Why The Toyota 4Runner TRD Surf Concept Needs To Be Approved For Production

Picture the scene: a California beach. A group of surfing buddies. Sunny skies and big waves. And a Toyota 4Runner TRD Surf Concept – a bespoke 4Runner created by Toyota Motorsports Garage for the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Does it get much cooler than this? Here are some reasons why the 4Runner TRD Surf should definitely, absolutely make it to the production line.

Concept cars created for car shows normally remain just that: one-off creations to wow the crowds and then discarded, never to be seen again. There are exceptions, like VW’s Golf Country. After the fun project made its debut at Geneva, fans started hounding VW dealerships, ready to place an order. Soon the Country made it to production. Here’s why this Toyota should follow the same path.

6 It’s In The Genes, Dudes

The Toyota Surf made its debut in Japan in the early Eighties. The original Surf was based on the Hilux truck chassis, and was as tough as old army boots. Powered by various engines, the Surf was a hardcore off-roader based on a ladder-frame chassis, and it had a solid front axle, dual range transfer-case and, importantly, a removable roof-section, turning it into a truck-like convertible. In other words, the perfect tool for the surfing crowd, combining off-road performance and a fair turn of speed in the Turbo and V6 models, the cargo space and easy access for those surfboards and the bronze-tanned “broskis” and “gurfers.”

Enter the super-cool new TRD Surf. Although the Surf name was used in Japan, it was branded the 4Runner in North American markets. So this here is a combination of the old-school Surf and 4Runner, with a twist of modern tricks and an advanced 4WD system. Oh, and a 278 hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Marty Schwerter, lead builder and Director of Operations at Toyota’s Motorsports Technical Center, says the vision for this concept was shaped by his own experiences cruising the Pacific Coast Highway in a Toyota mini pickup.

“The 2025 4Runner reminded me of the original in the Eighties, with the rugged look and powerhouse 4-cylinder engine,” says Schwerter. “It had to have the removable roof, like the original. The roof system had to be functional as well as stylish.”

You see? Toyota Motorsports Garage clearly already has an eye on that production line.

5 Let’s Do It Topless

The 2025 Toyota 4Runner no longer features a removable roof. It is also a four-door SUV, and not a two-door truck-like convertible business, like the original. So the team had to pull out all the stops to create a factory-like two-door 4Runner with a removable roof. Additionally, the vehicle had to perform equally well with the roof on or off. See, thinking about production again.

“Engineering a legitimate, removable top, going from a 4-door to a 2-door while maintaining functional windows, flipping the front passenger seat for improved rear seat acces, and adding 2-inches of width to both sides were the smaller challenges,” says Schwerter. “What makes this build so stellar has less to do with the changes and more to do with the way that they all work together. The result is truly greater than the sum of the parts.”

Schwerter explains that no detail was spared in the removable top transformation development process, with a GEN5 4Runner serving as a guinea pig for the design team. The removable top was built in-house, a combination between computer-aided design systems and 3D printing, and traditional fabrication. This ensured the cut-lines on either side matched perfectly.

4 Akaw Cab Dude! (Cool Interior Man, In Surf-Talk)

The Surf Concept can accommodate up to five seated surfers, and a few standing too – there is a handy roll-bar to hold on to. Access to the rear seats is gained by folding the front passenger seat forward. Or, better even, if you are a fit surfer dude, you can simply jump over into the back row of seats. This would be the cooler way, of course.

The weatherproofed interior includes soft, waterproof flooring. So, after you inevitably end up with 1,000 pounds of sand on the inside, you can hose it out easily enough when you get home. It’s also a nice feature to have for muddy and wet off-road conditions.

3 Making The (Suspension) Drop

The Surf Concept is powered by the 4Runner’s iForce 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with 278 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, sending the power permanently to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission and an electronically controlled dual-range transfer case. Stock 4Runner drivetrain? Yet another reason why this concept can easily be put into production.

A custom performance exhaust provides some additional sound effects and performance. The suspension is sufficiently beefed up too, the stock parts upgraded with a long-travel set-up, rounded off with billet aluminum front upper and lower A-arms, engineered to take a pounding without breaking a sweat. The trick suspension is not only able to handle any off-road conditions, but also provides a smoother ride.

Other upgrades include a beefed up steering system, custom front axles and tough old Toyota Tundra rear differential. Custom wheels are fitted with 37-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain tires.

2 We All Want One

Finally, a cool finishing touch is the custom-made Travel Quiver, designed to safely transport that surfboard. The 4Runner TRD Surf is a really impressive concept… it ticks so many cool boxes, and everything works properly too. The 4Runner TRD Surf Concept was the result of a collaboration between Toyota Motorsports Garage, TRD North Carolina, TMNA Production Engineering, Service Parts and Accessory Development. The only tough sell is actually the part it’s named after. Building a car dedicated only to surfers is slightly too niche.

1 What Are The Chances Of Toyota Building It?

It feels kind of 50/50 at this point. Toyota used to be a pragmatic automaker, but it has become more fun over the last 15 years or so. First, it gave us the 86, and then we got a new Supra, a second-gen GR86, the GR Corolla, and it’s working on a new V8 sports car. It also redesigned its entire portfolio, and there isn’t a single dull car left. Even the base Corolla is fun to drive, and rather handsome.

The previous-generation 4Runner was considered a direct rival to the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, despite not having a removable roof and doors. Because of that, it came across as more serious and not quite as charming as the other two. Toyota already has 4Runner models dedicated to serious off-roading, but this concept is more about fun. The old Toyota might not have built it, but the new Toyota we’ve come to love might just take a stab at it, perhaps as a limited run model with a MSRP to match.