Toyota Tundra Pro Runner Off-Road Review - Japanese Raptor with a warranty - Do you yearn to feel your truck towards the slot front un...
Do you yearn to feel your truck towards the slot front under moderate throttle, pushing the hood before you? Do you have pain for this pre-runner straight soft grip in every corner? Does your current platform sports a sticker with Calvin relieve playfully on a blue oval? If so, Tundra Pro Runner Dealer Services International may be the truck for you.
The Raptor is said to have no true peers. And although it is quite true that Toyota makes a compelling argument to look here. But this is not the absorbent canyon wheel travel of the truck, miraculous hydraulic bump stops or bad-ass black aluminum wheels in 18-inch to 35-inch rubber that make this outstanding Tundra. What makes this viable alternative Raptor is you can buy one right next to a Toyota showroom floor today . No interruption of warranty coverage, no penalty payload, and no need to max your credit card for changes.
The Raptor Pro Runner gives more drivers a reason to check their rearview mirror.
This is not a comparison product, but juxtaposing these two products is unavoidable. The Pro Runner was marked bench against the popular Ford and designed for the same mission: to fight through the desert highway speeds. Just like Ford, Toyota that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 126), which means that electronic stability control system remains compliant OEM. On the flip side, this means that without a land management system as the Raptor, the Tundra may miss some of the capacity-limited off-road set by Ford.
What about the TRD Pro? Of course, the TRD Pro offers a significant 10.5 inches of wheel travel at the front and 9.5 rear, against 11.2 and 12.1 inches for the Raptor. But the Pro Runner goes several steps further with Pro Comp lift 4 inches with a new cast arm upper and lower control, internal bypass coilovers up front, and the reservoir shocks in the rear. With modified wings all around, the package offers a well balanced platform with 14 inches of wheel travel, well within the range of a Sportsman class racing truck. That all sounds great, but outside the Ensenada-Swing, how do the Pro Runner?
The 85,000 acre Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area straddles the San Diego / Imperial County line and is one of the first off-road destinations in Southern California . On weekends and holidays, tens of thousands of fans of off-road gather there. But on a Wednesday in May, it was an empty playground. No need to look for flags moving fast swinging through the desert.
Test began in the vast San Felipe Wash. Its 100 to 0 feet wide washboard sand blown with casual games Whoop-dee-doos and dunes encroach were an invitation to the Pro Runner up to speed. Speeding through 30 miles per hour is a bumpy ride. Arriving at 40 mph, about where a full-size truck stock would generate sufficient head toss to eject its driver, the Pro Runner begins to smooth. At 50, he is composed. And 60 Pro Runner is in its serenity, uplifting element as flat cruises, devouring shoals of 3 feet and 2 feet laughing Whoop-dee-doos.
There is an explosion through the long straights. The additional 5 inches of track along its 381 V8 horses can give the platform a powerful, planted feel. The power steering is sensitive, requiring more input than would be ideal, but he dealt remarkably well with a testing regime for which it was not originally designed. We do however need to match the speed of advance of the reach between the bumps to find the right frequency. When the truck comes out of synchronization, usually due to excessive speed, hydraulic bump stops step to prove their eye-opening capabilities. They provide 2-inch progressive deceleration in the compression height of the suspension, but while eliminating the transmission of energy to the impact of the framework. In other words, the teeth-rattling, risk-part experiment to find the limit of suspension travel in almost any other truck, Raptor included, is not present here.
The, wide long curves in the washing passed without drama, which was disappointing. Despite the entry of healthy gas, tires refused to turn the requested speed and the back-end remained just behind the forehead. And just to add to the mix distraction, ABS and traction control lights illuminated the dashboard like a Christmas tree. Alas, the Operator error was to blame. We must hold this button to VSC at least three seconds to turn off 75 percent of the traction and stability control. Failing to do so allows the truck yaw sensor to intervene, stop the gas and the brake applied to the inner wheel. Oversteer is thus eliminated, as both forward and side progress. In this environment, failing to use the VSC correctly button turns the promise of a maniac Six Flags roller coaster ride in a kiddie cup of tea. The Pro Runner may miss modes offered by the Raptor drive, but with the VSC is well managed, this platform loves getting sideways. And when full performance envelope is opened, which is perhaps 9 / 10th that of a Raptor in the desert, it has about as much going as any non-SCORE racing driver will be able to extract. If that is not enough, there may be a 40 amp fuse, you can take to disable electronic nannies.
The Pro Runner is not a one trick pony. He ran more than 40 miles of high-speed washing and cooked with aplomb desert, its reason for being. But he also addressed many technical barriers on freedom and Pumpkin Patch Trails where his game, the ability to keep the four rubber plates on the floor, and aggressive tires 35 inch Pro Comp served well. This platform has no traditional steps. But given the lengths the development team - which includes former Toyota TRD Design Engineering Manager Ted Moncure - went to their omission was not a measure of cost reduction. Rather its creators understand that cab access does not override the angle break, so they offer the Pro Runner be without steps or automatic retractable side steps. This 146-inch wheelbase Toyota is long. Nevertheless, it took on slopes, steep climb and descent approaches and abrupt departures bumper pasture with ease. Four-wheel drive have been no need for one of these low-speed shenanigans it was not for the fact that it was a you break it, you bought it case.
Dealer Services International (DSI) offers a range of off-road performance packages for Ford, GM, Jeep, Ram and Toyota trucks, all sold exclusively through new car dealers. According to Director of DSI Dan Ciganovich, expanding the company's distribution network will move 1,0 of its modified trucks each month. Toyota's range includes packages for Tacoma, Tundra and 4Runner. There are now hundreds of Toyota stores across the United States and Canada offering products DSI.
I sit with sales managers Michael Boone and Scott Messier Toyota Carlsbad, which has been selling about 60 rigs DSI changed every year for the last decade. Michael and Scott confirmed that Honolulu Ford said it a few months ago about DSI clients. These modified platforms are heavily purchased by men, aged 35-55 years. At least 70 percent financing their purchase and they rarely come intend to purchase one of these platforms. Michael and Scott went on to say: "For over ten years selling these trucks, there has never been a back deck with a mechanical problem with DSI updates. And when a customer is dissatisfied [fuel economy is the most common complaint] DSI jumps just to help, even contacting customers directly. Their service is incredible. "
dealers set their own markup on the DSI packet. The Runner Pro, not including the film on our tester adds $ 19,950 at an MSRP Tundra Toyota Carlsbad. so a CrewMax Pro Runner 2016 with a 5.7-liter V8 will cost between $ 60,000 and $ 70,000, depending on how it is optioned. prices for 2017 Raptor has not been published yet but will probably maintain $ 5,000 to $ 10,000 prices advantage of Ford. It is a modest premium for a truck that does not compromise on quality, warranty, or load capacity, but will be one by a mile compared to one of more than 15,000.
in exchange for volumes of passengers and freight in good health, and a widened track nearly half a foot, the Pro Runner will compromised in a wooded area and other small spaces where compact trucks, SUV's and Wranglers prevail. But these devices can not offer the unlimited pleasure to bring the associated back-end on the side by an arroyo seco 60 miles per hour . The Pro Runner is not for everyone, but the car individualism is part of our cultural fabric, and stand out is exactly the point
Disclosure :. Dealer Services International provided the vehicle and insurance for the purposes of this review. Seth paid the nose for fuel.
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