- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He
Toyota Tacoma. Comfortable pickup
Toyota produces numerous models for a very specific US market. One of them is the Tacoma pickup, which debuted in 1995. Interestingly, the first generation vehicle was classified as a compact pickup. The second and third generations have grown to medium size. The model is produced in the USA and Mexico. In 2005, Motor Trend magazine named it ‘Truck of the Year’. The name ‘Tacoma’ comes from the name of the Salish peoples, the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. Plus, there is a city under the name in Pierce County in the northwestern United States, the state of Washington, 51 km southwest of Seattle.
The Toyota Tacoma was the best-selling midsize pickup in the USA for 14 years. In 2021, the Tacoma ranked seventh in sales with 288,663 vehicles sold, accounting for 4.7% of the entire market segment. Unfortunately, this model is not supplied outside North America and is not officially available in Israel. But it’s worth talking about it in order to understand why this comfortable pickup is so loved in the USA.
The first generation
The first Toyota Tacoma replaced the Toyota Hilux. The new model was designed with an emphasis on handling and comfort characteristics, and not on rigidity and load capacity, since it was primarily supposed to serve as a personal vehicle. The pickup received three engines: 2.4-liter (4 cylinders, 142 hp, 217 Nm), 2.7-liter (4 cylinders, power 150 hp, 240 Nm) and 3.4-liter V6 engines (190 hp, 298 Nm).
The pickup was produced with either a manual or automatic transmission, with all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. An interesting version of the Toyota Racing Development studio: a 3.4-liter supercharged V6 engine developed 254 hp and 366 Nm. In 1998, the manufacturer introduced the TRD Off-Road package, which included a locking rear differential. The vehicle was popular and was updated several times in 1997 and in 2000. Since 2000, a new double cab modification appeared in the model range. Interestingly, even then the buyer could choose from 26 body colors! Some of the shades had very intriguing names: ‘Imperial Jade Mica’, ‘Sunfire Red Pearl’ or ‘Black Sand Pearl’. Perhaps the color designer was a poet at heart…
The second generation
The second Tacoma was to a large extent developed by Hino in Japan. The resulting vehicle was introduced in 2004. The new pickup became larger, acquired eighteen different configurations, including three types of cabs (single, one and a half and double), received four transmissions (4-speed automatic, 5-speed automatic, 5-speed manual and 6-speed manual), two engines and two body lengths.
The Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling midsize pickup in the US for 14 years!
The 1GR-FE 4-litre V6 engine replaced the original 5VZ-FE 3.4-litre V6. With an output of 236 hp and a torque of 361 Nm, the vehicle was capable to tow cargo weighting up to 2,948 kg, while the load capacity reached up to 748 kg. The new 2.7-liter 4-cylinder 2TR-FE produced 159 hp and 244 Nm of torque. The pickup was updated in 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2016.
The third generation
The third generation Tacoma was officially unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2015, with US sales beginning in September. The vehicle was equipped with a 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine with 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmissions, as well as a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions. The larger engine worked on a simulated Atkinson cycle using VVT-iW and was equipped with a Toyota D-4S system that switched from port injection to direct injection depending on driving conditions. Such an engine produced 278 hp and 359 Nm of torque; the smaller engine produced 161 hp and 246 Nm of torque. In addition, the suspension, rear differentials and rear axle have been updated to improve the pickup’s on-road behavior while maintaining its off-road performance.
The new Toyota Tacoma was offered in 6 trim levels, in one and a half or double cab configurations, with a long or short loading platform. The single cab version was discontinued in 2015. But then there was an option with leather trim, improved sound insulation and dual climate control. This allowed the Toyota Tacoma to be the best-selling mid-size pickup in the US for 14 years!
2019 restyling
The restyled 2021/2022 Toyota Tacoma features a different radiator grille, redesigned rims and tinted taillights. The top-end versions have received fully LED headlights and all-round cameras. The choice of cabs is the same: one and a half or double cabs. The load capacity is up to 700 kg. The interior will delight electric front seats and new media systems compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The screen diagonal has been increased from 6.1 to 7 inches or up to 8 inches for top-end models (instead of 7). In January 2021, the manufacturer introduced a TRD body kit, available as an option for 2020 and newer vehicles. It includes Bilstein shock absorbers and increased ground clearance.
