I've always appreciated your channel..no ego, just great insight and perspective. In the beginning I wanted to be one of the cool kids and have a pro but when I seen a Trail Edition it all clicked for me.

Solar Octane , heated steering wheel ( outside of the dependability factor ) sold it for me . Some would say “ that’s a ridiculous reason “ Me so what I’m turning 54 in June & if I decide to choose a vehicle by a color & heated steering wheel …. God Bless America . ❤ Congrats on your chosen rig. 😍

I look for your videos every time I get on you tune! They are very informative and I learn a lot from them! Thank you!

We have the same thought process Viking...I just bought a 2017 TRD Offroad earlier this year for exactly the same reasons as you just explained! Well done and enjoy your new to you 4Runner!

Another excellent video. I’ll bet that most of the 4Runner community totally agrees with your assessment. I do except I have the black Pro rims on my white SR5. I don’t sweat the dirt on the rims, it adds patina. I learned two things from this video, what color rims your going with and it’s currently getting undercoated, which is a smart move! Especially where your located. I live in the desert so rust isn’t really an issue. I made similar decisions when I bought mine new in 18’. I already had 20 years of off roading experience in my basic 97’ Tacoma 4x4 with no lockers so I knew I didn’t need the additional features the Off-Road provided. I did upgrade to E load Nitto RG’s which I consider an important safety feature because our trails have sharp rocks. My SR5 is more than capable to get me to the places I dare to go. Keep up the good work, appreciate your videos, Slopemaster

On point brotha. Owner of 2021 TRD ORP and I considered most of that as well

For anyone that serious about driving their car non-off-road. Go ahead and test drive a TRD pro. Then go ahead and drive a GX 460. Then realize if you want a 4runner you need the off-road premium with KDSS. That’s about all you really need to know. I mean besides the pro exhaust is for a teenager lol. I don’t have any gripes with the black rims or the roof rack seems a lot of people aren’t super keen on the roof rack though. The KDSS will articulate better off-road also. Oh yeah and then there’s that thing where raising one of these puts all kinds of pressure on the front end that causes damage later so I’m not really a fan of that regardless that you can get away with it and just do maintenance. I’m in the process of debating between the GX 460 and the off-road premium wish I could just buy both! Great video man, the more educated ones have this opinion it appears. All that pro stuff ( including the fox suspension) is something that isn’t even done in Japan it’s done at the port for Americans. 😂

Totally agree on the drony sound! And the shocks too. You have this great insight as a Toyota tech !! and thanks for sharing it ! loving my O.R.P. too. Great vid again man. edit.. I DO love the ORP two tone wheels. I remember the days when the cheapest vehicles on any car lot were black grill and wheels.. so I can't do that.. that memory is not going away. I'd go bronze if i changed mine. :- ) I have a guess that you might be doing rust proofing oily coating :- )

This is exactly why my wife chose the Off Road Premium over the Pro. We changed out the rims/tires, roof rack and suspension in the first month. She got the black out emblem package from the factory luckily. She did get the KDSS and so far it’s working just fine with the lift. We did have to get KDSS extension brackets however. But the super beefy anti way bar that comes with KDSS (vs the lighter one on non-KDSS) definitely is needed with the roof rack/RTT which makes it a bit heavier on top.

Love my 2020 army green TRD Pro, it's a beauty, the only one in my area, zero problems and could sell it today for what I paid for it.

I bought a new AG 2020 TRD Pro. The FOX front shocks did make a noise at 30 degrees F and below (I think it was 30 degrees). I replaced the front shocks with the 2021 FOX shocks which corrected the problem. The only other complaint that I have is that I don't like the roof rack. I'll replace it with a better one soon. (I forgot to mention...at some point I'll improve the throttle response, either by a pedal controller, a tune or a super charger...I like the super charger idea best but I'll need to budget for it...it's expensive). Great channel.

I truly get how & why you chose your new 4Runner. I ordered (Jan30/2022) & took delivery (Mar30/2022) bought a 2022 Army Green TRAIL, the base & cheapest model available. Don't like, don't use, didn't want a moon roof. As I recall, all the other models had a moon roof. I wanted the brown leather interior (which I also have installed in my 2015 Tundra), but to get it was way up there in the model range. Didn't want the KDSS. Besides "Katzkin" brown leather interior, I've added BFG KO2's; TRD cat-back; front/rear dash cam; remote start (no subscription!!!); rear cargo storage cover (thanks for that video); blind spot mirrors; drivers side A pillar handle; always on front/rear camera; Redarc trailer brake controller & moved the female trailer plug from under the truck so that my trailers cable will reach. I'll be switching to Bilstein shocks at about 80,000km. That'll be about it for mods. Now I have the vehicle I want, with ONLY the extras I want & need. Truly enjoy your channel.

Couple of months ago I went with the Trd off-road for many of the same reasons you bring up. I was considering it for two years what to do. In the end, it was the difference between the tires and rims and suspension. But like you I felt that was also something I could do myself For a third of the price. The other thing was that it would allow me to put my own spin on my forerunner, and after a whole lot of research interestingly enough, I went with the TRD Pro rims because I came to the conclusion Toyota just got it right visually. Those rims for me anyhow, were the best ones for the forerunner (I will however after watching this video and your thoughts hold onto the original Off Road rims in case I change my mind, as the original one did grow on me to lol). I did have my eyes on the black rhinos, but I wasn’t comfortable with the offset, and the fact that they would’ve been harder to clean as well as the heat retention. But I digress. Those two things I managed to do on my own for a lot cheaper than had I bought a pro. Having said that. The dual climate control. I hadn’t even considered. Lol note I have the premium also. Viking , your channel has been indispensable. all the conversations and questions that I had about my new forerunner. You are just knocking them out of the park. Thank you sir.

Almost the exact reasons why I bought my 2021 4Runner TRD OffRoad Premium w/XP Pred. Pkg over the TRD Pro. Mainly was overall cost. It’s about $10k more than the TRD ORP. The TRD Pro does have different colors, but ehh plus I like the turn signal mirrors. I do however, wish I had the suspension, skid plate, and the exhaust of the Pro, but now I can get the lift-level suspension kit I prefer, as well as the exhaust. I can of course get the skid plate as you showed us on a recent video lol plus I’m not crazy about the roof basket on the Pro’s. Im always looking for someone with a 2021 Pro that upgraded their exhaust and will sell me their own shocks/struts. I may just go with aftermarket anyhow. Time will tell. Great video as always brother, appreciate it! God bless~ PS: I happen to LOVE my TRD Pro wheels that came on my TRD ORP because of the XP Predator Pkg which adds the wheels, predator steps obviously, blackout badging, and that’s it I believe, but yes, I happen to love those black wheels. To each their own though. My truck is also the ‘midnight black metallic’ as well. They’d look great with the bronze Pro wheels too, but I like the all blacked out look myself.

In my second week of being a 1st time 4Runner owner. Been waiting for years for just the right one, and when I saw that a Solar Octane was in production coming to one of the dealerships I was working with, I kept my eye on it for months and right before it arrived, pulled the trigger. And yes I went with the TRD Off Road Premium. No, I dont regret not getting a Pro. My only option that was paramount, was that giant moon roof!

Great video sir, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. I would pick the TRD Off Road over TRD Pro even if it was the same price. I am undivided between the Limited and TRD Off Road. 😆 I really do like the Limited but 2nd choice would be the TRD Off Road. I think the Voodoo Blue would push me over to buy the TRD Pro…what a beautiful colour.

I get that people don't want to buy the TRD Pro for many reasons, but why then spend thousands of dollars trying to make a lower model look like the TRD Pro?

When I got my black TRD wheels I didn’t think I could keep them clean. Then I got matte wheel cleaner and protector. It keeps them looking new and they don’t get as dirty. When they do get dirty they clean up easily.

Pro is not a bad buy if you're keeping for the long term. You get homelink, JBL sound system, dual climate control, and auto on/off headlights. Also with the PRO it already comes off-road ready, so you can depreciate the suspensions and tires before buying new ones. To me that makes more sense tham buying a lower trim and then upgrading all the parts for $10k and having to sell those stock new parts at a discount.

I have the 2016 trail edition 4Runner and I literally just walked away from a 2023 solar octane 4Runner TRD Pro about an hour ago. We really did like the colour and some of the new features but couldn’t justify the price difference it would take to get from the 2016 to the 2023. Our 2016 was a bit damaged by a tornado in 2021 and we are still fighting with the insurance to get a proper value on it because they want to write it off but the main damage is the rear tailgate that was impacted by either a garbage can or recycle bin. I agree that the Trd off-road [which is the same as my 2016 trail edition] is an excellent buy for what you get. It would be similar to the one that you have but we are here in Canada so I think ours is slightly different…and yours will obviously have slightly upgraded tweaks that came over the last few years. My wife Really dislikes the roof rack on the pro because she also thinks it’s not functional and said exactly what you said about it being an afterthought and she really dislikes the rock sliders on the new 2023 (and probably a few other years) because her and my son won’t be able to use It as a step to get in to the truck. We really had to put some thought into this decision, but I think it was the right one for us. This 2016 model is our 4th 4Runner but I think we will wait for the 6th gen two by hour5th 4Runner. 😃 4Runners for life!

Viking - I will choose a 4R using a multi-layered decision tree! Me - ooh, it's red! Sold! 😅 Congrats on the new 4R. Enjoy

I also just purchased the 2022 off road premium, you know it's only my wife and I, don't need the dual zone hvac, as for the fox racing shocks? Maybe in the future. Only thing I've done was the cat shield! Gotta get 1! The cat thefts are going crazy because they don't need a jack to get under an suv! As for being a TRD Pro? Whatever you do to modify your 4 runner I'm sure it will be better!

I agree with all your points except the wheels. The price is the biggest deal breaker with me. I bought a 2021 venture edition new for 43K the TRDPRO was 51K+. For the 8K I can buy an up graded suspension, exhaust and the TRD skid plate. Plus im going to upgrade the roof rack with either model.

Great video as always VG. I was thinking the same but in the Tundra line. Do you have any guidance on Tundra models 2016 to 2021? I am not really interested in the V6 turbos, rather go with the V8. I want to go with a "leather" interior. I understand that seats in the Platinum are much more comfortable vs. a Limited per se. Thanks!

Completely agree with you.

I feel the same way about the black wheels and rook rack.

I’m considering the pro simply for resale. I had a SR5 and wish I had the locker. But now I see the payload difference between my SR5 and the TRD options and the TRD’s are rated for 880 lbs for people and cargo is hard to accept.

Great decision. If I had it to do over again I would buy the exact same trim. What are your thoughts on wheels? Keep stock or aftermarket? Also, have you heard about SCS wheels? They are supposedly hub centric which is cool.

Good list. For me it was the KDSS. It is exceptional and not offered on the TRD Pro.

I bought a TRD off-road premium over the Pro. I was not impressed by the extras for the amount of money they wanted for the Pro. The fox set up is ok but I’d rather have a bit more lift so I’d have to redo that and I’m not a big fan of the black wheels either. I’d have to do two fairly expensive things to it right off the bat and play much more, it just didn’t make sense for me.

Nothing beats the pro. We can make a hundred excuses not to buy one but it’s the best and top dog as far as a 4Runner is concerned. But orp is awesome as well. Win win either way.

Hey! careful with your words about my roof rack!!! haha yes, not the best functionality, I 100% agree. However, I feel the shape and style is the better option aesthetically. Functionally, I found some inexpensive storage boxes that fit the rack perfectly and address that issue. (2020 SR5 Premium)

You were exactly correct with your purchase .. And correct about just owning any model 4Runner is not a bad purchase.. I also own a TRD ORP , I wanted the manual transfer case too…. That was the icing on the cake for me.. Don’t know of any other manufacturer in a suv doing it . Mine has the KDSS which I know you’re not a fan of .. But when I saw this vehicle I just had to have it and didn’t know the difference when I bought it in 2018 anyway. Not that it would have made a difference back then . I think maintenance is very important and don’t see any preventative maintenance for KDSS besides looking for leaks or anything out of place. ( Is there ? )Let me know what you think , please & thanks 🙏🏻 (Is yours going out for undercoating ?) Love the channel and I’ll be looking forward to seeing the next episode .. Thanks

I couldn’t justify the extra money from the TRD Off road premium. I think aesthetically I would have had lov to have gotten the TRD pro tires and rims. If you order the parts and add the, on your self. You’d come out ahead if you do the labor. Tires. Rims. Skid plate. Exhaust systems. Don’t justify the extra 10k

I agree - ORP trim seems to be the way to go. What was the reasons for you not to go with KDSS? Longterm reliability? Ability to lift over 3 inches? Something else?

I love the TRD Pro wheel design. But I’m not a fan of the black color either. I too felt it was always collecting dust.

Automatic headlights are also standard on the pro and limited (not to get confused with auto high beams). Not necessarily worth the up charge but something to note

They make solid roof racks aftermarket that are lower profile but offer so much more functionality.. even light bars that hide away when not in use. I also don't want TRD Pro.. I was even looking at Limited.. but I don't want the 20" wheels.. I would like leather seats. But the rest.. I'd also like TRD Offroad.

I have put about 4k into my base 2022 SR5. Suspension and performance cooling and transmission cooling as well as truck tires. (stock silver wheels). I haul my travel trailer and do light off-roading. So the base saved a ton of money I repurpose into items that were right for me. I need a name for my trim level - Camper Pro. CMPR5? 😂😂

I bought the Pro, because it was used and the price was cheaper than a new SR5, and I didn’t have to wait a year to get it. At the time I bought it we couldn’t get a new 4Runner off the lot. It had to be ordered and there was a 1 year wait

I couldn't agree more about the roof rack, but couldn't disagree more about the wheels...lol

Looking for a Toyota mechanic prospective… I’m about to buy a 2022 Toyota Camry XLE and just wondering if I should get the extended warranty?

I dont want the extra noise with the cat back exhaust( had sst pros mt's) i would like my next tail pipe turned out. I dont like straight exhaust on suv's and pickups.

What about the audio system? That is the only thing that is making me lean towards the TRD PRO.

I work for Toyota HQ and owned a 20 army green and 22 grey pro and I agree on the exhaust, wheel and roof rack. One “pro” is resell value on the pro versus ORP noticeable.

I ❤ my army green TRD ORP!

It’s not possible to add dual climate control to the orp? That parts not compatible?

I love dual climate but man $6k would be too much for me. Buy a wool blanket and leave it for the Mrs.

No need to explain, buy what you can afford, live within your means

We paid MSRP for our new 2023 Pro. Very happy with it. No Fox noise, love the ride. No way my wife would have agreed to buying a new Off Road and modifying it right away. The Off Roads were also MSRP, so no significant savings.

General opinion, if you’re not looking to modify your 4Runner then the PRO may be the way to go. What I’ve seen is most people modify their OR truck to match the aesthetics and performance of the TRD Pro or go above and beyond. If you take the additional features of the PRO from the dealer you’re looking at 1) Climate control, 2) FOX shocks, 3) Front grill, 4) TRD Skid Plates, 5) JBL sound system, and the value associated with the 6) TRD PRO brand name. If you were to buy all these parts separately and pay to install you may end up spending more than the incremental cost from the OR to the PRO.

Off-Road Premium 4Ever! 👍🏼

For me it was the KDSS. I know you're not a fan of KDSS (not sure why) but KDSS transforms the vehicle from having too much body roll and front end dive to something that just has sublime handling. I was a little reluctant re: KDSS, but I have family members (uncle and cousin) that both had vey high mileage Land Cruisers with KDSS and they swear by them.

i wanted solar octane..it only comes on the trd pro

I don't like that FJ rack either. It's not very functional. The problem with the rack you like, Paul is the mounting system. I can't understand how Toyota thinks it's a good idea to use plastic brackets as the mechanism for attaching the rack to the roof, unless it's a safety mechanism to prevent the vehicle from becoming dangerously top-heavy. I found a great rack by RCI that was on sale for $700. I would have preferred the Gobi stealth, but at 2.5x the price and unreal lead times, RCI's rack was perfect for my needs. Plus, its mounting brackets attach to the rails which makes it really strong. Any rack with integrated mounting brackets is inherently weak. As to the wheels, I'm okay with the fact that off-road vehicles get dirty. It gives me an excuse to save on my water bills. :)) If you don' care about the badging, why even consider installing the TRD Pro skid plate? :0 There are better options out there. Did CJ have a say in any of this? Afterall, it is HIS truck! Lastly, if you really wanted to save money, you could have waited until the fall when, sadly, the repo market will pick up.

What about the sound system?

I went ORP as well. The only thing that chaps my ass, is that it doesn’t come with remote start like the pro does.

I have a 2021 off road premium. Reason #1 why I didn't get a pro is they are OVERPRICED!

Window tint?

They are all packages of an SR5 In fact the one that is least like a package would be the limited as it has fulltime 4wd, and leather etc. Trd pro, offroad and sport are suspension packages. The off road has kdss which is more than just shocks. All packages in Canada are premium Other than price the other reason not to buy is every other youtuber thinks there is no other 4runnner other than the pro The standard roof carrier on the pro, just no.Once one catches it on owners garage door that sucker comes off😅 Why would one buy one? It looks good? Having said that. People pay tens of thousands more for a badge in other vehicles As for making the right decision with a 4 runner, i am quite certain the owner of your local gas station will be in full agreement....

Honestly I never understood dual climate control. It’s kind of like having one seat in the hot tub where people can pee but the other seat you can’t. Or a smoking section in an airplane. It allllll blends together. I got the TRD OR only because I couldn’t get a pro anywhere. Mine has KDSS and to me that’s the biggest downside to owning the off road. I believe in canada, the TRD OR only comes with KDSS. So that’s primarily why I wanted a pro. I’d have preferred not to have KDSS only because I wanted to lift it and it’s better to have non KDSS if you want to lift. That’s my perspective anyway….

Disagree with black wheels. It makes the 4Runner look sharp! Added Toyota rock sliders too. Otherwise agree with you on all other things.

I still bicker over the temperature with the dual climate control. The catback exhaust does drone, but I have learned to tune it out BUT passengers both front and back do say its a little loud. As for the rack, it looks nice to me but it is pretty useless ALSO the overall height of the TRD Pro with the rack makes parking in MANY parking garages impossible.

Off road has KDSS which enhances wheel travel, doubt pro can beat that.

Pros for the Pro and the Limited…remote start. No remote start on my 23 ORP

Well now I got buyers remorse watching this video lol I have a 2016 TRD PRO

I have an off-road premium myself. Let's be honest man, you would have bought a 2023 if the price was better on a TRD pro lol. Everything about them is better, but it's Toyota. I really justified and their price on them not really lol..think.about how much extra the basket, wheels, rubber, fox suspension,. exhaust system is..all adds up real fast. A tad overpriced but still an upgrade

I agree with your comparison. Pro is overpriced and a status symbol. Guess it depends on your income level and how you plan on using it are you a mall crawler or actually an off roader to justify the price. I also purchased my "22 ORP because it did not have the TRD exhaust drone or Fox suspension and had better options cause I just couldn't justify the price difference. My Canadian spec ORP has the added benefits of standard dual climate control (and yes happy wife happy life) and KDSS (which I love ) as well as factory remote start. Seems like US options are hit and regionally miss. As for the black TRD BBS rims yah they're are just as hard to keep clean as my midnight black '22 ORP 4Runner. I'm happy with my bronze non BBS TRD rims I have on my '22. Unless you're an over lander I also have no need for the FJ style roof rack. Yes overall the ORP 4Runner is the best bang for your buck unless you really need that 3rd row seating and full time 4wd.

Your undercoating the frame. I hope you didn't decide to pay 2 grand to have it painted with poor 15? That would be such a waste. Also even worse if you undercoat it with that rubberized garbage. Lanolin based undercoating is the best way to go. Surface shield once every 2 years bro