For 16 years, the Toyota Tacoma has sat atop the midsize pickup truck gross sales charts thanks partly to its sterling fame and wonderful resale worth. Even because the midsize truck class has grown in recent times to to incorporate a reborn Ford Ranger and new Jeep Gladiator, the Toyota continues to rule the roost with a Tacoma lineup that encompasses greater than 30 configurations all providing attractiveness, loads of utility and correct on- and off-road capabilities. And after spending per week with what’s now a 6-year-old truck, I’m reminded once more of all of the issues that contribute to the Tacoma’s lasting enchantment.
LikeRugged stylingSmooth V6Composed trip
Don’t LikeLimited headroomNot nice gasoline economyGets dear
Rugged seemsEven although the current-generation Tacoma is getting outdated, it is nonetheless a lovely rig. The blockier seems are much more beefed up on my TRD Off-Road tester with a really cool Army Green paint job and contrasting black fender trim. Throw in slick 16-inch wheels wrapped in meaty Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure tires, black tube steps and TRD skid plates, and this truck seems greater than able to play within the grime.Inside the Taco, the squared-off sprint continues the rugged design theme, and far of the cabin is constructed from acres of onerous, properly grained plastics which are simple to wash and will look good for years to return. Don’t fear, it is not all onerous plastic on a regular basis, with key touchpoints just like the steering wheel and shift knob wrapped in leather-based and armrests lined in padded vinyl. The entrance seat cushions are agency and their minimal bolstering permits them to accommodate a wide range of physique varieties.
2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road: A pickup for traditionalists
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As a shorter 5-foot, 6-inch individual, I’ve zero issues with house or discovering a cushty seating place behind the Tacoma’s wheel, nevertheless, I can see why my taller co-workers have had points right here. There’s not a ton of headroom in both row and rear legroom in my Double Cab tester is not palatial. Again, if 4 or 5 Jon Wongs have to go someplace, they will be nice. Four or 5 Craig Coles or Andrew Kroks, nevertheless, goes to be a special and fewer comfy story.Storage house is admirable with giant door pockets, middle console cubbies, a decent-sized middle armrest console, mammoth glove field compartment and a pair of hidden bins beneath the rear seat’s decrease cushions. Of course, there’s the 5-foot-long mattress out again, fitted with a molded liner and tie-down bedrail that’ll absolutely come in useful for residence enchancment provide or flat pack furnishings runs.
Adequate techMost Tacoma fashions function an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Base Tacoma SR fashions are the one ones that do not have this display screen and as a substitute get a 7-inch unit, whereas goodies comparable to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa are lastly commonplace throughout the board. In addition, my tester comes with a JBL audio setup, navigation, Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth.
Nothing particular to take a look at, but it surely’s obtained commonplace Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now.
Jon Wong/Roadshow
The TRD Off-Road’s 8-inch touchscreen does take a noticeable second to change between menu screens and calculate navigation routes. The menu layouts themselves are easy to work via, however removed from visually riveting. My favourite side of the system is that Toyota maintains the bodily shortcut buttons that flank either side of the display screen to simply get to essentially the most used menus like the house, audio and map screens.To juice up any good units, the TRD Off-Road has a 12-volt outlet and wi-fi cost pad on the base of the middle console, whereas there are USB-A and USB-C ports within the middle armrest. Unfortunately, backseat passengers haven’t any energy ports inside simple attain.On the protection tech entrance, the Toyota Safety Sense suite of options is commonplace subject on all Tacomas. That contains automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise management, lane-departure warning and auto excessive beams. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts can be found as choices and put in on my TRD Off-Road.The Tacoma’s cabin has a wide range of energy factors up entrance, however nothing inside simple attain in again.
Jon Wong/Roadshow
Rides like a truckToyota affords two engines within the Tacoma, with a base 2.7-liter I4 churning out 159 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque offering sufficient energy. The TRD Off-Road and different greater trims include a 3.5-liter V6 making 278 hp and 265 lb-ft. The V6 affords enough grunt off the road however feels essentially the most energetic from roughly 3,500 rpm on up, making simple sufficient work of expressway merging and passing. And when it is time to do actual work, my take a look at truck can pull as much as 6,400 kilos with a payload ranking of 1,155 kilos.Traditionalists shall be happy to know that Tacomas might be had with a six-speed guide transmission, however my tester is outfitted with an non-obligatory six-speed automated that helps return a far-from-spectacular EPA-estimated 18 mpg within the metropolis and 22 mpg on the freeway. In actual world testing, I noticed 19 mpg.For essentially the most half, the gearbox returns fluid, quick-enough and well-timed shifts becoming for a pickup. However, sometimes a rogue, clunky downshift occurs when slowing down and getting again on the throttle earlier than coming to a whole cease.Bilstein shocks give the Tacoma TRD Off-Road a leg up when venturing off pavement.
Jon Wong/Roadshow
The spotlight to the Tacoma TRD Off-Road is all of the {hardware} to make it deal with higher, properly, off-road. That record contains part-time four-wheel-drive (two-wheel-drive can be accessible), a locking rear differential, specifically tuned suspension with Bilstein shocks, Goodyear tires, hill-start help and Crawl Control that is basically low-speed off-road cruise management to let drivers deal with steering via rock obstacles. Unfortunately, the extent of my off-roading includes rolling on unpaved tons, however I can say that it’s not half dangerous on street. Sure, issues get uneven over bumps earlier than the physique recovers and round corners the Tacoma does not noticeably flop round. The steering is direct (for a truck), the brakes are sturdy and grabby at first and there is some tire noise to talk off, however all advised, the Tacoma is utterly cheap for every day drives. If on-road trip high quality is a prime precedence, perhaps do not buy the TRD Off-Road trim. Or perhaps go purchase a Honda Ridgeline as a substitute.How I’d spec itAs a lot as I like the seems of the Tacoma TRD Pro and the cool issue of realizing it will possibly go nearly anyplace off street, the $45,000 base price ticket connected to the king-of-the-hill mannequin is steep. Instead, I’d stick to an Army Green TRD Off-Road Double Cab with four-wheel drive and a 5-foot mattress like my take a look at truck. I’d even maintain the automated transmission since it would be a every day driver, with a worth that begins at $38,705 together with vacation spot. This Tacoma TRD Off-Road as-tested stickers for nearly $47,000.
Jon Wong/Roadshow
From there, I’ll throw on a $2,790 Premium Audio and Navigation bundle that additionally contains the Technology Package for must-haves comparable to blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, nicer audio system and LED headlights to interchange the usual Tacoma halogen setup. To additional costume the skin and add operate, I would like the $469 oval tube steps, $499 TRD entrance skid plate, $160 black emblem overlays and $129 mudguards. And lastly, inside I’ll pony up $169 for all-weather rubber flooring mats, bringing my Tacoma’s backside line to $42,921. Far from low-cost, but it surely’s cheaper than the $46,894 truck pictured right here.True to its rootsWhile some on the Roadshow employees proceed to be baffled on the Tacoma’s recognition, I feel I’ve a superb understanding of why it is so profitable. Besides reliability and resale, the Tacoma is an easy and simple truck. It seems like a truck, drives like a truck and affords respectable towing and hauling capabilities, whereas packing sufficient creature comforts to make it livable. Nothing extra. Nothing much less.