Is there any truck on the planet that can defeat the Ram TRX straight? This is the question that the people on The Fast Lane Truck, where a new series is named Start what you brought is in progress. The goal? Beat the TRX, and so far the goal has not been achieved. This time, the competition is a little surprising in more ways than one.
A few Toyota Tacomas are battling to fight the greasy Ram, including a brand new 2021 TRD Pro. With its 3.5-liter (207 kilowatt) V6, 278 horsepower, there is absolutely no way to revamp any drama here. The Tacoma is outside the TRX and its 702 hp (523 kW) Hellcat V8, but maybe the other Taco is a better match. Here comes the first of many surprises, as it is a 1997 single-cabin model with no less than 650,000 miles displayed on the odometer. Could it possibly compete with the TRX?
Here’s surprise number two. The old Toyota is not just a nice time capsule, as its 3.4-liter V6 has a TRD charger on top. And surprise number three? Both Toyota carries the power to the ground through an honest-to-good manual transmission. People, the Aries may have power, but rowing gears in a classic Tacoma with a rechargeable engine? No wonder the truck has 650,000 miles on it.
Now for the reality check. Even with the charger (according to the video installed), the vintage Taco only brings an estimated 300 hp (224 kW). Yes, the small single-cabin stature makes it significantly lighter than the Aries, but you probably know how this power measurement is going to end. What you do not know, however, is how bravely Toyota is leading the fight.
Are there faster trucks than the TRX? We saw a Shelby-tuned F-150 defeat the Ram in a long tow race, but only barely. We give credit where credit goes – for short sprints, the TRX can still be a stoplight champion for a long time.