What we love:
- As standard equipment, you’ll be treated to the Toyota Safety Sense suite. Including, but not limited to: pre-collision warning and pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, auto high beams and lane departure alert.
- Has built a solid reputation of being able to tackle the toughest trails with ease. Just make sure to get the stronger V6. To take it to the next level, keep the Trail Edition in mind. A model that is new for 2022 and delivers additional ground clearance, beefy shock absorbers and thicker tires.
- Rugged styling and famously reliable.
- Good cabin space compared to other models thanks to the double cab configuration.
- The driver side seat is now power adjustable with lumbar support and seat height adjustability. Helping you find a more optimal and comfortable driving position.
What we don’t:
- A generally lackluster interior, with sub-par materials and a proclivity for plastics.
- The center-console space is deep, but besides that, there’s a curious absence of useful storage bins and cubbies.
- The 2.7 liter 4-cylinder engine is woefully underpowered. Unfortunately, the upgraded 3.5 liter V6 isn’t poised to impress with power delivery either.
- A very narrow truck bed.
- Lots of pitch and nose dive under heavy braking.
- A very high floor. A necessary design choice to keep the undercarriage safe and ride height figures nice and high. It does make for an awkward entry and exit though. Not to mention a sitting position that will put the knees of long legged occupants a little too close to the chin.
Final Verdict:
The Toyota Tacoma continues to be a fan favorite. Amongst “Taco” enthusiasts, there’s no beating the rugged good looks, rock solid reliability and off-roading aptitude of this ambitious little pickup truck. However, its dated interior, under-powered engine options and last-generation underpinnings translate to poor performance, a lack of interior polish and on-board tech that falls behind the competition. Toyota has perfected plenty of the important stuff, now to address the rest of it and bring us a class-leading powerhouse.
Price as tested: $43,164.00
