2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-road 4x4 Road Test and Review

2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD offroad 4x4 obstacles ・ Photo by Toyota

The auto companies tried to make us believe we didn’t want smaller pickup trucks anymore. But as other manufacturers dropped out, Toyota stayed true to its game. The midsize Tacoma enters its third generation in 2016 with an evolutionary revision as sales continue to outdistance the competition by a considerable margin. The Tacoma is highly regarded for its reliability and excellent resale value. We fully expect those traditions to continue. The midsize pickup truck market went through a significant transformation with the latest versions of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. GM's twins feel more upmarket and less off-road-oriented than the Tacoma overall, and most specifically, the TRD Off-Road. Toyota does well when they play the niches, and the Tacoma is in prime territory. The Tundra, not so much.

Trim Levels

There’s a little something for everyone with the Tacoma. There are five models: base SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and the top-of-the-line Limited. The TRD Off-Road is offered as an Access Cab or Double Cab. We lucked into a TRD Off-Road 4x4 Double Cab V6 Automatic in blazing Inferno Orange with a black interior. While the Limited grade would not be at the front of my list if I was in the market for a plush midsize pickup, the TRD Off-Road’s rough and tumble approach works extremely well. After spending a week with the V6 automatic-equipped model, I hankered for some time behind the wheel of a more austere 4-cylinder manual, for contrast.

Photo by Toyota

Exterior Styling

The 2016 Tacoma carries the family heritage well, with crisp new lines. The TRD Off-Road is easy to tell apart from other 2016 Tacomas with a chin-up fascia that does away with the front air dam. This provides an improved approach angle while giving up a bit of fuel economy. The truck has an aggressive stance with 16-inch machined contrast alloy wheels, wrapped with P265/70R-16 tires accented by bold black fender flares. Our tester wore Goodyear Wrangler all-terrains. The 2016 Tacoma is offered in Super White, Silver Metallic, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Black, Barcelona Red, Quicksand, Inferno, and Blazing Blue Pearl.

Photo by Toyota

Powertrain

The Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4x4 is powered by a direct injected 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to either a 6-speed automatic or manual transmission. The E15-approved Atkinson-cycle V6 pumps out 278 horsepower and delivers plenty of grunt throughout the range, with 265 lb.-ft. of peak torque. The SR and SR5 are offered with a 2.7-liter inline-4 engine that produces 159 horsepower and 180 lb.-ft. of torque. The official EPA fuel economy estimates for the V6 Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4x4 are 18 MPG city/23 MPG highway/20 MPG combined. A week’s worth of testing in our automatic-equipped 4x4 Double Cab in mixed conditions proved those estimates to be a wee bit optimistic.

Photo by Dan Gray

Off-Road Capabilities

The TRD Off-Road is built to tackle the tough stuff with an electronically locking rear differential, a Multi-Terrain Select system, and crawl control. The Tacoma uses a coil-spring double-wishbone suspension up front and leaf springs at the rear. The TRD Off-Road is fitted with Bilstein shock absorbers that provide a superior ride on and off pavement. At 32 degrees, the 4x4 Double cab’s approach angle is more aggressive than the other Tacoma grades (at 29 degrees), thanks to the omitted air dam. The departure angle is 23.5 degrees, the break over angle is 21 degrees, and there's a healthy 9.4 inches of ground clearance. A 21-gallon fuel tank provides plenty of range to roam off-road. The Goodyear Wranglers provide a good compromise between on- and off-road performance. More demanding off-road requirements will prompt a change in tires.

Photo by Toyota

Interior

The Tacoma TRD Off-Road’s interior is bold and rugged, but not harshly so. The seats are upholstered in black patterned cloth with bright contrasting stitching, and the dashboard features exterior color-keyed accents. The driver’s seat provides adjustable lumbar support. If you feel the need for leather upholstery, you’ll need to opt for the Limited grade level, which also includes standard front dual-zone automatic HVAC system. Gimmickry is in the eye of the beholder. The integrated GoPro mount on the windshield may seem a bit hokey, but the colorful digital inclinometer is wicked cool. Our tester was equipped with the Premium & Technology option package, which includes heated front bucket seats, blind-spot mirrors, rear cross-traffic alert, and a power moonroof among other features. The Double Cab’s back seat makes it useful as a family hauler, with 38.3 inches of head room, 32.6 inches of legroom, and 58.9 inches of shoulder room.

Infotainment

The TRD Off-Road is outfitted with a 6-speaker Entune premium audio system with integrated navigation and Toyota’s app suite. Supported apps include Pandora, Yelp, iHeartRadio, and Slacker. The 7-inch touchscreen includes a rearview camera. A subwoofer-equipped Entune Premium JBL audio system is offered with the Premium & Technology option package. While the Entune system supports Siri Eyes Free, it does not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. A Qi-compatible wireless smartphone charging is included at no extra cost. This is an awesome feature if you happen to have an Android phone with integrated Qi charging, but if you have an iPhone, you’re out of luck. A 12-volt outlet and USB port are at the base of the dash.

Photo by Toyota

Driving Impressions

I spent a week driving the Tacoma TRD Off-Road in a variety of conditions. While the majority of my time was spent on pavement, I traveled over miles of gravel roads and spent a bit of time doing some light off-roading. The Tacoma was well-mannered throughout … for a pickup truck. Drive it back-to-back with the 4Runner, as I did, and you feel the difference. The 4Runner delivers a significantly more composed ride. But if you need a truck, you need a truck, and midsize units like the Tacoma are finding favor with folks who feel that fullsize trucks like the F-150, Silverado, and Ram 1500 have simply grown too large. The Tacoma is more nimble than a typical half-ton, but the drivetrain could use a bit more refinement. While the engine is willing, performance-oriented drivers will appreciate more oomph. An informal 0-60 MPH sprint landed in the mid 8-second range. An aftermarket intake, cat-back exhaust, and tune can add those missing ponies in an afternoon, and address the shift points.

Photo by Toyota

Cargo Bed

The Tacoma is available with a 5- or 6-foot bed. Loading and securing cargo is a cinch. All Tacoma grades ship with a sheet-molded composite lined inner cargo bed with four fixed tie-downs along with a versatile deck rail system that uses adjustable cleats. A 120-volt/400-watt outlet at the back of the cargo bed provides power for tools and lighting. Cubbies on the left and right sides provide convenient storage and the lockable tailgate is easy to lower, lift, and remove. A hard tri-fold tonneau cover is included with the Premium and Technology option packages. The cargo bed is 56.7 inches wide wall-to-wall and can accommodate 4x8 sheets of building material, with tailgate down.

Historical Perspective

Tacoma sales are up measurably in the first nine months of 2016, rising from 133,672 to 142,711 according to goodcarbadcar.net. This follows on a 2015 model year that marked a high point for Tacoma sales in the United States, with nearly 180,000 units sold of the outgoing second-generation truck. Sales had slid from a previous high point in 2006, jumping significantly from 110,705 in 2011 to 141,365 in 2012, following the departure of the Ford Ranger. The Tacoma was originally built at a Fremont, California, manufacturing plant that was a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors, which also built the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe. The plant is now infamously owned by Tesla Motors. The Tacoma is currently built in San Antonio, Texas, alongside the Toyota Tundra.

Photo by Toyota

Final Thoughts

Pickup trucks are a hot commodity these days and the revised Toyota Tacoma is on pace to eclipse its best year ever, even with heightened competition from the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. But the race will soon get tougher, with a revised Nissan Frontier waiting in the wings, the Ford Ranger’s re-introduction looming (with a range of EcoBoost engines), and the rumors of a Jeep pickup truck ever swirling. The Ranger set a high mark for small pickup truck sales in the late 1990s, with sales peaking at nearly 350,000 units per year in 1999. Whether we see a resurgence to those levels depends on many factors. If fuel prices should rise measurably, General Motors turbodiesel engine will prove to be a crucial advantage. Toyota may lead the pack when it comes to hybrid sedans, but the company needs to up its pickup MPG game.

Photo by Toyota