Obviously, there are exceptions to this, like the guy who has to ferry diesel through a muddy field to re-fuel the excavator which is building the road into the new sub-division, but for the average plumber, carpenter, etc etc, 2WD is usually all that's required.
Then we have the size of the engine. Again, if you need a vehicle which can tow heavy loads, then you probably need more power than a 2.7L DOHC 4 cylinder producing 159hp. Although if you see the trailers which the Europeans haul around with their little 4 bangers, even that could be deemed questionable.
Now obviously I'm not suggesting that everyone could live without their full-sized V8 4x4. What I am saying is that many perhaps could, and that's where the Toyota Tacoma 4x2 comes into play.
It is not a small truck by any means. In fact, the rear bed is as spacious as most full-sized models. It can tow up to 3500lbs, which is not bad considering its frugal power plant, and when I say frugal I do mean frugal. The Tacoma 4x2 boasts fuel economy figures of just 11.1 L/100kms City, and 8.0 L/100kms on the Highway. Think about that for a moment. When it's just the driver carrying his tools to the jobsite, does he really want, or need, to be trundling around in a thirsty V8?
Price point
My tester came with A/C and a 4 speed overdrive transmission, which together added $1550 to the base price of $20,470 and finally ended up at a total cost of $23,410 including freight and delivery.
Now I know that there will be some out there who will say "But I can buy a full size pickup for that kind of money". True, you can, but do you really need a full size pickup, and perhaps even more relevant today, do you want to burn the extra fuel that a full size pickup goes through?
As you no doubt now realize, my tester was a pretty basic model, no Power Windows, no Power Seats, and no Power Door Locks. In fact Power Steering, A/C and the stereo system were about all that you could term luxurious. However, Toyota always gives you what you need, and so there are a host of safety features included, a modern up-to-date braking system featuring ABS, EBD, and BA, and the cloth seats are very comfortable even over a long journey.
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| It can tow up to 3500lbs, which is not bad considering its frugal power plant. |
Then we have the size of the engine. Again, if you need a vehicle which can tow heavy loads, then you probably need more power than a 2.7L DOHC 4 cylinder producing 159hp. Although if you see the trailers which the Europeans haul around with their little 4 bangers, even that could be deemed questionable.
Now obviously I'm not suggesting that everyone could live without their full-sized V8 4x4. What I am saying is that many perhaps could, and that's where the Toyota Tacoma 4x2 comes into play.
It is not a small truck by any means. In fact, the rear bed is as spacious as most full-sized models. It can tow up to 3500lbs, which is not bad considering its frugal power plant, and when I say frugal I do mean frugal. The Tacoma 4x2 boasts fuel economy figures of just 11.1 L/100kms City, and 8.0 L/100kms on the Highway. Think about that for a moment. When it's just the driver carrying his tools to the jobsite, does he really want, or need, to be trundling around in a thirsty V8?
Price point
My tester came with A/C and a 4 speed overdrive transmission, which together added $1550 to the base price of $20,470 and finally ended up at a total cost of $23,410 including freight and delivery.
Now I know that there will be some out there who will say "But I can buy a full size pickup for that kind of money". True, you can, but do you really need a full size pickup, and perhaps even more relevant today, do you want to burn the extra fuel that a full size pickup goes through?
As you no doubt now realize, my tester was a pretty basic model, no Power Windows, no Power Seats, and no Power Door Locks. In fact Power Steering, A/C and the stereo system were about all that you could term luxurious. However, Toyota always gives you what you need, and so there are a host of safety features included, a modern up-to-date braking system featuring ABS, EBD, and BA, and the cloth seats are very comfortable even over a long journey.
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| My tester came with A/C and a 4 speed overdrive transmission. |