What Does TRD Mean On Toyota Vehicles?

Initialisms have frequently been used in the names of vehicle and to designate trim levels for decades. Examples include T/A, short for Trans Am; ST (Sports Technologies) tacked on the names of Ford cars; NISMO for Nissan Motorsports; and the legendary Pontiac GTO muscle car, a name derived from the Italian, Gran Turismo Omologato, and borrowed from the ultra-rare Ferrari 250 GTO.

Toyota's TRD is one of the more famous car badges seen on the road today. The company uses the acronym on a variety of vehicles from sporty sedans to off-road-capable trucks and SUVs. The TRD badge proudly displayed on Toyota's most capable models stands for Toyota Racing Development.

Toyota began its motorsports division as early as 1957 under the Toyota Sports Corner, or TOSCO, banner the same year that Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. was established in Hollywood, California. The automaker established Toyota Racing Development, U.S.A., Inc. as an avenue to improve the performance of its production cars in 1979. However, even before that, TRD was the company's factory-backed racing division that evolved from TOSCO.

Toyota Racing Development applies different levels of customization to select Toyota vehicles, the first of which is signified simply as TRD and was last found on the 2024 Toyota Camry. The 2024 Camry TRD came with a 3.5-liter V6 capable of producing 301 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque. The engine's double overhead cam (DOHC) valvetrain featured four valves per cylinder and variable valve timing. The Camry's direct-fuel-injection provided fuel to the cylinders for optimum performance.

For comparison, the standard 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine in the lower-trimmed Camry put out 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. The 2024 Toyota Camry TRD offered a front-wheel-drive-only drivetrain that included a manually shiftable eight-speed automatic transmission.

In addition to the upgraded engine, the TRD Camry came with specially tuned suspension and chassis components for improved handling. While other Camry trims, like the Camry SE, offered sporty suspension tuning, and the XLE and XSE trims offered a V6 that was just as impressive, the TRD trim was the most affordable way to get the performance goodies without the unnecessary luxuries provided in the higher-priced Camry options.

The Camry TRD also stood apart with its black side mirrors and window trim. Toyota carried the TRD black-trim theme to the matte black wheels complete with red-trimmed TRD logos on the center caps. Like the black trim, red was a recurring theme with the TRD logo. Red TRD badges adorn the outside, and inside you'll find red accents and contrast stitching in the upholstery.

Most recently, Toyota has offered three of its SUVs with various levels of TRD options: the RAV4, 4Runner, and Sequoia. The RAV4, the smallest Toyota TRD SUV, offered the TRD Off-Road trim for the 2024 model year; however, Toyota dropped the TRD option from the RAV4 lineup for 2025.

Toyota's largest SUV for 2025 is the Sequoia. Like the 2024 Toyota Sequoia we reviewed, it also offers a single TRD trim. The 2025 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro is powered by the same 437-horsepower i-Force Max twin-turbo V6 hybrid powertrain with 583 lb-ft of torque as the other 2025 Sequoia trims. All 2025 Sequoia trims are available in four-wheel drive, and some offer various TRD packages that include special badging, locking rear differential, and suspension upgrades in some cases.

As a trim level, the Sequoia TRD Pro features an off-road tuned suspension with 2.5-inch Fox internal bypass coil-over shock absorbers and a TRD Pro front stabilizer bar. Like all TRD trims, the Sequoia TRD Pro comes with special matte-black wheels with TRD center caps, TRD badging inside and out, and a number of red accents.

The 2025 Toyota 4Runner provides five TRD trim options, the most of any SUV in the Toyota lineup. On the low end, the 4Runner provides TRD Sport and TRD Sport Premium options. The 2025 4Runner TRD Sport Premium trim offers upscale features like a hands-free liftgate and SofTex-trimmed front seats that are heated and ventilated. Both TRD Sport trims feature the same turbocharged 278-horsepower 2.4L i-Force engine and an option for rear- (RWD) or part-time four-wheel drive (4WD).

The TRD Off-Road and TRD Off-Road Premium trims offer an option for the 2.4L i-Force Max hybrid drivetrain with 326 horsepower over the standard 2.4L i-Force power plant. The drivetrain in either trim level includes an eight-speed automatic transmission and part-time 4WD as the only offering.

The TRD Pro trim only comes with the 2.4L i-Force Max hybrid part-time 4WD drivetrain and delivers even more premium features than other 4Runner TRD trims. The 4Runner TRD Pro stands out with its high-clearance front bumper, extended width fenders, glossy-black hood scoop, LED light bar, clear taillight lenses, and amber daytime running lights. It also has power folding outside mirrors with memory for those times the 4Runner is just a little too wide.

While other TRD trims include appropriate badging and red accents, the TRD Pro outlined in the aluminum front skid plate provides dramatic flair. Inside the cabin, dual zone automatic climate control provides individual temperature settings for the driver and front-seat passenger.

The 2025 Toyota Tacoma offers the most TRD and drivetrain options of the Toyota pickup truck lineup. The 2025 Tacoma TRD trims provide a choice of powertrains between the 278-horsepower 2.4L i-Force turbo four-cylinder and the 326-horsepower i-Force Max hybrid with the same engine. Depending on the particular configuration chosen, options include a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, and rear-wheel drive with a limited-slip differential or part-time four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case offering high- or low-range operation.

The latest Tacoma TRD options include the TRD PreRunner, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and TRD Pro trim levels. The Tacoma TRD PreRunner limits drivetrain options to the base engine, automatic transmission, and RWD, but includes special 17-inch TRD PreRunner alloy wheels and composite-underbody gas tank protection.

The 2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport offers the base 2.4L turbo with the manual or automatic transmission options and RWD or part-time 4WD drivelines. The Tacoma TRD Off-Road only comes with part-time 4WD but retains the choice of transmissions. However, buyers should be aware that SlashGear's 2024 Tacoma manual transmission review yielded unexpected results before choosing a transmission option.

Toyota's 326-horsepower i-Force Max hybrid powertrain is available in the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road trims and the only option for the TRD Pro trim; however, the hybrid engine only comes with the automatic transmission and part-time 4WD driveline. As the top-tier TRD trim, the TRD Pro features 2.5-inch Fox shocks and specially dampened front seats for off-road comfort.

The 2025 Toyota Tundra offers a single TRD trim package, the TRD Pro, poised near the top of the Tundra lineup. The singular TRD Pro also comes with only one drivetrain option — a 437-horsepower twin-turbo V6 hybrid with 583 lb-ft of torque — a 10-speed automatic transmission, and part-time 4WD. SlashGear's Chris Davies called the combination "surprisingly sporty" but found its fuel consumption "oddly thirsty" in his review of the 2024 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro hybrid. While its power is only matched among 2025 Tundra trims by the hybrid powertrain that's standard on the Capstone trim and optional on the Limited, Platinum, and 1794 Edition, its 19-mpg combined fuel economy rating is on par with other 4WD Tundras.

The Tundra TRD Pro features Xply Armor underside protection for the engine, fuel tank, and transfer case, while an aluminum skid plate with a TRD-logo protects the underside at the front of the truck. Inside, TRD Pro logo SofTex-trimmed seats will cradle your backside. Off-road prowess is enhanced by the Tundra TRD Pro's Fox shocks, a 1.1-inch front suspension lift, Toyota's Multi-Terrain Select with Crawl Control, and an electronically controlled locking rear differential.