2000 Toyota Tacoma: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

The midyear addition of a flare-fender cargo box highlights 2000 for Toyota's compact pickup trucks. Tacoma comes in regular cab and extended Xtracab models, the latter with a pair of forward-facing rear jump seats. Due in the fall is the Double Cab, a 4-door crew cab that will debut as a 2001 model.
Tacoma offers 4-cylinder engines of 2.4 and 2.7 liters and a 3.4-liter V6. Toyota also offers a factory-engineered dealer-installed supercharger for the V6 that increases its horsepower to 260, from 190. All engines team with manual transmission or optional automatic. The specialty 2WD PreRunner sub-series comes in both cab styles with the larger 4-cylinder and as a V6 Xtracab. All PreRunners have automatic transmission and 4x4 appearance cues. An optional Off-Road Package for PreRunners and 4x4 Tacomas delivers higher-riding firm suspension, a locking rear differential, and sporty cosmetics. Toyota calls the flared bed the StepSide. It's available on 2WD models in either cab style.
Tacoma's 4WD system is not for use on dry pavement. Standard on the top-line Limited models and optional on other 4x4 Tacomas is Toyota's shift-on-the-fly 4WDemand system with automatic locking front hubs; the standard 4WD system has manual locking hubs. Optional on Limited is One Touch Hi-4, which engages 4WD via a button on the floor-mounted transfer case lever rather than by shifting the lever. Antilock brakes are optional on all models.
For 2000, intermittent windshield wipers are standard on all models, 4x4s get numerically higher axle ratios for quicker takeoffs, and daytime running lamps are newly included on models with antilock brakes.

COMPETITION

Among compact pickups two vehicles really stand out. The Dodge Dakota and the Ford Ranger (and clone Mazda B-Series). Dakota is the only one to offer a V8 engine and near-full-size cargo and towing capacity. Ranger is the most refined and probably the best daily use vehicle.
Among the Recommended choices we really like the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma for their drivability and comfort. General Motors' compacts (the Chevy S-10 and GMC Sonoma) are getting a bit long in the tooth. But they still offer class-leading ride quality and a strong V6 engine.