We're Testing a 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro For a Year and You Can't Miss It

There's no missing our newest yearlong test vehicle. With paint so bright it seems to amplify the sun's solar output and influence the weather, our Solar Octane orange long-term 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro's arrival coincided with the gradual easing of California's record-breaking rainy season.

Our new Tundra is anything but subtle. That orange paint, a $425 option, is unimaginably bright—so much so, it's difficult to look directly at the truck in the high-noon sun without squinting. Combined with our Tundra TRD Pro's gaping black grille, digital camouflage fender and bed trim, and stylish black 18-inch forged aluminum BBS wheels, and we've got ourselves a pretty cool-looking truck.

The Tundra's bold, "bro-racer" aesthetic may not appeal to everyone, but we can't recall a single outing in which we haven't received an enthusiastic thumbs-up on the highway or were approached by curious admirers at parking lots and gas stations eager to talk.

There's a good chance you're already acquainted with Toyota's TRD Pro line of trucks and SUVs; but for those not yet initiated, the TRD Pro line stands atop the company's range of off-road-centric trims.

In the case of the 2023 Tundra, the TRD Pro has an array of off-road-focused enhancements and aesthetic changes. Fox 2.5-inch internal bypass remote reservoir shocks, a 1.1-inch lift, skidplates, a beefy front sway bar, Falken Wildpeak A/T all-terrain tires, a locking rear differential, and versatile terrain modes give the TRD Pro enhanced off-road capabilities over more street-oriented Tundras. In terms of appearance, the wheels, aforementioned trim, and the ultra-bright built-in TRD light bar help set the TRD Pro apart from the rest of the Tundra lineup.

The "digital camo" theme continues within the TRD Pro's interior, which features SofTex-trimmed seats. The remaining interior expanse is dominated by a massive 14.0-inch center screen. Large screens have become commonplace in modern vehicles, but the one gracing the Tundra's dashboard is oriented horizontally, providing a departure from the vertical arrangement seen in many of its competitors like the F-150 Lightning Lariat currently in our long-term fleet. Certain exterior colors offer the option of a glitzier red interior, but if you opt for the retina-searing orange as we did, your only choice is black. A massive panoramic sunroof spanning the entirety of the roof adds a touch of illumination to the cabin.

Powering our Tundra TRD Pro is Toyota's new hybrid twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 engine, churning out an impressive 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, coupled with a 10-speed automatic and four-wheel drive. Having had the privilege of spending considerable time with our long-term Ram 1500 TRX, we must admit that although the Tundra falls short of the TRX's 702 horsepower and mind-blowing acceleration, it scoots off the line with a cacophony of V-8 growl pumped through the speakers. We're not against enhanced engine noises, but sometimes there's a disconnect between the level of growl and how much throttle input it is receiving. Only time will tell if the Lexus V-8 rumble coming from our Toyota V-6 hybrid truck's speakers gets on our nerves.

Toyota says efficiency wasn't the goal with its hybrid V-6, but the Tundra's 18/20/19 mpg city/highway/combined EPA fuel economy numbers are quite a bit better than many of its competitors—on paper, at least. We'll see if we can meet or exceed those numbers, as many staffers tend to have a heavy right foot.

All that grunt does help the Tundra tow and haul, with a class-competitive 11,130-pound tow capacity and the ability to hold 1,449 pounds in its 5.5-foot bed.

Unlike the other American pickups in our fleet, the Texas-built Tundra TRD Pro isn't available with any options, save for some dealer-installed accessories. Other than the paint color premium, we ordered our truck with wheel locks, some extra tie-downs, a bed step, a rubberized mat to line the composite bed, and paint protection film. Our Tundra stickered at $71,998.

Let's address the Cheeto-colored elephant in the room. Since the updated Tundra TRD Pro launched in 2022, the truck hasn't fared well in our short-term testing. Vehicles like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trail Boss, Ford F-150 Tremor, and Ram 1500 Rebel have put the Toyota on a trailer, for example. We've has questions regarding the Tundra's build quality, interior material use, and most important, its on-road handling and off-road performance.

Does this mean the 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is a bad truck? Or, do its comparison test results speak more to the quality of the competition? Over the next year, we hope to find out. We'll be taking it on road trips, commuting, and doing some special activities that show us the Tundra from the perspective of its prospective buyers. We're also going to have fun with it. Toyota builds the Tundra TRD Pro to go off-road, and as California residents we're blessed with almost endless places to explore. We'll be looking to find out if our long-term Tundra is actually a pro, or, well, an amateur.