2006 Toyota Tacoma Sport V6 from North America

Summary:

This is a competent mini-truck on steroids, but still a hard-riding mini-truck

Faults:

Trailer hitch pin hole wastoo small for pin.

Exhaust system rattles.

General Comments:

Truck is reasonably quick with enough throttle application to get the rpm's up, low-end torque is not it's long suit.

Fuel mileage is reasonable though not great due to the above reason.

The sport seats are supportive and comfortable for about 30 miles then become harder each mile.

The ride could be described as firm, I would call it needlessly stiff and bouncy. Coming out of a TRD Tundra, I know Toyota can do better with suspension compliance.

Around town maneuverability is quite good, easy parking compared to my old Tundra.

Interior quality and attention to detail is great although I'm underwhelmed with the silvery metal-toned plastic and the radio occupying one third of the dash.

Oddly enough, it comes with cigarette lighter, but no ashtray.

I love the 17" wheels and the fake hood scoop to offset the odd styling.

Lots of small storage pukas under and behind the rear seats, just too small to actually put anything in.

C'mon, 13 cup and bottle holders and no place for a garage door opener?

I'm not used to a Toyota requiring service so soon. The $650 trailer hitch required reaming out to accept a hitch pin and doesn't even come with a useful connector. The exhaust system still rattles when hitting average bumps after the dealer has tried twice to fix it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th December, 2005

29th Dec 2005, 03:55

Are you speaking of the trucks rear bumper, or a receiver installed under the rear bumper that had to have the pin hole enlarged? I am just curious, because that is such an odd problem. If it is the receiver under the bumper (such as a Reese), I wonder who supplies them to Toyota as part of the towing package.

2006 Toyota Tacoma 4 door TRD Sport 245hp V6 from North America

Summary:

Very comfortable to drive, with plenty of power

Faults:

Thus far (2 weeks in) no problems at all. The tonneau cover and running boards were not ready when the truck was delivered, but the vehicle arrived earlier than expected at the dealership.

General Comments:

After two weeks of driving, I'm very happy with the Tacoma. It is roomier than my last vehicle (98 Honda CR/V) and much more powerful. It handles very well in both wet and dry conditions, but I haven't yet had a chance to try the off-road capabilities.

The truck feels more stable in cornering than my CR/V, which was a pleasant surprise, given that it's both taller and has a higher ground-clearance than the CR/V. Gas consumption is, however, higher than my old vehicle (an expected trade-off for a heavier, more powerful truck).

The gearing is different than my previous vehicles, in that first gear is much lower than I've been used to: I'm having to up-shift much sooner when the truck gets into motion from a stop. I have found that I really need to be almost completely stopped before shifting into first gear: if I'm moving more than a couple of km/h, there's an audible and physical "clunk" as the gears engage. Having a sixth gear is very good for highway travel, but it's only a cruising gear... for passing, I _have_ to downshift to 5th, unlike in the CR/V.

The manual transmission models (in Canada anyway) only come with a 5-foot bed, which is a bit of a hassle for long loads. I carried a load of 4x8 plywood on the weekend and had to be very careful in securing the end of the sheets, which projected beyond the lowered tailgate.

The interior is very comfortable, with plenty of well-thought-out storage and cupholder locations.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th November, 2005

15th May 2006, 18:27

I agree with the above comment about the low gearing of the transmission. However, one good aspect of the transmission is its usefulness when stuck in traffic. I drive 130 miles each way to work and back. Prior to having the Tacoma I drove a 2004 Honda Accord V6 coupe with a 6 speed manual. That car gave me very nice calves due to the constant engaging of the clutch in traffic. The Tacoma is geared so low that I rarely have to engage the clutch when moving at ultra low speeds. I've had my truck for about a month now and I don't know how I lived without it. While it's not as good using gas as I'm used to, it makes up for it in other areas. I would highly recommend this truck to anyone in the market.