The three things that are crucial in a pickup truck are performance, versatility, and capability. These three things aren’t dissimilar and ultimately share the same ideas, and that’s because the real reason why you want a pickup truck mostly comes down to one thing: you need a pickup truck. We all know one size doesn’t fit all with pickup trucks, which is why not everyone drives a full-size truck. What do you do when you want a pickup truck but don’t want a full-size truck, or more commonly, can’t accommodate or afford a full-size truck? The best thing to do would be to switch your focus to a midsize pickup, and among the crowd of midsize pickup trucks you could purchase, the 2023 Toyota Tacoma is a midsize truck with full-size dreams, but its main draw comes down to a more accessible price tag than most other midsize trucks you’ll see.
The 2023 Toyota Tacoma is available in a wide range of trims. For example, seven available trim levels are presented when shopping for a 2023 Tacoma: the SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, the Trail Special Edition, and the TRD Pro finish the lineup. Pickup truck shoppers who want to save money should consider the Tacoma SR, which begins at a price of $27,750.[a] Compare this against a truck like the Jeep Gladiator, Honda Ridgeline, or Jeep Gladiator, all three of which start at a price thousands of dollars above the base Tacoma. For those looking for an affordable midsize truck equipped with the performance and capabilities they’re looking for, consider the 2023 Tacoma for your next reliable workhorse. Let’s take a closer look at what makes this pickup so special.
MSRP: $27,750 [a]
Horsepower (hp): 159
Torque (lb-ft): 180
Max. Towing (lbs): 6,800
The 2023 Tacoma comes with two exceptional engine options. It doesn’t utilize a turbocharged or V8 engine but instead comes with a standard 2.7L I-4 engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. There is also a 3.5L V6 engine option that can be paired with a 6-speed automatic or manual transmission. The 2023 Tacoma joins the 2023 Gladiator as the only two midsize trucks that can be paired with a manual transmission.
The base 2.5L I-4 engine gets 159 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. Rear-wheel drive is standard, but we expect many drivers to instead go with 4WD as the Tacoma is a rare case: an off-roading-capable midsize pickup truck if fitted correctly. With the base powertrain, the Tacoma tows 3,500 lbs and possesses a payload capacity of 1,685 lbs. Additionally, the 2.5L I-4 engine is responsible for the 2023 Tacoma’s base EPA-estimated ratings of 20 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway with RWD, while off-roading-focused 4WD models with the base engine get 19 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway. Admittedly, the towing capacity is a tad lower than some competing trucks, but its cheaper price tag more than makes up for it.
With the 3.5L V6 engine installed, the 2023 Tacoma outputs 278 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. The Tacoma’s towing capacity is almost doubled, with the V6 engine moving to 6,800 lbs, a couple of hundred pounds short of a complete doubling in towing performance. Mixing the 3.5L V6 engine with the 6-speed manual transmission and a four-wheel drivetrain makes the Tacoma feel more capable of off-roading than most other midsize pickup trucks on the market. The 3.5L V6 engine can only be installed with 4WD, but even so, fuel efficiency remains decent regardless of the transmission: the automatic transmission receives EPA-estimated ratings of 18 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway, while the manual transmission gets 17 MPG in the city and 21 MPG on the highway.
There are more than a few features you’ll be excited to get with the purchase of a 2023 Tacoma. Toyota’s engineers ensure you’re getting features that make you confident in your purchase but also help you avoid feelings of buyer’s remorse; the lower starting price compared to other midsize pickup trucks on the market also contributes to this. Modern-day pickup trucks are safer than their older counterparts, and the Tacoma’s lower starting price may make you think it lacks advanced safety features. Those coming from an older truck model may believe they need to spend more to get industry-leading safety features; however, that’s not the case because the Tacoma has Toyota Safety Sense built-in.
Toyota Safety Sense is one of the leading examples in modern-day safety engineering, and this suite of features is something you’ll see on a host of Toyota vehicles; the 2023 Tacoma is no exception. Thanks to the inclusion of Toyota Safety Sense, buying base-level Tacoma trims like the SR and SR5 means you’re still getting the bulk of what Toyota’s safety suite can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. Features like Lane Departure Alert and Lane Tracing Assist work in tandem with Road Sign Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, and Automatic High Beams, which comprise most of the standard safety features. One of the most popular features in any safety suite is what Toyota calls the Pre-Collision System, and the added benefit of Pedestrian Detection means your vehicle will stop for more than just vehicles to avoid a potential collision.
The 2023 Tacoma is more technologically advanced than some of its peers, owing to features some vehicles continue to lack, such as a Wireless Charging Pad for cell phones and other Qi-compatible devices. The base Tacoma isn’t void of any of the significant and mandatory-feeling features, although its low starting price may have you thinking otherwise. The main differences from the list of infotainment center arrangements come down to screen size, speaker setups, and onboard features like factory-installed navigation. However, the base Tacoma and its 7-inch infotainment center also include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both allowing owners of iPhones or Android phones to choose from a list of navigation apps courtesy of their respective app stores. The base model Tacoma also includes a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, but if you want to upgrade your infotainment center, you may do so as an 8-inch screen is available.
Not every Tacoma model is like the other; some Tacoma models are a 4×2 or 4×4 Access or Double Cab. The Access Cabs have a seating capacity of 4 passengers, and the double cab has a capacity of five. The 2023 Tacoma is also available in two different bed lengths. Coming standard with the Tacoma is a 5-foot-long bed, which is serviceable for a midsize truck. Alternatively, if you want a longer bed, you can extend the Tacoma bed by a foot, with the larger bed size being 6 ft in length. What makes more of a difference is the cab size you buy, as this correlates more with how comfortable it’ll be for you to drive the Tacoma and for your passengers to sit in it.
Firstly, none of the cab configurations impact you directly; instead, it’ll affect the two or three passengers behind you. This means every 2023 Tacoma gives you and the person to your right side 39.7-inches of headroom, 42.9-inches of legroom, 57.2-inches of hip room, and a rather wide 58.3 inches of shoulder space to match the excellent hip room measurements. Operating the 2023 Tacoma is a comfortable experience no matter the body size, so tall drivers will find themselves amply fitting inside Toyota’s flagship midsize truck.
The Double Cab provides a better fit for backseat passengers in the 2023 Tacoma, the same cab that allows for one more passenger. Starting with the Access Cab, people in the back row have 34.9 inches of headroom, 24.6 inches of legroom, 51.7 inches of hip room, and 56.5 inches of shoulder room. The Double Cab increases all four of these dimensions as everyone sitting behind the driver will have 38.3 inches of headroom, which isn’t far off from the 39.7 inches the front row has. The Double Cab also gives passengers in the back 32.6 inches of legroom, and similar to the headroom, the shoulder and hip room are also comparable to the front-row dimensions. The 2023 Tacoma’s rear row has 56.3 inches of hip room and 58.9 inches of shoulder room; the latter is surprisingly slightly wider than the front row.
We take great satisfaction in knowing we’ve matched our customers with vehicles that perfectly meet their unique driving needs. We’re dedicated to helping you find the ideal Toyota vehicle. If you’re looking to upgrade your vehicle, we’ve got all the info you need to ensure your upgrade path is worthwhile, and most importantly, we’ll ensure you’re getting your money’s worth.
Our sales team are fans of the Toyota brand, and you’ll learn by speaking with our team that Toyota vehicles are some of the best around for many reasons and how they can directly and naturally fit into your daily routine. Faith’s Toyota is here for more than when you’re buying your Toyota vehicle; we’ll be there for you going forward should you choose to enlist the help of our on-site service center to get your vehicle fixed by certified Toyota technicians. All the services we provide: financing, servicing, sales, and more, can all be found under one roof. We invite you to visit us here at Faith’s Toyota, and our team will be more than happy to get you behind the wheel of a great Toyota vehicle, including the exciting 2023 Toyota Tacoma.