Our automatic Tacoma provides plenty of guts for hauling and towing duties; it can pull up to 6,500 pounds, which is slightly better than the Nissan Frontier (6,300), GM’s Colorado and Canyon twins (6,000), the Honda Ridgeline (5,000) and almost as much as a V8 Ram Dakota (6,750). Payload capacity is, surprisingly, the lowest among this group.
It isn’t a fuel-miser, though. Our average of 15.4 L/100 km isn’t all that good; we did test the Tacoma in winter, but that shouldn’t be an excuse since snow covers our countryside 6 months a year. We’re not used to gas-hogging Toyotas, but this engine has never been an example of fuel efficiency.
Inside, the Tacoma presents an attractive environment. There are some industrial-feel plastics here and there, but everything seems solid and harmonious. Storage spaces are found in numerous places, and the switchgear is straightforward for easy use while driving.
The front seats deserve applause for their comfort; they’re well-padded and just supportive enough for pickup-truck driving dynamics. Despite offering the smallest amount of rear-seat legroom in its category, there is enough foot space so no one will complain. There are also concealed storage bins under and behind the bench for small objects out of view.
A base 4x2 Tacoma without A/C goes for $21,355, while a 4x4 Double Cab V6 starts at $31,845. Adding the TRD Sport Package to the automatic-equipped version requires another $5,110 but includes a long list of comfort and convenience features as well as the mechanical upgrades. The final tally for the Tacoma you see here is $36,955.
In comparison, a Frontier Crew Cab Pro-4X retails for $38,498, an optioned-up Dakota Crew Cab SXT 4x4 goes for $39,560 (heavy rebate are often offered) and a Ridgeline VP sells for $36,690.
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| Inside, the Tacoma presents an attractive environment. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
It isn’t a fuel-miser, though. Our average of 15.4 L/100 km isn’t all that good; we did test the Tacoma in winter, but that shouldn’t be an excuse since snow covers our countryside 6 months a year. We’re not used to gas-hogging Toyotas, but this engine has never been an example of fuel efficiency.
Inside, the Tacoma presents an attractive environment. There are some industrial-feel plastics here and there, but everything seems solid and harmonious. Storage spaces are found in numerous places, and the switchgear is straightforward for easy use while driving.
The front seats deserve applause for their comfort; they’re well-padded and just supportive enough for pickup-truck driving dynamics. Despite offering the smallest amount of rear-seat legroom in its category, there is enough foot space so no one will complain. There are also concealed storage bins under and behind the bench for small objects out of view.
A base 4x2 Tacoma without A/C goes for $21,355, while a 4x4 Double Cab V6 starts at $31,845. Adding the TRD Sport Package to the automatic-equipped version requires another $5,110 but includes a long list of comfort and convenience features as well as the mechanical upgrades. The final tally for the Tacoma you see here is $36,955.
In comparison, a Frontier Crew Cab Pro-4X retails for $38,498, an optioned-up Dakota Crew Cab SXT 4x4 goes for $39,560 (heavy rebate are often offered) and a Ridgeline VP sells for $36,690.
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| Our average of 15.4 L/100 km isn’t all that good. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |