It is hard to believe that twenty-five years ago, customers at Toyota near Fullerton, Toyota of Orange, were just getting wind of a new pick-up truck on the market called the ‘Tacoma’. It is safe to say that the Toyota Tacoma is the most popular pick-up nameplate in North America, even though it was manufactured by a Japanese car company!
The Tacoma at Fullerton car dealerships is as American as apple pie, baseball, indulgent food combos, and same-day online delivery. Time flies by, and the fellows at Toyota near Fullerton can’t comprehend that it has been a quarter of a century since the first introduction of the Tacoma happened. Now is the perfect time to look back at how this iconic pick-up all started and the evolution it has gone through to become the most popular pick-up truck today!
Was The First Toyota Pick-Up A Tacoma?
Funny enough, the first Toyota pick-up truck was not a Tacoma. Toyota did not begin to import pickup trucks to the United States until the 1960s. The first truck that the Japanese car company brought over to America was called the Stout. It sold, but in very low numbers.
Toyota tried to amp up their pick-up truck game by replacing the medium-sized Stout in the 1960s with the smaller, and ultimately more popular, Hilux. Eventually, the Hilux would simply become the “Toyota Pickup” across the United States.
Since the Hilux, a.k.a “The Toyota Pickup” did well in the market throughout the 1970s, ‘80s, and well into the ‘90s, Toyota essentially sat on their laurels and kept giving the US car market the same Toyota pick-up truck that the entire world was buying. In essence, their philosophy was, “if it isn’t broken, why fix it?”
However, in 1995 something switched on for the car manufacturers at Toyota, and they decided it was time to give the American people something that could replace the Hilux in the North American market. This marks the start of a brand new era for Toyota.
Year 1995: The Tacoma Was More Than A Pick-Up
Toyota of Orange, the Toyota near Fullerton, reminds us that back then, the North American pick-up truck market was increasing steadily. That is why Toyota had to come up with a pick-up truck that wasn’t just for hauling or just your typical worker’s vehicle.
It had to be something more. That is the reason behind the Tacoma being designed to accommodate the needs of people who want to drive a pick-up truck every day, regardless of the vehicle being used for their job. The Tacoma was targeted to American buyers, who generally prefer this type of vehicle.
The Tacoma started to show its uniqueness right from the start. It provided the drivers and passengers with a more comfortable ride and was a lot safer. Even so, the vehicle still delivered the same capability and reliability that the “Toyota Pickup” gave so many of its dedicated North American customers in the previous years.
Within its first generation, the Tacoma was being offered in standard, extended, and double cab configurations. There were also three different engine options to choose from. Base model trucks were equipped with a 2.4L four-cylinder engine that included a larger 2.7L four-cylinder. The premium models offered a 3.4 liter V6 that produced 190 horsepower.
The first generation Tacoma had a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Obviously, the four-wheel-drive was a top choice when it came to transmission options. Over time, the production operation started to include a couple of other various models targeted at enthusiasts and weekend off-roaders. This included a Prerunner model which highlighted 4×4 suspension on a 2WD pickup and a TRD Off-Road package that debuted in 1998 and featured a locking rear differential.
The unicorn of all Tacomas is a street-oriented, 2WD Tacoma called the S-Runner that was manufactured in very small numbers. The pick-up truck had a 3.4-liter V6 engine, a five-speed manual, Tokico suspension, and a few more aggressive body touches.
When the Tacoma was launched, it expanded the Toyota pickup market to include various types of customers, from workers to off-road hobbyists, who were looking for a reliable truck to fit their needs. However, more changes were yet to come.
The Second Generation Tacoma
In 2004, the pick-up truck market was growing steadily, and many other car manufacturers took notice and began to increase their fleet of pick-up trucks.
Even though at the time Toyota had a full-size truck known as the Tundra, the Tacoma grew bigger for the second generation.
Considerably longer and wider than the past generation, the 2005 Tacoma was now thought to be a mid-size truck and its engine options started to be more powerful to cater to its increase in size. Entry-level models had a 2.7-liter four-cylinder that generated 159 horsepower, while the V6 increased to 4.0 liters and now produced 236 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque.
The second-generation Tacoma was not only larger, but it also had different styling. It had a more aggressive front grille design and a prominent flare in the front and rear fenders. There were even some models with larger fog lights as well as hood scoops for extra personality.
The Third Generation Tacoma
In 2015, the Tacoma was in its third generation, and the pick-up truck was over ten years in production. This was also the year that the 2016 model was launched.
When you first see the 2016 truck models, you might not see much of a difference compared to the previous generations. However, when the third generation was launched, Toyota gave Tacoma a bit of a makeover. The pick-up truck’s frame was created to be lighter and stronger than before and almost all of the mechanical parts were upgraded.
The third generation stopped offering the regular cab model, and the V6 engine became a 3.5 liter 2GR that generated 278 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. Both the automatic and manual transmissions were available in six-speeds.