The Toyota Tacoma can tow up to 6,800 pounds
The Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling compact/midsize pickup truck since 2008, and it comes in a broad variety of trim levels and body styles, from the most basic work vehicle to off-roading monsters and even some upscale trims. There are two different body designs to choose from: the Access Cab, with its rear-hinged rear doors and folding jump seats, and the Double Cab, with its four conventional doors and the three-seat rear bench. If properly outfitted, the Tacoma can tow up to 6,800 pounds. The Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, and Nissan Frontier are all rivals. Toyota sold many other compact trucks in the States before Tacoma.
Though Toyota didn’t begin with a blank slate, the 2016 Tacoma features numerous improvements over its predecessors. These include a more assertive front fascia, a new V-6 engine, a six-speed automatic transmission, revised suspension settings, and high-strength steel throughout the vehicle’s frame and body. Improvements were made to the inside as well, and a place to attach a GoPro camera was made accessible. Automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with sway warning, and adaptive cruise control were made standard in 2018, while a TRD Pro variant with enhanced off-road performance was introduced in 2017.
Even though there is a brand new Tundra for the 2018 model year, Toyota isn’t making many improvements to Tacoma until 2023. Keyless entry is now standard on SR5 cars with the V-6 engine, and Toyota has introduced additional packages and a new color choice for the TRD Pro variant. The Tacoma goes up against other midsize trucks such as the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, and Nissan Frontier.
Iconic What’s New arrow
Obtainable in a Chrome trim level with 18-inch alloy wheels
Available as a blacked-out SX package for the SR5 trim
The SR5 model with the V-6 engine now comes standard with keyless entry, and the TRD Pro model now comes in Solar Octane paint.
The Toyota Tacoma continues to dominate the midsize truck market long after it first hit the market. The Tacoma has excellent resale value because of its attractive design, its ample off-road prowess, and Toyota’s stellar reputation for durability. But Tacoma has its flaws too.
The inside is cramped and poorly designed, making it difficult for us to relax there. Even if you upgrade to the TRD Pro and its Fox shocks, the ride quality will still be rough. The dynamics of driving are also sloppy. Neither of the two engines is particularly noteworthy, and the automatic gearbox is a throwback that often fails to choose the correct gear. The Chevrolet Colorado is a more polished option.
The Tacoma can pull as much as 6800 pounds with rear-wheel drive and as little as 6500 pounds with four-wheel drive. The Tacoma’s maximum payload capacity of 1685 pounds is limited to two-wheel drive vehicles equipped with the four-cylinder engine; customers who choose the four-wheel drive and the V-6 engine will be stuck with much-reduced capabilities.
Although it scores only moderately in crash tests, the Tacoma offers the highest level of standard driver-aid features in its class. The Ridgeline still performs better in this category than its competitors, due to its stellar performance in crash tests, but the midsize Toyota has superior technology.
Toyota deserves credit for equipping every Tacoma with standard touchscreen infotainment. All subsequent models and editions have an 8.0-inch display, while the basic model’s screen measures in at 7.0 inches. The business has also added support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which should make using the system easier than before. The Tacoma has multiple USB ports and a wireless charging system, although it lacks a mobile hotspot compared to its competitors.
As a result of its strong performance in the Compact Pickup Trucks category, the 2023 Toyota Tacoma has been ranked as the sixth-best vehicle overall. At this time, the Toyota Tacoma has a score of 7.3 out of 10 which we arrived at by tallying up 41 pieces of information from a variety of sources.
