointless and off-topic at this point. Now you're just invested in getting the other to acknowledge your rightness which is never going to happen.

 

[Wags]

I guess if the Sport is a street truck every truck made in the 80s is also. The Sport is not a street truck

 

[oxi]

"I win, you lose" Danny Glover,

Besides assisting with the legendary Toyota off-road racing team, I also pitted for a Chevy team, rear-wheel drive only short course truck at places like Crandon to when I raced down in Baja with my old 86 Toyota 4x4.

Been around the block with trucks for 3 decades.

I agree, let's move on and enjoy our trucks! Deal?

 

[trey_is_a_jedi]

Just an update to this thread. I test drove both the 2024 sport and the offroad. The dealer had both in stock. The difference in ride I found to be minimal but noticeable. I went on the same route in both and I noticed one spot in the sport was definitely rougher than the offroad it was choppy pavement around construction area. Ultimately they both drove great. The sport I felt more road imperfections.

If you live in a place that has good roads it would be a wash between the two imo. I live in PA where the roads are garbage .. our on-road driving especially in winter/spring is very rough. Looks like the surface of the moon lol.

I went with the off-road model. The dealer said they had a few people coming for the sport and expected it to sell the next day so they weren't willing to deal much. They knocked extra $$ off the off-road and I jumped on it.

 

[KB Voodoo]

I chose the Sport becuase that will be the first model that hits my dealers lot.

The suspension will be completely changed over the winter, so ride quality is a moot point for me.

Plus.....hood skewp.

Oh and also body colored fender flares, not a fan of black flares.

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