The Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling midsize truck in America for the better part of two decades, and it earned that spot the hard way — on trails, at overland camps, and in the beds of people who actually use their trucks. It's the benchmark. But whether you're running a 2016 TRD Off-Road or a brand-new 2024 Trailhunter, the one thing Toyota still doesn't finish for you is lighting. The moment the trail goes dark, the factory headlights tap out.

That's the gap this guide fills. Below is every LED lighting kit M&R Automotive builds for the Tacoma — light bars and ditch lights, across both the 2016–2023 and the redesigned 2024+ trucks — with honest specs, how they wire up, and how to pick the right setup for how you actually drive.

A quick word on the Toyota Tacoma

Part of why the Tacoma is such a rewarding truck to build is how much capability it comes with out of the box.

The 2016–2023 (3rd gen) runs Toyota's proven 3.5L V6 (278 hp) and built its reputation on go-anywhere reliability, with the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro leading the trail charge.

The 2024+ (4th gen) is a ground-up redesign — the first full one since 2005 — and it's a serious step up. Every engine is now a 2.4L turbocharged four: the base i-FORCE makes up to 278 hp and 317 lb-ft, and the available i-FORCE MAX hybrid pairs that turbo with a 48-hp electric motor for 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque — roughly a 75% torque bump over the old V6. It's the most powerful Tacoma ever. The lineup spans eight grades (SR through the halo TRD Pro and Trailhunter), still offers a rare six-speed manual, and the hybrid even packs a 2,400W AC power supply in the cab and bed.

The two headliners tell you everything about where the Tacoma lives: the Trailhunter is a factory-built overlanding rig with ARB, Old Man Emu, and RIGID hardware baked in, and the TRD Pro debuted segment-first IsoDynamic suspension seats for Baja-speed comfort. This is a truck engineered to leave the pavement — which is exactly why its lighting deserves an upgrade.

Where the Tacoma's factory lighting runs out

Factory headlights are tuned for one job: lighting a paved road at legal speeds. Push past that and the gaps show up fast:

• Not enough distance. On an open trail you're often out-driving your headlights, especially at speed.
• Nothing to the sides. Stock beams point forward and down. Switchbacks, tight two-tracks, and the ditches on either side stay black — right where an obstacle, a drop-off, or an animal shows up first.
• Weak where you work. Backing to a trailer or setting up camp in the dark, stock lighting just doesn't put light where you need it.

A grille light bar throws distance straight down the trail; ditch lights fill in the corners and the sides. Together they turn a capable truck into one you can actually drive hard after dark.

M&R's Toyota Tacoma LED lineup

A quick note first: our Tacoma kits are generation-specific — the 2024+ trucks and the 2016–2023 trucks have different front ends, so the brackets are engineered separately for each. The 2024+ (4th gen) has the fullest lineup; the 2016–2023 (3rd gen) is covered by our 30-inch bar. Every kit is a complete bolt-on — no cutting, no drilling — with powder-coated black brackets that clear the active grille shutters, and includes the hardware and a step-by-step install guide.

2024+ Tacoma: grille light bars

12in Light Bars SLIM — the low profile pair. A pair of slim 12-inch bars, one on each side of the lower grille. Choose White (up to 3,700 lumens each), Amber (up to 2,220 lumens each), or the dual White + amber DRL. From $274.99.

12in Light Bars PRO — the premium pair. Same two-bar lower-grille layout, upgraded to a TIR (total internal reflection) optic for a tighter, longer-throwing beam, a 304-aluminum housing, and a thermal-management system. Runs a White beam with a street-safe amber DRL, and fits the widest range of trims (SR through TRD Pro). From $389.99.

30in Light Bar SLIM — maximum spread. A single 30-inch bar mounted across the grille for the widest wall of light (this one needs the grille and front bumper off to install). White up to 11,760 lumens, Amber up to 5,550 lumens, or dual White + amber DRL. From $274.99.

30in Light Bar PRO — the top of the range. The 30-inch bar with the PRO treatment: TIR optic, 304-aluminum housing, thermal management, and your choice of a White + amber DRL or Yellow + amber DRL setup. The most capable single-bar build we make for the Tacoma. From $459.99.

2024+ Tacoma: ditch lights

Ditch lights are the perfect complement to a bar — low-profile spot pods on the cowl that you can aim straight ahead for extra reach or angle outward to light the sides. Both kits are fully adjustable, bolt on with no drilling, let the hood open and close freely, and clear the wipers.

Ditch Lights run a White main beam with an amber DRL backglow. From $99.99. The Ditch Lights PRO step up to our higher-output PRO pods for more reach, same dual-color White + amber DRL look. From $99.99. Both are offered as a complete kit or brackets-only (the brackets fit 3.2-inch pods; brackets-only orders are final sale).

2016–2023 Tacoma

Single 30in Light Bar. For the 3rd-gen trucks, our 30-inch bar bolts on using the factory grille openings — the grille pops off fast with minimal tools. Choose White (up to 11,760 lumens), Amber (up to 5,500 lumens), or dual White + amber DRL. From $284.99.

Tacoma light bars: side by side

Browse the full lineup on the Toyota Tacoma LED Lights collection.

White, yellow, or amber? Choosing your beam

Every Tacoma bar lets you pick your output, so here's the short version:

• White is the brightest, longest-throwing, most natural light — the default for open, fast running. Off-road use only; it's far too bright to point at oncoming traffic.
• Yellow / Amber punches through dust, fog, snow, and rain far better and cuts glare-back — the reason desert and rally racers have run yellow for decades. Also off-road use only as a main beam.
• The amber DRL (standard on the PRO bars and ditch lights, and the dual-function option on the SLIM bars) is a cosmetic, street-safe daytime accent you can run anywhere.

Run mostly clear and fast? Go White. Often in dust or weather? Amber or the Yellow PRO earns its keep. Want a standout look you can run on the street plus a full off-road beam? That's the dual-function SLIM or any of the PRO builds.

Wiring it up: AUX switches or the wireless harness

The Tacoma actually makes wiring easy. Most trims ship with factory pre-wired auxiliary switches (the 2025+ trucks added a fourth), and the kits plug right into those. If your Tacoma doesn't have them — or you're adding more accessories than you have switches — the Wireless 8 Switches Harness 2.0 runs up to 8 accessories from a rechargeable, magnetic wireless remote in the cab, with no firewall pass-through and no splicing into factory wiring. From $214.99.

Install tips & what to watch out for

• Match the kit to your generation. 2024+ and 2016–2023 use different brackets. Order for your exact year.
• Know what comes off. The 12-inch bars and ditch lights need the grille and bumper off or just bolt to the cowl (ditch). The 30-inch bars also needs the grille and bumper removed — plan a little more time.
• Set your aim before you button up. Ditch pods are fully adjustable — dial in straight-ahead reach vs. side coverage before final tighten.
• Grille shutters are fine. The bars are slim enough to sit between the grille and the shutter module, so the active shutters keep working.
• Ditch brackets are pod-specific. They're built for 3.2-inch pods, and brackets-only orders are final sale — so if you're bringing your own pods, measure first.
• Mind the beam laws. Run White and Yellow main beams off-road only; the amber DRL is the only part meant to be on around traffic.

So which Tacoma setup should you get?

• Cleanest premium single bar, 2024+ → the 30in Light Bar PRO (add White or Yellow to taste).
• Most light for your money, 2024+ → the 30in Light Bar SLIM.
• Subtle, symmetrical bumper look, 2024+ → the 12in Bars SLIM or PRO.
• Side and corner coverage → add Ditch Lights (or the PRO pods) to any bar.
• 2016–2023 truck → the Single 30in Light Bar.
• No factory aux switches? Add the Wireless 8-Switch Harness.

FAQ: Toyota Tacoma LED Lighting

Which Tacoma generations do these fit?
We build generation-specific kits for the 2016–2023 (3rd gen) and 2024–2026 (4th gen) Tacoma. Order for your exact year so the brackets match your front end.

Do I have to cut or drill anything?
No. Every Tacoma kit is a complete bolt-on using factory openings and hardware. The 12-inch bars need the grille removed and the 30-inch bars need the grille and bumper off, but there's no cutting or drilling.

What's the difference between the PRO and SLIM light bars?
The PRO bars use a TIR optic, an upgraded 304-aluminum housing, and thermal management for a tighter, longer-throwing beam, with dual-color White (or Yellow) plus an amber DRL. The SLIM bars are the value pick — White, Amber, or dual White + amber DRL, with strong lumen output (up to 11,760 lumens on the 30-inch White).

Will these fit my TRD Pro or Trailhunter?
Yes. Our Tacoma kits fit across the trim range, including the TRD Pro and Trailhunter. Check the product page for the exact trim list on each kit.

Will a grille light bar interfere with the active grille shutters?
No. The bars are slim enough to sit between the grille and the shutter module, so the active shutters continue to work normally.

How do I power the lights without messing with factory wiring?
Most Tacomas have factory pre-wired aux switches the kits plug straight into. If yours doesn't, the M&R Wireless 8-Switch Harness runs up to 8 accessories from a wireless in-cab remote — no firewall pass-through, no splicing.

Are the lights street-legal?
The amber DRL accent is street-safe and can be run on the road. The high-output White and Yellow main beams are for off-road use only.

Light up your Tacoma

From a 2016 TRD Off-Road to a 2024 Trailhunter, the Tacoma is built to go where the pavement ends — and it deserves lighting that keeps up after dark. Our Toyota Tacoma LED light kits bolt on now — no drilling, generation-specific fit, and a video guide in every box. Building yours out? Tell us how you're running it on socials, and when you're ready to light it up, you know where to find us.