Safety
The car has standard dual front air bags, available ABS brakes, electronic
brake force distribution, and emergency brake assist and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the car 5 out of 5 stars (a perfect result) in a frontal impact for both front passengers. It also received 5 out of 5 stars in lateral impacts. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has not yet rated the Tacoma.
Conclusion
One realizes that "compact" no longer means compact when you consider these numbers: The Tacoma is rated at 6 500 lbs (2 948 kg) for towing capacity and the Tundra, the full-size big brother has a rated towing capacity of 7 300 lbs (3 311 kg) and it is equipped with a V8. The little ones have come a long way. Although bigger, the Tacoma's dimensions are more akin to driving or living in the city and going up to the cottage on weekends. If you have kids and are thinking that the Access Cab is too small, you can always opt for the Double Cab without making any compromises on utility.
For some reason, $34,000 does not seem like enough money for a vehicle that performs flawlessly in the environment for which it was created. I have driven many pricey vehicles that represent more concessions than specific utility. In other words, a hefty price tag will not necessarily equate to a vehicle that is dominant in any one category.
This Tacoma is simply purpose built. If you are interested in a pickup for looks but not the utility, look at the GMC Canyon / Chevrolet Colorado combo, the Dodge Dakota or the Mazda B-series / Ford Ranger twins. The Tacoma is a real 4x4 as we call them. As is always the case for Toyota products, it should be reliable, have a strong resale value and last a very very long time if well maintained.
Good stuff:
Ultimate off-road machine
Toyota dependability
Not so good stuff:
Annoying brakes
The car has standard dual front air bags, available ABS brakes, electronic
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Conclusion
One realizes that "compact" no longer means compact when you consider these numbers: The Tacoma is rated at 6 500 lbs (2 948 kg) for towing capacity and the Tundra, the full-size big brother has a rated towing capacity of 7 300 lbs (3 311 kg) and it is equipped with a V8. The little ones have come a long way. Although bigger, the Tacoma's dimensions are more akin to driving or living in the city and going up to the cottage on weekends. If you have kids and are thinking that the Access Cab is too small, you can always opt for the Double Cab without making any compromises on utility.
 |
This Tacoma is simply purpose built. If you are interested in a pickup for looks but not the utility, look at the GMC Canyon / Chevrolet Colorado combo, the Dodge Dakota or the Mazda B-series / Ford Ranger twins. The Tacoma is a real 4x4 as we call them. As is always the case for Toyota products, it should be reliable, have a strong resale value and last a very very long time if well maintained.
Good stuff:
 |
Ultimate off-road machine
Toyota dependability
Not so good stuff:
Annoying brakes
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