You'll hear me say that the re-incarnated Mint 400 is the closest thing to a lawless outlaw race, as you can find in America 2024. In an off-road race with enough classes on two or four wheels to encompass just about any wheeled vehicle, the potential for exciting racing speaks for itself. But the flip side is that it could be difficult to get OEM manufacturers to pop out at a race so relaxed on the usual rules and regulations.
At this year's running of the 2024 Mint 400, Toyota TRD bucked this trend and showed up with a lineup of 4x4s that toe the line between relatively new and downright ancient history. But you won't find too many people with something bad to say about the fifth-generation Toyota 4Runner. The positively geriatric 2024 4Runner popped out at the 2024 Mint 400 in its totally badass TRD Pro outfit. Flanking it on the left-hand side is a 2024 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro that's a downside less long in the tooth than its 4Runner counterpart.
Among the proverbial sea of aftermarket parts suppliers at the Mint 400's front entrance that gave a vibe like a mini SEMA show, Toyota was the only OEM out there to bring bone stock, brand-new 4x4s that people can pop into dealerships and buy. So then, let's take a look at what's what. First thing first, let's deal with the above-mentioned ancient history. For the N280-series, fifth-generation Toyota 4Runner, 2024 marks its 15th model year in continuous production.
After the death of the Chrysler 300 earlier this year, the 4Runner is also one of the last production vehicles still made today with DNA left over from the first decade of the 21st century. But even so, the 2024 4Runner TRD Pro still looks as legit as the day the first one rolled into public view back in 2014 for the 2015 model year. This time around, the 4Runner TRD Pro slides into the Mint 400's DMs, sporting a striking "Terra" paint color that toes the line between a vibrant brown and a deeper shade of red.
It's certainly the most striking paint color offered on this year's 4Runner TRD Pro, whose only three other paint options run the gambit from white to black to silver. But with contrasting TRD Pro emblems on the wheels, quarter panels, and elsewhere, plus the model-specific front grille, it'd be hard to misidentify this 4Runner as the base model SR5. No bump in power comes with the 4Runner TRD Pro, instead opting for the same four-liter 1GR-FE V6 that's been the exclusive 4Runner drivetrain since Toyota stopped offering it with a 2.7-liter, four-cylinder engine back in 2010.
Photo: Benny Kirk/autoevolution
That'll be good for 270 horsepower regardless of the trim package. But let's be real; it's all about what's different in the suspension department, in this case, not the engine. In that regard, the 4Runner TRD Pro doesn't disappoint. We're talking variants of uber-capable Fox high-performance shock absorbers developed exclusively for Toyota TRD Pro vehicles with similarly TRD-tuned springs at all four corners. Add on TRD-specific stamped front skid plates and roof rack, and this is the kind of off-roader people gladly pay up the wazoo to buy new.
It's all held together on the trail with Toyota's unique Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Select systems that help deliver power to each wheel appropriately as it articulates its way up and down hazardous terrain. Say what you will about electronically locking differentials over mechanical systems, but we don't think anyone will complain when this system works its magic out on the trail. With model-specific, 17-inch TRD wheels, you'll look iconic while doing it. Meanwhile, this 4Runner's confidant on this Las Vegas tour, the Tundra TRD Pro, is no less impressive.
Conversely to the 4Runner, the third-gen Toyota Tundra has all the momentum in the world going into its second model year in production. Speculation abounded about the new Tundra in its first few years on the market. Especially as to whether its twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6 gas engine really was durable enough to replace the much-beloved V8s of the previous generation. Could a V6 tuned up to its eyeballs ever be as reliable as a low-stressed 5.7-liter V8 like previous-gen Tundras could? While it's too soon to judge for sure, the gen-III Tundra TRD Pro sure looks the part.
Owing to the battery-hybrid drivetrain fitted to higher-end trim Tundra trim packages starting with the Limited, the TRD Pro does at least jet a healthy 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft (790 Nm)of torque via its gas V6 and a 48-horse AC permanent magnet electric motor. That extra grunt should be a great help out in the brush, as will the standard four-wheel drive. There's an argument to be made that a standard ten-speed automatic transmission isn't the best choice for an off-roader. But chances are good that the same Multi-Terrain Select system you'll find in the 4Runner TRD Pro is enough to compensate.
Photo: Benny Kirk/autoevolution
If not, then the TRD Pro-spec suspension with FOX shock absorbers and a 1.1-inch front lift surely will. The look is all held together thanks to 18-inch BBS forged-alloy wheels and chunky Galked WILDPEAK all-terrain tires. You also get the same 12-speaker JBL audio system, 14-inch infotainment screen, and 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, an optional extra on lower-trimmed Tundras. Also, that "heritage inspired" retro-styled front grille could charm just about anyone. Bundle everything up, and you get what's got to be one of the most, if not the most desirable, factory-stock Tundras ever built. A future classic? You bet your ass it is.
As I made my way up and down the front entrance to the Mint 400's main grandstand in Primm, Nevada, and saw all the fully-built rigs with aftermarket parts on display, these TRD Pros fit right in. But that leads to the biggest nagging issue with these twin Toyotas, their price. For what's still a 4x4 whose lifespan's stretched to three calendar decades, a base price of $55,170 before all the options is sure to be a tough sell. You could buy a special-edition Jeep Wrangler 4xe Willys or a beefed-up Ford Bronco Everglades for around the same money.
If all you care about is off-road capability, and we suspect it's priority number one for you if you're going out of your way to buy a 4x4 of this caliber, you can't help but think the Jeep and the Bronco might be better value. But come on, do you really expect either of those two to be a fraction as reliable as this 4Runner? It really is all about priorities. But we can't expect the current 4Runner to be in production for much longer, and we can only expect the equivalent TRD Pro next-gen example will be some real fireworks. We're waiting, Toyota; please don't leave us hangin'.
But if inflated base MRSPs are the name of the game, the $72,130 you'll need to fork out for a Tundra TRD Pro wins this round of financial leapfrog. Although, with that in mind, that's still $6,200 less expensive than a Ford F-150 Raptor or just $235 bucks more expensive than a Chevy Silverado ZR2. But once again, we can't foresee General Motors or Ford products being quite as reliable throughout their life as Toyota. Then again, are modern trucks ever really that reliable anymore?
Photo: Benny Kirk/autoevolution
Whatever the case, it genuinely warms our hearts that Toyota saw the Mint 400 as the perfect opportunity to flex its off-road lineup. In just over 15 years since America's oldest truck race made its triumphant return, the race has made some amazing strides toward returning to its status as a pop culture icon. But it's the presence of OEM sponsors and manufacturers that are going to ensure the race sticks around, hopefully for good this time. But are any of you folks interested in Toyota's TRD Pro line? Let us know in the comments down below.
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