Outselling the competition by a wide margin, the Toyota Tacoma has been and continues to be the best-selling mid-size pickup in the US. Built rough and tough, alongside with Japanese Kaizen methodology, Tacoma trucks hold their value so well and bring on board all the features buyers in the mid-size pickup truck segment are looking for. Offered in five trims for 2022 including SR, SR5, TRD Sport, the rugged TRD Off-Road, and Limited, a base model price starts at $26,500. The Japanese workhorse brings some serious competition to the Ford Ranger, which starts at $29,190 or the Nissan Frontier at $27,840.
It doesn’t just start or end with 2022 models, Tacoma trucks are known for their classic formula of Toyota reliability throughout all their production years.
Why Do People Like The Tacoma So Much?
The Tacoma fits nicely on the pickup truck theme, a mid-size truck able to haul what most people would on a daily basis in return for good fuel mileage, low cost of ownership and most importantly depreciation. Tacoma trucks are well known to hold their value so well, the cost of owning one is little to nothing compared to what they are capable of doing.
For example, hopping over the used car marketplace there will be Tacomas out there selling for about $22,000 - and considering this wild chip shortage automakers are currently facing, don’t be surprised for used Tacomas to be more expensive from what they retailed when brand new. The average car loses value as soon as it drives off the dealer’s door, but that’s not exactly the case with the Tacoma. Since everyone knows the Toyota Tacoma is reliable, there is a greater demand that keeps their prices up. This is closely affected by Toyota's vision, which produces cars to be rather functional than super-promising.
Fun Fact: What's more interesting than the viral stories of Tacomas and Tundras reaching the 1 million mile mark is Toyota's decision to give one owner a new Tacoma in exchange for his million-mile Tacoma.
The Tacoma Is A Predecessor Of The Toyota Pickup
Getting the top rank in mid-size pickup reliability didn’t start recently. Toyota has been manufacturing pickups that go beyond daily driving. On an episode of Top Gear, the Toyota Pickup was set on fire, then thrown into the ocean, yet it still started and drove. They blew it at the top of a demolishing building, but it still refused to die. This proved that less is more for Toyota - and it continues to go like that for the newer models too. The Tacoma retains some characteristics the original Toyota pickup was built for - except for the boxer frame which got replaced due to rust issues, but the rest is still there.
Fun Fact: The Tacoma Is designed In America. The first generation Tacoma started being conceived and engineered in 1989 at Calty Design Research in California by Kevin Hunter. It was a final product based on the Hilux but with a twisting desire by Toyota to step-up on the ride quality, vehicle handling, comfort, safety, payload, and towing capacities.
The Tacoma Makes Good Power
On top of being reliable, lasting long miles, and holding their value well, the Toyota Tacoma makes good power too. As for 2022, the Tacoma is offered in a V6 producing 278 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque, while the inline-four engine brings 159 hp and 180 lb-ft. The four-cylinder is not ideally the best powertrain if you are planning on towing, but it can get the Tacoma in and out of harsh terrains, offers a decent ride quality and acceleration - despite both engines being paired with a 5 or 6-speed transmission, which lacks shifting comfort. The V6 engine can also be optioned as a manual, something you couldn’t get with most other pickups. Further to this point, Toyota’s V6 is bulletproof and lasts for more than 300,000 miles. The Tacoma brings in mobility that lives longer and doesn’t cause any headaches in 10 years of ownership. The 2022 Tacoma can tow 6,800 lbs and have a maximum payload of 1,150 lbs.
The Tacoma Is A Tough Contender When It Comes To Off-Road Capability
Including the base model Tacoma, with no fancy lift kit or upgraded suspensions like the ones found on the Tacoma TRD Pro, they’re all well-balanced to withstand heavy off-road terrain. The competition in off-road supremacy is truthfully very thin, each automaker has its best off-road package.
When it comes to the competition, the Ford Ranger Tremor costs cheaper than the TRD Pro, yet it comes only with a four-cylinder unit unlike the V6 Tacoma TRD Pro. Similarly, the Ram TRX brings a V8 onboard producing a monstrous 702-hp, but it costs almost double as the Tacoma. Balancing the weights, Toyota does a good job introducing the mid-size Tacoma as a work-oriented truck, an off-road heavy-duty trooper, and a well-balanced daily pickup, so it all lies down to what the final user wants to do with it.
Base model Tacomas sit up high with a ground clearance of 9.4-inches and an approach angle of 29-degrees, a 24-degree break-over angle, and a 23-degree departure angle. The addition of bigger tires, lift kits, and much more increases the numbers, similarly to the TRD Pro. 4WD models carry electronically locking rear differential, and Crawl Control - which assists the driver in crawling over difficult obstacles by modulating the throttle and brakes automatically for improved control. Furthermore, there is Multi-Terrain Select feature, which offers five different off-road driving modes to help automatically adjust to changing terrain. The system detects the appropriate amount of power and braking pressure to easily navigate through a variety of conditions.