2016 Toyota Tacoma: What's It Like to Live With?
Read the latest updates in our long-term road test of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma as our editors live with this truck for a year.


I've seen the ECT Power switch in Toyota trucks since I was in junior high. I've driven plenty of trucks with the switch. And before this Tacoma, that switch has never made any discernable difference. Now that's changed.
The switch resides on the center stack of our 2016 Toyota Tacoma. I had driven the truck for a day or so before I even noticed it. Then I drove up the longest hill in my neighborhood. We live in the foothills of Orange County's Santa Ana mountains and the houses are built into some real inclines. The one in question rises 450 vertical feet in just over a mile.
Just enough, it turns out, to throw the Tacoma into shift-fits. Be careful how you say that.
The hill is the perfect pitch to create an endless search for the right gear. Try to maintain the speed limit (45 mph) and the Tacoma downshifts. Then speed climbs rapidly and lifting off the throttle is required to maintain the speed limit. As soon as the throttle is closed — even slightly — the transmission upshifts again, the truck begins to lose speed, and the process repeats.
This, friends, is textbook gear hunting. And it's infuriating.
Activating "Power Mode" via the ECT switch essentially solves the problem. Shift points and throttle calibration tweaks let it hold the higher gear up the hill, which is a relief.
It's fairly clear that the Tacoma's stock transmission calibration is a product of a hair-splitting search for fuel economy. It's almost always a gear too high in city driving. Pushing the ECT Power button solves the problem. But should I need to activate an alternate calibration just to drive through my neighborhood?

I got my first taste of our long-term 2016 Toyota Tacoma, so I set up my iPhone holder and pressed record. Vlog time!

Although there have been various versions of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma in the office over the last few months, I never managed to get behind the wheel. This weekend, I got my first chance to get acquainted with our new long-term Tacoma. Here's what I found:
The biggest takeaway from my commute home and various weekend errands? This Tacoma rides significantly better than before. I'm not convinced it's necessarily better than our Chevy Colorado, but this Tacoma is noticeably less jittery over freeway expansion joints compared to the previous model. It feels closer to a full-size truck in this regard, which is no small feat.
As much as I like the ride quality, I'm less impressed by the brakes. They stop well and all, but the pedal is too touchy for my tastes. They make it hard to stop smoothly in stop-and-go traffic. Hopefully this fades a bit as they break in.
At this early juncture, I'm on the fence about the engine and transmission. Although there's plenty of power once the engine is spinning, I wouldn't mind having a little more meat on the low end. I didn't have a chance to play with the transmission much so I'll reserve judgement for now. At this point it feels much like the Toyota automatics on prior Tacomas.
Overall, I like the refinements made to this truck. I found the previous model more agreeable than most, so I wasn't surprised with the mild redesign. We'll see how long that sentiment lasts.
Fuel Economy Update For January - Initial Observations

We're a little overdue but here's our first fuel economy report on our 2016 Toyota Tacoma.
For reference, we've got a 4WD TRD Pro with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and automatic transmission. The EPA says to expect 20 mpg in combined driving. Care to guess what we're averaging so far after the first 2,000 miles?
Worst Fill MPG: 16.9
Best Fill MPG: 19.3
Average Lifetime MPG: 17.8 mpg
EPA MPG Rating: 20 Combined (18 City/23 Highway)
Best Range: 349.0 miles
Current Odometer: 2,125
Is 17.8 mpg disappointing? Maybe a little. But there's not much point in being critical since we're just getting started with our Tacoma. We'll have more to report with February's update in a week or two.
Enjoying the Convenience of a Midsize Short Bed

Want versus need. Keep an eye on what's out on the road and it's immediately obvious that full-size trucks rule the sales charts. And considering that for the price of a new 2016 Toyota Tacoma you can often get within budget range of a discounted or rebated new full-size pickup, going for "more" of what you want certainly makes a lot of sense.
At the same time, you can also make an argument for just getting what you need.
Truth be told, I'm a mediocre stand-in for a truck owner. I don't own any recreational toys (boat, motorcycle, race car). I don't have any big dogs to cart around in the bed. I'm also not often hauling around old engines or cords of wood. Then again, a lot of truck owners I know don't do these things, either.
But I do enjoy the convenience that comes with having a midsize truck at my disposal. Over the weekend I headed to my local nursery to pick up a few bags of potting soil and a few new plants for my backyard. Unlike with a sedan or crossover SUV, I didn't have to worry about whether it would all fit or how I'd protect the interior from dirt or scratches. I just threw everything in our Tacoma's bed, closed the tailgate (newly damped for 2016) and drove off.
I also like the smaller size of the Tacoma compared to a full-size truck. It's easier to park and drive around town. It fits in my garage. The Tacoma's interior also feels right-sized; it's roomy enough take my family (wife, two small children) out to dinner or for errands but not so much as to seem like a waste of space. Compared to our long-term Ford F-150, our Tacoma is about 19 inches shorter and about 6 inches narrower.
Maybe a full-size pickup is still what you want and need. But if you're shopping for a new 2016 truck, there's little harm in at least taking a peek at the new Tacoma.

Our long-term 2016 Toyota Tacoma is a midsize truck with serious off-road capability, and I like that. It seems to compromise some city-driving refinement though, and that I cannot abide. Don't get me wrong, the ride quality is okay for daily driving, but there's a big issue when it comes to the brakes.
The problem with the brakes is right at the end of any braking activity. You know those last two feet before you actually come to a complete stop? Or maybe even the last two inches? It happens right there.
Imagine yourself driving a Tacoma. You see a red light up ahead, you slow progressively, then lighten pedal pressure right before coming to a complete stop. You do this so the heads of all your passengers don't go lurching forward like crash test dummies or so the pizza resting on your back seat doesn't fly off the seat and on to the floor.
In the Tacoma, you can't do that. Heads lurch. Pizza is destroyed. Obi Wan Papa John feels a disturbance in the force and sheds a single tear. I digress. Back to the brakes in our Tacoma.
I've driven the Taco truck with two different pairs of shoes and taken off my shoes altogether just to make sure I wasn't putting undue pressure on the brake pedal. Even with Zen-like concentration, I could only get the Tacoma to stop once without at least some version of its little forward lurch.
Maybe it's the longer travel in the off-road suspension or maybe there's a different compound in the TRD Off Road brake pads. Either way, this thing isn't an ideal city truck, at least not in TRD Off Road trim.
Fuel Economy Update for February - Holding at 18 MPG

A few weeks ago I belatedly reported on our 2016 Toyota Tacoma's fuel economy for its first month of service. Now I'm back with the second month.
Not much changed.
In February we drove about 1,000 miles and averaged 18.0 mpg. That's a slight improvement over January (17.8 mpg) but still below the EPA's combined driving estimate of 20 mpg. Incidentally, we recorded new best (20.3 mpg) and worst (16.8 mpg) lifetime fill-ups this month.
One of the comments from "5vzfe" on that January update was: "Does the EPA treat the TRD Off-Road to its own individual fuel economy test?" I wondered that myself when I wrote the previous update. There have been instances where a particular vehicle trim level earns a slightly lower or higher mpg rating than the rest of the line. But the EPA website and our vehicle's window sticker do not delineate for the TRD Off-Road.
I will note that most of our long-term test vehicles end up with averages somewhere between EPA city and EPA combined. And we've yet to take our Tacoma on any fuel-economy boosting road trips. So there's still plenty of opportunity for an upswing in the months ahead.
Worst Fill MPG: 16.8
Best Fill MPG: 20.3
Average Lifetime MPG: 18.0 mpg
EPA MPG Rating: 20 Combined (18 City/23 Highway)
Best Range: 349.0 miles
Current Odometer: 3,321
March Sees Best- and Worst-Ever Tank Fuel Economy

In March, our long-term 2016 Toyota Tacoma hauled some shrubbery, showed a peculiarity of its keyless entry and drew a mixed review of its powertrain.
The handsome gray pickup was also tasked with considerable road time, racking up some 2,455 miles over the month.
In short, it was a month of highs and lows.
March saw the Tacoma's best-ever single tank fuel economy of 20.6 mpg. This was in turn countered by a 16.0 mpg fill that represents its worst-ever single-tank result. The truck rang in at 18.7 mpg for the month.
In the process, the Tacoma bumped up its lifetime average fuel economy to 18.3 mpg. A relatively good result, but still short of its EPA Combined rating of 20 mpg. Toyota doesn't break out the fuel economy of the TRD Off-Road package separately, though, so it's hard to say just how much of our long-termer's mpg shortfall is attributable to its aerodynamically draggier ride height and knobby tires.

I drove our long-term 2016 Toyota Tacoma for the first time over the weekend. Immediately, I felt like a first-time driver again.
The problem is the Tacoma's brake pedal modulation. It isn't natural, and to an outside observer it can make the Tacoma's driver look like a first-timer. Fellow editor Travis observed it, too. Let's break down the Tacoma's brake pedal action to better describe what it feels like.
Step One: There's some initial pedal travel wherein nothing happens (aka idle stroke). This is typical. Maybe the Tacoma's idle stroke is a hair longer than average. Maybe. In any case, this step isn't where the problem is.
Step Two: Shortly after the idle stroke is an abrupt, nonlinear increase in braking force with little associated increase in effort. This is the first problem with its action.
Instinctively, you back off the pedal a hair to offset this more-than-intended increase in retardation.
Step Three: This brings us to the other problem with the Tacoma's brake modulation — its release characteristic is too aggressive. Ease off the brake pedal a bit and you lose a whole lot (more than expected, anyway) of braking force. Instinctively, you reapply the pedal and you're back at step two.
The upshot of all this is that it's not easy to be smooth in the Tacoma during routine stopping maneuvers around town. Its brake modulation is kinda-sorta workable if you're wearing sneakers (which offer more sensitivity) but significantly more difficult in boots. I found myself having to think about my braking action rather than simply intuiting it, and yet still bobbing the truck's nose more than I'd liked.
For those keeping track at home, the Colorado is clearly better than the Tacoma in the brake modulation category.

Our long-term 2016 Toyota Tacoma calls for its first service at 5,000 miles. It's a relatively simple service compared to some other vehicles in our fleet.
The maintenance log lists the following:
- - Check installation of the driver's floor mat
- - Inspect and adjust all fluid levels
- - Inspect wiper blades
- - Rotate tires
- - Visually inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs
All in all, the tire rotation seems to be the most labor intensive service. Additional service is recommended if you drive frequently on dirt roads or dusty roads, tow often, or a few other situations that don't apply to our truck. No oil change is called for in the first service unless the truck idles extensively or is driven at low speeds in freezing weather.
With just the simple service, I hoped we could get the Tacoma in and out of the dealer in a few hours.
I took the Tacoma to Toyota Santa Monica, just a few miles from our office. I managed to get there right as the doors opened, so there was no wait for a service advisor. The line was backed up to the street by the time I finished getting checked in.
I told the advisor I wanted the 5,000-mile service and asked for an estimate. He looked at the line and told me two hours or less. I received a call fewer than 90 minutes later letting me know the truck was ready.
As I was going over the invoice, I noticed that the dealer performed an oil change despite the Tacoma not needing one. This would have bothered me if I was being charged, but the Tacoma is covered by Toyota’s no-cost maintenance. I’m not going to complain about a free oil change.
Total cost - $0
Total days out of service - Zero

I hate to stop for gas. Hate it. Takes time. Costs money. Yada yada. So I avoid it. Wait til the last minute. Or mile. Drives my wife crazy. My kids too.
And that's why I like cars and trucks that don't just suggest you go for some go-go juice but get aggressive about it. I like cars with bongs and beeps. Cars with bright lights and big messages. I like cars that grab me by the throat and scream STOP FOR GAS STUPID!
I like our long-term 2016 Toyota Tacoma.
With 21 miles of range remaining, the Tacoma's instrument cluster began to grab and scream. On came a very bright idiot light, shaped like a gas pump, beside the truck's gas gauge, along with a complete bright orange takeover of its center information screen and an audible bong. After a few more miles the pressure was just too much, I gave in.
At the pump the truck took 18.022 gallons of 87 octane. I had driven 325.5 mile on the previous tank for an average of 18.1 mpg.
Thing is our Tacoma has a 21.1 gallon tank, which means there were still a few gallons left in the tank when the truck began to bark.
I'll remember that next time.

Our 2016 Toyota Tacoma is getting a healthy amount of miles on its odometer, so this month we brought it in for its first scheduled service. It was just a check up for the most part as an oil change wasn't even part of the suggested maintenance.
Apart from that quick trip, our Tacoma hauled a few bikes in its versatile bed and annoyed yet another editor with its touchy brakes. A heavy dose of urban driving also drove its overall fuel economy number down to 18.3 mpg overall. A big chunk of that was due to its worst overall tank yet which came in a 15.7 mpg.
Worst Fill MPG: 15.7
Best Fill MPG: 19.8
Average Lifetime MPG: 18.3
EPA MPG Rating: 20 Combined (18 City/23 Highway)
Best Range: 349.0 miles
Current Odometer: 7,738

When my daughter slid into the back seat of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma the first thing she did is request a Bluetooth connection. Once that was established, she proceeded to complain about the lack of legroom. Is it really that tight in back of the Tacoma?
Turns out, the numbers back up her complaints. Compared to the Chevrolet Colorado, the Tacoma has considerably less legroom. We're talking over 3 inches here, which is quite big in a midsize truck. Even the ancient Nissan Frontier has more legroom than the Tacoma.
In some other dimensions, the Tacoma is more spacious. It has the same amount of headroom as the Colorado and far more shoulder room (58.9 to 56.1). When it comes to hip room, the Tacoma comes out ahead, too.
She also noted that there aren't any vents for the rear passengers. Given the overall size of the cabin, it's not that surprising that Toyota didn't bother with separate registers for the back seats.
Once the front seats were moved forward far enough to give her adequate legroom, there were no further complaints. I'll take that as a sign that the seats themselves are sufficiently comfortable.

Here it is fast and hard. I loved our long-term Chevy Colorado and up to this point I've hated our long-term 2016 Toyota Tacoma. I've hated the Taco's weird arms-out seating position, its touchy brakes and its lazy throttle response.
But here's the thing, I was wrong.
Not about the Colorado, great truck. I was wrong about the Tacoma. Like me, it's an acquired taste.
At first blush the Tacoma can be a bit off putting. It's kinda in your face. Maybe a bit too aggressive. Emotional even. It doesn't seem to want to conform to you or the way other automakers are doing it. It comes off like it thinks it knows better and at first blush you want to kick it to the curb for its arrogance.
But the truck doesn't mean to offend. You just have to give it chance. Listen to it. Yes, it's a bit heavy handed in the way it approaches the conversation, but you're better off listening to what it's saying instead of how it may be said. Otherwise you might misinterpret the message.
I know this because I got to know the Tacoma better over the last few weeks and it's one helluva truck. There's a reason these things are so popular and with time, and miles, the Tacoma and I have bonded. We've gone from haters to BFFs, and it just took a few hundred miles of togetherness.
After a solid few weeks behind the wheel I no longer have issues with the Toyota's seating position or its brakes. And I've found other subsystems to praise, like its six-speed automatic transmission, which really feels good and responds well when you manually manipulate its gated shifter, and its long-travel off-road capable suspension, which soaks up the paved world better than most luxury sedans.
Being wrong and jumping to conclusions are just part of life, but I'm glad I gave the Tacoma another chance. It deserved it.

I'm not all that fond of the driver seating position in our 2016 Toyota Tacoma. Relative to many other vehicles, the Tacoma's seats are mounted closer to the floor. I'm 5-foot 10-inches tall, but my legs are proportionally long. So in order to get enough thigh support and have my feet in the right places for the pedals, I need to slide the driver seat back. But then my arms are extended out more than I prefer to reach the steering wheel.
Our Tacoma isn't super easy to get in or out of, either. The step-up height is elevated (all rear-drive Tacomas have the same stance as the 4WD versions this year) and the steering wheel can get in the way when I'm moving my legs in and out.
The low seat has been a Tacoma trait for a while now, though apparently Toyota's engineers raised the front seat height for this new generation. I've looked over some Edmunds.com 2016 Tacoma consumer reviews. Some people have complained about what I've stated above, but there are just as many reviews with five stars for comfort. Plus, it's probably something you just get used to over time, as the multitudes of happy Tacoma owners would attest to.
I'm not necessarily uncomfortable. The seat itself is fine. But if you're shopping for a midsize pickup and also looking at the Chevrolet Colorado (and GMC Canyon twin), pay attention to driver seat comfort/positioning and the ease of getting in and out. In my experience, the GM trucks are superior trucks in this regard.
Fuel Economy Update for May - Show Me the MPG

May was a fairly quiet month for our 2016 Toyota Tacoma. We added about 1,000 miles, and much of that was amassed during commutes to and from our Santa Monica, California, offices. The good news is that the city-heavy driving didn't impact our lifetime fuel economy much. The bad news is that our truck is still underperforming compared to what the EPA says to expect.
For the month, we averaged 16.8 mpg. That's below what the EPA says to expect for pure city driving (18 mpg). Lifetime, we dropped from 18.3 mpg last month to 18.2 now. Nor have we bested Josh Sadlier's best tank of 20.6 mpg that he observed during his drive to Sedona back in March.
I do like our Tacoma, but the expectation of getting dramatically better fuel economy than a full-size truck probably isn't going to be realized during this test.
Worst Fill MPG: 15.7
Best Fill MPG: 20.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 18.2
EPA MPG Rating: 20 Combined (18 City/23 Highway)
Best Range: 349.0 miles
Current Odometer: 8,823

We added nearly 1,500 miles to our 2016 Toyota Tacoma in June, much of it urban and suburban commuting. We're a little soft in southern California, and no one wants to go out and four-wheel during a spell of heat waves like we had recently (although James got out and chopped it up on the trail in a truck identical to ours), so the Tacoma continues to suffer the indignity of too many pavement miles.
But we managed to set a new range record in June, Brent beating the previous mark by a couple of miles. Best range now sits at 351.0 miles. The Tacoma also returned 19.8 mpg on that particular tank, which is just 0.8 of our current best mpg. Over five fill-ups, we averaged 18.2 mpg for the month.
None of it was enough to move the needle on our lifetime mpg. In fact, we actually lost 0.1 mpg. Nearly 10,000 miles into our test now, it's hard to see how we'll improve on that number.
Worst Fill MPG: 15.7
Best Fill MPG: 20.6
Average Lifetime MPG: 18.1
EPA MPG Rating: 20 Combined (18 City/23 Highway)
Best Range: 351.0 miles
Current Odometer: 9,901
July Fuel Economy Update - Despite Road Trips, MPG Stays the Same

July was a relatively slow month for our 2016 Toyota Tacoma. Kurt went offroading in the Mojave and European Correspondent Alistair Weaver took a few friends up Pacific Coast Highway (his account of the trip is forthcoming). But the Tacoma spent most its time sitting in our garage or running errands around town, and that didn't help its cause.
We averaged 18.5 mpg over the course of 1,500 miles, which didn't move the overall needle from 18.1 mpg. Check out the rest of the stats below.
Worst Fill MPG: 15.7 mpg
Best Fill MPG: 20.6 mpg
Average Lifetime MPG: 18.1 mpg (5.5 gallons per 100 miles)
EPA MPG Rating: 20 Combined (18 City/23 Highway)
Best Range: 362.7 miles
Current Odometer: 11,759 miles

There are plenty of little things I like about our 2016 Toyota Tacoma. Most of them have to do with its simplicity. You get a lot of that in a truck.
One thing I always appreciate is a well laid out climate control system. As you can see, the setup in the Tacoma is dead simple. Perfect for a truck, and perfect for most situations.
Sure, modern automatic climate control systems are great with their ability to keep the entire cabin perfectly chilled on a hot day. But I can get 98% of that functionality with these three knobs and a couple of buttons. Not to mention, I can do it without ever looking down for more than a split second.
On the downside, I wish the knobs felt as industrial as they look. You half expect them to have the heavy ratcheting feel of a quality tool, but in fact they have the lightweight plastic feel that you get in any midsize sedan. So good, but not quite great just yet.

When a song like "Bohemian Rhapsody" comes on the radio during my commute home, I do the only responsible or sensible thing I can think of. I turn the volume up as high as it will go and sing along. In our long-term 2016 Toyota Tacoma that meant I cranked the knob to 62. Seriously, that's the maximum.
Unfortunately, it simply wasn't loud enough.
Our TRD Off-Road Tacoma has the standard six-speaker "Entune Premium Audio" system. Don't get me wrong, the sound quality is good. It's definitely sufficient for some mid-level rocking out. Problematically, though, I could hear the sound of my own voice over Freddie Mercury's, and that was just unacceptable.
If it were my money, I'd opt for the available JBL system that Toyota offers as a part of the Premium and Technology package. The bundle certainly isn't cheap at about $3,500, but it gives you six upgraded speakers plus a subwoofer, and you get a number of other likable features, too, including dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, rear parking sensors, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert and a sunroof.
September MPG Update - Undramatically Unchanged

The last time I spent significant time with our 2016 Toyota Tacoma was back in May of this year. I wrote the fuel update for the month and wrapped it up with: "I do like our Tacoma, but the expectation of getting dramatically better fuel economy than a full-size truck probably isn't going to be realized during this test."
Commenter bohio replied with: "... ya think? How about restating the objective to getting even slightly better fuel economy, because 'dramatically' is — aside from being the wrong choice of words — not easily defined. Would a 2 mpg improvement over the F150 or a Tundra be 'dramatically' better?"
Fair enough. Sure, I'd take 2 mpg better. But as you can likely guess, our Tacoma's fuel economy hasn't budged over the summer.
Currently, the Tacoma's posting a lifetime average of 18.3 mpg. Back in May, it was 18.2. If there's a silver lining, it's that we posted a new fill-up high this month of 21.3 mpg.
Incidentally, the EPA has posted its estimate for the 2017 Ford F-150 with the updated twin-turbo, 375-hp 3.5-liter V6 and 10-speed automatic: 19 mpg combined (17 mpg city/22 mpg highway).
Worst Fill MPG: 15.7
Best Fill MPG: 21.3
Average Lifetime MPG: 18.3
EPA MPG Rating: 20 Combined (18 City/23 Highway)
Best Range: 362.7 miles
Current Odometer: 14,135

We've had our 2016 Toyota Tacoma in our test fleet for about nine months now. That's ample time to figure out a truck's strengths and weaknesses. We've also introduced another pickup to our fleet recently: a 2016 Nissan Titan XD (a.k.a. King Banana).
The combined seat time has given me greater clarity as to why I think a shopper looking at trucks would want a Tacoma.
1) Midsize dimensions. Travis wrote his Midsize Truck, Big City update on this topic, and it received some interesting reader comments. I'd have to agree with him here. You buy a Tacoma for its size, not because you're saving a bit of money compared to a full-size truck. Unlike our crew-cab, long-bed Titan, our Tacoma is (relatively) easy to park in small spaces; has no trouble fitting in underground parking garages; is not an intimidating beast on narrow roads; and doesn't require a grab handle to step into the thing.
2) Off-road capability. Now, I think most of my coworkers here at Edmunds would agree that if all you want is a city-friendly truck as described above, the new Honda Ridgeline is going to be a better choice. It's roomier and a superior on-road truck. But what if you want to head off-pavement? Well, that's where the Tacoma shines. In TRD Off-Road (or new TRD Pro) trim, the Tacoma is one of the best off-roading vehicles you can buy.
3) Retained value. Have you checked prices on used Tacomas? What people ask (and get) is impressive. If you want a truck that's going to be worth an exceptionally high percentage of what you bought it for, you can't beat the Tacoma.

You buy a pickup to haul stuff. That's the idea, at least, unless you're hoping that Pickup Man is true. But I have to say that our 2016 Toyota Tacoma is especially handy for moving bulky and/or dirty items. Why? Because it's easy to load said items into the Tacoma's bed.
We measure test cars in various ways, and the results can be illuminating. With the tailgate lowered, the cargo load height for our 4WD Tacoma's short bed is 32.25 inches (from the ground to the bed floor). Most full-size 4WD trucks we've measured are in the 35-inch range. A 4WD Chevy Colorado checks in at 34.5 inches.
The Colorado's bed sides are taller by about 3 inches, too. If you're pulling gear out of the Tacoma's bed from the side of the truck, it's going to be a little easier to bend over and grab it.
You also get a bunch of features that Dan pointed out in his "Eight Great Bed Features" update. I particularly like the adjustable cargo tie-down cleats and the bed's composite construction. Our Tacoma's damped tailgate release is another nice touch.
We don't yet have numbers for the new Honda Ridgeline, unfortunately. It could very well win the battle of easy loading. And our Tacoma, being a short-bed variant, is relatively limited in how much stuff it'll hold. Still, most of the time I just need a truck for light-duty hauling, and the Tacoma works out great for that.

Where Did We Drive It?
Unlike last month when our 2016 Toyota Tacoma went on multiple road trips that racked a considerable number of miles, September's numbers were far less extreme. This month the Tacoma supported a couple of photo shoots, sat in an airport parking garage for a week, and took several editors from the office to their far-flung abodes throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Needless to say, the Tacoma's ultra-rugged nature went untested in September.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We only filled up four times in four weeks, so the Tacoma's overall fuel efficiency remains pegged at 18.6 mpg. That number hasn't changed much lately no matter how many miles we pile on, so consider it a pretty good indicator of what you'll see if you buy a Tacoma of your own.
Average lifetime mpg: 18.6
EPA mpg rating: 20 combined (18 city/23 highway)
Best fill mpg: 25.0
Best range: 455.7 miles
Current odometer: 36,728 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"Hadn't driven the Tacoma in quite some time, so getting in it with so many additional miles on the odometer was interesting. It's a tightly assembled truck. Given what it's been through, I would expect a few squeaks and rattles by now, but it's still solid. I also expected a little sloppiness in the steering, yet it, too, remains tight. I was not surprised at all by the brakes. They're still awful. I hope our truck is an outlier in this respect." — Ed Hellwig, senior editor
Interior
"As basic as our Tacoma's interior is in terms of design, I like its functionality. After driving it home from the office a few times, I got used to where everything was and it's all very logical. The cupholders are a bit small and the handbrake is a little archaic, but they don't bother me much. Even the low seating position becomes natural over time. I can see why this truck has so many repeat buyers. Once you get used to it, the cabin of the Tacoma is very easy to get along with." — Ed Hellwig