2005 Toyota Tacoma Review

Is Toyota's Tiniest Truck Tough Enough ?

Not so long ago, the company that I worked for decided to start buying Toyota Tacomas instead of Ford Rangers. As a result of this, I have driven a Toyota Tacoma for about a year, or about 30,000 miles. I spent the majority of my workday inside the vehicle.

I worked for a tree transplanting company, and the driving conditions that I subjected this vehicle to were harsh at times. For example, I had to drive up over a curb and up a dirt slope twice a week, then drive the truck backwards down the slope and off the curb. I did this for about six months of the time that I drove the truck. I also did a fair amount of off-road driving, including driving through ditches. I did not always drive it slowly through the hilly and bumpy off-road areas.

All of this driving was done while the truck was carrying several hundred pounds of various stuff in the back, and occurred in Arizona, where in the summertime, temperatures of over 110 degrees are not uncommon.

First things first- I'd like to say that if you're looking to buy a small pickup truck, the Tacoma is worth considering. It's durable and fairly fuel efficient as far as trucks go, averaging around 25 miles per gallon. It was very reliable during the 30,000 miles that I drove it, and It handled off road situations pretty well.

The design of this truck shows ingenuity all around. The interior no longer looks generic like the older Toyota trucks did. A CD player comes standard, and a CD that explains the truck's features is included with the truck. The interior of the truck is spacious, and looks thoroughly modern. The seats remain comfortable even after extended periods of sitting, and the steering wheel is fully adjustable.

Mechanically, the vehicle is well designed, too. The emergency brakes actually have some bite to them, and will lock up your back tires if you are driving on dirt. The gas pedal is not connected to the engine by a wire like older models- it is connected to an electronic sensor, which tells the truck's computer how much acceleration you're asking for.