When I first drove the new RAV4 last year, it was apparent that Toyota infused it with a real dose of SUV. Other than Jeep, this class generally puts 4-wheeling on the back burner, but this one has some real chops so Toyota has taken it a step further; this is the new RAV4 TRD Off-Road. Toyota Racing Development, or TRD for short, was founded in the U.S. in 1979 and was put in charge of improving production vehicles for more performance. But it wasn’t until 1997 that customers could buy a Tacoma straight from the dealer that was outfitted with TRD parts, and thus the TRD Off-Road Package was born.
