2026 Toyota TRD Pro Models Get Drenched in ‘Wave Maker’ Blue—and Yes, It’s Making a Splash
By Nik Miles | Test Miles
If you’ve ever looked at your matte grey crossover and thought, “This really doesn’t scream ‘I summit volcanoes before breakfast,’” Toyota has a solution—one that involves a paint bucket, a design studio, and a very dramatic shade of blue. It’s called Wave Maker, and it’s the new exclusive color for Toyota’s 2026 TRD Pro lineup.
Yes, it’s just a paint job. But in a world where SUVs are the vehicular equivalent of khaki trousers, color is rebellion.
What is Wave Maker—and Why Does It Matter?
Let’s start with the obvious: Toyota’s TRD Pro lineup (that’s Toyota Racing Development, for those who haven’t been to Moab in a while) includes some of the most off-road-ready versions of their trucks and SUVs—4Runner, Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia. And each year, Toyota blesses these bruisers with a limited-run paint color. Past hits include Inferno, Voodoo Blue, and Lunar Rock. This year, they’ve gone aquatic.
“Wave Maker is about pushing into unexplored adventure,” said Benjamin Jimenez, general manager at Toyota’s CALTY Design Research facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Which, for a shade of blue, is quite the résumé.
In plain English? It’s electric. Somewhere between glacial meltwater and comic book hero cape. It’s meant to look like you’re here to rescue someone—or possibly conquer an alien planet.
Why Should You Care About the Paint?
Because it’s not just paint. It’s provenance.
Toyota’s annual TRD Pro color drop has become something of a cult tradition among off-road enthusiasts and collectors. When Cavalry Blue came out, used Tacomas in that hue sold for more than new ones. Lunar Rock practically created its own resale market.
And now, Wave Maker joins that chromatic legacy. These aren’t factory leftovers. They’re seasonal drops—like limited-edition sneakers, but for people who own recovery straps and can name three types of skid plates.
In other words, if you want your $70,000 Tundra to feel slightly less like everyone else’s $70,000 Tundra, Wave Maker is your blue steel moment.
Does This Mean Anything for Toyota’s Bigger Strategy?
Actually, yes. While we’re all marveling at the color, Toyota is busy doing something far more ambitious: transforming itself into a mobility and energy company. Subtle flexes like Wave Maker serve a dual purpose—they remind loyalists that the soul of the brand (adventure, durability, capability) is still alive, even as the company pours billions into battery production and hybrid tech.
In spring 2025, Toyota begins manufacturing automotive batteries at its new plant in North Carolina. At the same time, they’re still building body-on-frame monsters with Fox shocks and chunky knobs designed to claw up boulders.
This duality—pragmatic electrification on one hand, unapologetic petrol-powered fun on the other—is Toyota’s current masterstroke. And color, oddly enough, is how they communicate that balance to the customer.
How Does TRD Pro Stack Up in the Segment?
Short answer: It leads. While other manufacturers dabble in off-road trims, Toyota’s TRD Pro badge isn’t cosplay. It comes with serious hardware—like aluminum skid plates, upgraded suspension, terrain management systems, and all-terrain tires that don’t weep at the sight of gravel.
Add in Toyota’s legendary reliability and resale value, and you’ve got trucks that hold their value better than most 401(k)s.
Of course, if you’re looking for actual EV range or plug-in hybrid versatility, this isn’t your stop. These TRD Pros are still very much on the internal combustion end of the mobility spectrum. But given Toyota’s 32-electrified-option lineup, they’re clearly playing both sides with precision.
Who Is This For—And Who Should Skip It?
If your idea of adventure involves Instagramming your rooftop tent in the Whole Foods parking lot, Wave Maker will help. It’s conspicuous, it’s cool, and it tells everyone in the school pickup line that you know what an air-down kit is.
But if you spend more time counting kilowatts than counting trail markers, this isn’t your spec sheet. You’ll want to wait for Toyota’s next-gen electric SUVs—especially the upcoming Land Cruiser EV, rumored to arrive before 2030.
For everyone else, especially those who missed out on Army Green in 2020 and are still kicking themselves—this is your redemption arc.
Final Thoughts: More Than Just a Paint Job
Toyota understands that cars are emotional purchases. Yes, torque matters. So does rear-seat legroom. But sometimes, it’s the color that seals the deal.
Wave Maker is proof that Toyota still knows how to have fun—even while reshaping the auto industry’s electric future. And if you see one gliding through town this fall, just know: someone out there wanted to stand out from the beige blobs of modern motoring. And they probably also own a rooftop tent.
Like what you’ve read? Stay in the driver’s seat with more insider automotive insights. Follow @NikJMiles and @TestMiles for stories that go beyond the press release.
