I have driven Tacoma’s all my life and bought each one new. I generally buy V6 4wd trucks and I hated the 2002 version. When the 2005 version came out, I gave Toyota another chance and nearly 13 years later, I’m still driving this 2005 version and LOVE IT, still. I have a red 4-dr 4wd short bed TRD pkg w/ over 90k mi. It still looks nearly new and most people don’t believe it’s an 05.
What’s great about this truck? First, it drives like a dream on the highway. Around town, it’s a truck. Secondly, tire wear is phenomenal. I got 85k mi out if the original set and they rolled as smoothly at 85k as they did when new. The KEY, rotate every 6k mi by criss-crossing the tires (I worked at a tireshop & this avoids the heel/toe wear that causes truck tires to whine). I’m still on the original set of brakes and other than one set of tires and oil changes, I’ve done nothing and had zero issues.
One thing that I did in 2015 that cured my itch for a new truck was to install a Pioneer 4100-NEX Android Auto head unit with a backup camera. A year later, it still feels like a new truck all over again (a better upgrade than you can buy on a new vehicle).
I contemplated buying a new 2016 Tacoma, attracted by the tiptronic trans. But, the 2016 just didn’t feel as nice as my 2005 with the new head unit, so I passed on it.
Gas mileage on the Tacoma is not great, but, that’s true of any truck. If you can find a used 2005 (or later) V6 that is fully optioned and well taken care of, snatch it and install a backup camera/head unit and drive with confidence.
With regular maintenance, I can say that it still runs like the day I bought it new. Over the years I’ve had to replace a few parts such as an A/C compressor and maybe a water pump that was showing age, but overall it has performed very well and still starts easily even in the winter. I have used the truck for hauling fairly heavy loads many times and it has always done great. It drives well at highway speeds as well as in the deep snow or on a sandy beach. The truck has had a few recalls over the years, but Toyota has been good about repairing them without any fuss. The headlight lenses slowly fogged over due to the ice melting chemicals they use here in CO, but I was able to install replacement headlight assemblies in less than 90 minutes, so DYI folks can do some work/customizing on these trucks themselves with relative ease. For a short time I had regular road tires on the truck and it got a respectable 22mpg on the highway… not so much with the bigger tires. If I had to say any negatives about the truck it would have to be the radio volume control, which has become sluggish with age. Seriously, that’s it. I always say the two most reliable things in my life are my wife and my Taco.
My next truck? An all EV or hybrid truck. If Tesla builds one, I’ll consider it. If Toyota builds one, I’ll buy it.
