When the first generation Toyota Tacoma was launched in 2005, it took only the midsized pickup truck a short time to take the helm and lead the segment in the US market for quite some time.
Unfortunately, the Japanese carmaker allowed a decade to go by before deciding to finally do a redesign of the Toyota Tacoma, which is quite a long period of time in modern automotive terms, notes The Street.
The global financial crisis that followed years later also contributed to the Toyota Tacoma losing its grip on the leadership in the US midsized pickup truck market.
After 11 years, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma, which was redesigned from the ground up, will be arriving at US dealerships this month. The official entry of the all-new midsized pickup truck to the US market also signals the attempt of Toyota to regain the big chunk of the consumer pie which it used to enjoy almost a decade ago.
With its aggressive and state-of-the-art features, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is not making any pretension about its foremost goal because it is all set to take the driver seat again in the highly-competitive US pickup truck market.
New features
Although it was manufactured from the same platform as its predecessor model, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is now even made tougher with the use of high-strength steel under the sheet metal for better rigidity. Additionally, ultra-high-strength steel was integrated into the body using a stamping process that makes the new pickup truck very light in weight.
Technological improvements can also be seen in the interior cabin highlighted by the infotainment console at the center stack featuring a touchscreen display that controls entertainment, navigation and smartphone integration functions including a wireless charging pad.
Under the hood, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma will come in either a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine or a new 3.5-liter V6 engine which shall optimize fuel injection along with an Atkinson power cycle to improve efficiency. The new V6 engine is expected to lead its class in terms of fuel economy.
Bill Fay, Toyota US division vice president, and general manager, explained that Americans have been using Toyota trucks for 50 years to take them where cars won’t as well as to pursue their adventures. He said that Toyota has built an unbelievably capable truck with the Tacoma. Fay added that he new pickup truck is sure to attract young consumers, especially those with an active, outdoor lifestyle.
A total makeover
The Summit Daily also cited the total makeover of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma as a venerable, midsized pickup truck, with a load of functional and stylistic upgrades to ensure that it keeps abreast with the other members of the Toyota family of vehicle lines.
The front fascia of the 2016 Tacoma is now similar to the angular Tundra and the upgraded 4Runner, and the pickup truck now also sports a totally modified interior and high-tech control, giving it a futuristic appeal.
Things in the cabin have been heavily upgraded including the rugged-looking instruments, a revised and simplified set of air conditioning and four-wheel-drive controls, all in an easily accessible row of knobs. It also comes with a choice of various touchscreen display monitors with four ranges of audio and navigation.
The instrument panel features a 4.2-inch color screen that can be dialed up to display digital 4×4 information. There is also the option to use the less expensive smartphone-based tool called Scout to stream directions into the head unit when it is needed.
It’s either a statement of safety or a pronouncement that the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is geared to move and capture all the action that the pickup truck can take at any given day, or both.