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The original mission of the pickup truck was to be a bare-bones utilitarian workhorse. But seeing as how over 2 million people this year alone have purchased a pickup, it’s clear the blue-collar automotive poster child has taken on a broader role. Not all truck buyers are ranch hands, farmers, or construction workers, so it begs the question of whether or not a full-size, work-ready truck like the Ford F-150 (also the long-running best-selling truck in America) is necessary. At nearly 19 feet long, 6.5 feet wide, and weighing just shy of 5,000 pounds, the F-150, like most popular pickup trucks, is quite a lot of truck to be a lifestyle choice. The logical remedy is simple: the Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road.
Massive pickups that rival small commercial rigs in terms of both torque and towing capacity are in overabundance in the marketplace. But when it comes to small-ish pickups that neither require a step stool to get in and out of nor take up your entire driveway, the choices are slim. The Tacoma TRD Off-Road, with the V6 Tow Package — a small truck with big capability — sounds like a niche vehicle within a niche category, but its balance of size and capability both on- and off-road makes it all the truck the average person would ever need without becoming an impractical behemoth.
Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road Specs
Engine: 3.5-liter V6
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Horsepower: 278
Torque: 265 lb-ft
Drive System: 4×4
0–60 mph: 7.3 seconds
Fuel Economy: 18/23 mpg
Heading out to the Valley of Fire state park for Gear Patrol Magazine: Issue Three, I flew into Las Vegas and then drove 60 miles to Moapa Valley to set up camp at the Logandale Trails trailhead to find that the Taco’s practicality comes in waves. You don’t realize how good it is in any given situation until you toss it in, headlights first.