The first time many of us remember seeing a Toyota pickup truck was Marty McFly's awesome SR5 in "Back To The Future." Shiny. Black. Beautiful. Even the rendering of a modern version created a lot of buzz. Ever since then, the American-made mid-size Tacoma (evolution of the SR5) has been the poster child for the rebel with a heart.

In a world of SUVs and crossovers that try to cater to everyone, the rugged, handsome, and no-frills 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition promises only to be a truck. Nothing more. Nothing less. The Trail Edition brings extra off-road worthy upgrades like a raised suspension, special 16" wheels, and standard storage boxes in the bed. It's worthy off-road, but can the dated V6 and six-speed transmission combo keep up with today's more refined and fuel efficient options?

The Best Looking Tacoma You Can Buy

The rugged and handsome 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition is like the flannel-clad Bounty paper towels man after his agent got him therapy and a stylist from the show Yellowstone. It's a better, more adjusted version of the basic Tacoma without going full-bore, off-road, gnarly TRD Pro level. The classic Tacoma styling is there and mostly unchanged since the introduction of the third generation in 2015. For 2022, Toyota offers six different trim levels ranging from the basic SR ($27,150) all the way up to the a-dozen-raw-eggs-for-breakfast TRD Pro ($46,585). Our Army Green Tacoma started off as an SR5 ($29,830) but adding the Double Cab, V6 with 4X4 setup and the Trail Edition package ($6,075) moved the bank loan to $42,472. In case you didn't know, trucks these days are expensive!

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For the Trail Edition, there are some key visual and performance cues that help separate it from the rest of the pack. First off, we loved the heritage grill with bronze Toyota lettering. We also loved the bronze 16" wheels (BBS, anyone?) wrapped in Kevlar-reinforced beefy Goodyears. The tires and wheels combined with the 1.1" front suspension lift and .5" in rear gave a stout and ready look to the truck. If all those markers didn't tip the hat, there is also a "4X4 Trail" badge on the tailgate in the same bronze color as the lettering on the grill. Another nice styling element on the Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition are all the matte black pieces of trim around the grill, windows, and wheel arches.

The 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition Performs Like A Truck Should

The Tacoma is the best selling mid-size truck in America for its off-road performance as much as its rugged looks. The 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition has both with a slight extra lean toward an off-road disposition. Toyota accomplished this bump in performance with upgraded suspension, wheels, and tires. They know those Tacoma buyers are wanting to get off the beaten path, but aren't competing in the Baja 1000. Unfortunately, we weren't able to spend much time pushing those performance boundaries on anything other than some gravel service roads, and loose dirt. In those instances, the Tacoma was flawless.

The Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition has part-time four-wheel drive which can be manual positioned into four-high or four-low depending on conditions. It also offers a button to lock the rear differential. There aren't the major off-road goodies you get on the TRD-Pro like Crawl Control, MTS, or A-Trac, but that's intended for a different level of weekend warrior.

Spending so much time reviewing the best new sporty SUVs, and muscle cars we love, we forget what a traditional, non-frills truck is like as a daily driver. The ride height and visibility are great, especially with the extra Trail Edition lift. The cloth seats are moderately comfortable. The ride chatters a bit on freeway drives over those annoying joists. The raised suspension also lifted the center of gravity. This higher position meant we found ourselves rocking forward and back more than in an SUV or larger truck.

The cabin space was adequate for two adults up front with luggage on the second row. If this was your primary vehicle with only an occasional passenger or kids with booster seats in the back, this thing might be your next truck. Might. Because on-road driving dynamics and the engine had us disappointed.

One of our biggest gripes with the 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition came from the engine/transmission combo. The 3.5-liter V6 making 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque felt very underpowered and straining when it came to higher speeds and highway driving. Assumedly, that has more to do with the six-speed automatic transmission than overall horsepower. Over the past decade, automakers have given their vehicles larger gearboxes, but not the Tacoma. Extra gearing usually means a quicker off-the-line start, better fuel economy, and smoother driving at freeway speeds. We felt the 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition could benefit from a more modern eight or nine speed gearbox.

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Refreshingly Basic Interior With A Few Modern Tech Touches

Being that our Tacoma was the SR5 trim (one step up from base), the interior was fairly basic, but in a charming way. It has an actual key that inserts into an actual ignition and you actually turn it. The cloth seats, small cup holders, hard plastic dash, hand brake, analog tach, and speedometer are reminiscent of something from the late 90s or early 2000s. A time before carmakers started designing man caves on wheels.

Don't get us wrong. This isn't some stripped-down Serengeti-ready vintage Defender. Toyota still knows you want to be comfortable on the way to the trail, so they offer some modern conveniences as well. Toyota's Safety Sense with a pre-collision feature, radar cruise control, and automatic high beams were helpful for longer drives. The upgrade to the Trail Edition package brings a 10-way power-adjustable seat with lumbar support for the driver, dual-zone climate control, and an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

You also get lockable bed storage in the way of two long boxes that utilize the space above the wheel arches in the bed as a place to put camping supplies or anything you want hidden and locked. The driver side box not only locks, but it's also insulated like a cooler.

Throw in a few bags of ice, some drinks, and head to your adventure spot while it cools down. Our Tacoma Trail Edition also had the optional console safe ($359) with two charge ports inside. This small safe is hidden under the armrest. It is an ingenious little piece of hardware to offer peace of mind for those who might have an unattended truck at a trailhead or campground for a few days and need to keep valuables safe.

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We Loved This Truck And You Will Too

The 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition is a rad truck with lots of versatility and the best trim level you can get. The style, upgraded off-road features, and history of the Tacoma all make this the type of truck that motivates you toward an adventure. So many trucks these days are either too luxurious or too expensive to want to get off the beaten path and risk some scratches--looking at you opulent Lexus LX600 and the pricey GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate. The scrappy personality of this Trail Edition Tacoma SR5 strikes the perfect balance between someone yelling, "Cool truck," and asking "How did you make it all the way out here on this gnarly trail?" True enthusiasts know their vehicle should be an extension of themselves. It should be a tool that empowers the owner to adventure either on the track, the street, or the trail. It should not be so precious it holds them back. The 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 Trail Edition is the Tony Robbins of trucks, motivating you to go right now!