The redesigned 2016 Toyota Tacoma is going up against the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon in the North American midsize truck market but it looks like it will remain a top pick among pickup truck enthusiasts given its new V6 engine, interior refinements, and updated technology, according to Edmunds.com.
Given the threat posed by competition, the Japanese carmaker has redesigned the 2016 Toyota Tacoma from the ground up while maintaining the overall size of its predecessor model.
The improvements can be noticed right away at its angular exterior styling, but the major upgrade was significantly adopted under the hood.
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 2016 Toyota Tacoma 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.
There is also a GoPro camera mounted on the windshield that comes with the 2016 Toyota Tacoma for documenting on- and off-road adventures.
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.
Both engine variants come with a six-speed automatic transmission while a six-speed manual transmission will be available for the V6 engine model. Complementing it further with a retuned suspension, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is expected to have better handling and maneuvering capability both on-road and off-road.
Locking tailgates
It may be a small detail, but the previous models of the Toyota Tacoma do not have locking tailgates when they roll out of the assembly plant.
The most that the past Toyota Tacoma models can come up with are non-locking tailgates, which are often at risk of being stolen since it can be removed without the use of any special tools at all.
In order to secure the tailgates from possible theft, Tacoma owners have resorted to various strategies including the use of zip ties all the way to utilizing elaborate power locks mounted in the cabin.
But that will be a thing of the past with the 2016 Toyota Tacoma as the new pickup truck will have locking tailgates when they roll out of the factory and it shall come with a new tailgate handle too, reports The News Wheel.
Toyota has confirmed that the locking tailgates will be standard equipment on all models of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma.