Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
With such an eventful week ahead of me, I could have not received the 2019 Toyota Tacoma at a better time. I was sure to put the hauling features of this mid-size truck to use. Since it launched in 1995, the Toyota Tacoma has been manufactured in the U.S. as a compact pickup, but later classified as a mid-size truck. The Toyota Tacoma is sold in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, Bermuda, Chile, and the French territory of New Caledonia. The Tacoma was introduced as a replacement for the Hilux, which prior to this was marketed in the US under the name Toyota Pickup. The Tacoma name was derived from the Coast Salish peoples’ name for Mt. Rainier in Washington state.
Starting off the venture with Tacoma was to activate at our annual charity Turkey Drive for Thanksgiving. Thanks to the generosity and philanthropic nature of the good people at Toyota, we were provided a 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Double Cab to deliver the goods to all at-need families. As we delivered turkeys around the city, the growling from the VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with intelligence) TRD exhaust surely let me know that we were putting the 278 horses in the 3.5L V6 engine to use. For a midsize truck I was a bit disappointed in the gas consumption. Fuel economy for the Tacoma comes in at 18 mpg in the city, 22 mpg on the highway and 20 mpg combined.
The Tacoma has an excellent balance in ride quality as it is comfortable without too much body roll. The Tacoma TRD has heated and leather-trimmed front seats. Throughout the day we received many compliments on how we arrived in style. The 16” Machine Contrast Alloy wheels and LED foglamps kicked off most of the conversation, followed by how the TRD Premium Off-Road Package really set everything off.
The TRD Off-Road package includes a chrome rear bumper, 16″ wheels, skid plates, chrome grille, locking rear differential, aluminum skid plate, and no hood scoop. All-Terrain tires and a heavy-duty front tow hook complete the package. The TRD Off Road trim models also feature a Multi-Terrain Select that have five drive modes for various terrains. Each mode changes settings with the traction control, ABS, throttle response, transmission shift patterns, and more. The new CRAWL mode will allow the driver to steer the truck in tough terrain while the truck manages braking and acceleration by itself. Both are really cool features.
The interior of the Tacoma features a moon-roof, key-less entry, Qi Wireless phone charging capability, blind spot monitoring system, backup camera, a 7-inch touch screen and the Entune premium JBL audio system with navigation and app suite. The premium JBL Audio system in the Tacoma really enhances the sound in the cabin. The orange JBL colored trim around the dash really gives it the look of a boom box. This was a very creative idea by Toyota. The Entune system connects to apps like Yelp, Pandora, iHeartRadio, local traffic, weather updates, and more. Unfortunately, the system is missing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Instead of the typical pickup truck, which usually only features two front doors, we were offered the Double Cab model, with a rear bench allowing the truck to seat up to five people. The four doors sure came in handy as all of us got in and out at each stop to make the deliveries. It was fun piling up in the Tacoma comfortably while the goods were secure in their dedicated placements. Driving the vehicle around was a pleasure and came replete with enough compartments to house our checklists, laptop, bags and phones. Also, the Rear Back Up Camera and Rear Parking Sonar was very much needed through some of the tight driveways and city alley streets.
The Tacoma comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense P. This safety suite includes forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. There is also a tire-pressure monitoring system, rear parking sensors, and lane-departure warning with rear cross-traffic alert.
Key competitors of the Tacoma are the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, Honda re-launching the Ridgeline, GMC Canyon, the Nissan Frontier and the Ford Ranger Raptor. With the competition getting hotter, Toyota is stepping their game up. Toyota is a brand that inspires buyer loyalty, so their market presence will continue to be strong. The model used comes in at $42,430.00 and very well worth price tag considering all that can be done with it. Enjoy the photo gallery.
