The 2011 Toyota Tacoma: Military Grade Hardware for Those Runs to the Hardware Store

There are two very real things in this world that allow tyrants the world over to continue their atrocities: the easily manufactured and durable Kalashnikov rifle, in all its various forms, and quite possibly the only thing that can outlast it: the Toyota pickup truck.

It might surprise you to learn that, in a twist of fate that can only be called fitting, both of these machines can trace their roots to 1947. Having already experimented with stake-bed commercial trucks before the war, Toyota returned to the pickup truck market in ‘47 with the Toyopet SB; a minitruck based upon the running gear of the SA sedan. Underpinned by the now-familiar ladder frame chassis, solid axles front and rear, and semi-elliptical leaf springs at all four corners, the SB became famous for its versatility and dependability, leading American occupation forces stationed in the pacific theatre ordered the truck in droves before it was eventually scrapped in 1957. But Toyota returned to the small truck market just three short years afterward, with the Toyota Stout. Although looking quite similar to the Datsun and Madza compact pickups already in production, the Stout offered the same thrifty economy in a slightly larger package than its Japanese competitors. Eight years later, the first generation Hilux would enter the market, and grow to become one of the most popular trucks in the world with a production run that continues to this day.

However, that’s not the end of the story. In 1995, Toyota recognized the growing gap between North American wants and the International market’s demands, and split their small truck line into two models. Growing out of the rugged Hilux model line, the Toyota Tacoma offered North American buyers a greater array of amenities and comforts so as to better compete with the less tool-like truck offerings available. However, that hasn’t come at the expense of the truck’s immense practicality. Although substantially more staid looking than the machine gun-equipped Toyota “Technicals” seen prowling the Middle East, the current Tacoma still has a businesslike look about it, with a surprising amount of ground clearance by virtue of its relatively high cab floor and short overhangs both front and rear. In just its second generation, the 2011 Tacoma has changed little since its debut in 2005, and the overall appearance is still one that’s dominated by big, meaty tires and compact dimensions. From every angle, it certainly appears to be a truck that’s designed around mobility rather than workability. There’s no extendable steps to ease loading, or running boards to muddy your pantleg on; instead there’s short bumpers tucked up into the fascias, beefy skidplates underneath, and pretty much nothing else.

And that’s exactly as it should be. After all, this is a truck that’s built its reputation on cockroach-like survivability, and less stuff just means less stuff to break. The suspension is prototypical pickup truck gear; with a solid (in every sense of the word) axle in the rear supported by leaf springs complimented by coil-suspended a-arms up front. The powertrain options, although limited and somewhat archaic, work just fine within the confines of the Tacoma’s engine bay. Equipped with the 2.7-litre four pot driving through a five speed manual gearbox, my tester wasn’t exactly spritely, but made light work of most driving duties thanks to its 180 pound feet of torque. Revving quite slowly, it felt exhaustive to push the motor towards its horsepower peak, and doing so was only rewarded with tepid acceleration at best. But with five gears to choose from, the motor was quite content to fall back on its ample torque supply to summit the various hills it faced; a characteristic I’d take over high-revving horsepower any day.

The laid back attitude adopted by the drivetrain seemed to seep into the interior as well, where the Tacoma’s cabin proved to be an almost serene setting to go about the task of motoring. Although the floor and seat height will surprise many first-time Tacoma drivers, one quickly becomes accustomed to the legs-out-front seating position demanded by the truck’s shallow cab. Similarly, the high seating position and large windows offer up great sight lines and a commanding view of the road ahead. The wide-spread dashboard layout is a bit of a throwback, but the textures and materials are all first-rate, and the overall sense is one of a quality interior. Sound isolation is good, although there’s only so much that can be done when the front door closes upon the rear as in the suicide-rear-door-equipped Access Cab model I was driving. A semi-satisfying chuffing sound sneaks into the cabin from the exhaust system, and imbues the truck with a certain nostalgic air that only those that have driven legitimately old, legitimately underpowered trucks can probably relate to. Likewise with the various gear noises that make their way through what I can only surmise to be a minimally sound-deadened transmission tunnel. But, even at highway speed, there’s next to no wind or tire noise to speak of, and the engine turns at a slow enough rpm that even its efforts are only just noticeable. Combine that with the very comfortable seats and great views, and it’s not long before you come to realize that the Tacoma has extremely long legs for a truck its size.

Conversely, at slower speeds and in the confines of urban sprawls, the Tacoma’s lazy engine, massive flywheel, light clutch and ridiculously small turning circle all do their best to fool the driver into thinking they’re merely piloting a large car. Here in Vancouver, parking spaces are at a premium, so it’s not uncommon to find that parking lot owners have attempted to squeeze every last available parking spot into their postage-stamp parcel of overpriced land, and the result can be daunting in most trucks. Even the smaller trucks, with their truck-duty front suspension and longer wheelbases, you can’t help but end up doing your best Austin Powers’ impression to squeeze into a stall as you fight with a terrible turning circle. Not so with the Tacoma; the first time you crank the wheel over it simply seems to spin in your hands forever becoming coming to rest against the lock. As a cul-de-sac dweller, I get a pretty good idea of exactly how tight most vehicles will turn, and I can report that the Tacoma’s turning circle is really on par with 90% of the family sedans on the market today, and is readily capable of maneuvering through the tightest of parking lots.

It’s an interesting experience to climb aboard a truck here in Vancouver, Canada, and know that overseas its value would be assessed on of a scale that most Canadians don’t, or couldn’t, ever appreciate. Here, where a truck’s comfort level, economy, and looks can have as much to do with its success as its capacity and durability, the Tacoma still manages to stand out as a solid contender in the small truck market; a fact that it’s sales figures continually bear out, year after year. But it’s overseas, where a dependable truck can mean the difference between life and death, that Toyota trucks have become truly legendary. And although there are marked differences between the Tacoma you and I can buy, you get the sense that’s there’s more in common than there is different between the Tacoma in your driveway and the Toyota pickups upon which the Middle East was literally built. Just like the infamous Russian rifle that’s equally popular the world over, the Tacoma hasn’t forgotten the simplicity and rugged dependability that has made it great and one thing’s for sure: you probably won’t either.