Japanese carmaker, Toyota, is now making a clear distinction between its two performance sub brands TRD (Toyota Racing Development) and GR (Gazoo Racing). This move signals the end of TRD variants on its cars and crossovers. Toyota confirmed this strategic shift to Car Buzz, an American media outlet.
Toyota’s senior product communications analyst for unibody SUVs, crossovers, and minivans, Paul Hogard, explained to Car Buzz that this strategic shift now separates TRD from GR. The executive went on to detail that TRD will now cover the performance variants of Toyota’s body-on-frame vehicles. These include the Toyota Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, among others. On the other hand, Hogard also defined the role of GR to distinguish the performance variants of Toyota’s cars and crossovers such as the Corolla, Yaris Cross, and the RAV4, to name a few.
This move marks the end of an era for TRD-badged variants of Toyota’s passenger cars such as the Avalon, Camry, and RAV4, all of which benefited from TRD body kits, accessories, and tuning. Moving forward, Toyota cars and crossovers will instead wear the GR and GR sport badges. GR Sport variants will bring light suspension tuning and visual upgrades, while GR models will offer higher performance, similar to that of the GR Yaris, GR Supra, and the GR86. Finally, GRMN (Gazoo Racing tuned by the Meister of Nürburgring), the top-tier of GR, will continue as a very limited run, track focused line.
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 will be the first Toyota in the US to debut a GR Sport trim. Under the hood will be a plug-in hybrid powertrain system featuring a 2.5-liter engine and an electric motor that delivers a combined output of 324 hp. Toyota says that this approach mirrors how its luxury brand, Lexus, uses the F Sport to distinguish its lineup’s sportier versions without major powertrain overhauls.
As for TRD, Toyota says that it will be focused on rugged, body-on-frame models. As such, the brand will continue to offer TRD Off-Road, TRD Sport, and TRD Pro variants for buyers in the US who seek enhanced off-road capability or sportier looks. But there’s an exemption to this in the form of the Toyota Land Cruiser. Globally, the Land Cruiser 300 has a GR Sport variant that’s developed with insights from professional Darak Rally drivers.
By separating the two performance identities, Toyota aims to create clearer product positioning. TRD will stand for off-road capability and toughness, while GR/GR Sport will represent the brand’s growing focus on sportier, more dynamic road-going cars.
