10 Things You Need to Know About the 2021 Toyota Tacoma

America’s best-selling mid-size pickup for 16 years in a row, the multifaceted Toyota Tacoma typically outsells its nearest competitor by more than two-to-one. The 2021 Tacoma is filled with new features, and depending upon the trim and equipment level, it can be anything from an inexpensive “work truck” to a specialized off-roader.

Properly equipped, the truck is able to negotiate terrain you shouldn’t even attempt in most midsize pickups, but at the same time, it can offer a comfortable boulevard ride and plenty of convenience features. The Tacoma also has a reputation for ruggedness and reliability that few trucks its class can even approach. There are several good reasons why so many buyers purchase a Tacoma each year. Here are 10 things you need to know about the 2021 Toyota Tacoma.

You say you want choices? The Tacoma is available in a mind-boggling 33 different configurations. One major benefit of the truck’s sales success — and a big reason for it — is the wide array of models it offers.

The Tacoma’s six model grades include the work-oriented SR, the popular mid-range SR5, and the luxurious Limited, plus three separate off-road-oriented trims: TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and TRD Pro. Two cab types are available: the extended Access Cab and four-door Double Cab. Access Cab models offer storage space under the rear seats with fold-up seat cushions to maximize carrying capacity, while Double Cab models feature 60/40 split rear seats with adjustable headrests and under-seat storage. Each style is available in rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive configurations in a wide array of grades.

Toyota has a sterling reputation for screwing its trucks together exceptionally well, and the Tacoma epitomizes that. No matter what the grade, it feels tighter than a drum head. Quiet comfort is enhanced by special door seals, a multi-layer acoustic windshield, a sound-absorbing headliner, and a floor silencer pad. Soft-wrapped trim and metallic accents dot the cabin.

The SR and SR5 trims are equipped with cloth seats, while seats in the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road grades are covered with an embossed fabric. Leather-trimmed seats are available, and the TRD Pro features leather seats front and rear plus heated front seats. The Limited offers black or brown leather upholstery plus a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, an 8-inch touchscreen premium audio system, and a proximity key with push-button start. Dual-zone automatic climate control is newly standard for all V6 Tacoma models for 2021.

A few years back, Toyota always seemed to be playing catchup in the multimedia realm, but for 2021 it has more than caught up. The 2021 Tacoma offers easy-to-use multimedia systems across the board. The value-oriented SR model features a 7-inch touchscreen, and all other Tacoma grades are fitted with an 8-inch touchscreen display.

Tacoma multimedia systems include Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and SiriusXM capability. The SR and SR5 trims have a six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth phone and music capability, USB media port, two USB charge ports, and a backup camera display. Premium audio with six JBL speakers is available on the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road grades and comes standard on the Limited and TRD Pro.

According to Toyota and its many truck fans, you can trace the “work hard, play hard” ethos of today’s tough Toyota trucks to the race trucks of the 1980s. Current Toyota designers acknowledge the brand’s no-nonsense desert racers inspired the current truck’s muscular exterior.

A bold, hexagonal grille and tall, squared-off hood set the tone for the U.S.-designed Tacoma. Equally muscular overfenders accentuate the tough image while offering the functional benefit of accommodating the suspension’s wheel travel. On up-level trims, the slim projection-beam headlights can be complemented with LED daytime running lights. While some mid-size trucks are a bit toylike, the Toyota Tacoma has serious presence.

Tacoma power comes in two flavors. The standard engine is a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of peak torque. Fitted with variable valve timing, it is both sophisticated and reliable.

The available 3.5-liter V-6 employs Toyota’s innovative VVT-iW technology plus Atkinson-cycle combustion to maximize efficiency. For additional efficiency and better drivability, the engine’s D-4S fuel injection system uses both direct injection and port injectors. The V6 delivers 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of peak torque. Both engines can be teamed to six-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmissions. In a nod to the past, the V6 can also be paired with a six-speed manual transmission for those who need a left-leg workout.

As you would expect from a model with so much desert racing in its DNA, the Tacoma is built for hard work and hard play. Much of its durability comes from the extensive use of high-strength steel in the frame and hot-stamped, ultra-high-strength steel in the body. All Tacomas have double-wishbone, coil-spring front suspension. The tried-and-true leaf-spring rear suspension uses staggered outboard-mounted gas shocks to deliver a pleasing on-road ride while fostering the Tacoma’s off-road driving capability.

All Tacoma 4×4 models have 4WDemand part-time four-wheel-drive system that uses an electronically controlled transfer case and either an automatic limited-slip differential or an available electronically controlled locking rear differential. An electronic, brake-actuated system, automatic limited-slip differential functions like a mechanical limited-slip diff when activated at low speeds.

All 2021 Toyota Tacomas are equipped with an impressive array of active safety features. Standard Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P) includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, high-speed adaptive cruise control, a lane-departure alert, and automatic high-beam headlights.

The pickup also has the Star Safety System, which includes vehicle stability control, traction control, antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and smart stop brake override technology. Driver and front passenger advanced airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, and front and rear roll-sensing side curtain airbags are standard across the lineup as well. The Tacoma’s front seats have active head restraints that are designed to move up and slightly forward during a rear-end collision to help reduce the risk of whiplash. A tire-pressure-monitoring system is also standard.

Tacoma Access Cab models ride on a 127.4-inch wheelbase and have a 73.7-inch-long bed. The Double Cab is offered in two versions: a 127.4-inch wheelbase with a 60.5-inch bed or a 140.6-inch wheelbase with a 73.7-inch bed.

When equipped with the tow package, the Tacoma can tow up to 6,800 pounds (per the SAE J2807 tow standard), depending upon the model grade. The tow package, standard with the V6 and available on the four-cylinder, includes a Class IV towing receiver hitch, engine oil cooler, transmission fluid cooler (automatic transmission only), power steering cooler, 130-amp alternator, four- and seven-pin connector with convertor, and trailer-sway control. Maximum payload can be as high as 1,685 pounds. The Tacoma has a generous 21.1-gallon fuel tank.

The 2021 Tacoma Trail Special Edition celebrates Tacoma’s buyers’ love for outdoor activities like camping, fishing, and hiking. With an emphasis on storage, convenience, and unique styling, the Tacoma Trail is based on the SR5 and available in both rear-drive and four-wheel-drive configurations.

The model features black exterior badging, black seating with tan stitching, and all-weather floor liners. Outside 16-inch TRD Off-Road wheels with Kevlar all-terrain tires and the grille from the Tacoma Limited add eye appeal. A 120-volt power outlet and lockable bed storage that doubles as a cooler round out the Trail Special Edition. And of course, every pickup truck needs a blackout edition. The 2021 Nightshade Tacoma is built on the luxurious Limited model with black leather-trim seating, black exterior trim, and “Dark Smoke” 18-inch alloy wheels.

While we can’t say there’s a Tacoma for everyone, the model is priced and equipped to cut across a massive portion of pickup truck buyers. There are low-cost versions for those who want the looks and utility of a rugged mid-size pickup but don’t need off-road capabilities or a high-luxe interior. There are mid-priced versions that will match luxury and convenience with dollars spent. And there are upscale versions that offer strong off-road capabilities and/or cushy around-town amenities.

The base rear-wheel-drive Tacoma SR Access Cab has a base MSRP of $26,150, the Trail Special Edition starts at $34,005, and the TRD Off-Road Double Cab 4x4 starts at $37,280. For those looking to bask in a wealth of features, the Limited Double Cab 4x4 trim has a starting MSRP of $41,980. If you seek the ultimate Tacoma for off-roaders, the TRD PRO Double Cab is priced from $46,780. One key fact is that Toyota Tacomas typically hold their values very, very well.