Background: Toyota is pushing hard to make inroads in the profitable pickup arena, a segment dominated by Ford, General Motors and Chrysler here in the United States. Combined, the domestic three sold 1.8 million full-size pickups in 1997. To counter punch, Toyota is debuting its all-new Tundra, a full-size pickup set to start production in early 1999. Toyota's investing $700 million in an all-new assembly plant under construction in southern Indiana for Tundra; Toyota's first pickup ever featuring a V-8 powered engine. For the 1998 model year, Toyota offers two pickups; the compact Tacoma and full-size T100. Toyota's slow-selling T100, which offers four and six-cylinder engines, will drop out of sight once V-8-powered Tundras start rolling off the assembly line. Toyota has offered a compact pickup in one form or another in the United States since 1964. Tacoma, Toyota's first pickup designed and built in the United States, debuted in the 1995 model year. Tacoma is assembled in California at the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. facility (NUMMI.) Toyota's compact Corolla sedan and its automotive twin, the Chevrolet Prizm, are also assembled at NUMMI . Tacoma is available in regular- and extended-cab models with two or four-wheel drive. Two-wheel drive Tacomas include a rear-wheel drivetrain.
Safety equipment: New for 1998 is an ignition-key operated, passenger-side airbag cutoff switch allowing deactification of the right-side airbag when a child or small adult is traveling shotgun. In addition to dual front airbags, Tacoma includes side-impact door beams and an energy-absorbing steering wheel standard. Anti-lock brakes are optional in all editions.
Engines: Two-wheel drive Tacomas feature a standard 2.4-liter, 16-valve four-cylinder engines producing 142 horsepower. It's one of the most powerful base engines in the compact class. Four-wheel drive models feature a standard 2.7-liter, 16-valve four-cylinder engine delivering 150 horsepower. Optional in both two- and four-wheel drive Tacomas is a 3.4-liter, 24-valve twin-cam V-6 with 190 horsepower. Tacoma's featuring the V-6 engine are capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds while four cylinder offerings tow up to 3,500 pounds. Both towing figures fall short of compact pickup competitors including Ford Ranger, Chevrolet S-10 and Dodge Dakota. Payload capacity checks in at a respectable 1,914 pounds. Four-wheel models continue offering manual locking hubs as standard equipment. Shift-on-the-fly for maneuvering into four-wheel drive at speeds up to 50 miles per hour is optional and Limited editions include an optional one-touch system for shifting into four-wheel drive high. All systems require a floor-mounted transfer case for switching to four-wheel drive low.
Trim levels: Tacoma shoppers can choose from Base, SR5 and top-of-the-line, well-equipped Limited. Limited editions feature extended cabs (with back seating), which Toyota calls Xtracab, but no regular cabs. Both Base and SR5 offer regular and Xtracab housings. Also available is a specially-badged PreRunner, a two-wheel drive Tacoma with the ground clearance, suspension and exterior cues of a 4 x 4. The SR5 replaces last year's LX value package. In 1997, the SR5 was the top offering and no Limited edition was featured. New for '98 is an off-road option package, available on most four-wheel drive extended cabs, with an improved suspension system. Two-wheel or four-wheel drive is available in all trim levels.
Standard equipment: The higher one travels up the trim level ladder, the higher the standard equipment content. Available in all editions are: independent, double wishbone front suspensions with coil springs; rack-and-pinion steering, dual outside mirror, power assisted brakes, cupholders, tined glass, dual outside mirrors and five-speed manual transmission.
Options: Air conditioning is optional across the board. Cruise control, power door locks and windows, tilt steering wheel, tachometer and digital clock are optional in all editions except Limited where they come standard. Automatic transmission costs from $720 to $900 extra depending the model chosen. Moonroofs are optional across the board except in the regular cab, four-cylinder edition where it's not available. Tacoma includes several value and convenience packages combining popularly-ordered options.
Price: Tacoma comes in a wide price range depending on the model choosen. The lowest-priced, 1998 two-wheel, drive four-cylinder, regular cab with five-speed manual transmission starts at $12,538 while a four-wheel drive Limited V-6 extended cab with automatic transmission has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $24,928. Toyota provided the Daily Herald with a top-of-the-line, four-wheel-drive Limited with all the bells and whistles and a bottom line of close to $29,419 including a $420 destination charge.
Exterior: Tacoma's 1998 editions include larger front bumpers. Four-wheel drive models now feature flush, aerodynamic headlights and new front grille. Tacoma offers nine exterior colors, including three new 1998 offerings: Copper Canyon Mica; Surfside Green Mica and Mystic Purple Mica. The radio antenna is located on the front, right-hand side fender. The fuel tank door locks with the ignition key and is located on the rear left fender. Tailgate badging is new this model year too. Sideview mirrors and pull-up, rectangular exterior door handles include chrome enhancements in Limited editions. This chrome package is optional in all other offerings. Tacoma offers only one 74.5-inch bed length. By contrast, Ford Ranger offers a long, 83.8-inch bed length in addition to a shorter bed length. Also, Tacoma extended cab versions don't offer a third or fourth door option as most competitors do. Fourteen-inch wheels are standard on two-wheel drive editions while four-wheel drive models include 15-inch tires. Alloy wheelcovers come as an option. A full-size spare stores under the bed.
Seating comfort: Bench seating comes standard in regular cabs. Xtracab models add a 60/40 split bench front seat with updated fabric while Limited V-6 Xtracabs, include multi-adjustable bucket seats standard. Toyota makes up a bit for no third or fourth doors in extended cabs with a passenger seat that easily slides forward when the seat back tilts forward. This same system is found in several other Toyota coupes. Plentiful headroom abounds inside Tacoma. In back, forward-facing jump seats fold down when needed.
Interior: Headlights operate from the turn signal stalk while windshield wiper controls are found on a right-hand stalk. A stand-alone digital clock is found right of the dashboard ignition switch. A square steering wheel lever activates cruise control. The stereo system with small-preset buttons is positioned below the ventilation system with two dials and a slide lever for monitoring temperature, fan direction and fan speed respectively. The instrument panel prominently features large, semicircular speedometer and tachometer analog gauges. Dual power outlets are found in front of the floor-mounted transmission. Permanently-molded dual cuphoders are in front of a flip-top storage bin between the Limited edition's front bucket seats.
Dimensions (extended cab, four-wheel drive): Wheelbase: 121.9 inches Overall length: 203.1 inches Overall width: 66.5 inches Overall height 66.9 inches Inside bed length: 74.5 inches Inside bed width: 57.9 inches Inside bed height: 15.9 inches Front headroom: 38.4 inches Rear headroom: 35.5 inches Weight: 3,446 pounds
Fuel economy. Our four-wheel drive, V-6 Tacoma with automatic transmission averaged 17 miles-per gallon in city driving and 20 m.p.g. highway. The fuel leader is the 2.4-liter, four-cylinder coupled with five-speed manual which checks in at 22 m.p.g city and 27 m.p.g. highway. Four-wheel drive editions hold 18.0 gallons of regular, unleaded fuel; two wheel drive versions hold 15.1 gallons.
Final thoughts: Pickup buyers continue as some of the most brand-loyal customers anywhere. That's a huge hurtle for Tacoma and next year's Tundra. No extended bed length and no third or fourth-door option in Xtracabs could send potential customers elsewhere. Money wise, Tacoma's starting price a bit more costly than most rivals. But Tacoma, is one of the most popular import pickups sold in the United States. Tacoma also benefits from Toyota's solid reputation for quality and workmanship. Toyota's compact Tacoma was rated the "Best Compact Pickup Truck in initial quality in a 1997 J. D. Power and Associates survey. |