The Ford Ranger is dead! Long live the Toyota Tacoma! Yes, the Ford Ranger died a long but not painful death. Even though it survived nearly 20 years without any significant changes, the Ranger still picked up good sales every year. However, the time had come for the plug to be pulled.
Coinciding with the death of the legendary Ranger is the physical rejuvenation of its biggest foe, the Tacoma. Back in 2005, the Toyota took the top spot in the US from Ford as best-selling compact truck. Even though the Ranger bowed out of the No. 1 position, it hung on to the second step of the podium. The next-best seller was the Nissan Frontier, itself outsold two to one by the Tacoma.
Old school but good
As a long since out-of-the-closet fan of pickups, in their respective segments, my faves have forever been the full-size Ford F-150 and the compact Tacoma. As I ponder my rating of the truck in this review, I find myself confronted with the fact that I like the Tacoma more for what it isn't than what it is.
What the 2012 Toyota Tacoma is not is modern and refined. What the Tacoma is not is meant to be a showcase for technology or for creature comforts. The Tacoma is what the wicker chair is to the La-Z-Boy. And I'm very fond of it.
The Toyota Tacoma has a reputation for being tough, robust, and pretty much the most dependable product the Japanese giant has in its massive stable. This, the Tacoma is. It also has a long history that goes way back to the first Land Cruisers from the early 1950s. What those trucks were capable of was what made them legends in their own time. The Tacoma carries on that lineage.
Ingredient upgrade needed
Unfortunately, that fact that the Tacoma stays true to its roots is what hurts it, or rather, me. In actuality, the only negative aspect of this Tacoma is the available 4-speed automatic transmission.
The 2012 Toyota Tacoma's base engine is a 2.7L 4-cylinder that develops 159 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. A 236-hp 4.0L V6 is available. Despite sounding and running exactly like a 4-cylinder engine from the ’70s, the 2.7L has plenty of heart and gets the job done. With it comes a 5-speed manual transmission as a 2x4 or 4x4. For an appalling $1,000 extra, Toyota will hand over the 4-speed automatic.
Although the box may be as tough as the rest of the truck, it not only robs the 2.7L power-wise, but it increases fuel consumption. On acceleration or passing, the poor mill tries as best as it can to make things happen but the transmission drops 2,000 rpm between first and second and will not kick-down unless you kick it. I think Toyota should give the buyer a $1,000 discount if they opt for the 4-speed.
A road-worthy tool
Otherwise, I've nothing to say about the ride, the steering or the handling. The Tacoma, in this guise, is meant to be a work tool and provide essential carrying or hauling services to the owner.
It can tow up to 1,587 kg (3,500 lb) and carry a maximum of 544 kg (1,200 lb) of cargo in its bed. I unfortunately could not evaluate these claims, however, the Toyota Tacoma has been around long enough that its capabilities have since been proven and put to the test.
One of the best elements of the 2012 Toyota Tacoma's are its brakes. The front disc rear drum setup is well up to the task for day-to-day activities.
Glove-friendly
On the topic of tools, the Tacoma, like its big brother the Tundra, was conceived with the working man or woman in mind. Most of the switchgear, such as the audio and climate controls, is large and simple to operate. There are no fancy sequences to be done and the knobs are large and grippy. For the 2012 model-year, Toyota redesigned the gauge cluster and threw in a new, more car-like steering wheel.
My tester was an access cab model, meaning that the second row carries jumps seats and not a bench. These flip up and down human shelves are only meant as a backup plan should there be more than one passenger. Preferably, that passenger should be nothing bigger than a small child.
Up front, the buckets are no more than fair in their purpose. The seats lack in thigh support and are not especially comfortable. Furthermore, I found it difficult to find a decent driving position behind the wheels. This has been, for me, a common occurrence with Toyota products for a while.
The yardstick
The 2012 Toyota Tacoma is the bar by which all current and future compact and midsize pickups will be measured. In a pricing game, the Tacoma will never win. In the end, a base Ford Ranger was retailing for well under $15,000. The Ranger was in fact one of the least expensive new vehicles on the market. This accounted for a large part of its sales.
At a starting price of $23,100 ($25,125 as tested), the Tacoma will not garner as many takers. The Chevrolet Colorado and Nissan Frontier, which go for $24,045 and $24,478 respectively, may see their take rates increase as a result of the disappearance of the “cheap one.” It'll depend on the discounts offered by the makers.
As for the Toyota Tacoma, it is the king of its segment and nothing short of a revolution will ever dethrone it.
Coinciding with the death of the legendary Ranger is the physical rejuvenation of its biggest foe, the Tacoma. Back in 2005, the Toyota took the top spot in the US from Ford as best-selling compact truck. Even though the Ranger bowed out of the No. 1 position, it hung on to the second step of the podium. The next-best seller was the Nissan Frontier, itself outsold two to one by the Tacoma.
Old school but good
As a long since out-of-the-closet fan of pickups, in their respective segments, my faves have forever been the full-size Ford F-150 and the compact Tacoma. As I ponder my rating of the truck in this review, I find myself confronted with the fact that I like the Tacoma more for what it isn't than what it is.
What the 2012 Toyota Tacoma is not is modern and refined. What the Tacoma is not is meant to be a showcase for technology or for creature comforts. The Tacoma is what the wicker chair is to the La-Z-Boy. And I'm very fond of it.
The Toyota Tacoma has a reputation for being tough, robust, and pretty much the most dependable product the Japanese giant has in its massive stable. This, the Tacoma is. It also has a long history that goes way back to the first Land Cruisers from the early 1950s. What those trucks were capable of was what made them legends in their own time. The Tacoma carries on that lineage.
Ingredient upgrade needed
Unfortunately, that fact that the Tacoma stays true to its roots is what hurts it, or rather, me. In actuality, the only negative aspect of this Tacoma is the available 4-speed automatic transmission.
The 2012 Toyota Tacoma's base engine is a 2.7L 4-cylinder that develops 159 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. A 236-hp 4.0L V6 is available. Despite sounding and running exactly like a 4-cylinder engine from the ’70s, the 2.7L has plenty of heart and gets the job done. With it comes a 5-speed manual transmission as a 2x4 or 4x4. For an appalling $1,000 extra, Toyota will hand over the 4-speed automatic.
Although the box may be as tough as the rest of the truck, it not only robs the 2.7L power-wise, but it increases fuel consumption. On acceleration or passing, the poor mill tries as best as it can to make things happen but the transmission drops 2,000 rpm between first and second and will not kick-down unless you kick it. I think Toyota should give the buyer a $1,000 discount if they opt for the 4-speed.
A road-worthy tool
Otherwise, I've nothing to say about the ride, the steering or the handling. The Tacoma, in this guise, is meant to be a work tool and provide essential carrying or hauling services to the owner.
It can tow up to 1,587 kg (3,500 lb) and carry a maximum of 544 kg (1,200 lb) of cargo in its bed. I unfortunately could not evaluate these claims, however, the Toyota Tacoma has been around long enough that its capabilities have since been proven and put to the test.
One of the best elements of the 2012 Toyota Tacoma's are its brakes. The front disc rear drum setup is well up to the task for day-to-day activities.
Glove-friendly
On the topic of tools, the Tacoma, like its big brother the Tundra, was conceived with the working man or woman in mind. Most of the switchgear, such as the audio and climate controls, is large and simple to operate. There are no fancy sequences to be done and the knobs are large and grippy. For the 2012 model-year, Toyota redesigned the gauge cluster and threw in a new, more car-like steering wheel.
My tester was an access cab model, meaning that the second row carries jumps seats and not a bench. These flip up and down human shelves are only meant as a backup plan should there be more than one passenger. Preferably, that passenger should be nothing bigger than a small child.
Up front, the buckets are no more than fair in their purpose. The seats lack in thigh support and are not especially comfortable. Furthermore, I found it difficult to find a decent driving position behind the wheels. This has been, for me, a common occurrence with Toyota products for a while.
The yardstick
The 2012 Toyota Tacoma is the bar by which all current and future compact and midsize pickups will be measured. In a pricing game, the Tacoma will never win. In the end, a base Ford Ranger was retailing for well under $15,000. The Ranger was in fact one of the least expensive new vehicles on the market. This accounted for a large part of its sales.
At a starting price of $23,100 ($25,125 as tested), the Tacoma will not garner as many takers. The Chevrolet Colorado and Nissan Frontier, which go for $24,045 and $24,478 respectively, may see their take rates increase as a result of the disappearance of the “cheap one.” It'll depend on the discounts offered by the makers.
As for the Toyota Tacoma, it is the king of its segment and nothing short of a revolution will ever dethrone it.
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