1999 Toyota Tacoma Review

Name: 1999 Toyota Tacoma Review
Brand: Toyota
Price: 2592 USD
Rating: 4.8 (74 reviews)

(74)

1999 Toyota Tacoma 2 Dr Limited 4WD Extended Cab SB

1998 Toyota Tacoma 2 Dr Prerunner V6 Extended Cab SB

1998 Toyota Tacoma 2 Dr SR5 V6 Extended Cab SB

1999 Toyota Tacoma 2 Dr Prerunner V6 Extended Cab SB

1999 Toyota Tacoma 2 Dr SR5 Extended Cab SB

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Toyota Tacoma model years

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Toyota Tacoma types

Extended Cab
Regular Cab

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Edmunds' Expert Review

by the Edmunds Experts

Pros

A wide range of drivetrain and cab layout options guarantee there's a Toyota Tacoma that fits your needs.

Cons

Like most Toyotas, the price rises quickly once you start adding options that most truck buyers would require on even a basic truck.

What’s new

The 1999 Toyota Tacoma gets new front seat belt pre-tensioners and force limiters. Optional on Xtra Cab models is an AM/FM four-speaker CD audio system while 4x4s get 15-by-7-inch steel wheels. The PreRunner adds a regular cab option to its model mix. Natural White, Imperial Jade Mica and Horizon Blue Metallic replace White, Copper Canyon Mica, Evergreen Pearl and Cool Steel Metallic as color options.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 1999 Toyota Tacoma SR5 2dr Extended Cab 4WD SB (2.7L 4cyl naturally aspired 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.11 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$218/mo

$227/mo

Avg. Compact Truck

Calculate my fuel costs

Vehicle overview

Toyota's sixth-generation compact pickup debuted as a 1995.5 model with an actual model name: Tacoma. It's supposed to suggest the rugged outdoors, as well as strength and adventure. Any of three potent engines go under the hood. Toyota aimed for aggressive styling, inside and out, and Tacomas sport an excellent selection of interior fittings. Regular and extended cab bodies are available, with either two- or four-wheel drive.

A freshening of the front end occurred on both the two- and four-wheel drive models during the last two model years. Swoopy fenders, a larger bumper, aero-style headlamps and a new grille set this truck apart from its forebears. Two-wheel drive Tacomas get a 2.4-liter four-cylinder base engine, rated at 142-horsepower. Tacoma 4x4s earn a 150-horspower, 2.7-liter four. Toyota claims that its four-cylinder engines are comparable to V6s from competitors. If those won't suffice, however, consider the V6 option: a DOHC, 24-valve unit that whips out 190 horses and 220 foot-pounds of torque. With V6 power, borrowed from the now defunct T100, this compact pickup can tow up to 5,000 pounds and soundly trounce most factory sport trucks in the stoplight dragrace.

All Tacomas have front coil springs instead of the former torsion bars, but 4x4s feature longer suspension travel to improve ride/handling qualities. Manual-shift trucks feature reverse-gear synchronization to reduce gear noise when shifting into reverse. Four-wheel antilock braking is optional on all Tacomas, and all pickups contain dual airbags with a shut-off switch for the passenger's side. In top-of-the-line Limited pickups, a One-Touch Hi-Four switch is available for easy, pushbutton engagement of four-wheel drive.

The PreRunner model is set to attract truck buyers who desire, but cannot afford, a 4WD truck, 4WD truck owners who don't use their 4WD as often as they expected, and 2WD truck buyers who take their vehicle off-road. Historically, a "pre-runner" is a truck that pre-runs an off-road race course. Toyota's new PreRunner has benefited from considerable suspension tuning and development work with Toyota Motorsports desert racing truck program to produce a 2WD vehicle with 4WD capabilities.

Toyota hopes to attract buyers with the style and image of its Tacoma as well as a lower price tag. We like the Tacoma, but question the value it represents. Most of these Toyota trucks don't come cheap. Guess that's the price you pay for the peace of mind a Toyota provides.

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 1999 Toyota Tacoma.

5 (78%)

4 (22%)

3 (0%)

2 (0%)

1 (0%)

4.8

74 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

1999 ToyTacomaReview by PJM

taco1999, 02/06/2014

1999 Toyota Tacoma SR5 V6 2dr Extended Cab SB (3.4L 6cyl naturally aspired 5M)

Wow, I have now owned this Tacoma for 19 years now, and I have never put a dime into it except for routine maintenance. The one exception was the mass air flow sensor. It was the only part that ever needed replacement due to failure. It went out about a year after I bought it. The engine still worked with the blown mass air flow sensor; it just would not accelerate smoothly or … quickly. These 3.4 Liter V6 engines are great motors as far as power and reliability. They are also very smooth, but they do not get good gas mileage by any stretch of the imagination. Mine gets anywhere between 16-18 miles per gallon depending on where and how I am driving it. Luckily, this Tacoma is no longer needed as a commuter rig. This is good since both my wife and I live in the Seattle area, and driving a stick shift in the Seattle area is quite miserable since Seattle traffic is insane. Now, that I have owned this rig for more than a decade, I can tell you this old Tacoma has been an extremely useful tool for my family. I am now married, and I am in my late forties, and I also have a fixer upper house, which has constant needs and issues so this old Tacoma is now the house fix it truck. It runs all of the errands for our house no matter how ugly or simple they are. It is funny how I bought this Tacoma more than a decade ago to have a sport truck with the sole intent to go exploring trails and go fishing, and then life started happening. Other than the occasional trail run on a logging road, it does not seen much fun time anymore. It has, however, been used as a truck to move things, and help my friends move things more times than I can count. It is used at least once every other weekend for some kind of work. Okay, so let me tell you some of the bad things about it, which there are not a whole lot. The seats are not at all comfortable. Our Tacoma has the 60/40 split bench seat, which is not the least bit comfortable especially when we have to drive any kind of distance. The suspension is also very tight and hard. Even if we drive it over a small bump, it still kicks you in the kidney and in the ass. Part of this is due to the fact the seats don't have a lot of support. It is, however, a truck so it is not exactly built to be comfortable especially since it was built using two decade old technology. Remember when buying one of these old Tacomas, they are trucks built with twenty-five plus year old technology so they are no where near as ergonomically friendly or as comfortable as the new generation of pick-up trucks from any of the manufacturers. They are not even close. A lot has happened in automotive and truck technology since these rigs were designed more than two decades ago. Any of the new pick-up trucks from any of the manufacturers built in the last ten years will be a hell of lot more comfortable than one of these first generation Tacomas. It is not even a close competition. I will give you some information about our Tacoma. It is a 1999 SR5 Extra-Cab with the 3.4 Liter V6, and the manual R150F 5-Speed transmission. It is also a four wheel drive. Our Tacoma is a bare bone stock SR5 with the only amenities being power steering, power brakes and air conditioning. Everything else on it is manual. It has manual windows, door locks and manual locking front hubs that have to be locked in order to use the four wheel drive. It still has the original stereo system, which works fine. We had the bed sprayed with Line-X a few years back, which makes hauling dirty crap a lot easier. Our old Tacoma is straight, but the paint is definitely showing its old age; the paint doesn't have any luster to it anymore. Now that this Tacoma is almost twenty years old, I pay acute attention to its maintenance. I follow the Clinton's service manual religiously. I have always been diligent about maintaining this rig, but now that I am older, and it is older, I pay even closer attention to its maintenance details. I run full synthetics on all of its lubricants, and I change them out at the appropriate intervals. At 51, I still love driving it even though I don't drive it much on the freeway or any place fun anymore. Good Luck to all of you with your purchase. I hope this review helps you with your decision. Good Luck Once Again. Update: I still have this old Tacoma, and nothing has changed. It has become more uncomfortable to drive as I have gotten older, but I am pretty sure this old beast is going to out live me. The old beast has helped countless friends with their divorces and moving escapades. The paint is starting to fall off of it, and my family and I are currently working on trying to get it repainted. We would love to change the color of it to metallic forest green.

RIP my dearly departed Tacoma

janakins42, 11/03/2011

1999 Toyota Tacoma 2dr Regular Cab SB (2.4L 4cyl naturally aspired 5M)

This truck was the best vehicle I have ever had. She made me fall in love with trucks and Toyotas. I fell in love with her after I learned how to drive a stick. I bought her with 60k miles and put 100k on her before her unfortunate end. She saved my life after colliding with a Grand Am. I have never had to do any major repairs or anything else besides routine maintainence. She took all …

A Great truck to own, wish I could buy another.

wolfnium, 08/27/2013

1999 Toyota Tacoma SR5 2dr Extended Cab SB (2.4L 4cyl naturally aspired 5M)

I bought my truck new in 1999. I ran 2 crank cases of 10w-30 Castrol regular motor oil. After that, I have used 10w-30 Castrol synthetic motor oil ever since. I change oil about every 5000 miles. I have had to replace the electronics to repair a left turn signal issue that cost about $500.00. I have had to replace the power steering pump, twice as the first one was a rebuild and under …

Bullet Proof

David R, 11/21/2017

1999 Toyota Tacoma SR5 2dr Extended Cab 4WD SB (2.7L 4cyl naturally aspired 5M)

I have had no problems with this truck for 19 years. With 4X4 it is unstoppable in snow. My total repairs have been a starter motor and a horn ($13) aside from routine maintenance. The 2.7 L motor is okay but a bit weak when towing a boat or trailer. Update: The truck is still running like a champ. I have changed the oil but have had no other repairs.

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