A smaller pickup that likes it rough and rocky
Rivals might have better ride on pavement, but Tacoma excels in snow, mud, sand
SEATTLE, WASH.— Larger pickups make up the bulk of Canadian sales, but there’s still enough of a market for smaller ones that the segment is heating up again. Toyota is looking to regain its prominence with an allnew 2016 Tacoma that goes on sale this fall.
There are some carry-over items, including the base four-cylinder engine, but there’s a new V6 engine, new transmissions, updated styling, and an off-road package that’s nothing short of incredible.
GM’s competitor mid-size trucks have a better ride on asphalt, but Toyota leaves them behind once road turns to trail.
I tested it on a serious 4x4 course, including hills so steep that only the seatbelt kept me from falling into the windshield, and was very impressed. No smaller truck can come close to it in the rough stuff, and packs some features like crawl control that you won’t find on a full-size 4x4 pickup.
The carry-over engine is a 159horsepower 2.7-L four-cylinder that’s mated to a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic. The new power plant is a 3.5-L V6 that makes 278 horsepower and 265 lb.-ft. of torque, and comes with six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Cab configurations are the Access Cab, with rear-hinged back doors, and Double Cab with four regular doors. The 4x4 is far more popular and so it’s available in both cabs and both engines, while 4x2 is limited to a four-cylinder Access Cab.
The V6 has a neat trick up its sleeve: it can run in an Atkinson cycle, which adjusts how far the piston travels in the cylinder, and with port injection. This cuts down on power but improves fuel consumption, and the engine automatically changes to this under light load.
When you put your foot down, the engine switches to normal operation, and with direct injection, to provide the power needed. It’s a technology the company already uses in the Lexus RC.
Only the V6 was available on my drive. I like it: it’s smooth on acceleration, it’s well-mated to the automatic transmission, and it’s impossible to detect when it switches into its more fuel-efficient mode.
It makes more horsepower than the outgoing 4.0-L V6, but while the torque rating is virtually the same, it takes longer to kick in. With its new stronger frame, the Tacoma’s towing capacity now rises to 6,500 lbs. (2,948 kg), up from 3,500 lbs. (1,587 kg).
The off-road capability is further improved by crawl control, a lowspeed cruise control that hauls the truck along (in forward or reverse) so you only need to steer, and a multiterrain selector that lets you dial everything in to tackle snow, mud, sand or rocks. It’s “off-road for dummies,” but it works well.
The interior has been upgraded, including new noise-suppressing features that make the cabin extremely quiet. While the dash retains its overall shape and style, the controls and infotainment screen are new, and the dash vents are much easier to open and move.
But while the seats themselves feel more supportive, their position does not. The floor is high and the seats are set low, and so many drivers will sit with their knees straight, rather than bent. It doesn’t take long before this configuration results in a cramp in my leg. This was always my major complaint with the outgoing truck, and it remains the primary one here, especially since it’s also tougher for shorter drivers like me to see over the new, taller hood.
All models now receive standard driver and passenger knee airbags, fog lamps, locking tailgate and heated mirrors, while various trim lines offer such items as blind spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert.
Tacoma fans are a pretty loyal bunch, and I’m guessing they’re going to love this new one, especially those who buy trucks for the great outdoors and will go straight for the TRD Off-Road trim.
GM’s new mid-size trucks have cut heavily into Toyota’s slice of this slim segment, but the seating position aside, all of the improvements add up to a truck that, more than ever, needs to be cross-shopped against the competition. Jil McIntosh is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. The vehicle tested and travel costs were provided by the manufacturer. To reach Wheels editor Norris McDonald: nmcdonald@thestar.ca.