What Does SR5 Mean On A Toyota?

Founded in 1937, Toyota is one of the largest car brands in the U.S., with millions of its new vehicles finding owners each year. The popularity and wide availability of Toyota cars in the U.S. auto market means you've likely seen or heard designations like SR5 mentioned, but what exactly does SR5 mean on a Toyota? When mentioned with regard to the brand, SR5 means Sport Rally 5-Speed. The SR5 badge first appeared on a Toyota vehicle in the early '70s, on the second-generation Toyota Corolla, specifically the 1973 Corolla SR5 Coupe.

The SR5 emblem sought to distinguish the coupe as a sporty trim with a five-speed manual transmission upgrade over the four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic offered on other Corolla trims (the Corolla S-5 also had the five-speed manual). Since this first application, the SR5 badge has featured on several other Toyota models, including the Toyota Hilux, Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner.

The SR5 trim serves as either an entry-level option or a step up from the base model, depending on the specific Toyota vehicle you're looking at. On the redesigned 2025 Toyota 4Runner, for example, the SR5 is offered as an entry-level trim, with 11 others all above it. On Tacoma and Tundra trucks, it's positioned just above the entry-level SR grade, with slightly more (or better) features than the base model. Take the 2024 Toyota Tacoma as an example, it improves upon the basic SR trim with a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder i-FORCE engine good for 278 horses and 317 lb-ft with its 8-speed automatic transmission (the 2024 Tacoma SR5 trim is not eligible for the 6-speed manual that caps the engine's power at 270 hp and 310 lb-ft).

That's 50 more hp and 74 extra pounds of torque over the standard SR trim, and in addition, you get 17-inch alloy wheels (versus 17-inch steel wheels for the SR) and keyless entry on all doors (it is limited to just the driver's door on the SR). If you prioritize ride comfort, you might also enjoy better on-road performance with a Tacoma SR5 Double Cab, as it is equipped as standard with a coil-spring rear suspension that give it a more relaxing demeanor — the SR has a leaf-spring setup.

Both Tacoma trims share an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, voice recognition, wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto integration, and numerous others. The 2024 Toyota Tacoma SR5 begins at $36,200 (msrp), while the SR starts significantly lower at $31,500. If, however, you're set on a 4Runner or Tundra SR5, those models start at $40,770 and $45,960, respectively, for the 2025 iterations.