How the Toyota Tacoma Became a Midsize Pickup Truck Icon
Over four generations, Toyota's small pickup has gone from a no-name work truck to a sales juggernaut.
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It's difficult to think about midsize pickup trucks without mentioning the Toyota Tacoma. In 2022, the Tacoma outsold its nearest rival, the Chevrolet Colorado, by more than two to one. Every year, the Tacoma consistently earns award after award for its resale value, relatively low cost of ownership, and high customer loyalty. Factor in a healthy enthusiast following, and the Tacoma's solid reputation becomes clear.
With a redesigned fourth-generation Tacoma rolling out for 2024, we look at how Toyota's perennially popular pickup achieved its lofty status.
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Toyota's Small Truck Simply Badged as the Pickup
While Toyota has been building pickups since the 1960s, the Tacoma is a relatively new product line. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Toyota sold the same small truck in the United States that it sold throughout the rest of the world. Overseas, it was known as the Hilux, while in the U.S., it was known simply as the Pickup.
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The Toyota Pickup gained a loyal following over the years, thanks partly to the off-road exploits of legendary racer Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, not to mention its placement in classic films such as "
Sensing changing consumer tides in the early 1990s, Toyota set out to design a small truck for North America with a greater emphasis on comfort and day-to-day livability. The company even opted to give its truck a proper name this time around. And thus, the all-new 1995 Toyota Tacoma was born.
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The Tacoma Name Debuted for 1995
The first-generation Toyota Tacoma was classified as a compact pickup, and following generations were bumped up to the midsize category. Toyota's new pickup prioritized the passenger, with reviewers such as automotive magazine Car and Driver calling it "as comfortable and neatly trimmed as an Avalon sedan."
Toyota Racing Development (TRD) got in on the fun for 1997, introducing a supercharger kit for the Tacoma's V6 that increased output from 190 to 254 horsepower and 220 to 270 lb-ft of torque — impressive figures at the time.
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This would start a long relationship between TRD and the Tacoma. The TRD Off-Road package arrived on the options menu in 1998, including a locking rear differential — a must-have for any Tacoma owner looking to take their truck off-road.
A new double-cab model with four full-size doors was introduced for the 2001 model year. This further enhanced the truck's mainstream appeal, as it could now comfortably carry four passengers like a sedan or SUV.
The original Tacoma wasn't without its flaws. In 2008, Toyota issued a massive voluntary recall on more than 800,000 Tacomas from the 1995 to 2000 model years due to excessive frame rust.
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The Tacoma Establishes Its Dominance Despite Tough Times for Midsize Trucks
The second-generation Tacoma came out for the 2005 model year and was sold through 2015. While Toyota established itself as a dominant player in the midsize truck segment during this time, small trucks were becoming less popular. The Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon were temporarily discontinued, while Dodge Dakota production ended for good.
But the Tacoma soldiered on.
"The Toyota Tacoma in some ways is a segment unto itself," said Ed Kim, president and chief analyst at AutoPacific, "built upon decades of Toyota trucks' reputation for durability, toughness, and reliability. The reputation of the iconic Toyota pickup in the '70s and '80s laid the foundation for Tacoma to own the midsize pickup segment as others fled the segment, ostensibly because they couldn't be profitable in the segment."
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During this second generation, several unique trim levels were introduced that would further entrench the Tacoma in pickup culture. These included the lowered, road-oriented X-Runner, and the off-road-ready TRD T/X Baja, which added higher-end off-road gear to the more basic Tacoma TRD Off-Road package.
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Midsize Truck Competition Heats Up, But the Tacoma Remains Popular
After 11 years without a complete redesign, the Tacoma got a heavy refresh for the 2016 model year. The frame and basic cab design stayed the same, while powertrains, styling, and the truck's interior were all new. A fresh 3.5-liter V6 and six-speed automatic transmission replaced the old 4.0-liter V6 and five-speed automatic combination.
Overall, the third-gen Tacoma took a conservative approach. A manual transmission was available in the TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and TRD Pro trims. This generation also gained active safety features such as automatic emergency braking, radar cruise control, and modern infotainment technology with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.
Despite its aging platform, not to mention new competition from Ford, General Motors, and Jeep, the Tacoma maintained its sales dominance throughout the third generation's eight-year model run.
"The current Tacoma is in many ways an antidote to the modern new vehicle that is increasingly automated and refined to the point of perfection," Kim said. "Except, many people still yearn to drive a real truck, warts and all. In this way, the Tacoma is in many ways Toyota's Wrangler, which is beloved for many of the same reasons."
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The Tacoma Is Reborn in a New Competitive Landscape
A new-generation Tacoma goes on sale this year for the 2024 model year. There's a new eight-speed automatic transmission, and the truck will be available as a hybrid for the first time. The Tacoma TRD Pro enters its third act, but this time it's explicitly aimed toward high-speed desert running. A new Trailhunter trim takes over camping and overlanding duties.
The new Tacoma will be hitting dealer lots around the same time as new generations of the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, and GMC Canyon. So, is the Tacoma's sales supremacy up for grabs?
According to Kim, probably not.
"Many people don't cross-shop anything else," he said. "Tacoma is simply the most aspirational midsize truck despite its competitors having become far more appealing, innovative, and competitive in recent years. Sales reflect this. In 2022, Tacoma sold over 237,000 units in a supply-challenged year. The second top-selling model in the segment was the Chevrolet Colorado, racking up a mere 89,000 sales in 2022. The sheer gap in sales numbers between Tacoma and the rest of the segment means that Tacoma will continue to own the space for years to come."
Despite a midsize pickup truck market that is heating up, the Tacoma's reign is unlikely to come to an end any time soon.
