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Long-Term Test: 2005 Toyota Tacoma

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    2005 Toyota Tacoma Picture

    2005 Toyota Tacoma | October 27, 2009 | Brian Moody for Edmunds

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Road Test

Long-Term Test: 2005 Toyota Tacoma

Introduction

Published Jul 28, 2005

    0 Ratings
    Although Toyota sold its first pickup in the U.S. in 1964, it was the fourth-generation Toyota truck that really brought the compact pickup into the mainstream. For 2005, Toyota offers eight different trucks and SUVs and its Tacoma pickup, which represents about 10 percent of the company's total annual sales, has been completely redesigned.

    Adding one to our long-term test fleet was a no-brainer, but the Tacoma is available in 18 configurations, so choosing our truck wasn't easy. Choices include two- or four-wheel drive; four- or six-cylinder engines; and regular, extended and crew cab variants; plus PreRunner, TRD Off-Road, TRD Sport, SR5, X-Runner versions. We finally settled on a Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 with TRD Sport Package that we felt would be the perfect foil to our 2005 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab 4x4 Nismo. After we specified our Tacoma, we watched it being built at Toyota's NUMMI plant.

    Both trucks have four-wheel drive, a V6 engine and an upgraded suspension. And similar prices. Our Tacoma rings in with an MSRP of $29,730, while the Frontier, which has more features like a Rockford Fosgate MP3 stereo and side curtain airbags, is priced at $30,420.

    Our bright red Tacoma is nicely equipped but isn't a "fully loaded" truck. We ordered the TRD Sport Package #3 which includes features we think most Tacoma Double Cab buyers will want. Items like remote keyless entry, trip computer and cruise control are included in the package, which costs $3,345. Those features are standard on the Nissan Frontier — that's something to think about next time you see a TV ad touting the Tacoma's super-low base price.

    Not that our Tacoma is without amenities. It has a 115-volt, 400-watt power point in the bed, 17-inch alloy wheels, sliding rear window, and a leather-covered steering wheel and shifter which are all part of that TRD Sport Package. Plus the Tacoma is a larger truck overall with noticeably more interior room than the Frontier.

    Although the Tacoma is relatively new to the fleet, editors have already formed some opinions on the truck. Executive Editor Richard Homan was especially impressed with the Tacoma's interior, pointing out that its many textures and design themes are "all brought together in an ultimately top-quality way." He also called the interior "superbly quiet."

    For 2005 all regular and extended cab Tacomas are available with either a four- or six-cylinder engine, while crew cab models like ours use the V6 exclusively. In his First Drive of the Tacoma, Senior Editor Ed Hellwig said the truck's 4.0-liter V6 "makes itself known from the first punch of the pedal." Yes, the Toyota Tacoma is certainly off to a good start in our eyes, but a few complaints have turned up in the logbook.

    Road Test Editor Brian Moody doesn't care for the new Tacoma's larger size. He wrote in his notes, "I can appreciate that the Tacoma is now larger but our crew cab with a long bed takes away one of the things I've always loved about small trucks; the fact that they're small. This Tacoma is no picnic to park in a crowded lot." However, Rich pointed out that at least the truck is "really long without being really wide."

    Our year with the 2005 Toyota Tacoma has just begun so we can't wait to see how it handles the variety of tasks we throw at it. So far our impressions are mostly positive. "This is a classic Toyota," Rich penned in the logbook, "Well made, killer quality, but not really a pulse-racing exception to the class." But it's still early in the Tacoma's visit. Maybe our pulses will race in the coming months. Check for future updates to see how our big little truck fares over the next year.

    Current Odometer: 1,790
    Best Fuel Economy: 19.1 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy: 17.2 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 18.2 mpg
    Body Repair Costs: None
    Maintenance Costs: None
    Problems: None

    Road Test

    November 2005

    The bumper sticker on our long-term 2005 Toyota Tacoma (if we were the kind of folks to put bumper stickers on our vehicles) would read: "Put me to work."

    As a day-to-day, empty-payload commuter, the Radiant Red Double-Cab 4x4 gets mixed reviews. The optional TRD Sport Package, which stiffens up the suspension among other things, catches every ripple in the road and transmits it to the cabin. Inside Line Executive Editor Richard Homan summarized the unladen driving feel in the notebook thus: "The suspension 'dribbles' the Tacoma nervously over uneven freeways like an NBA point guard when the truck is empty. Load it up, and I imagine the Tacoma's ride will smooth out very nicely."

    Senior Editor Scott Oldham confirmed this assessment — and tossed a well-deserved compliment to the truck's 245-horsepower, 24-valve V6 — when he put the Tacoma to work as a hauler, saying that the Tacoma "shrugged off a load of 28 car wheels and tires like it was nothing. In fact, it rode better with a full load, and still cruised at 80 mph no problem, even up grades."

    Back in the by-the-clock world of city living, the Tacoma's size — more Montana than Manhattan — tends to call itself out a little more often than we'd like. As Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot notes, "This is a long truck, something I suppose, anybody who purchased it would have already come to terms with. Even so, the wheelbase makes parking and U-turns awkward."

    In its "Put me to work" element, however, the Tacoma performs virtually without flaw. When we needed a volunteer for our "2005 Tough Truck Shoot-Out" Comparison Test, our long-term Toyota truck embraced every challenge of the Southwest's high-desert playgrounds and proved itself "indestructible in the dirt."

    Called into service for a truck-camping trip in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains by Production Editor Caroline Pardilla, the Tacoma "was able to swallow up four people and four days' worth of camping gear and food, and still deliver a comfortable five-hour ride. When I took the truck on unpaved roads around Crowley Lake near Mammoth, it felt like the Toyota could take it." And when Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed needed to move his son — mattress and all — into campus housing, he was able to take advantage of the Tacoma's generous bed and convenient tie-downs.

    Yet in spite of its innate packhorse leanings, the Tacoma offers a superbly quiet cabin, the paradigm for comfortable long-distance seats, and, as one editor put it, "50,000 different places to put stuff (including storage cubbies under the rear seats!)."

    Since our last update, the Tacoma has accrued more than 10,000 additional miles, thanks to all the work it's been called on to do. And with great responsibility comes great oil changes (to completely hack the Spiderman quote). Our long-term Toyota truck has received two regularly scheduled service appointments, priced within 24 cents of one another ($69.92 and $69.68, respectively). Which does a pretty good job of summing up the consistency of the work that our 2005 Toyota Tacoma pickup has performed.

    Current Odometer: 12,974
    Best Fuel Economy: 20.8 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy: 11.8 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 16.8 mpg
    Body Repair Costs: None
    Maintenance Costs: $139.60
    Problems: None

    Road Test

    December 2005

    The 2005 Toyota Tacoma pickup has been in the hands of most of the editors at Edmunds.com, and the response has been largely positive. However, during the last several months, three new drivers logged fresh impressions and took some shots at this favorite.

    Senior Editor Erin Riches had steered away from driving the Tacoma because her apartment has a tight parking space and she didn't relish the job of navigating the long-bed truck into a difficult space. However, once she gave it a try, she found that the tight turning radius and light steering, made the maneuver easier than she anticipated.

    "Based on this positive experience," Erin wrote, "I'd feel comfortable getting the long bed if I truly needed the extra capacity." However, she was quick to add that she still preferred the Nissan Frontier for its more responsive steering and more comfortable ride.

    Another new driver for this month was Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed who had a similar reaction to the long bed. "Although the truck in actuality is not that long, the ride height and narrow rear window make it difficult to sense the perimeter," he wrote. "This makes me tentative when parking and I find myself wishing for a park distance warning system."

    The third new driver was Editor Brent Romans who took the Tacoma from Santa Monica to Fresno, California. He, too, was "surprised" by the truck's length and overall size. "In my head, Tacomas are compact pickups — this is anything but compact. It seems about the same length as an extended-cab full-size like the Tundra or F-150."

    Size seemed to figure into an accident the Tacoma suffered recently. Editor Warren Clarke relates: "I learned the hard way just how big and unwieldy the Tacoma is. I drove the truck to see a late showing of Walk the Line. The movie was great, but my trip out of the parking structure was not. I was stuck in a long line of cars waiting to exit the building, and I was faced with navigating a very sharp right turn. Combine the narrowness of the driveway with the width and length of the Tacoma and you had a recipe for disaster. The fact that I was hemmed in both in front and back by a queue of cars didn't help matters. In the end, the Tacoma suffered a scrape on its right rear panels, where it made contact with a column in the parking structure. Obvious but worth repeating: This is not a vehicle suited for tight quarters."

    The Tacoma is scheduled for body work but it has not been performed yet. Other Edmunds.com vehicles are in line first and then it will be taken to our preferred body shop. In the past, these kinds of repairs were costing us well close to $2,000 at an upscale Marina del Rey, California, body shop. More recently, Reed discovered a Long Beach, California, shop that has lower overhead and, as a result, lower prices. A phone estimate put the repair at $1,200.

    Another design feature that was not popular with either Riches or Reed was the faux air scoop on the hood.

    "I don't like being someone who drives a vehicle with a fake hood scoop," Riches complained. She bluntly described it as "totally lame."

    Riches also disliked the way that folding the rear seats was a three-step process. "Seat bottoms should fold up vertically as they do in the Frontier, Ridgeline and every other pickup!" she railed.

    There was even more overlap between the reactions of Riches/Romans/Reed on the following concerns:

    • The automatic transmission was not responsive on downshifts.
    • The brake pedal feels mushy and braking distances feel uncomfortably drawn out.
    • The ride is very choppy when the bed is unloaded.

    While there were specifics that drew some negative fire, there was a general sense that this was a good-looking, capable truck. Reed took the Tacoma on a golf outing to San Diego. Four guys and four sets of clubs, shoes and equipment were easily transported to the course. On the way home one of the passengers, who works in a farming business north of Sacramento, offered to buy the truck. As much as Reed would have liked to make a deal, the truck belongs to Toyota.

    The Tacoma's odometer turned over 15,000 miles on Reed's watch and so he took it to Toyota of Long Beach for service. He had been there twice before and had excellent experiences. But three times was not the charm for this dealership.

    First, Reed tried to make an online service appointment, sending an e-mail through the dealership's Web site. No answer was returned so he followed up with a call. They had not received the e-mail and explained it by saying, "The system was still in its infancy." When he arrived the service advisor took the mileage and said, "So you want the 15,000-mile service?" Reed had brought in his maintenance book from the truck and said, "I want these things done to the truck." When the truck was returned, they had done the dealership's "recommended" maintenance rather than what Toyota stated in the manual. The difference was about $75 more and included a transmission fluid change which we felt we didn't need. However, since there was a "coupon special" the final bill was $149, which was about what the service should have cost, according to the Edmunds.com Maintenance Section.

    We seem to have to learn this lesson over and over again. So, here it is again: If you say you need a 15,000-mile service the service writer will give you the dealership's "recommended" maintenance. Since they stand to make a pile of dough on extra service, they will recommend more than you need. We "recommend" that, when scheduling your service visit, you should not say anything about how many miles are on the vehicle. Instead, find out what needs to be done according to your manual and repeat over and over again like a mantra, "oil change and tire rotation…oil change and tire rotation…oil change and tire rotation." Making things a little sticky is that fact that the manual will often call for the inspection of belts, hoses, fluid levels. However, a dealership oil change will often include these inspections so you are probably covered with this level of service.

    While Reed was a little disappointed that the transmission fluid change was done without his explicit consent, he did ask them to fix a leaking value stem in the front left tire, which they did for free. Furthermore, the truck seemed to run better after the maintenance was performed so that made up for the other negatives.

    A final good word was put in about the truck by Reed: "While I wasn't wild about this truck at first, it has slowly earned my respect. The interior is straightforward and practical; the drivetrain is smooth, if a little unresponsive; and the backseat provides adequate legroom. That, coupled with long-bed capability, and presumed Toyota durability, makes the Tacoma a nice package."

    Current Odometer: 16,549
    Best Fuel Economy: 19.4 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy: 15.1 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 18.4 mpg
    Body Repair Costs: Pending ($1,200 estimate)
    Maintenance Costs: $149
    Problems: Leaking left front valve stem.

    Road Test

    May 2006

    There are few negatives things we can say about our 2005 Toyota Tacoma without an immediate positive counterpoint.

    While it's not exciting, it is reliable. While its power isn't overwhelming, it's sufficient. And while the ride might not be as comfortable as you'd like…heck, that's what makes it a truck.

    It was a fairly uneventful period since our last update, with the drudgery of common daily chores revealing some of the finer details of the Tacoma. And topic No. 1 was parking this long-bedded workhorse.

    Some, like Senior Content Editor Erin Riches, have repeatedly claimed this truck is more maneuverable than one might expect. Erin has the unenviable task of backing into her parking spot at home through a narrow driveway and then into a carport.

    "I've avoided driving the Tacoma for this reason alone; however, I was surprised to find my fears unfounded," she wrote in the logbook. "The truck may be long, but its tight turning radius makes it easy to finesse into position."

    Inside Line Editor in Chief Rich Homan disagreed, claiming our fire engine red truck required "a three-point turn to dock."

    Either way, if you live in a congested city like Los Angeles, you would be well served to test a few parking spaces before you buy.

    One source of agreement was on the brake feel, which was lacking even for a truck. Director of Automotive Testing Dan Edmunds wrote: "The pedal is long, even for a truck and has a linkage that rattles each time you step on or off the pedal."

    Minor rattles and hums popped up from time to time as the truck lugged along uneven patches on the highway. One editor also noticed a nagging squeak from the suspension every time he got in or out.

    Other minor quibbles were mentioned concerning the less-than-optimal stereo performance from the six-speaker system, an uncomfortable driver's position for some editors, unaccommodating cupholders and loose steering.

    But the positives seemed to rule the day, with the Tacoma's 4.0-liter V6 and five-speed automatic transmission impressing, even when compared with the mighty Nissan Frontier.

    "One of the biggest compliments you can give a V6 engine is that it pulls like a weak V8," Homan wrote. "This V6 is really deserving of that compliment once the transmission finally kicks down."

    Riches added: "The automatic transmission is not as responsive on downshifts as the Frontier's transmission. However, the Tacoma's 4.0-liter V6 feels just as strong."

    After a series of small repairs in the last update, we snuck by without any major maintenance. And even the bodywork carrying over from the last installment turned out to be better than originally thought. The final bill for a scrape to the rear of the cab and quarter panel — fittingly earned in a cramped parking garage — was only $600, after an initial estimate of more than $2,000.

    Current Odometer: 21,313
    Best Fuel Economy: 19.4 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy: 15.1 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 18.2 mpg
    Body Repair Costs: $600
    Maintenance Costs: None
    Problems: None.

    Road Test

    Wrap-Up

    Why We Bought It
    How It Drove
    Inside the Cabin
    Summing Up
    Changes to the Tacoma Since 2005
    Ups and Downs
    Recalls and Problem History
    Dealer Service Reviews
    What Consumers Say

    Why We Bought It
    Although Toyota sold its first pickup in the U.S. in 1964, it was the fourth-generation Toyota truck that really brought the compact pickup into the mainstream. Now, the Tacoma represents about 10 percent of the company's total annual sales, and that top-selling truck was completely redesigned for 2005. Today, Toyota has a reputation for building reliable, capable trucks that are both comfortable and tough. Is that reputation well deserved? We aimed to find out by subjecting a new Tacoma Double Cab to the rigors of daily life.

    With so many cab, bed and drivetrain choices available, we finally settled on a Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 with TRD Sport Package that we felt would be the perfect foil to our long-term
    2005 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab 4x4 Nismo.

    Our bright red Tacoma was nicely equipped, but not exactly a "fully loaded" truck. We ordered the TRD Sport Package #3 which included remote keyless entry, trip computer and cruise control — features we figured most Tacoma Double Cab buyers will want. The cost for that package was $3,345. Many of those features are standard on the Nissan Frontier — that's something to think about next time you see a TV ad touting the Tacoma's super-low base price. Total sticker price including destination was $29,730.

    How It Drove
    While the Tacoma is certainly comfortable for a truck, several editors found the ride a bit choppy when the bed was empty. This is due partly to the truck's optional TRD suspension. It's not the most comfortable truck on the highway when empty but it works really well off-road and when hauling a heavy load. Recently, Road Test Editor Brian Moody took a 50-mile trip to buy some used paving stones he called a "really killer deal." You've gotta love that Craigslist. Of the return trip he commented, "I probably had 1200 pounds in the Tacoma's bed. The suspension sagged a little but the ride was much better with the bed loaded — it's actually quite smooth. But before I could unload the truck completely, I realized I was late for one of my son's many kiddie birthday parties. I took a quick shower and drove the truck half full of paving stones to the party and the Tacoma was just as comfortable as if I had been driving a Camry." Unfortunately, as a result of that sagging bed and a high curb, Mr. Moody busted a mud flap off the right rear of our red pickup. Although we fixed it ourselves, the replacement mud flap with accompanying fasteners and tax set us back $100. That's more than we would expect to pay for a broken mud flap.

    The Tacoma's brake pedal also earned its fair share of comments. Most editors feel that its travel is too long and the linkage seems to rattle as you step off the pedal. Senior Content Editor Erin Riches noted that the transmission was also not up to Toyota standards. She said, "The automatic transmission is not as responsive on downshifts as the Frontier's transmission." Still other editors felt the Tacoma needed a manual transmission to make the most of the V6 and some even resorted to shifting the automatic themselves.
    Inside Line Executive Editor Scott Oldham summed it up by saying, "The transmission finds top gear too soon."

    Another common point of contention with the Tacoma was the noisy engine. Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot noted, "Power is adequate but the engine is too loud." Others speculated that it was a noisy cooling fan. But no one complained about the power from the Tacoma's 4.0-liter V6. We had it pulling a 5000-pound trailer in the heat of Death Valley and the Toyota never balked. In a comparison test that pitted the Tacoma against the Nissan Frontier, the Tacoma was a champ in the sand dunes, but ultimately it was the Frontier that came out on top because it was a little easier to live with every day.

    The Tacoma's size was also an issue — most drivers found the Tacoma Double Cab to be too long. Inside Line Editor in Chief Rich Homan said the truck requires a "three-point turn to dock." Brian Moody added, "I can appreciate that the Tacoma is now larger but our crew cab with a long bed takes away one of the things I've always loved about small trucks; the fact that they're small." Senior Consumer Advice Editor Phil Reed had a different take. He said, "Although the truck in actuality is not that long, the ride height and narrow rear window make it difficult to sense the perimeter. This makes me tentative when parking and I find myself wishing for a park distance-warning system." Content Editor Warren Clarke relates a similar feeling but with more tangible consequences: "I learned the hard way just how big and unwieldy the Tacoma is. I drove the truck to see a late showing of Walk the Line. The movie was great, but my trip out of the parking structure was not. I was stuck in a long line of cars waiting to exit the building, and I was faced with navigating a very sharp right turn. Combine the narrowness of the driveway with the width and length of the Tacoma and you had a recipe for disaster. The fact that I was hemmed in both in front and back by a queue of cars didn't help matters. In the end, the Tacoma suffered a scrape on its right rear quarter, where it made contact with a column in the parking structure." Total repair cost: $600.

    Inside the Cabin
    One thing that surfaced time and time again was the idea that the Tacoma's interior was lackluster, but ultimately comfortable and practical. Senior Editor Ed Hellwig spent four hours in the driver seat and still found it comfortable. Up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Production Editor Caroline Pardilla said the Tacoma "was able to swallow up four people and four days' worth of camping gear and food, and still deliver a comfortable five-hour ride." Rich Homan summed it up best with this quote from the logbook: "This is a classic Toyota: well made, killer quality...."

    There's no question that our Tacoma was well-built but like Rich said, it just didn't seem special; it could have been the gray interior. Even so, all the various surfaces and textures are brought together in a top-quality fashion. The gauges are straightforward, the controls are easy to use and the Tacoma Double Cab's interior could easily carry a family of five. A real high point inside is the Tacoma's abundant storage space. With storage areas under the rear seats and various compartments throughout the cab, road trips are a breeze.

    Up front there's plenty of headroom, but rear legroom is slightly lacking for adults.

    Summing Up
    The bottom line is that the Toyota Tacoma is a real truck, with all the benefits and drawbacks that brings. When the bed is empty the ride seems choppy, but its ability to haul stuff is almost limitless (for its size). As a daily driver, the Tacoma would be a little easier to live with without the TRD suspension. But if you go off-road or plan on loading the bed up to near capacity, that package could be worth the extra money.

    The cabin may not be much to look at, but it's ultimately comfortable, functional and well built. When configured as a Double Cab like our test truck, the Tacoma offers the versatility of a pickup with the comfort of a small sedan. A family of five should be able to fit without much hassle, but five adults would likely find their patience tested.

    At the end of our year with the Toyota Tacoma we found we relied on the truck much more than we originally intended. Whether it was a photo shoot in the mountains, a road trip, hauling bricks or a last-minute request to help someone move, the Tacoma was always standing by. As we fully expected from a Toyota truck, it delivered without excuse or complaint, and now that it's gone we realize all the more how useful and capable our Tacoma was.

    True Market Value at service end: $26,952
    Final Odometer Reading: 21,226
    Best Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
    Worst Fuel Economy: 11 mpg
    Average Fuel Economy: 17.1 mpg
    Total Body Repair Costs: $600 for repair resulting from scraping a parking structure pillar
    Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 11 months): $288.60
    Additional Maintenance Costs: $100.76 (purchase broken mud flap)
    Warranty Repairs: None
    Non-Warranty Repairs: 1
    Scheduled Dealer Visits: 4
    Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 1 (to purchase broken mud flap)
    Days Out of Service: 3 (for body work)
    Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None

    Changes to the Tacoma Since 2005
    2006 — For 2006, a tire-pressure monitor is now standard on all Tacomas. Revised SAE testing procedures have dropped the horsepower and torque ratings slightly.

    Ups and Downs
    Ups: Strong engine, comfortable seats, excellent build quality, holds its value.

    Downs: TRD suspension can be rough, soft brake pedal, automatic transmission slow to downshift.

    The Bottom Line: The Tacoma is a great all-around truck. It's comfortable, tough, powerful and good-looking. Its only low points are those associated with it being a real truck — if you just need a family hauler with the occasional trip to Home Depot, stick with a car-based SUV.

    Recalls and Problem History
    Recalls: Parking brake. The cable lock nut on trucks with an automatic transmission may come loose.

    Airbags. On standard-cab trucks with a bench seat, the seat position and seatbelt buckle sensor may be incorrectly aligned.

    Airbags. Improper assembly of an airbag inflator in the side, curtain and knee airbags could result in increased injury during a crash.

    Problem History:
    1. Body damage as a result of scraping a parking structure pillar set us back $600.
    2. Leaking valve stem from one tire — fixed by Toyota of Long Beach at no charge.
    3. With a full load in the Tacoma's bed, one of the mud flaps broke off when we backed over a high curb. The parts cost about $100 and we installed the new one ourselves.

    Dealer Service Reviews
    August 2005
    With just over 6000 miles on the Tacoma's odometer, we took the truck to Toyota of Santa Monica and service advisor Henry Molina helped us. The truck was dropped off in the late morning and was ready by early that afternoon. We have always had excellent service with this dealership and this time was no exception.

    December 2005
    If you have a good thing, stick with it. Of course we didn't listen to our own advice and decided to try another Toyota dealership — Toyota of Long Beach. The odometer had just rolled to show 15,000 miles, so we made an appointment. We sent an e-mail but no one responded. We finally phoned and brought the truck in that same week. Despite the fact that we specified only service items listed in the maintenance book, the dealership gave us the "dealer recommended" service instead. That service costs about $75 more than what Toyota recommends. After we were told of a "Coupon Special" the price came out to be $149, or about what it should have cost in the first place.

    May 2006
    With more than 21,000 miles on our Toyota pickup, we wisely decided to go back to Toyota of Santa Monica for the truck's final oil and filter change under our watch. Again we had excellent service.

    What Consumers Say
    "I received the truck with 8 miles and now I have 1100 miles. The quality is as expected — Great and Dependable. Which were the reasons for its purchase. Power is adequate but somewhat disappointing in what I thought it would be. Gas mileage is between 18-19 mpg. Rather plain inside, no thrill or gadgets which is OK. Truck is a lot larger than pre-'05."
    Ed, February 22, 2006

    "My first truck; researched for 6 months. This truck has been really fun. I don't need 4WD or a V6. I wanted a truck to haul things with but also to get good highway mpg so I went with the 4-cyl. The power has been fine since the engine is 2.7L, but only 20 mpg. Sticker said I'd get 27 hwy. I really wanted the Desert Sand but most dealers only had silver. Then I found a store which ordered up the Gold for me, and the build date was 2 days after I ordered! I'm 6'3", 250 and have a ton of room. My antitruck friends admit they are impressed." — Big John, June 30, 2006

    "The Tacoma certainly has one of the hottest body styles of any truck in its class. The satisfaction continues with the interior comfort and style. The engine is tight with excellent performance. There is some concern over gas mileage. This con it should be noted was known at the time of purchase and today's gas prices. The bedliner and compartments are the envy of all who see the truck." — M Haddad, June 17, 2006

    "I traded my '98 F-150 for an '06 Tacoma with the TRD package. I spent 6 months pricing and researching various trucks before choosing the Tacoma. I have been impressed with this truck from the first test-drive I took. The ride is great, it feels like a midsize sedan, very smooth on the freeway with little outside noise. The interior finish is impressive, everything is well laid out, I love the red gauges and the interior storage. I can see myself in this truck for the next 5-10 years!" — E. Taylor, June 16, 2006

    The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.

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