Enlarge Image John Gress/Corbis/Getty Images Sometimes it's the little updates that make the biggest quality-of-life improvements. While Toyota is rolling out several face-lifted models at Thursday's Chicago Auto Show press day, it's an unseen update that may prove to be the biggest benefit for owners: Android Auto integration. The Japanese automaker has long been one of the technology's most noteworthy holdouts. Indeed, it only began rolling out Apple CarPlay compatibility on its Entune systems last year. Android Auto, which integrates users' Android phone functionality into a vehicle's infotainment system, will be offered in 2020 model-year Toyota 4Runner and Sequoia SUVs, as well as its Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks. Overseas, the marque's Aygo will get the tech, as well as European-market Yaris models. A number of automakers have quietly expressed data privacy concerns over letting Google have access to many of their vehicle's systems as a condition of Android Auto integration. Security and intellectual property reservations have previously been voiced by several automakers to me on the condition of anonymity. When I asked if any data security questions related to Android Auto may have contributed to the tech's slow rollout in Toyota's products, Russ Koble, the automaker's Advanced Technology Communications Manager, said that such concerns weren't the issue. Instead, he tells Roadshow, "Toyota and Google have been working closely on the integration of Android Auto. Part of this integration is ensuring alignment with Toyota's usability standards. Both companies came to an agreement on the technical specifications and are pleased to provide a seamless connected experience." It isn't immediately clear how quickly Toyota plans to roll out Android Auto compatibility to its other models, including its popular Camry, Corolla and RAV4 families. Koble did confirm, however, that the tech will be available not just in additional Toyota models, but also future Lexus vehicles, too. A Google representative reached for comment by Roadshow did not offer an immediate response. Chicago Auto Show: All the big reveals and news from the show floor. Toyota: The latest news from the Japanese automaker.<doc-sep>[UPDATE, February 7] Live images from the 2019 Chicago Auto Show have been added at the beginning of the gallery, below. The Sequoia TRD Pro isn't the only one showing off at the Chicago Auto Show; the best-selling Toyota Tacoma pickup also has a new look. You might not be able to point out the obvious differences right away, though, because most of the changes are in the cabin. But there are some defining exterior cues that help differentiate the truck for 2020. All six Tacoma grades get either a new grille, new wheels, or both, at a minimum. The SR5 model gains 16-inch Dark Satin wheels and darker taillight housings. The TRD Sport trim gets 17-inch wheels and available LED headlights. The TRD Off-Road model sports an updated grille and available LED headlights and LED fog lamps with chrome inserts. And the Tacoma Limited makes do with a new grille design, 18-inch alloy wheels, and standard LED headlights and running lights. At the top of the range, the off-road-oriented TRD Pro model sees the most changes. New sequential LED headlights and daytime running lights are a first for the segment. The 16-inch wheels are brand new, and the black inserts in the taillights top off the aggressive look. New for 2019 is an Army Green paint job, which joins previously available colors like Super White, Midnight Black Metallic, and Magnetic Grey Metallic. Inside the TRD Pro, a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat comes standard, and the multimedia display gets updated with a larger eight-inch touchscreen. In fact, all Tacoma trims get the new eight-inch display, complete with better graphics, and for the first time, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa connectivity. Gallery: 2020 Toyota Tacoma 27 Photos Most Tacoma grades also get a power adjustable driver seat for the first time – and every trim comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense P. That includes pre-collision warning, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, automatic high-beams, and radar cruise control. And depending on the trim, the Tacoma can still tow up to 6,800 pounds (3,084 kilograms). The same engine options carry over for 2020. Buyers can either pick up a Tacoma with the base 2.7-liter four-cylinder, producing 159 horsepower (118 kilowatts) and 180 pound-feet (244 Newton-meters) of torque or the larger 3.5-liter V6, producing 278 horsepower (207 kilowatts) and 265 pound-feet (359 Newton-meters) of torque. Both engines come standard with six-speed automatic, but the V6 is still available with a six-speed manual. Source: Toyota<doc-sep>Enlarge Image Toyota Toyota's TRD Pro line is more than just an aesthetic package, offering upgrades that truly do increase a vehicle's off-road capability. At the 2019 Chicago Auto Show, Toyota will introduce a new member of that family. Toyota announced on Tuesday that it plans to unveil a new TRD Pro vehicle at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show later this week. The automaker says that, in addition to this new TRD Pro vehicle, the whole line will receive some updates for the 2020 model year. It's not too hard to narrow down the possibilities. Both the Tacoma and Tundra have TRD Pro trims already, and while there's a new Tacoma coming to the show, I wouldn't call a 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro "new," necessarily. There's also a 4Runner TRD Pro already, leaving the C-HR, RAV4, Highlander, Sequoia and Land Cruiser as possible candidates. Since all TRD Pro vehicles right now are body-on-frame, I think it's safe to say the mystery car in the teaser above is either a Sequoia or a Land Cruiser. Given that Toyota already announced a new Land Cruiser variant for Chicago, I assume it will be the Sequoia, but we won't know for sure until the Chicago Auto Show kicks off on Thursday. A Land Cruiser TRD Pro would be gnarly.<doc-sep>
The Toyota TRD Pro line adds genuine off-road capability to a handful of the Japanese automaker’s vehicles, and the lineup is about to get a new addition. Toyota promises to bring a “new TRD Pro off-road beast” to the 2019 Chicago Auto Show, as well as changes to the entire lineup for the 2020 model year. So which Toyota model will get the TRD treatment? The 2020 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck will also debut in Chicago, but the current Tacoma already has a TRD Pro variant. So a 2020 Tacoma TRD Pro doesn’t exactly qualify as “new.” Toyota’s other truck, the Tundra, also has its own TRD Pro model, as does the 4Runner SUV. That leaves the Land Cruiser and Sequoia SUVs and RAV4 and Highlander crossovers as possible candidates. The Land Cruiser and Sequoia seem more likely than the Highlander or RAV4. While Toyota has tried to imbue the RAV4 with some off-road capability, it and the Highlander were really designed for on-road driving. The Land Cruiser and Sequoia, on the other hand, are traditional SUVs that are better suited to off-roading. The Land Cruiser has been Toyota’s rival to Jeeps and Land Rovers for decades. While the Land Cruiser already boasts plenty of off-road capability out of the box, it’s just as likely that the Sequoia will get the TRD Pro treatment. The Sequoia is essentially a Tundra with an SUV body, meaning most of the components from the Tundra TRD Pro should bolt on relatively easily. Toyota has also already announced a Land Cruiser model for the Chicago Auto Show — the retro-themed Heritage Edition. TRD is short for Toyota Racing Development, and it has the pedigree to back up that name. TRD has multiple Baja 1000 off-road race victories on its resumé, and currently runs Toyota’s NASCAR program. In other words, it’s the real deal. The current line of TRD Pro models include upgrades like beefier shock absorbers and model-specific wheel and tire setups, as well as the obligatory TRD badging and exterior styling tweaks. The new TRD Pro model will likely get similar upgrades, but we’ll have to wait until its debut at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show to know for sure. Editors' Recommendations