Sneak peek into the 2021 Toyota Tacoma

The Tacoma is one of the most dated options in the midsize truck market, but that does not come in the way of making it the best-selling midsize truck year in and year out. Apart from the bulletproof reliability of Toyota, the Tacoma to its credit has got masculine looks and for most buyers, the adventurous aura is enough to ignore the compelling spec sheet the rivals possess.

For nearly 14 years, half the midsize trucks sold in the US of A have been Tacomas. Yes, the 2021 Toyota Tacoma has large shoes to fill, though it actually is the same truck that reached an all-time high in sales number at 248,801 and followed up last year with 238,806 examples sold. This seems to be a proper reason enough why the truck has not been refreshed extensively across the years.

Trims on offer

The Tacoma always has been a popular choice for those who feel a full-sized truck is a bit too large for them. The truck is available in 8 different trims so that everyone has a Tacoma for them suiting their needs. The trims are listed below

SR
SR5
Trail Special Edition (new)
TRD Sport
TRD Off-Road
Limited
Nightshade Special Edition (new)
TRD Pro

Apart from these trims, customers also have a choice of the two-door Access Cab or the four-door Double Cab. They can choose from a 5-foot or a longer 6-foot cargo bed. You can opt between rear- or four-wheel-drive in all the trims except the TRD Pro.

Drivetrains and performance

The 2021 Toyota Tacoma has some familiar hardware under the hood. Powering the SR and SR5 is a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine. All the other models get a 3.5-liter V6 but you can opt for the bigger engine in the lower two trims as well.

The smaller four-cylinder engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission which sends power to the rear wheels as standard. Four-wheel drive is available and the larger engine gets the same automatic transmission; the TRD models also get an option of a six-speed manual.

This is the part where the truck shows, its age. The V6 for example has modest acceleration and the towing capacity at 6,800 pounds is far too humble to be competitive. Even the gas mileage fails to be appealing. Speaking of fuel economy, it makes very less sense to go for the tepid four-cylinder engine putting out only 159 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque as it returns a fuel economy very similar to the larger V6 at 20-23 mpg.

The off-road variants of the 2021 Toyota Tacoma are more intriguing, especially the TRD Off-Road trim. The truck sports a rugged body frame and special 16-inch alloy wheels which are vital to absorb the bumps be it on a dirt road or broken pavement. You also get Bilstein shock absorbers along with the Crawl Control system which is a cool feature offering cruise control but for off-road staying within 1-5 mph. Finally, the truck is equipped with an electronic locking rear differential. The engine under the hood is a 3.5-liter, V6 good for 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. Clocking 60 mph from a standstill at 7.7 seconds, the acceleration is on the slower side. The engine has been slightly improved, however, to provide a smoother and quieter ride.

Speaking of smoothness, the handling is pretty smooth for a truck and it is quite easy to maneuver the Tacoma around tight spots. The brakes are not that impressive, many would mistake the extra feedback of the brakes as an issue.

Interiors

The interiors of Tacoma prioritize durability more than luxury. Starting with the front seats, they are not a one-size-fits-all proposition as the mounting position is low and there is a lack of height adjustment. If you opt for the crew cab, the headroom will be limited in the back seat and is suited best for children as a result. You can seat whoever you want if you opt for the larger extended cab.

Coming to the access Cab, the rear seating area is quite compromised. You get two partial rear clamshell doors in this configuration, meanwhile, the double cabs get full-size doors. The four-door double cab is expectedly the most popular configuration with the customer as it can seat 5 people with ease. The legroom falls short of what you get in the rivals at 32 inches, don’t even start on the legroom of the access cab at just a paltry 24 inches.

Cargo capacity

The 5-foot bed is mandatory when you choose the access cab, you can also opt for the 6-foot bed going for the double cab. Both the beds are similarly sized to what is offered in the competition.

The tailgate is lockable; the bed does not require a liner since it is made of a composite material. It also features a combination of fixed and movable tie-downs; loading the truck is pretty easy too as the tailgate opens low and the bedsides are of moderate size.

Safety features

Every Toyota on the road gets the brand’s Safety Sense suite of safety features and the Tacoma is no exception. The list of features in this suite are listed below

lane departure warning
automatic emergency braking
adaptive cruise control
automatic high beams

You can also opt for additional safety features which are

rear cross-traffic alert
blind-spot monitoring
surround-view camera
multi-terrain monitor (TRD Off-Road, standard on the TRD Pro)

Verdict

If dated drivetrains and uncompetitive fuel economy are not an issue for you, you will love the 2021 Toyota Tacoma. It continues to be an immensely popular choice in the midsize truck segment despite its age and the drawbacks that come with it. the truck can also impress you immensely in the form of the TRD Off-Road because of its ability to deliver what an individual would want in a solid and capable off-roader. Finally, the versatility in the options of the configurations and the reliability that comes with a Toyota badge is a deal maker.