Can a stock 2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road truck match a modified Jeep Wrangler Sport S on a tough Pennsylvania Gulch trail in the Colorado Rocky Mountains? This is what we are here to find out.
The Tacoma TRD Off-Road is a mid-level offering in the Tacoma lineup, there is a more capable TRD Pro version just above it. The Wrangler Sport S is also in the middle of the lineup, with the mighty Rubicon above it. This particular Wrangler has a mild Teraflex lift with adjustable Falcon shocks in order to clear 35-inch tall mud-terrain tires. The axles and the rest are all stock, which also means that this Wrangler does not have a rear or a front differential locker. Other touches on the Jeep include Bestop bumpers, Warn winch, rock sliders, upgraded tire carrier and more. Under the hood is still the stock 3.6L Pentastar V6 that is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.
The Tacoma is all stock, but it does have underbody skid plates, Bilstein shocks, rear differential locker, hill descent control, and a crawl control feature. The Tacoma is rolling on stock Goodyear Wrangler tires that feature a kevlar-lined sidewall.
We measure the performance of each on the Pennsylvania Gulch trail. It’s not far from our HQ in Boulder, Colorado. However, the trail is very narrow (just wide enough to fit a Wrangler or a midsize truck). The trail is very rocky with some challenging sections with tree roots sticking out.
Oh yea, there was also a wild fire in the area as we starting filming. Thankfully, the local fire department mobilized very quickly, contained the fire, and put it out within the day.
Join the off-road fun in the video below.
