A Toyota enthusiast recently turned to TikTok to ask if her Tacoma upgrade is worth it. Should it stay, or should it go?
Chloe Kuo (@chloekuotaco), a YouTuber passionate about her Toyota and off-roading, recently shared a video showcasing her latest car modification.
Yet her post, which has garnered 224,300 views so far, sparked debate among her viewers.
What did she update in her Toyota Tacoma?
“I need your help, guys,” Kuo begins, holding a light-up grill emblem next to her Toyota Tacoma. “Today, I’m adding something that might be as controversial as installing Raptor lights on the front of my Toyota.”
Kuo explains why she thinks the move is controversial.
“Raptor lights serve the purpose of, one, helping others see the width of that truck, and two, adding to the aesthetic,” she continues. “But what I have here is just for the aesthetic.”
What are Raptor lights?
As Yota Leds writes, Raptor lights are small marker lights “installed in or around the grille portion of your vehicle.” They retail for about $130.
As Motor Trend adds, they have been popular for about 15 years. They “lit up in 2010 with the arrival of the Ford F-150 Raptor, but the idea of putting three orange lights on a big truck is nothing new. These lights have been legally required on semi trucks, buses, and other large vehicles for decades. You see them on all kinds of pickup trucks and SUVs these days, although technically they have no business on your Tacoma.”
These three small, amber lights on grilles are all about style. They’re tied to the Ford Raptor, however, because the truck was so wide that U.S. regulations required added lighting.
However, Toyotas like the Tacoma are not considered wide enough to really need them. In other words, purists see it as posturing. Like wearing a Carhart jacket to a desk job.
How did she install them?
Kuo walks viewers through the installation process.
“To install it, I need to tear out the front logo—which, thankfully, I didn’t break any clips in case I want to reinstall it later—and I route this wiring harness that came in the kit and tap it into the daytime running lights,” she explains as she installs it.
She then reveals the new addition: “I plug my new logo in, snap it in place, and turn on my headlights for the full reveal—a light-up grill emblem.”
Kuo says she was intrigued by the product, particularly because it’s something you can buy directly from Toyota.
“So it’s supposed to have a factory look and finish, and I think it does,” she says.
But despite being pleased with the outcome, Kuo leaves the final decision to her audience. “I want to hear the consensus on this one. Should it stay?”
Viewers react
In the comments, the response was mostly positive, with a few negative comments who thought there were other priorities with the Toyota Tacoma.
“good investment,” praised one user.
“Night shot for a better review,” requested another.
“I have an idea. Instead of buying lights, you should save money for when that transmission blows at 10k miles,” criticized a third.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Kuo via email and Instagram direct message. We’ve also contacted Toyota via email.
@chloekuotaco The “Raptor Lights” for Toyotas?!!
♬ original sound – Chloe Kuo
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