2018 Toyota Tacoma Road Test and Review

2018 Toyota Tacoma ・ Photo by Toyota

The Toyota Tacoma has been killing it in the mid-size pickup truck class for more than a decade. And when a company has the kind of dominant sales leadership that Toyota has had in the segment, it works very hard to consolidate that. One way is through variety. The Tacoma is available in 30 different variants across the extended "Access Cab" and even larger "Double Cab" models in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions.

Because of the variety, you should be able to find a Tacoma to fit your needs. Whether it is an economical “work truck” or a near-luxury four-by-four with serious off-road credentials, Toyota has a Tacoma for that. J.D. Power gave the 2018 Tacoma its highest marks for Predicted Reliability but cited it as below-average in Overall Quality.

New for This Year

The 2018 Toyota Tacoma is virtually identical to the previous year’s model. An important difference, though, is the addition of Toyota Safety Sense P. This suite of safety systems includes a pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, a lane-departure alert with sway warning, automatic high beams, and high-speed dynamic radar cruise control.

Other changes to the mid-size pickup include minor grille updates to several of the vehicle’s trim levels. The uplevel Tacoma Limited features not only a revised grille but also a new black-leather-trimmed interior. The five-speed manual transmission is discontinued for 2018, though a six-speed manual transmission remains available on certain models. The least expensive Tacoma model now has a six-speed automatic transmission.

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Off-Road-Influenced Driving Manners

One aspect that becomes clear after driving the Tacoma is how significant its off-road roots are. This can be a good thing if you are seeking the go-anywhere ruggedness of an off-roader. It is somewhat less desirable if you have no off-road aspirations and plan to use the Tacoma as a daily commuter. In that role, its ride quality might be too stiff for some buyers.

That said, we were impressed with the Tacoma’s ability to take on a number of roles, from everyday driver to serious work truck to family toy hauler. When underway, the controls are easy to reach and easy to understand, and the seats are comfortable and adjustable. The Tacoma's 40.6-foot turning diameter means it is maneuverable but no sports car, and at almost two tons in overall weight, it feels substantial.

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Upgradable Interior

Even when this generation of the Toyota Tacoma was brand-new, the interior felt a trifle awkward. Age has not improved it, and the reflections off the infotainment touchscreen can be irritating. At the same time, if you opt for one of the top-level trims, the Tacoma interior can look and feel downright luxurious. Available premium features include wireless smartphone charging, a smart key with push-button start, leather-trimmed seats, a power tilt/slide moonroof, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Significant efforts have been made to create a quiet interior. Among them are enhanced door seals, a multi-layer acoustic windshield, a sound-absorbing headliner, and a floor silencer pad. Interior storage space in both the Access Cab and Double Cab models benefits from folding seats and under-seat cargo space. The more commodious rear seat in the Double Cab is split 60/40 and has adjustable headrests.

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Choice of Infotainment

The Tacoma’s standard sound system is a reasonably sophisticated Entune Audio system. It includes 6.1-inch touchscreen display, AM/FM CD player, six speakers, Bluetooth streaming, voice recognition, and hands-free phone capability. With standard Siri Eyes Free, you can control an iOS mobile device that is linked with the truck’s audio.

All three TRD trims feature Entune Premium Audio with navigation and App Suite. It includes 7-inch high-resolution touchscreen featuring a split display, AM/FM cache radio, HD radio, predictive traffic, Doppler weather, and Gracenotes album cover art. That’s a very sophisticated system, but at the top of the line, the Tacoma Limited adds six JBL speakers and a subwoofer.

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Rugged Exterior

The Tacoma’s exterior is tough and purposeful. It offers the aura of a dedicated off-roader even in models that have no off-road aspirations. Of course, off-road racing success is a proud part of the Tacoma’s heritage.

All Access Cab models ride on a 127.4-inch wheelbase and offer a 73.7-inch-long bed. The Double Cab is available on the same 127.4-inch wheelbase with a 60.5-inch bed or on an expansive 140.6-inch wheelbase with a 73.7-inch bed. The three TRD trims in the line play up the off-road look with aggressive approach and departure angles. The TRD Pro looks like it could run in the legendary Baja 1000 with a minimum of extra prep.

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Powertrains/Fuel Economy

The Tacoma offers the choice of two engines. The base engine is a solid and time-tested 2.7-liter four-cylinder that produces 159 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque. The optional engine is an Atkinson-cycle 3.5-liter V6 that ups the capability ante significantly. It delivers 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of peak torque.

When employed for duty in the Tacoma, neither engine offers startlingly strong acceleration, but both have impressive reputations for longevity. Two six-speed transmissions are available, a manual and an automatic. In comparison, the competitive Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon now offer an eight-speed automatic. As you would expect, the Tacoma is offered in both rear-wheel drive and part-time four-wheel drive. The rear-drive four-cylinder automatic delivers 19 mpg in the city, 23 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg combined. The rear-drive V6 with automatic gets 19 city/24 highway/21 combined.

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Safety/Driver Aids

In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash test program, the Tacoma received four out of five stars overall. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the Tacoma its top score of “Good” in all crashworthiness categories. Toyota Safety Sense P, now standard on the Tacoma, includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, a lane departure alert with a sway warning system, automatic high beams, and high-speed dynamic radar cruise control.

The truck’s Star Safety System includes stability control, traction control, antilock braking, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and Smart Stop brake override technology. Every Tacoma has driver and front passenger advanced airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, and front and rear roll-sensing side-curtain airbags. Active front-seat headrests move up and forward in severe rear-end collisions to help reduce the distance between the occupant’s head and the headrest.

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Trim Levels

The 2018 Toyota Tacoma is available in six trim levels — SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Limited. The SR is the basic work truck. The SR5 adds more personal-use style, while the various TRD trims take the Tacoma in specialty-sport directions. The Limited is an all-in, soup-to-nuts version that is the highest-luxe of the bunch.

The Tacoma has a long history as a successful off-road truck, the TRD Pro features either a six-speed manual transmission with a clutch start-cancel switch or six-speed automatic. In addition to the 4WDemand 4x4 system, the TRD Pro adds 16-inch black alloy wheels, Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Kevlar-reinforced tires, off-road front springs with a 1-inch lift, specialized rear suspension with progressive-rate off-road leaf springs, FOX Internal Bypass shocks, and an aluminum front skid plate.

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Pricing and Value

Based largely on its strong reputation for longevity and resale value, the Toyota Tacoma is priced at the premium end of the market. The Tacoma SR Access Cab with four-cylinder and automatic transmission has an MSRP of $25,400 plus a $1,045 destination charge. The 4x2 SR5 Double Cab with V6 and automatic transmission — a very popular configuration for the truck — is $31,465 plus the destination charge. At the upper end of the scale, the Tacoma 4x4 TRD Pro Double Cab with automatic has an MSRP of $43,720 plus the $1,045 destination charge.

Key competitors are the Nissan Frontier, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, and Honda Ridgeline. You might be able to purchase other, similar mid-size trucks less expensively, but the Tacoma’s stellar resale value history means that it will deliver impressively low cost-to-own.

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