.
Toyota Tacoma Review
Many reviewers rate the Toyota Tacoma the best mid-sized pickup truck on the market. The Tacoma was significantly redesigned in 2005, as were most of its closest competitors. The Tacoma is well regarded for its comfortable cab, refined ride, responsive handling, proven off-road capability, and Toyota’s reputation for quality.
See also the main fact sheets for the 2006 Toyota Tacoma.
High Points
- Great new design
- The larger size
- The ride is more comfortable and the handling is good
- The new composite inner bed that is non-rusting and non-denting
Low Points
- The manual transmission is clunky
- The performance of the X-Runner version lacks handling
Performance and Handling
The Toyota Tacoma drives well in on-road and off-road conditions. It offers solid power from the V6 engine, good handling and feels relatively refined. Off-road models offer better capability than previous-generation models as well as improved ride comfort.
The 4.0-liter V6 engine uses variable valve technology (called VVT-i) to optimize power and torque. It has more power than the five-cylinder engine in the Chevy Colorado or the base V6 in the Dodge Dakota, but is less powerful than the Nissan Frontier. The automatic version is very smooth and responsive, and although the manual version shifts easily, it gearing ratio is low thus making it a little awkward.
The 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine is rated at 159 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, which about average for the class.
In general the Tacoma feels steady in turns and suffers from surprisingly little body roll in hard corners. On pavement, the 4WD and TRD models seem smooth and refined, and off-road capabilities are excellent with a refined suspension.
The Tacoma's brakes are smooth and easy to modulate and can bring it to quick halt without drama. The rear brakes are drums, however, less desirable than the rear disc brakes that come on some of the other pickups in this class.
Gas Mileage
EPA estimates [1].
- 2WD 4 cyl. automatic: 21/26
- 2WD 4 cyl. manual: 20/27
- 2WD 6 cyl. automatic: 18/22
- 2WD 6 cyl. manual: 16/21
- 4WD 4 cyl. manual: 19/23
- 4WD 6 cyl. automatic: 17/21
- 4WD 6 cyl. manual: 16/20
Safety
The Tacoma received 5 out of 5 stars for driver and passenger front and side crash tests from the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA) [2]
Reliability and Maintenance
Interior and Comforts
Other than the seats being a little soft, there are generally no complaints with the otherwise good interior design and ergonomics of the new Tacoma. In addition to better knob design and integration, Toyota's standards of sound also seem to be rising, with an upgraded subwoofer-enhanced JBL sound system. No interior element varies more in the Tacoma than back-seat space. Access Cabs come with suicide-style doors that don't open until you open the front doors. The jump seats require passengers to sit very upright with legs spread out to clear the front seats. Legroom looks good at a glance, but that's because the seat bottoms are truncated. Not surprisingly, the Double Cab models offer a lot more space. It has four independent doors that make getting in and out of the backseat easy. A nearly-flat floor in the back means minimal foot crowding with other backseat passengers. Overall space and comfort are very similar to the Corolla.
Exterior
The new design makes the Toyota Tacoma an attractive truck, though not a standout among its competition since almost all competitors have gone through similar successful redesigns. The larger features give the Tacoma a bolder look. The big headlights and grille highlight the front of the Tacoma, and flush rear surface glass and flush surface structures between the bumper sides and body give it a polished look. The PreRunner and 4x4 models are distinguished by bold overfenders.
Styles and Options
Main Competitors
Main competitors in the compact truck market include:
External Links
WikiCars Contributor Favorites
Community Sites
