2022 TOYOTA TACOMA TRAIL EDITION

2022 TOYOTA TACOMA

For the ’22 model year, the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro received a few smart upgrades, including new forged aluminum upper control arms, new tires, more suspension travel, and new bedside “TRD Pro” stampings. The truck’s price also increased by a modest $1,600, bringing the starting price of an automatic transmission-equipped truck to just under $50,000. This isn’t a bad deal considering all that comes with the Tacoma TRD Pro.

But as cool as the TRD Pro is, not everyone wants to spend $50K on a truck. Fortunately, Toyota offers several other Tacoma options for those wishing to get off the beaten path while retaining some coin in their pockets. One of these trucks is the ’22 Tacoma Trail Edition. Based on the mid-grade SR5-trim Tacoma, the Trail Edition package is available on four-wheeldrive Double Cab models with the short bed, V-6 engine, and automatic transmission. The Trail Edition gets a 1.1-inch front suspension lift with the rear receiving a 0.5-inch lift. This lift is achieved with taller coil springs in the front and a small spacer in the rear. The truck also gets an electronic locking rear differential, has the front air dam removed, is fitted with skidplates from the TRD Off-Road model, has bronze-finished 16-inch wheels that add a 0.5-inch wider track width front and rear, and Goodyear all-terrain tires. It’s also worth noting that the Trail Edition includes the towing package as found on all V-6–equipped Tacoma models.

Another interesting feature of the Trail Edition is also its most unique. Fitted in the bed of the truck are a pair of lockable storage compartments. The driver-side compartment is

/> The Trail Edition is based on the SR5-trim Tacoma, so SR5 features carry over to the Trail Edition.

/> Bronze-finished 16-inch wheels add a front and rear 0.5-inch wider track width and they’re paired with Goodyear all-terrain tires. departure angles (34 and 23.6 degrees, respectively), along with plenty of ground clearance to get over obstacles. The Goodyear all-terrain tires give plenty of grip on loose dirt, and when they aren’t quite enough the rear locking differential boosts traction to get over the toughest obstacles.

The Trail Edition doesn’t come with Toyota’s Crawl Control or Multi-Terrain Select features and honestly, we didn’t miss them. The Tacoma’s 3.5L V-6 engine produces plenty of power to get down the trail and the six-speed automatic transmission works well on the trail with its manual gear selection function.

Inside, the Trail Edition is equipped with an 8-inch color touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. The truck also has a 10-way adjustable driver seat and cloth seating throughout the cabin. All Tacoma models come standard with TSS-P, which includes such safety and security features as adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and auto emergency braking. All these features made driving the

<\ There are a couple of notable things about the front end on the Trail Edition. First is the lack of an air dam. Ditching the air dam helps to improve the approach angle to a respectable 34 degrees. The other prominent item up front is the “heritage-inspired” grille. This grille, first found on the TRD Pro, has unique bronze-colored lettering that’s specific to the Trail Edition.

Tacoma Trail Edition a joy, since lower tier models typically lose out on some of our favorite features, such as Apple CarPlay and adaptive cruise. And, if we’re being completely honest, we prefer the Tacoma’s cloth interior over the higher trim leather seats.

At the end of the trail, we were quite impressed with the ’22 Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition. This truck felt pure and simple while still providing the comfort and luxuries we’ve become accustomed to. If you can off-road without the electronic aid of Crawl Control, and don’t need to have leather seats, look no further than the Tacoma Trail Edition. You, too, will be pleasantly surprised.

<- On the trail, we appreciated the great approach angle and good ground clearance of the Trail Edition. The Goodyear all-terrain tires gave plenty of grip on loose dirt, and when they weren’t quite enough the rear locking differential helped to boost traction to get over the toughest obstacles. FW