Have You Heard About 2016 Toyota Tacoma? It’s the Best Tacoma Ever!

2016 Toyota Tacoma has surprised us with additions for the new model year, which are more than satisfactory. The car has been literally rebuilt, both in terms of interior and exterior. In addition, it also features new engine and enhanced suspension tuning. Regarded as the toughest and most durable pickup in the segment, the new generation Tacoma continues the legacy of the famous Toyota trucks. In fact, the company even says that this it's the best Tacoma ever, inside and out.

Tough and Rough

Tough and rough are two synonym words for the new generation Tacoma. The reason for this is that the frame has been reinforced with high strength steel and this has resulted in enhancing its rigidity. The same material was also integrated into the body shell. What is more, the suspension was fine-tuned to make sure that the ride is smoother on the road, while off-road it still offers more capability.

Two Drivetrains

2016 Tacoma will be made available with two engines. The first one is the 2.7-liter DOHC four-cylinder with VVT-I, which produces 159 horsepower (117 kW) and 244 Nm (180 lb.-ft.) of torque at 4000 rpm. Its EPA fuel economy has been estimated 19/23/21 mpg city/highway/combined mpg for the 4x2 with an automatic transmission. The estimated fuel efficiency for the 4x4 with the manual and automatic transmission is 19/21/20 mpg and 19/22/20 mpg, respectively.

SEE ALSO: Toyota to Premiere Tacoma and RAV4 Hybrid in New York   

Tacoma can be also equipped with V6 powerplant. The unit is 3.5-liter Atkinson cycle with Variable Valve Timing with Intelligent Wider Intake equipped with Toyota's D-4S technology. The latter features both direct and port fuel injection. The V6 generates 278 horsepower (204 kW) and 359 Nm (265 lb.-ft.) of torque at 4600 rpm. This is an increase of 42 horses over the previous V6. This engine achieves 19/24/21 mpg in the city/highway/combined cycles for the 4x2 automatic. The estimated mpg for the 4x4 manual is 17/21/19, while for the automatic is 18/23/20.

There is also a new six-speed automatic transmission with electronic shift delivering quick and easy shifting. Two other options are available for the V6 - the six-speed manual transmission and the four-cylinder - the five-speed manual.

The next great news is that if one equips the truck with the V6 Tow Package, the new Tacoma can tow up to 6,800 lbs. This is an impressive increase of 300 lbs. over the previous V6.

Style is Found on the Outside…

Hexagonal grille, positioned a little bit upper, more muscular hood and four new wheel designs ranging from 16 to 18 inches are just a few of the changes in the design of the 2016 Tacoma. There are also noticeable high-tech headlights with projection beam lamps and available LED DRLs.

At the rear, there is a new locking tailgate with integrated spoiler for improved aerodynamics and a stamped Tacoma logo. The tailgate also includes lowering feature for a slow retraction. Toyota has even created for the first time ever an available factory-installed tri-fold hard tonneau cover.

… And on the Inside

The interior of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is athletic and rough. The instrument panel features a sporty design theme for a more driver-focused experience. Soft-wrapped trim and metallic accents are the starting point for an array of available premium features like the Qi wireless charging, smart key with push-button start and leather-trimmed seats.

The new truck is also quieter than before. The reason for this is that all seals were improved and a multi-layer acoustic windshield and sound-absorbing headliner were added. At last, there is a floor silencer pad which also minimizes road noise.

Plenty of Configurations and Grades

The vehicle will be offered with 29 different configurations in two cab types: extended Access Cab and four-door Double Cab, each of which will be available in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations. The five model grades include the following: SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road and top of the line Limited.

Furthermore, Tacoma offers plenty of choices when it comes to individualizing a truck. As a matter of fact, Toyota has offered nine core packages: SR Utility Package, SR Convenience Package, four levels of the SR5 Appearance Package, and three levels of Premium & Technology Packages.

Pricing is not Surprising

The price tag for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma 4x2 begins at $23,300 USD, while for the 4x4 starts at $24,825 USD. Prices range up to $37,820 USD.

Toyota Tacoma (2016)

 Source: Toyota