For those who have been struggling or haven’t given trucks much thought for the last three decades, the Toyota Tacoma is a best-selling midsize truck introduced in 1995. It started out as a basic, compact work truck. Over four generations it has evolved and expanded into a multi-equipped truck that handles off-roading, urban driving and towing.

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In its early years, the Tacoma easily bested rivals such as: Chevrolet S-10 and the Ford Ranger, with its functional interior and off-road cred thanks to its all-wheel-drive system and all-terrain-ready approach and departure angles. But as competition heated up, Ford and Chevy frequently beat the Tacoma because it had a harsher ride and its interiors were rarely updated.

Toyota introduced in 2024 redesigned Tacoma For its fourth generation, improvements have been made across the board, covering midsize trucks from Chevy, Nissan, RAM, and Ford. If you’re looking to buy a new or used Tacoma, here’s what you need to know about each generation before shopping.

Tacoma customers should consider which engine they want, as it varies from generation to generation. Initially, engines were available as an inline 2.4L or 2.7L four-cylinder with 160 and 177 lb.-ft of torque, or a 3.4L V6 with 220 lb.-ft of torque. Horsepower for this small truck ranged from 142 to 190 hp. The truck was introduced in 1995 as a compact truck with a 6-foot bed, rear- or four-wheel drive, in regular or XtraCab styles. A four-door crew cab was added in 2001, and by 2004 options had expanded to 17 variations combining base models, PreRunners and S-Runners, three cab styles, and two bed lengths of 6 feet and 5 feet.

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Although they had a good reputation for being mechanically reliable, some early generations did not have high safety ratings in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests. NHTSA does not have a rating for the 1995 model year, but 1996-1997 Tacomas received two out of five stars for driver safety in frontal crashes and three stars for passengers. The ’97 Extended Cab received one star for the driver. By 1998, Tacoma safety in frontal crashes had improved, with the Extended Cab receiving a four-star rating for the driver in a frontal crash; But it took another three years for side crash safety to rise above one star.

One more problem area: inadequate rust protection, causing rust to corrode the leaf springs and frames of this generation. The problem was so bad that Toyota responded by offering a 15-year rust and corrosion warranty on select model years. However, this does mean that if you are looking at a used first generation product to purchase, the warranty has expired.

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The second generation, which started in 2005, was introduced with a 2.7-liter inline-four engine producing 164 horsepower. Since this gen’s wheelbase and track are mid-sized, Toyota also offered a larger 4.0L V6 rated at 245 horsepower and 282 lb-ft. It’s the same engine found in Tundras and 4Runners. The regular cab style has been phased out; The double cab continued and the Access Cab was introduced, with two rows of seating and suicide doors for entry and exit to the rear seats.

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Toyota made significant safety improvements in the 2005 Tacoma redesign. This model year received five stars in frontal and side crash tests. It was still one of the model years with rust issues, but in 2016 Toyota settled a lawsuit over frame rust and agreed to inspect and replace frames if necessary for Tacoma model years 2005 through 2010. The 2011 model year saw a second class drop in 2011. Safety tests: Despite rear rust issues, NHTSA dropped to three out of five stars in front crash tests, while passenger-side results dropped to two stars.

Model years 2012 through 2015 saw Toyota really try to win over off-road enthusiasts with the T|X and T|X Pro Off-Road packages and the TRD Off-Road Package, which relies on progressive-rate front fascia with Bilstein brand shock absorbers. springs and solid road tires.

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When Toyota introduced the third-generation Tacoma in 2016, rivals like the Chevy Colorado were offering turbodiesels under the hood. However, the Tacoma never switched to diesel for the US market. Instead, Toyota offered a 2.7L inline-four rated at 159 hp or a 3.5L V6 with 278 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. This generation came in two body styles, extended and crew cab, with a 1.5- or 1.8-foot bed. It was available in six trim options, including the new Trail Special Edition and TRD Pro.

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Everyone knows that new cars lose value as soon as they leave the dealership. This also applies to the Tacoma, but this truck remains true to resale value better than most. A new Tacoma sold after five years can fetch almost 70% of its original sales price. Whether new or used, buyers should be prepared to pay more for the Tacoma’s reliability and durability. However, owners will likely get more from selling a Tacoma than from selling a similarly equipped Nissan or Chevy.

This generation got new engines, a turbocharged four-cylinder and a hybrid, called i-Force and I-Force Max respectively.. The base i-Force in SR trim is a 2.4L gas engine producing 228 hp. In other trims, the 2.4L delivers 278 hp and 278 lb-ft. of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic; With the six-speed manual transmission, horsepower drops to 270 but torque increases to 310 lb-ft. The i-Force Max combines the 2.4L engine with an electric motor and battery pack. It’s standard on Trailhunter and TRD Pros and is available on other trims as well; It delivers a power output of 326 hp and 465 lb-ft. torque for better towing.

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This gen comes in eight trims: SR, SR5, TRD PreRunner, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, Trailhunter and TRD Pro – three use hybrid powertrains or internal combustion engines. Redesigned Tacoma It is available as an XtraCab or double cab with a five- or six-metre bed. Maintaining Toyota’s off-road reputation, four of these rigs are built for rugged terrain: TRD PreRunner, TRD Off-RoadTRD PRO and the newest — Trailhunter, a hybrid four-door vehicle equipped with high-end comforts.

It has a high-clearance front bumper, rock rails, and a steel rear bumper with recovery hooks to stay out of trouble. Like other fourth-generation off-road vehicles, it offers Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control, which independently control speed over difficult terrain, so drivers can focus on steering. Not to mention, several Other new features worth getting excited about.

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