Overview
A mainstay in the mid-size pickup segment, the Toyota Tacoma can be configured as a mild rear-wheel-drive work truck or as a spiced-up boonie-bashing four-wheel-drive animal—and there are plenty of trims in between for buyers who want to split the difference. Both two-door (XtraCab) and four-door (Double Cab) versions are available, and smooth-riding rear coil springs are available on upper trims.
A choice of two turbocharged four-cylinder engines making either 228 or 278 horsepower is on offer. Manual and automatic transmissions are also in the powertrain mix, but are trim-dependent, so buyers will want to peruse the order sheet carefully. Toyota also loads the Tacoma with standard safety tech from the base model to the top-tier Limited.
Expert Tip: If you’re already set on the Tacoma, it’s worth looking at the 326-hp hybrid model, which we review separately. While fuel economy doesn’t improve much, the hybrid does deliver 465 pound-feet of torque, 222 more than the base 2.4-liter gas turbo-four, and 148 more than the more powerful variant of the same engine.
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What’s New for 2027?
Recently redesigned, the Tacoma rolls into 2027 unchanged.
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Pricing and Which One to BuyEngine, Transmission, and Performance Engines: 228-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, 278-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder Transmissions: 8-speed automatic, 6-speed manual Drivetrains: rear-wheel drive, four-wheel drive
A turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder powers every nonhybrid Tacoma. The engine comes in two states of tune and pairs with either an eight-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual. Rear- and four-wheel drive are both available. The base 228-hp turbo four is only found in the entry-level SR, while the rest of the lineup gets the more muscular i-Force variation—not to be confused with the iForce MAX hybrid—with up to 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. There is an asterisk, however: if you pair the more powerful 278-hp i-Force variant with the manual transmission, output is downgraded slightly to 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet. Around town, all provide more than adequate thrust, and highway merging and passing tasks are completed without much stress.
While all Tacomas feature body-on-frame construction, there are two different rear suspensions. The SR, SR5 extended cab, and the TRD PreRunner are propped up by old-school leaf springs, whereas the rest have more sophisticated coil springs. We’ve driven several versions of the new Tacoma, including the TRD Off-Road, the PreRunner, and the manual-transmission truck. We’re impressed with the Tacoma’s newfound on-road refinement—especially on models with the coil springs, which offer a significantly improved ride over those with the older leaf-spring hardware. The Tacoma makes its bread playing in the dirt, and the off-road-focused models come with the hardware to go almost anywhere.
0–60-MPH Times
In Comparison: In C/D testing, the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 hit 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, while the Ford Ranger four-cylinder did in 6.2 seconds and the Ranger V-6 in 5.6 seconds.
Towing and Payload Capacity Max Towing: 6500 pounds Max Payload: 1705 pounds
The Tacoma’s maximum towing capacity is 6500 pounds. It can also haul up to 1705 pounds of payload. The hybrid model (reviewed separately) is capped at a 6000-pound tow rating, or it can carry a payload of up to 1710 pounds.
In Comparison: The Tacoma is out-towed by the Chevrolet Colorado‘s 7700-pound max tow figure and the Ford Ranger’s 7500-pound rating.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG EPA City Ratings: 18-21 mpg EPA Highway Ratings: 23-26 mpg
The most fuel-efficient Tacoma is the rear-wheel drive model SR5 with an automatic transmission, which is rated at 22 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. The base SR model gives up one mpg in city rating only. That same SR5 with four-wheel-drive is EPA rated for 19 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined.
The TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road with the automatic and four-wheel-drive powertrain are EPA rated at 19 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. We will update this section with results from our 75-mph real-world fuel-economy test as soon as we have the opportunity to test one.
In Comparison: The Tacoma’s fuel economy ratings are on par for the class, the Ford Ranger checking in with EPA ratings of 19-21 mpg city and 23-26 mpg highway.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
First Row: The Tacoma’s dashboard boasts nice materials along with high-resolution screens and traditional switchgear. Most Tacos have a 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster, but TRD Off-Road models and up feature a larger 12.3-inch all-digital unit. Available luxury items include heated and cooled front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a sunroof.
Second Row: The Tacoma is offered with extended-cab (called XtraCab) and crew-cab (called Double Cab) body styles. The two-door extended cab has no rear seat, but rear accommodations in the crew cab are businesslike, bordering on sparse, with upright backrests, limited legroom, and no dedicated climate controls.
Cargo Capacity: The XtraCab pairs only with a six-foot cargo bed, but the Double Cab is offered with either the six-foot box or a shorter five-foot version. The bed width at the wheel wells falls just short of 45 inches, meaning sheet goods will need to ride on them rather than between.
Infotainment and Connectivity Infotainment: 8.0-inch touchscreen (standard), 14-inch touchscreen (optional) Connectivity: Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Audio System: 4-speaker stereo (standard), 4-speaker stereo (optional), 10-speaker JBL stereo (optional)
An 8.0-inch touchscreen is the standard infotainment system on most Tacomas, but a larger 14.0-inch display is optional on some trims and standard on the Limited. Every model includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
A wireless charging pad is optional, as is a JBL audio system. The latter includes a Bluetooth speaker that can be detached from the top of the dashboard and used separately, for things like playing beachside music piped through your cell phone. Two 12-volt power ports are standard, and two 110-volt household outlets, one in the cab and one in the bed, are available. A head-up display comes standard on the Limited.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Every Tacoma has a host of standard driver-assistance technology. Blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross-traffic alert are also available.
Standard Safety Features: adaptive cruise control, forward collision-warning with automated emergency braking, lane departure warning, and lane-keeping assist Optional Safety Features: Blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert
For information about the Tacoma’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
The Tacoma’s warranty coverage aligns with that of most rivals, and Toyota offers the best complimentary scheduled maintenance plan in the class.
Limited Warranty: three years or 36,000 miles Powertrain Warranty: five years or 60,000 miles Complimentary Maintenance: two years or 25,000 milesC/D Test Results and Specs
Each year, we put hundreds of vehicles through our rigorous instrumented testing regimen. If the data in the chart below is for a different model year, that’s because this vehicle hasn’t changed from when we last tested it, and the test results remain accurate.
Specifications
Specifications
2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD PreRunner XtraCab
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $39,615/$40,925
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 146 in3, 2393 cm3
Power: 278 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 317 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 12.6-in vented disc/12.2-in vented disc
Tires: BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A
265/70R-17 115S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 131.9 in
Length: 213.0 in
Width: 77.9 in
Height: 74.6 in
Passenger Volume: 56 ft3
Curb Weight: 4246 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.0 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.3 sec @ 92 mph
100 mph: 18.6 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 8.1 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.4 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.5 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 106 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 177 ft
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 21 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 22/20/24 mpg
2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road Double Cab
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $44,395/$54,155
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 146 in3, 2393 cm3
Power: 278 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 317 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/12.2-in vented disc
Tires: BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A
265/70R-17 115S M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 131.9 in
Length: 213.0 in
Width: 77.9 in
Height: 74.6 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 54/43 ft3
Curb Weight: 4794 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.0 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.3 sec @ 91 mph
100 mph: 18.8 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.8 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.6 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.8 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 106 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 171 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.77 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 17 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 22 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 400 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (mfr’s est)
Combined/City/Highway: 20/19/23 mpg