Tacoma ready to face changing times - BCLocalNews
05.02.09
A late-comer to the North American truck market, Toyota had a shaky start but learned the hard way, and very quickly, that what we think makes a good pickup is very different from what the rest of the world thinks.
The Tundra full-size pickup is now to be counted among the big boys like F150, Ram and Silverado and that extends to its light truck, the Tacoma, as well.
But times and gas prices are changing daily and a trend towards smaller pickups is beginning to emerge. Toyota saw Tacoma sales rise some 12 per cent compared to 2007 with their 4X4 models selling at six times the pace of the 4X2 Tacoma.
For 2009, there will be no less than eight variants of the Tacoma, including a four-cylinder, 4X4 access cab being offered for the first time and tested here.
The access cab is still offered as a 4X2 four-cylinder with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission or a 4X4 V6 with six-speed manual or five-speed automatic. What the new model does is mix a more economical four-cylinder and five-speed manual transmission with part-time four-wheel-drive that Toyota feels will fill an emerging gap in the compact pickup segment.
Source: BCLocalNews, Canada
