Overview & Reviews

Since its introduction in 1995, the Toyota Tacoma has been a mainstay of the compact and midsize pickup segments. The original Tacoma fell into the compact category, while the second-generation truck's 2005 debut marked the transition to midsize dimensions. Typical advantages to a new or used Tacoma include a variety of body styles to choose from, useful off-road abilities, strong resale value and a better than average reputation for reliability.

Downsides are few. Even when modestly appointed, this Toyota often costs more than competing trucks and prices are high on the used market as well. In addition, taller drivers might feel cramped inside the first-generation Tacoma's compact cab. Otherwise, the Toyota Tacoma is a very capable pickup that's highly recommended for nearly all truck shoppers.

User Reviews:

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  Still going - 1998 Toyota Tacoma
  By GJ - August 4 - 11:53 pm

  I have owned this truck for nearly eleven years. I have had to replace the starter and the catalytic converter. Just replaced the shocks, struts and front brake pads yesterday. The AC is still strong and overall the vehicle runs great. Mainly, I have only had to do the regular maintenance. It has only been back to the dealer once to replace a faulty sensor in the first few months that I owned it. I bought this because of Toyotas reputation and have not been disappointed in any way.

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  The Perfect Truck - 2005 Toyota Tacoma
  By Gozz - August 3 - 1:40 am

  The V6 6spd manual has fulfilled every expectation I had excluding the lack of floor tie downs at the front of the bed. I have been getting 19-20 mpg, which is fantastic considering my last vehicle was a 1500 Dodge Ram that averaged 12-13 mpg. The truck has a great ride and plenty of power when you ask for it. If you are looking for a great truck, and considering a Tacoma, you are looking in the right direction!

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  Dont know what happened - 2009 Toyota Tacoma
  By gir - July 27 - 9:53 pm

  This truck did me great for the first 5,000 miles. I had no problems with the 4x4. But for some reason, and the dealership cant figure it out, my tranny dumped on me. Dont know why. I didnt do anything that this truck couldnt handle but it broke.

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  Great truck poor Toyota service - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By RANDY - July 25 - 11:06 pm

  Great truck, good ride, lots of room for 5 people. I have had some problems with engine valve rattle but Toyota says its normal despite any changes in fuel brands and octane levels. Cannot get any help from Toyota on this issue. I suggest getting an extended warranty because the mfg is no help.

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  Disappointed but still a good truck - 2006 Toyota Tacoma
  By Nelson Colon - July 23 - 2:10 pm

  I purchase a 2006 Tacoma Pre-Runner Jan of this year, it is my second Tacoma and I really have enjoyed the old one as well as the new 2006. There are some disappointments on this truck, if you happen to be traveling and there is a need to hang your clothing by using hangers you will not be able to see out of the rear view mirror, it will completely block your view. I find it hard to believe that the engineers at Toyota actually allow this to happen this is a hassaress and should have been discuss and relocated as the truck was been tested (is obvious they did not test the truck well). The brakes are spongy,squeal like a pig, hard to stop.

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  Gotta Loveem - 2002 Toyota Tacoma
  By bill m. - July 23 - 6:30 am

  This is a great truck (and my 3rd Toyota truck), dependable and ready for just about anything. 4WD works great! Extremely low maintenance.

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  TRD Double Cab Off Road 6 bed Review - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Dave Visse - July 22 - 6:28 am

  This is my first Tacoma, and I purchased it based on reputation for durability and strong resale. After 800 miles consisting of commuting, couple trips to Mt. Hood for skiing along with some light duty hauling, I would recommend this truck. The Pros: Off-road ability, there is just no other "off the shelf" mid size with this trucks capability and although I have yet to challenge the truck, i am looking forward to it. The cabin is excellent with simple switch gear, dials and easy to read gauges. The tech package, with the 7" nav/audio system is fantastic. Easy to use and intuitive, it puts my fathers Jeep Grand Cherokee infotainment system to shame. (still trying to figure that one out!). And the other big "Pro" for me is the quiet ride. The engineers really made the cab a nice and quiet place where you can have a conversation or listen to music in a nice acoustic atmosphere. The Cons: The 6 speed tranny is constantly on the hunt....its annoying and Toyota should address it. The Power ETC button....WTF Toyota? Its as if the engineers knew the FI mapping was all wrong so they settled with a "Power ETC" button which seems to remap the fuel delivery to give more power???? Im clearly speculating here, but the point is dont have a button for "power etc"...just give us the damn power. Lastly, its true on the front seat....very limited adjustment. Make sure you take a good long test drive and you are happy with the seat. For me, the seat is quite good, so it wasnt a deal killer, but I do understand the complaints out there on the lack of adjust ability. In the end, every car/truck/SUV I have owned over the years has some compromise, so does this truck. However, overall I am quite pleased with the truck,and I really enjoy driving it. It will haul my dirt bikes, get me to the mountain skiing, and I have zero concerns of driving it right onto the beach and not getting stuck....and in the end, this is why I purchased it.....to use it....and again, what truck in this class can do it better?

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  Excellent truck with a few fatal flaws - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Jeff - July 21 - 9:47 pm

  So wanted to buy this truck. Like the looks, interior and hope of excellent reliability. Rented it for a day and took it on a long trip. Within an hour my backside was sore and after 2 hours I could feel my right foot going a little numb. Im in excellent health so its not that. My wifes CRV has hard seats too and Im fine in that car. The seats in the Tacoma are so hard and adjustability is minimal as many have noted. And after two hours I realized that the force needed to keep the accelerator down is significantly greater than my other truck or any of the many cars I drive at work. Long trips are very fatiguing. Ruined the truck for me. the Colorado is nice but every GM truck Ive owned has had so many issues that Im not sure I can go there.

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  Lexus of Lighter Duty Trucks - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By White Chocolate Tacoma - July 19 - 1:55 pm

  First I would like to start out by saying thank you to Steve Gomez and the staff at Gulf Coast Toyota in Angleton, TX. I traveled almost 200 miles to purchase My 2016 TRD Sport from them because they are strait up and didnt make me pay MSRP. I visited at least 5 dealerships and test drove both access and double cab models with four cylinder and six cylinder combinations (only 4x2 models). For me, the white V6 automatic TRD Sport 4x2 with a regular bed was the winner. This made the most sense in terms of my needs and value. This truck came with the V6 engine, upgraded stereo receiver (bigger screen), traction control, tow package, alloy rims, bed liner, nitrogen in the tires, day time running LEDs, push-to-start, and tint. It did not come with blindspot indicators or the side steps, but my foot is too large for the "cute" sidesteps Toyota likes to install. I put 700 miles, highway and city, on the truck in the first week and I am very pleased. I almost didnt purchase the truck after reading reviews on some industry respected sites. Particularly, the reviews regarding the transmission "having a difficult time finding a gear at higher speeds" was a major concern for me. I have not found this to be an issue. Currently, the only time I can remotely reproduce the issue is when I am purposefully erratic with the gas pedal at high speeds. Having owned 30+ cars, including a GS Lexus, I believe a slight delay in RPM re-stabilization is normal for most cars that have more than 6 automatic transmission gears. Enjoying/maintaining excellent ride and comfort requires a responsible driver and wisdom, but I digress. I will note that the aforementioned "questionable transmission" reviews were in almost all cases regarding the 4x4 models. Also, keep in mind that the RX 350 and GS350 now come with a variation of this same exact engine. I have noticed one thing. If I park the truck, open driver door, and then turn off the engine, the truck likes to make an annoying beeping sound until I close the driver door. However, if I park the truck, turn off the engine, and then open the door there isnt an annoying beeping sound. One would hope that the a 2016 truck would be equipped with the processing power to understand "yes, the door was opened prior to engine shut off, but the engine has subsequently been shut down so stop the freaking beeping". It may have been intentionally designed this way, but I am more than willing pull out the old C++ compiler if that is acceptable :-). Overall, Toyota nailed it in 2016 with the 4x2 TRD Sport. Can it get better? Yes. Will it get better? Yes. -White Chocolate Tacoma

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  Excellent Truck - 2007 Toyota Tacoma
  By TD200669 - July 17 - 9:16 pm

  This is our fourth Tacoma since introducing Toyota to our "Ford" fleet some years ago. The Toyotas are making the Fords look really bad. I replaced a 2005 SR5 Longbed Doublecab with a new 2007 of the same. The 2005 went 60k with no dealership visits, just normal maintenance. This is a great all around truck. Mileage is good for a 4x4, comfort is very good, power is good, and has plenty of pulling power for most drivers.