Used 2013 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab Consumer Reviews

Solid medium size truck

No Tacoma "Fan Boy" here. This is my first Toyota vehicle and there have been no surprises so far. The 2013 Tacoma has been what a truck this size should be. Powerful, quite, smooth at highway speeds. It does have a firm ride thanks to the TRD off road pkg. I am 6'1" and the cab had plenty of room in the front and rear seats. Parking this truck is no major chore with the short bed. I paid $500 below invoice or $30180 before TTL fees. Overall I am very happy with this truck.

Still too many quirks - update

133,000 miles now and the truck started to lack power and rough idle. Cleaned the MAP sensor, changed spark plugs and ran two bottles of Chevron Techron, one per tank full. Engine is much smoother and appears to perform more like when it was new. I changed my center support bearing for the drive shaft with an aftermarket part despite it being in good shape. Lo and behold, the drive line vibration disappeared. Kinda sad that Toyota wouldn't do that at 120k miles ago, when the problem started, while within warranty. Installed my second set of tires and the wheel vibration was unbearable just like the day after I bought the truck. Took the truck to the same place as before and paid $175 to have all four wheels "road force balanced". No one else, can seem to get it right. The exhaust chirp/chatter is now ridiculously loud, but no one can seem to find the exact source. All I know is that this noise disappeared after Toyota recalled the catalytic converter. It was quite for about 2 years then the noise came back. Asked Toyota and they said it would be customer pay this time. I'm nearing the point where I may be finally satisfied with this truck; so long as nothing serious goes wrong. Just wish it had actually felt like a quality vehicle within the first few years of ownership rather than 100k+ miles after. Still, I doubt I'll seriously consider another one. I hear that Toyota, much like most truck manf, is considering to move production to Mexico. No thanks, I've been down that road before with VW. That's probably another disaster waiting to happen. Now at 143000 miles. Haven't been putting much time in the truck due to pandemic. Not much has changed from last update. Although I recently replaced the front brakes because of squealing. Its another problem I've had since new. This time I tried new rotors and a different pad but once the brakes bed in, the noise returned. I found a TSB online for a couple unusual places to add brake grease so I'll give that a try. Q2-2021 (148k miles) and I really don't find many things to like about this truck. A/c compressor started making a funny noise. Steering wheel has a bad shimmy and rattles over bumps in the road. BUT it keeps on running. Nothings officially broken so I'll keep driving it. Don't think I've ever been so disappointed in a reliable vehicle before. So I'm over 162k miles and I still hate this truck. No improvement or worsening of the existing issues. A new one has developed now and it makes it difficult to drive with the windows down on nice days. Either I'm listening to the chirping cat converter or the new noise which is loud metal to metal chattering from the chassis. Took it to two shops and they say despite the horrific sound, there appears to be nothing wrong with critical components. Unfortunately neither could determine the source. Thus is a growing theme for the truck. Shaftline vibrations, wheel vibrations, cat converter chirping, differential whine at hwy speeds, door seal howls like a reed instrument in heavy weather and now the chassis clatters like something is loose and about to fall off. I'm giving the truck a few more years then good riddance. Rear wheel bearings failed at 175k miles. Take about 6-8 hours of labor and a special jig to press out the bearings. Cost be $2500 for two rear wheel bearings. Changed front bearings too because they felt a little crunchy. Shop tells me that wheel bearings on these Tacomas commonly fail under 100k miles and that 175k was well above average. Center support bearing failed again and the driveline vibration is back. Front brake calipers failed last year too. Had them replaced, along with new pads, rotors, flex lines and the system was flushed and topped off with fresh fluid. That lasted 14 months. Too much run out on the rotors is causing the brakes to pulsate. Hoping to last through this year before I do my sixth brake job in 11 years and 175k miles. Also developing leaks from the valve cover gasket and spark plug hole gasket. Changed the PVC valve just in case that was the problem but the leak comes back. Sad to say that I've had a Honda, Mitsubishi and a Kia with fewer repairs through 200k miles. I just don't get how the Tacoma has this reputation for quality.

4x2 Double Cab PreRunner V6 (5 Speed Automatic)

I've been driving BMWs for quite a awhile but my wife and I entered the home renovation phase that required multiple trips to Lowes/HomeDepot and similar stores. The day I had to pay a guy with a truck $20 to assist me with delivering some drywall was the day I knew we needed a truck in our household. Not a BMW but for a mid-size truck, comfortable and agile enough to move around town without mowing everyone down. I purchased a special 'demo' version that contains almost every accessory available and it's a sharp looking vehicle. My wife, kids and even the dogs seem to enjoy it. I feel good that I don't have to worry tearing up $60K plus vehicles while renovating our home.

Former Ford Guy, Turned to Tacoma

I have only owned Rangers and F150s my whole life. Its 2012 and Ford no longer makes the Ranger nor did they ever offer a 4 cyl double cab. I turned to Toyota due to claims of reliability and the size of the Tacoma. Its the perfect size. Bought the Double cab prerunner with the 4 cyl motor and LOVE it. Plenty of power to get around. MPG is right on EPA estimates which I cant say about my F150. So far have averaged 21.4MPG with heavy city driving. The build quality is great as are numerous features of the truck. It looks tough and sits high which I like for visibility.

Awesome

I have owned jeeps, wranglers and cherokees. This Tacoma with the TRD off road package, supercharger, and Baja suspension is a much better vehicle then the jeeps. Much more reliable and excellent off road. Will it mach a Rubicon no, but it will hang with it. The truck is much more reliable and comfortable on the road then a rubicon. Toyota's dependability is unmatched.

Just OK

This is the best vehicle I have owned. I drive a lot of miles each year plus tow a 3000lb camper very frequently. This truck has not let me down at all. I love the comfort and style. The navigation works flawlessly and the JBL stereo is very nice. I have driven this truck through all types of climate and coast to coast and not experienced a single problem. This truck brings me joy just to get in and drive it. I simply love my Tacoma. Update...after driving it for 3 years now it has not gone smoothly. I have had consistent issues with the air conditioner not working properly and at 60000 the rear differential went out on the truck, this was a known issue with Toyota and there was a TSB for the problem. That being said makes my opinion of Toyotas reliability not as good.

Solid Truck

Bought a TRD Off-Road version and have already put 25K miles on it. The truck is very comfortable to drive, relatively quiet inside, and it is just the right size for my needs. The JBL sound system is comparable to the upgraded sound systems on most luxury cars. The V6 provides more than adequate power, but I'd love to see the Tundras 4.6 V8 as an option. The BFG tires that come with the off-road strike a great balance between on road and off road driving. Also despite the Edmunds review the brakes are not at all spongy, if anything they are grabby.

2013 trd sport

bought it certified pre owned; with 13k miles, and 100k warranty, saved 30%. mine is not a 4x4; but, I'm not an off roader. No, it isn't a Tundra deluxe, but I like it. very comfortable ride; better than an SUV, great truck for those who want the best of both worlds. I don't do much hauling; if you want heavy duty, look for a Tundra, but for every day family use and utility; this is great.

Underpowered but great truck

I love my truck and wouldn't trade my truck for anything, but I have been spending lots of money for a little more horsepower and gas mileage. I am leaning more towards a turbo which are hard to come by because its too new. I'm not sure other Toyota models have more horsepower than the Tacoma. Other models include the Camry, 4-Runner, and FJ Cruiser.

Hard to beat Toyota longevity and resale value!

I purchased my 2013 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4wd new and only have two complaints. First the brakes are grabby sometimes at start up during cold weather. I plan on upgrading the brakes with quality drilled and slotted rotors with premium brake pads soon. Second when in 4wd low there is an alarm that goes off the entire time you have 4wd low selected. Very annoying! The truck is very off road capable and in my opinion the off road version rates up there with the Jeep Rubicon! I really love this truck and get a lot of compliments on it. My wife has a 2016 Limited 4runner and the brakes are perfect on it so Toyota has improved them. We have owned several makes and models and have had the best service with Toyota brands! The last four Toyota vehicles we have owned and sold over the years we made money on or got what we paid for them minus basic maintenance costs. We take very good care of our vehicles and have not had any trouble selling our previous used Toyota's! We live in a mountainous area and all the bear hunters use Toyota Tacoma 4wd trucks due to their bullet proof reliability and go any where abilities even with 300k miles on them! Take care of them and they will last! If I could have only one truck it would be a Toyota with out a doubt! We work hard for our money and want a trouble free vehicle that is still worth something in ten years. Toyota has proven to us to be reliable trouble free vehicles especially the Tacoma's and 4Runners!

love this truck

Won't ever drive anything else but a Toyota Tacoma or 4 runner again!

Good/Safe/Reliable

Had a '14 4cyl. Tacoma access cab that I hit/bounced off a bridge 2 X at 70 MPH all bags (except passenger - no passenger) went off. It was totaled but crumpled as designed and trans/engine went into pavement as designed. It saved my life and no injuries. Replaced it with this '13 pre runner with a 4.0 six cyl. Get real avg. 20 MPG. Installed a Firestone rear airbag kit and the ride improved dramatically carrying 10 psi. with no load. I am an old guy and do not race around but plenty of power for me. We have had a 4runner, Landcruiser and several older off road junk tacomas. They all did their job and lasted if maintained.

Awesome

I love the truck better now than I did when I first got it.

Value

Great value for the cost, I looked for a truck for months. Most cost to much for a truck; if I wanted all the luxury bells and whistles I would buy a car. This truck fits me for the type of small projects I like doing.

Perfect dad truck!

I love this truck!! Legendary reliability and resale value is ridiculously high! I have a v6 tx edition pre runner double cab so it has a tough rugged look. Cant even count how many compliments Ive gotten on how badass the truck looks, I had a crewmax tundra and the taco is much easier to maneuver and more comfortable to drive daily, although the interior is smaller, my 2 kids and the wife fit comfortably. My only regret is not getting the 4x4 but I'm not much of an offroader. I mainly use the vehicle to drive to work , plenty of stop n go lights but gas mileage is decent and you don't notice the meter move unlike full size trucks.

Toyota are cowards

This vehicle I've owned for 2 years. It has automatic accelerated twice. Toyota refuses to deal with the issue, blaming the weather tech floor liners. Which come no where near the gas pedal. The truck should not continue to accelerate while you have both feet on the brake mashing it to the floor.

Great truck!

Good truck with some issues.

I purchased this truck in 2013 brand new. I still own it in October of 2016. There are two design flaws and one other issue with this truck. The two design flaws are: 1. There are two rubber strips across the top of the truck that come loose in strong wind or at the car was. I'm not exactly sure why these two rubber strips are on top of the truck in the first place. They don't seem to do anything except come off the truck. 2. The painted on descriptions of the controls. For example ... "POWER" on the radio knob. These painted on descriptions come off over time since they weren't recessed into the dash then painted so you couldn't touch the paint. In my opinion if they were just recessed without painting they would look better. So the descriptions of the knobs will come off over time due to touching them. The other issue is towing and the shifting of gears. I towed a UTV on a utility trailer. I could not use the cruise control when towing this UTV because the RPM's would go too high. Even without towing something the shifting takes a while at higher speeds (60+ MPH) when getting on the highway. Once it does finally shifts gears lowering the RPM's it's fine. I love the way my Tacoma TRD looks and handles, but there are issues that keep it from getting a 5 star rating that could have been caught in the design of this vehicle. I would recommend this truck but not if you want to tow something at it's maximum towing capacity and as long as you are OK with it's design faults.

only owned it for a month

I traded in my BMW for this truck and what a difference. I know I can't compare apples to oranges but basic things that were lacking in a 2013 model really irritated me. For instance I drove from California to the NW and on the way encountered cold weather, the side mirrors would fog up and there weren't any defrosters to clear this up. Also, the gas mileage was awful. This truck doesn't have a very strong engine. The standard sound system was ok but could be improved. The gearing on the manual transmission was very hard to shift. i guess it would be good as a hauling vehicle for short trips but other than that definitely not a daily commuter.

Hitting the sweet spot...

Looking for a respectable truck that can get around town and hit trail. Some of the amenities are a little outdated and the mileage is less than you want. That said, you want a capable off road vehicle that is comfortable around town with ok mileage then this is it.

Not the quality I've had before

Nothing major but a lot of small issues that I'm not satisfied with. Cheaply made interior. Radio won't work below 55. Jerky shifting - been that way since I bought it. Bluetooth won't stay connected. Can't get anyone to look at bluetooth or radio - told me they could replace. Got tired of asking them to look at those two things. Why have bluetooth in a vehicle if you can't use it? I'm not the only Toyota owner that has this problem. Rides rough. Not made for short people. Minimal driver's seat adjustment. Massive blind spots.

T Force, none better

Might as well get all the bells and whistles on this unique, tricked out version of the Tacoma. Almost 4 years later and still turning heads everywhere we go.

The best Midsize Truck for less

This Truck makes it less painful at the pump. The ride is like a luxury vehicle. You will feel very safe in this four wheel drive!

The truck that you will love to drive!

This truck will be less painful at the pump.The truck that feels like luxury. This vechical will drive you in safety!

Best truck ever created

I have owned 2 of these trucks.Guess what has broken on both of them only a ac compressor which is a known issue that's the only thing. Very capable off road extremely reliable comfortable. It doesn't need alot of power it needs to be reliable and it is there is virtually no time I have said I need more power going on a rough dirt road.

Tacoma stats

Outstanding truck!

Silver

Great gas mileage and overall love the color

2013 was a great year for Tacoma

Love this truck! Feels like its just broke in with 88k miles on it. 4.0 V-6 is a winner.

2013 Toyota Tacoma

Drives great. Hard to find leather seats in great condition. Double cab with 6 foot bed also hard to find. Gave my 1990 Toyota hilux 4x4 V6 extended cab with only 151k miles to my son!

OVERATED!

most uncomfortable truck i've ever owned. The driver's seat is so poorly designed I can hardly walk when I leave the truck after 30 minutes of driving. Miss my chevy silverado crew cab. The dealership was terrible, didn't even offer to demonstrate the vehicle after the purchase. Just handed me the keys and walked away. (Smithtown Toyota, NY). I had to go find the truck myself. The truck is overpriced to begin with which explains the higher resale price. After driving full sized silverados with every option available for almost the same price, I was amazed that so few comfort and convenience options are available for these trucks i.e. power leather heated seats, climate control.

A Little Give And Take

First, let me say I love my Tacoma (2013 TRD Off Road) despite its shortcomings. While considered a compact truck, the cab is about the same size as my 1965 F100, showing how much trucks have inflated! Life is give and take, and this applies to the Tacoma as well. Here’s the “give”. The truck has power to spare from the 4.0, and the automatic shifts smoothly. I sometimes drive for hours at a time and have never had any complaints about the ride or comfort. The truck is loaded, and one of my favorite features is the JBL audio system. Folding down the rear seat of the double cab gives ample usable hauling space to make up for the bed, but I get ahead of myself. Now the “take”. The dash is loaded with switches, most of which I have never used, and some of which I’m still not sure of the purpose. If it weren’t for the 4-low setting the truck would be useless as an off road vehicle. Locking the rear end or using 4-high to get out of any situation is a frustrating act of futility. Also, the 4-wheel system is electric, so we’ll see how it holds up. 15.6 mpg. Not much else to say there. The 5-foot bed is a joke, but if you’re not going to use it as a heavy hauler (and why would you) it’s fine. Light loads and cruising are it’s forte. Overall the Tacoma is a great truck for general use.