2016 Toyota Tacoma first drive - Autoweek
Toyota owns the midsize truck segment. Half of all small pickups have a Tacoma badge on the tailgate. “Our goal was to build a truck that is badass,” says Tacoma and Tundra chief engineer Mike Sweers. That’s because “badass” is exactly what Tacoma-driving dudes are after. Sweers says Toyota has the youngest buyers in the segment. They are also loyal to a fault and didn’t want the new truck to stray too far from the outgoing one. No surprise then, the 2016 Tacoma looks like a muscled version of the 2015 model. The new truck uses the same basic ladder frame as the old one, but enhancements ahead of the B-pillar help it meet today’s -- and future -- safety regs. Inside and out, cabs are the same size as the outgoing Tacoma too, while the structure uses more ultra-high-strength steels to meet roof-crush safety legislation. Toyota has added several new seals, silencers and mufflers to nearly every surface in and around the cab to combat noise. Since the frame is somewhat carried over, the front and rear suspension designs aren’t new. You won’t have to pay for 4WD to get the look: All Tacomas ride on the taller 4x4 truck’s suspension and have the same 9. 4 inches of ground clearance. Source: autoweek.com
