The
one that started it all in this country has grown into a very nice small truck-still
the standard by which all other compacts are measured. In terms of quality and
refinement, few competitors can come close to the Tacoma, let alone surpass it.
Nicely
proportioned and good-looking, the Tacoma won't embarrass you in the lumberyard,
the church parking lot or anywhere in between. In the compact class, only the
Dodge and the GM twins offer as wide a mix of bed lengths, drivetrains and cab
configurations. The Toyota comes in standard cab, XtraCab and Double Cab (crew
cab) varieties. The XtraCab, like most extended cab competitors, offers jump seats
for two armless people, but offers no rear-hinged access doors to help them get
back there (or help you load things back there, for that matter).
Still,
the Toyota has so much going for it, such as splendid ergonomics, smooth engines
and a high-quality feel to everything you can touch that you may be willing to
go without such luxuries. The
Tacoma is offered with your choice of four- and six-cylinder engines: a 142-hp
4-cylinder (that makes 150-hp in high-riding PreRunner 4X2 trim) or a 190-hp V-6.
Four-wheel drive is offered in with any bodystyle or either engine, while the
lowered, 4X2-only "S-Runner" model is the truck for the street racer
in all of us, offering a three-spoke steering wheel, fog lights and 16-inch alloy
wheels, among other things.
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