TRD offroad SB vs Trd Sport LB

I've been looking at 2016+ Tacomas last few weeks and I'm stuck trying to pick between the TRD offroad Short box (no LB in Canada) and the TRD sport LB.

My questions to you is this,

How capable is the TRD sport in offroad situations and are there ever times you would have liked to have the locking rear diff and drive modes? Are these differences enough to sacrifice the longer box?

I won't be doing more than light offroading, and some differences like skidplates can be added.

Also, what upgrades would you recommend to make the Sport more capable?
I'm not afraid of getting my hands dirty.

 

Sure the OR might be a bit more capable but for light offroading I'm sure a sport will be fine.

Any sport owners regret not getting an offroad? | Tacoma World

 

To me LB trumps all. So if I had to give my crawl and locker, I would, to get the LB

 

Light off roading... the Sport is plenty capable. But there’s no substitute for bed space if you need it.

 

If you do fairly serious off-roading, the OR has Crawl Control, in addition to the rear locker. I don't think you can get the crawl mode on a Sport. I would have preferred a LB too........but they are ultra-rare in my part of the country (SE).

 

I've been having a lot of fun with my Sport off road. I feel that I have done just about what the stock suspension with a sway bar delete can do. It continues to impress me.

One important thing is that the 3rd Gen traction control system is very good. The Sports can keep moving with wheels in the air. The OR is even better, but I haven't found mine truly lacking.

This vid has some bad terminology and test methods, but it gets the point across:

 

You'll be fine with light off roading in a sport. It's a Tacoma. I'd just upgrade the tires and call it a day. Oh, and pull off that chin strap immediately.

 

It's really how bad you need a long bed. The short OR is more capable off road and probably has a better resell. It also looks better imo.

 

Size does matter

 

You’d definitely use a sleeping platform in your 6 foot bed more than a locker so i’d say go for the LB Sport

i wish i had a long bed, you can always add a locker but you’d be stuck with the short bed

to upgrade its offroad performance getting some nice offroad tires will make a huge difference

 

OP, You never mentioned which cab you're considering. Wheelbase matters. A double cab long bed has a longer wheelbase - a detriment for off road I suppose. A double cab short bed or an access cab long bed have the same wheelbase.

 

You never say I wish it was smaller

 

It has to be a double cab.

 

Why not just get the sport LB and you can add a rear locker later on if needed. And it might just cost less than the difference in price between the two trucks.

 

You will be fine with the sport for what you want to do. Budget wise you can throw on some Bilstein 6112s and 5160s and better tires and your done.
For the longest time you couldn’t get a double cab Offroad here in Canada so everyone just uses the Sport for whatever.
If your planning on doing the Whipsaw trail and trails like that get the Offroad.
Good luck shopping!

 

I think I got my mind made up for me. Found a deal on an Offroad that I don't think I'll be able to say no to.
Pro's and cons to each I suppose. seems whichever I can find the better deal on.

 

I appreciate all the responses. Thanks guys

 

I’d go for the Offroad if I was buying today, but they are both good.
Have fun!

 

Have fun with it!! Definitely exciting.

 

The long bed would have a more expensive price tag to start with, so adding parts later would only increase the difference.