Best Pickup Trucks Of 2023 – SlashGear

The Tacoma is one of many Toyota success stories. The midsize pickup outsells the popular Tundra and 4Runner. The Tacoma offers impressive off-road capability for the buyer who doesn’t need a full-size pickup. The rugged truck comes in six trims: base models SR and SR5, TRD Sport with double cab and 5-foot bed, TRD Off-Road with a tuned suspension, Limited with leather upholstery, and TRD Pro with additional off-road features. There are a host of additional options for each. The Edmunds vehicle testing team says, “Off-road is where the Tacoma truly shines and stands above all others except the Gladiator. The Tacoma has the clearance, gearing, and traction to tackle serious terrain, and the brakes and throttle prove brilliantly precise and controllable in low-range crawling situations.”

The SR and SR5 come standard with a naturally aspirated 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine producing 159 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque. A 3.5-liter V6 generating 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque is standard on all other trims and an option on the SR and SR5. All trims offer a six-speed automatic transmission, but a six-speed manual transmission is available with the V6 engine.

Although the four-cylinder version reaches 60 mph in a lethargic 10 seconds, Car and Driver tests showed the six-cylinder equipped Tacoma accelerating to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. The Tacoma features a respectable 6,800-pound towing capacity, but the V6 offers mediocre fuel economy, rated at a combined 20 mpg (18 city/22 highway) with the 4WD.