Our Opinion - 2025 Toyota Tacoma Review It’s been a mainstay of the mid-size truck market for a long time, if not the heart of it. It just got a complete and long-overdue makeover that added new features, made it better off-road, and gave it some competitive benefits. A hybrid Tacoma model that was tried on its own has 326 horsepower, while the non-hybrid car in this article has a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes up to 278 horsepower. A much better seating position makes the driver more comfortable and gives them a better view of the road ahead. The available back coil-spring suspension smooths out bumps in the road or trail. The inside is full of current technology and has the same heavy-duty style as the outside. The most expensive and deluxe types can only be bought with hybrid engines, but Toyota still has a lot of different cab, box, and trim options. Recent complete redesigns of the Taco’s main rivals, the Ford Ranger and the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon twins have given customers a wide range of great choices in this field. What's New? Only a few small changes have been made to the Tacoma in its second year. All models now have front tow hooks, and the various auxiliary switches can handle up to 95 amps instead of 30 amps. All TRD cars can now have Terra paint. Pros and Cons Pros Modern architecture and a modern cabin. Powertrains that are smooth and have a lot of speed. Better back support with coil springs. Cons Quickly costs a lot of money. Still, the backseat could be more comfy. A few things that make it hard to do well off-road. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The Tacoma, which isn’t a hybrid, has a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine. Still, the engine comes in two different styles, with either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic transmission. You can get either four-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. The base engine is a 228-hp turbo four-cylinder, but only in the base SR. The other models have more powerful i-Force engines that can make up to 278 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. Even though every Tacoma is built on a single frame, there are two different rear suspension choices. Most of them have coil springs, but the SR, SR5 extended cab, and TRD PreRunner all have leaf springs. During our test drive, we were happily surprised by how smooth the non-hybrid Tacoma was on the road. This was especially true for models with the new coil springs, which provide a much smoother ride than models with the older leaf spring technology. The motor gives you plenty of speed around town, and it’s easy to merge and pass on the highway. The off-road models can go almost anywhere, but the Tacoma is meant to be used in the dirt. Safety One of the many driver-assistance tools that come standard with every Tacoma is automatic high-beam headlamps. There are more options for rear-cross-traffic warning and blind-spot monitoring. The following are important safety features: Automated emergency braking and conventional forward collision warning. Normal lane-keeping assistance and lane departure warning. It comes with adaptive speed control. Internal and External Cargo Capacity Tacoma’s inner design and packaging have changed in many ways. It has standard switches, high-resolution screens, and better-quality materials on its dashboard. The 12.3-inch all-digital display on TRD Off-Road models and up is bigger, but most Tacos have a 7.0-inch digital gauge panel. The Limited comes with a head-up display and front seats that can be heated or cooled. Because the seats are higher and there is more legroom in all models compared to the last generation, the driver no longer feels like they are sitting on the floor. The truck should be more comfy for more people if the steering column can be changed in more ways. The new Tacoma comes in the same two body styles as the old one: crew cab (also called Double Cab) and extended cab (also called XtraCab). The Double Cab comes with either a longer box or a shorter five-foot cargo bed. The XtraCab, on the other hand, only has a six-foot bed. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG The EPA says that the Tacoma can get up to 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway when it has two-wheel drive. When it has four-wheel drive, it gets 20 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. These numbers are similar to those for the last Tacoma, which had a V-6 engine. On our highway fuel-economy test route at 75 mph, the TRD Off-Road model got an average of 22 mpg. Infotainment and Connectivity A bigger 14.0-inch screen comes standard on the Limited and can be added as an option on other trims. However, most Tacomas have an 8.0-inch tablet as their entertainment system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can be used wirelessly in all types. A JBL sound system and a wireless charging stand are features that can be added as extras. The second one also has a Bluetooth speaker that can be taken off the top of the dashboard. Range, Charging, and Battery Life We tried a four-cylinder Tacoma with 278 horsepower. It went from 0 to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds. Towing and Payload Capacity The most weight that the Tacoma can pull is 6500 pounds. It can also carry up to 1,705 pounds of cargo. The hybrid type, which is talked about individually, can pull up to 6,000 pounds and carry up to 1,709 pounds. Price and How to Choose The SR5 model is the best deal because it comes with a 278-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, 17-inch metal wheels, fog lamps, blind-spot monitoring, built-in cargo-bed tie-down clamps, push-button start, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. But we like how the TRD Off-Road looks more rugged and ready to take on any road. A test against the Chevy Colorado ZR2 proved its worth.