The name of Toyota Tacoma has become synonymous with reliability, toughness and off road capability. The Tacoma has been the segment leader for many years as the other midsized pickup trucks have struggled or been changed. Although we love the Tacoma and what it represents, the time has come for this truck to be upgraded, especially with the new offerings from GM that have entered the segment to present a new look and feel for the midsized truck segment.

While the Tacoma was already a great with a tough frame for off roading and a great balance of drivability and the space to handle five people riding along which made it a nice truck for the activity it’s made for. Using the same frame design, this truck has been upgraded with the addition of more high strength steel which helps to reduce the weight of the truck while making it more rigid as well. This new version will ride on the same wheel base but come in as a longer and wider version of itself which helps to add more room in the cab to make this a much more comfortable ride along any road.

Overall, what this means is the basic structure was already good enough, but this truck needed several upgrades if it were to continue to compete in this segment. For 2016 the new Tacoma offers a variety of upgrades for technology and build to be a truck that will be a great competitor in this segment. This truck carries on with a muscular build but adds LED daytime running lights, four new wheel and tire combinations that range from sixteen to eighteen-inches in size and three new colors to bring the total number of exterior colors to eight.

Under the hood the Tacoma features a 3.5-liter V6 with the Atkinson cycle that has a self-cleaning feature included on the high pressure fuel injectors. This engine can be attached to the new six-speed automatic transmission while bringing in 278 horsepower and fuel mileage of 19 city/24 hwy mpg. The V6 can also be bought with the six-speed manual transmission and there is a smaller engine in the form of the 2.7-liter inline four-cylinder engine that will give you 159 horsepower and the fuel mileage of 19 city/23 hwy mpg which can be attached to either the six-speed automatic or a five-speed manual. Given the choice, the larger and more powerful engine is the best choice between the two.

When you enter the cabin of the new Tacoma you will notice the quieter ride that is the result of the new acoustic windshield and sound deadening materials that are used. You are greeted by higher quality materials than ever before along with a brand new dashboard layout that embraces the technology which will give you the gauges you want to see and the connectivity you are looking for. This truck now comes with a rear tailgate camera and a GoPro mount that can make it easier for you to document your adventures along any paths and trails.

As for the capability, the new Tacoma can tow more and haul more and now has a deeper bed than before. The ground clearance is 9.4 inches in order to give you a better opportunity to clear over obstacles in your way. This truck gives you the Crawl Control you need and the torque control to make it easier to handle this truck when you take it off road. With the Multi-Terrain Select system you will be able to guide this truck where you need to go and have a great time getting there in the new and improved Toyota Tacoma.