midsize trucks is under assault<\/a>\u00a0from Detroit\u2019s biggest truck armies. While the full-size segment has been a raging war between Ford, Chevy, GMC, Toyota, and Nissan, the midsize front has been strangely peaceful. Chevy\u2019s Colorado and GMC\u2019s Canyon got out in 2011 \u2014 as did Ford\u2019s Ranger \u2014 leaving the spoils to Tacoma and a few scraps for Nissan\u2019s Frontier. But as you may have noticed from the glassware tinkling in your cupboards, the GM makes have unleashed a full-scale artillery assault to retake the pickup segment. Call it P-Day.<\/p>\nThe Colorado and Canyon are formidable players with tomb-quiet interiors, Olympic strength, and competitive pricing.<\/p>\n
The Yanks have turned the tables on their Japanese competitor by offering the most cost-competitive vehicles at a $20,995 (for Colorado, $21,880 for Canyon) \u2014 significantly undercutting the Tacoma\u2019s $24,200 base price \u2014 itself a $2,335 jump over the 2015 model. What\u2019s more, the Detroit boys come at the homely Toyota with dazzling facias and best-in-class fuel economy and towing numbers.<\/p>\n
This two-front war goes to the heart of the segment\u2019s traditional demographics: Budget-conscious, 20-something male adventurers and comfort-minded 50-somethings who want to downsize from full-size pickups the size of Rhode Island.<\/p>\n
Game on. GM\u2019s challenge forced the aging, decade-old Tacoma back to the lab to produce its best truck ever. To counter the GM twins\u2019 superior looks and performance numbers, Tacoma offers go-anywhere, run-forever endurance.<\/p>\n
At the bottom of Double-Drop Hill, I toggled off crawl control which hands me back full control of the vehicle. I floor the 278-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 \u2014 a smooth, gem of an engine \u2014 creating rooster tails of dust as I bomb along the gravel trials. The fun doesn\u2019t diminish on public roads where the TRD Sport\u2019s suspension checks body roll.<\/p>\n
Gone is the old Tacoma\u2019s noisy cabin. Responding to the Detroiters\u2019 hushed interiors, Tacoma upped its game too, surrounding me in a cocoon of acoustic glass and sealed joints to record a claimed best noise\/vibration\/harshness spec (NVH) in class.<\/p>\n
The build quality is superb. No squeaks, no rattles despite the off-road punishment. I bark at the navigation system and she understands every word. Nice. A truck that assaults the trails, then finds the quickest road home for dinner. Cabin amenities are familiar to Toyota owners \u2014 though again Tacoma dances to its own tune with bright, Jeep-like trim molds in the Sport model.<\/p>\n
When you have the tools for the job, it breeds confidence. And confidence breeds personality. I like this Toyota.<\/p>\n
Like Jeep, that personality brings swagger. At Black Diamond Toyota names its final obstacle the Devil\u2019s Boneyard \u2014 a sinister rock quarry that the pickup\u2019s 32-degree attack angle and extensive skid-plating tackles with ease. Try that in the handsome, 17-degree-attack-angle Canyon and it won\u2019t be handsome for long.<\/p>\n
Tacoma\u2019s off-road obsession sacrifices looks. The 2016 is an improvement over its homely predecessor. But its blunt front end will win no beauty contests. It\u2019s a bulldog compared to the GM\u2019s golden retrievers.<\/p>\n
The Detroiters\u2019 are on-road work trucks. The Tacoma begs to go to oblivion and back. Throw your dirt bikes into the rugged, composite sheet-lined bed. Tie them down with sliding cleats. Bury the rear axles in mud and sand, the drum brakes won\u2019t mind.<\/p>\n
Which makes for a dilemma. Buy the GMC Canyon to tow your Scion FR-S to the race track? Or claim a Tacoma to have as much fun off-road as the FR-S gives you on-road?<\/p>\n
2016 Toyota Tacoma<\/p>\n
Vehicle type:\u00a0Front-engine, rear and four-wheel-drive, five-passenger pickup<\/p>\n
Price:\u00a0$24,200 base (TRD Sport AWD model tested starts at base $33,850; Limited model starts at $38,720)<\/p>\n
Power plant:\u00a02.7-liter in-line 4-cylinder; 3.5-liter V-6<\/p>\n
Power:\u00a0159 horsepower, 180 pound-feet of torque (4-cyl); 275 horsepower, 268 pound-feet of torque (V-6)<\/p>\n
Transmission:\u00a0Five-speed manual or six-speed automatic<\/p>\n
Performance:\u00a0Payload: 1,120 pounds; Towing capacity: 6,400 (with prep package)<\/p>\n
Weight:\u00a04,445 pounds (4WD double cab as tested)<\/p>\n
Fuel economy:\u00a0EPA 19 mpg city\/22 mpg highway\/20 mpg combined (4-cyl 4WD); EPA 18 mpg city\/23 mpg highway\/20 mpg combined (V-6 4WD)<\/p>\n
Report card<\/p>\n
Highs:\u00a0Go anywhere attitude; hushed interior<\/p>\n
Lows:\u00a0Base price sticker shock; gas mileage barely better than full-size truck<\/p>\n
Overall:\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I\u2019m confused. I just spent a day flogging a Toyota Tacoma pickup and I can\u2019t wipe the grin off my face. Yes, Toyota. That manufacturer of the best auto appliances \u2014 and cures for insomnia \u2014 in the business. Camry, Corolla, RAV4, Avalon. Reliable, competent, dependable. And as exciting as vanilla. There are exceptions to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17071"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17071"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17071\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17072,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17071\/revisions\/17072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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