“Toyota has gone old school, converting a 2025
4Runner TRD Limited into an homage to the original with the 4Runner
TRD Surf concept.”
Any surfer worth her salt knows that sliding
waves is only a small part of the overall ouvre. The bulk of any
quality surfing life is made up of clothing choices (Florence X
Marine or Outerknown for example), what to eat post-surf
(California burrito or plate lunch) and dialect (bro or brah) to
name but a very few signifiers.
One of the biggest ticket items, of course, is what to
drive.
A handful of years ago, Korean manufacturer Hyundai released the
Santa Cruz and surfers near and far swooned at the surf-forward
design (minus a bed too small for anything other than a mini
Simmons. You can imagine the thrill, then, with Toyota’s new
throwback concept, the 4Runner TRD Surf.
Per Can and
Driver:
When the first Toyota 4Runner debuted in 1984, the
off-roader sported two doors and a removable fiberglass rear
canopy. While the 4Runner remains a close relative to Toyota’s
midsize pickup truck offering, it’s grown more practical over the
years, sprouting four doors and a permanently fixed roof. But for
the 2024 SEMA show, Toyota has gone old school, converting a 2025
4Runner TRD Limited into an homage to the original with the 4Runner
TRD Surf concept.
The most noticeable change is that the TRD Surf has two
fewer doors, giving the concept a short wheelbase and a purposeful
stance. The concept also measures two inches wider and rides on
ginormous 37-inch tires wrapped around 17-inch custom wheels,
contributing to the macho look. The deep blue paint is accented by
turquoise, found in the stripes on the hood, the Toyota badge in
the grille, a lowercase “turbo” script along the doors, and a
series of stylized curves meant to emulate waves on the outside
edges of the front bumper.
I am currently in Las Vegas and headed to the SEMA gala tonight
as lady uck would have it, where the offroad vehicle is being
debuted. I promise you, dear reader, that I will seek it out and
see it, reporting back on its core factor.
More as the story develops, without doubt.
In the meantime, though, what was the best surf vehicle that you
have ever owned?
