Best LED Light Bars for 2016–2023 Toyota Tacoma: 6 Mount-Checked Kits by Location

For most 3rd-gen owners, a bar hidden in the lower bumper opening is the best balance of output, looks and glare, and Cali Raised LED's kit is built around this truck. Cali Raised lists it for all 2016–2023 Tacoma trims and says it is compatible with all grilles and sensors for that application, naming the TRD Pro grille and factory camera mounts. It says no cutting or drilling is required. The kit includes a 32 in dual-row bar with 5D-optic OSRAM LEDs, black powder-coated vehicle-specific brackets, hardware and a wiring harness, with an optional OEM-style BUMPER LIGHT BAR dash switch in tall or small versions.

Cali Raised prices the kit at $384.99 without the OEM-style switch and $394.99 with it, and covers the brackets, bar, harness and switch for two years. This Amazon listing is the combo-beam version with harness and no switch, so plan how you'll control it. The trade-offs are small but real: Cali Raised doesn't publish an IP rating or lumen figure for the bar, so compare it on the listing if output matters, and a bar this low catches mud and trail debris. It is also still an off-road light, so keep it switched off on public roads where your state requires it.

If you want the bar a little higher than the bumper, or you already run a lower bar and want a second, Cali Raised's upper grille kit puts a 32 in dual-row bar inside the upper grille opening. Cali Raised lists it for the 2016–2023 Tacoma, says the hidden mount keeps your original grille in place, and describes the install as bolt-on at factory mounting points with no drilling. It says the brackets work with all Toyota grilles and most aftermarket grilles, which matters on a TRD Pro with its heritage-style grille. The kit includes the brackets, a 32 in dual-row bar in spot or combo, hardware and a harness, with an optional small OEM-style switch.

Cali Raised lists the kit at $384.99 without the OEM switch, with a 2-year warranty on all its products and US-made powder-coated brackets. This Amazon listing is the combo-beam version with harness and no switch. The upper grille sits higher than the bumper opening, so expect a little more light off the hood and a bar you can partly see through the mesh. Running both upper and lower bars doubles the current draw, so give each its own fused, relayed circuit or size one harness for both. Treat it as off-road lighting on the road.

Ditch lights mount at the hood hinges, at the base of the windshield, and light the trail edges and corners that a bumper bar doesn't reach. Diode Dynamics' Stage Series backlit kit is the brand-name way to add them to a 3rd-gen Tacoma. Diode Dynamics lists the kit for 2016–2023 with thick-gauge stainless steel brackets, bolt-on fitment with no cutting or drilling, and an integrated amber backlight. It takes SS3 pods with an 80 x 30 degree beam or C2 pods with a 55 x 20 degree beam, in cool white (6000K) or selective yellow (3000K), and in Sport or Pro power levels; Diode Dynamics says Pro offers double the power. This Amazon listing is the SS3 Pro in yellow with a combo beam.

RealTruck's Stage Series ditch kit page lists the pods as IP69K and gives an eight-year warranty: three years full replacement plus five years for manufacturing defects. Neither page we read gives lumen figures, so compare the pod options on the listing. The price varies widely with pod choice; Diode Dynamics' page shows a starting price of $99.95, so confirm which configuration a price refers to. Yellow pods cut glare in dust and rain. Keep them off on public roads where your state requires it.

If you want better light for night driving without an obvious bar, Baja Designs' Squadron Sport 2.0 fog pocket kit replaces the factory fog lights with two Squadron Sport pods. 4Runner Lifestyle lists each light at 3,200 lumens and 30 W (2.2 A at 13.8 V), rated IP69K with a 12–32 V input and a wide cornering beam in clear or Baja amber. The kit includes two lights, two mounting brackets, two wiring adaptors that work with the factory fog switch, a harness for the backlight and all mounting hardware. Because it uses the factory fog wiring, there is no separate switch to add.

The fitment is the catch. This Amazon listing's title names the Tacoma 12–23 alongside the Tundra and 4Runner, but the retailer page we read lists only the 4Runner, so confirm with the seller that the brackets suit your 3rd-gen fog pockets before ordering. Your truck also needs factory fog pockets and wiring. The 2017 TRD Pro launched with Rigid Industries LED fogs, so a TRD Pro owner may gain less here than from a ditch or bumper bar. The kit costs $436.95 at 4Runner Lifestyle with a limited lifetime warranty. This Sport version is an off-road light; Baja also offers SAE fog versions for road use.

If you already own a 32 in bar, or want to choose one yourself, Cali Raised sells its lower bumper hidden brackets on their own. Cali Raised lists them at $64.99 for the 2016–2023 Tacoma, sold as a pair with installation hardware, and describes a bolt-on install with no drilling, cutting or modifications that takes about one to two hours with basic hand tools. The brackets are black semi-gloss powder-coated steel, made in the USA, with a 2-year warranty. It is the cheapest way on this page to get a Tacoma-specific mount for a real bar, and it is the same mount as our top pick.

The bar is where you need to be careful. Any 32 in bar you buy separately is universal, so confirm its overall length and end-bracket style match these mounts before ordering, and budget for a harness with a relay, a fuse sized for the bar's draw and a switch. Cali Raised only includes wiring when you buy the brackets with a light. Once you add a quality bar and harness, the savings over the full kit shrink, so this makes most sense if the bar is already in your garage. It is still off-road lighting once installed.

If you want ditch lights for the trail edges but not a brand-name price, BLIAUTO's kit is titled specifically for the 2016–2023 Tacoma and ships as a complete setup. According to the listing title, it includes two 3 in cube pods with a combo beam, 4 mm thick hood-hinge mount brackets, a rocker switch and a wiring harness, and the title claims 60 W and 6,000 lm for the pair. That puts both pods at the hood hinges where brand-name kits mount, so the placement and beam coverage are similar in principle.

The weakness is verification. The Amazon listing is the only source for those figures; we couldn't find a maker spec sheet, IP rating or warranty to check them against, so treat the lumen claim with caution and confirm the details on the listing. At 60 W the pair draws roughly 4.3 A at 13.8 V, so make sure the harness includes a relay and an inline fuse sized for it, and route the wires clear of the hood hinge travel. A rocker switch is functional but less tidy than an OEM-style blank. If you plan water crossings or want a long warranty, Diode Dynamics' kit above is the better buy.