2016 Toyota Tacoma First Drive and Review

2016 Toyota Tacoma front off-road rocks ・ Photo by Benjamin Hunting

The Toyota Tacoma has been rolling down the highway with a target pinned to its back for the better part of a decade, and yet it's taken almost all of that time for a worthy marksman to emerge from the largely-ignored mid-size pickup pack and take effective aim at the Japanese brand's undisputed sales king. It's impossible not to see the refreshed 2016 edition of the Tacoma through the lens of the all-new (for 2015) Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks, whose appearance on the scene undoubtedly triggered the Toyota's rapid rejuvenation and startled the Japanese company's product planners, suddenly facing their first legitimate rival in the 21st century.

Competition is good for the soul - and for consumers - and the 2016 Toyota Tacoma's emergence from a chrysalis of casual mid-size truck dominance to once again beat its chest and remind the world why its capable of moving upwards of 170,000 units a year is a welcome development. I traveled to the pickup's namesake of Tacoma, Washington, to discover just how far from the vehicle's ultra-successful formula Toyota was willing to stray in the quest to keep its philosophically-different domestic antagonists squarely in the rearview mirror.

Out With The Old V-6, In With The New V-6

It would be misleading to call the 2016 Toyota Tacoma 'fully redesigned' when so much of its current package is based on or carried-over from the previous-generation truck. Of all the changes made to the new Tacoma, however, there's no denying that the most significant has also had the biggest impact. Specifically, I'm referring to the replacement of the Toyota pickup's ancient 4.0-liter V-6 with a fresh 3.5-liter six-cylinder mill that incorporates the kind of advanced management and fueling technologies that are gradually becoming must-haves across the entire industry.

The numbers are good: 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque, about what you'd get in a comparably-engined Camry sedan (although with a revised torque curve and operating profile more suited to the Tacoma's task-focused mission statement). This is a 42 horsepower improvement compared to the departed 4.0-liter, but even more important is the new trucks' fuel economy, which reaches as high as 19-mpg city and 24-mpg highway, almost tagging the Colorado/Canyon crew in the latter measure. This marriage of MPGs and muscle is made possible by the presence of a direct fuel injection system, as well as the choice between six-speed manual and six-speed automatic gearboxes for the truck. Considering that the entry-level 2.7-liter, 159 horsepower four-cylinder engine resurrected from the 2015 model is actually less frugal at the fuel pump (and doesn't benefit from an available six-speed manual but makes do with a five-speed clutch / six-speed auto arrangement), there's really no compelling reason to stick with the base drivetrain other than the cheaper MSRP.

It's important to note that the smaller, more efficient Tacoma V-6 is less robust than the 3.6-liter six-cylinder found in both the Colorado and the Canyon. Still, while not particularly quick in a straight line, the Toyota doesn't give up much, if anything, to its competitors when it comes to acceleration or passing power.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Fresh Face Is Designed To Evoke Desert Racers, Apes Big Brother Tundra

The 2016 Toyota Tundra's big-rig visage, chiseled sides, prominent wheel arches, and chunky tailgate move the pickup in a more assertive styling direction as compared to the model it replaces. Drawing cues from both the full-size Toyota Tundra and the desert-runner Baja racers that have been such a big part of the Tacoma's appeal, the truck has swollen its sheet metal in an effort to intimidate pickups in the next lane while appealing to the outdoorsy, X-games demographic that the brand feels is its core audience.

From a practical perspective, part of the Toyota Tacoma's new fuel efficiency can be traced to the slicker aerodynamic profile associated with its revised look, and there's also a three-piece rear bumper (cheaper to repair) and soft-opening tailgate along for the ride. Wheel sizes for the truck range from 16-inches to 18-inches, it's available in Access (extended) and Double cab (crew) body styles (with the latter offering a second set of front-hinged doors), and it offers five-foot and six-foot bed lengths.

More Subtle Chassis Changes Update What's Under The Skin

As different as it might look on the outside, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma stays closer to home base when it comes to the tweaks made to its chassis and suspension system. Aside from the use of more high strength steel, it's largely status-quo for the 2016 Tacoma as compared to what was on offer in 2015, aside from changes to shock valving made in an effort to reduce body roll and improve overall stability. 

Out on the road, the Tacoma has lost none of its body-on-frame character, which is to say it handles very much like a traditional pickup. I did notice an improvement in the truck's steering system, which no longer suffers from the same amount of slop that was evident in 2015 models, but what struck me most was how Toyota has completely ignored GM's decision to move its mid-size trucks closer to similarly-sized crossovers in terms of feel and road manners. The Tacoma makes the strong statement that it's not looking to steal potential buyers away from the SUV segment, and while its far from a dynamic disaster, don't come into the Toyota showroom looking for a fully modernized driving experience.

Simplified Tacoma Family Makes Ordering Easier

In the past the Toyota Tacoma relied more on a collection of options packages rather than offering a rigidly tiered trim structure, but that's changed for 2016. It's now simpler to figure out which version of the Tacoma is right for you thanks to the imposition of five 'grades' whose names will be familiar to long-time fans of the brand: SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and Limited. Fear not: you can still go hog-wild personalizing your truck if that's what you want to do, as Toyota offers nine options packages that, together with the truck's two body styles and available four-wheel drive system, creates 29 potential Tacoma configurations. You'll pay $23,300 for the least-expensive Tacoma, an Access cab, two-wheel drive SR model, and just under $38,000 for a top-spec, four-wheel drive Double cab Limited, making the truck roughly $3,000 more than a base Colorado at the low end.

Expanded Features List Broadens Tacoma's Tech Appeal

Along with its new trims and options packages, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma also introduces some improved equipment for those willing to splurge a bit at ordering time. There are no fewer than four different versions of the automaker's Entune infotainment interface available with the truck, including the base 6.1-inch screen found in the Tacoma SR, the high-def display in the Entune Audio Plus (same size) in the SR5, the Entune Premium Audio with navigation and vehicle apps offered with the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road, and the Entune Premium JBL in the Limited which delivers a subwoofer and JBL-branded speakers. Other interesting gear that can be had with the Tacoma includes a moon roof (a class-exclusive), dual automatic climate control, a blind spot monitoring system, and heated seats.

Cabin Upgrades Make Tacoma Nicer, But Not Nicest, To Ride In

Past versions of the Toyota Tacoma made no apologies for emphasizing utility over comfort, a design decision that extended to passenger compartments that were heavy on easy-to-clean plastics. For 2016 there's been a renewed effort to improve the Tacoma's cabin, including improved sound insulation for a distinctly quieter ride, along with the use of Toyota's textured not-quite-fabric overlays on the door panels and dash of certain models - a material that I can't help but feel will fill with dust and dirt very quickly during daily use.

I was happy to see that Toyota also addressed in-truck storage. Crew cab models retain the in-floor bins found under the second row of accommodations, but they now feature a flip-forward seat cushion and a fold-down seatback that flattens out (while also raising) the load floor. Despite the reduced vertical, this is a definite improvement over the uneven plastic bins of the past, which made transporting items you didn't want to risk spilling over fairly difficult.

TRD Off-Road Model Dials Down Trail Drama With Multi-Terrain Select

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma continues the tradition of offering trail fiends an extremely capable off-road weapon in the form of the Tacoma TRD Off-Road edition. Swapping out its standard dampers for Bilstein units, and featuring an electronically-controlled limited-slip rear differential and low-range four-wheel drive, the new Tacoma TRD Off-Road adds the Multi-Terrain Select system with Crawl Control to its list of features. Multi-Terrain Select allows you to dial-in the vehicle's traction and stability control systems to match what's underneath the Toyota's tires and maximize grip, while Crawl Control limits the truck's speed to between one and five miles per hour with the goal of maintaining stability and reducing wheel spin when traveling up or down steep inclines.

I had the opportunity to test out the truck's new toolkit at an 1,800 acre abandoned mining site that had been prepared with a number of sticky situations for us to conquer, all under the indifferent gaze of Mount Rainier in the distance. Each of these features work remarkably well to help novice off-roaders deal with obstacles that otherwise might be outside their wheelhouse. Leave them off, however, and the Tacoma turns in an equally competent performance when tackling difficult terrain with a practiced eye and light foot on the accelerator. While Multi-Terrain Select might open up new vistas for a subset of Toyota buyers, I can't help feeling that it's a little too much like cruise control for the trail, sapping all the fun out of the adventure you're supposed to be having. If you're not out there to push your limits and explore what you and your truck can do in the absence of electronic nannies holding your hand, then why did you go off-roading in the first place?

For The First Time, A Truck That Doesn't Really Expect You To Tow

There were a couple of contradictions in the message Toyota engineers and planners communicated about the 2016 Toyota Tacoma's intended customer base that had me somewhat confused. Numerous times during my visit to Washington I was told that Tacoma owners rarely tow (I had to dig into the press kit to find out it has a maximum trailering capacity of 6,800 lbs), and as such wouldn't care that the new model had drum brakes in the back instead of discs, or that the target audience for the truck seemed to be adventure-seeking young ruffians rather than buyers seeking a practical and tough workhorse in keeping Toyota's decision not to soften the Tacoma's rougher edges in daily driving.

It almost felt at times as though the Toyota Tacoma existed in its own bubble, and that engagement with the broader pickup world wasn't a priority given that sales success seemed almost guaranteed. I'm not suggesting that the new Tacoma won't find a ready supply of acolytes happy to pump more dollars into the manufacturer's bank accounts, but to narrow its appeal to prioritize those who already own one - and to almost completely ignore the advances in driving experience offered by GM's new mid-size twins - seems like a risky move.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2016 Toyota Tacoma - Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Excellent reliability
• New, more powerful, and more efficient V-6 engine option
• Available Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control with TRD Off-Road model
• Quieter interior with improved cabin materials
• Aggressive styling
• Streamlined trim levels
• Very capable when driving off-road 

Cons:

• Still drives very much like a truck, which could push new customers towards the competition
• Carry-over four-cylinder engine offers no fuel mileage advantage compared to V-6
• No two-door regular cab model available
• Drum brakes out back on a 2016 model