The past two years have seen many traditions break in the automotive industry. But some truths are so reliable that even a global pandemic and a worldwide shortage of microchips can’t shake them.
For instance – the Toyota Tacoma has won our Best Buy Award in the midsize truck class for a third consecutive year. That means Kelley Blue Book editors drove every midsize truck for sale in the United States, run the numbers on their cost of ownership, and concluded that the smart move is to buy a Tacoma.
How We Decide
Our editors spend all year evaluating cars for our annual Best Buy Awards.
We test drive more than 300 vehicles yearly to write our detailed reviews.
We flag those that combine affordability, dependability, reliability, and low ownership and operating costs as possible award winners. Our data analysts then take a detailed look at the financial aspects of owning each. They calculate the 5-Year Cost to Own, factoring in depreciation, insurance, maintenance, financing, fuel, fees, and taxes.
Finally, we bring the best contenders in for head-to-head testing.
Why the Taco Truck Is Still the Best Value
There are 34 possible configurations of the 2023 Toyota Tacoma. That lets buyers choose anything from a basic work truck to a luxury family truck to a weekend off-roader.
Prices, starting at $27,250 (plus a $1,335 destination fee), are reasonable throughout the lineup. And the entire lineup does that well-known Toyota trick of holding its resale value better than anything else in its class. In fact, the Tacoma has also won our Best Resale Value Award in its class every year since 2003 — a staggering 20 consecutive years.
But it’s not just a great value. With standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and more, even on the base SR model, it’s well-equipped. A full suite of modern safety aides, including adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, check the safety boxes.
A choice of two engine choices – a 159-horsepower 4-cylinder or a 278-horsepower V6 – let you configure a comfortable commuter or a hard-working hauler. And light Toyota handling makes it easier to live with in traffic on the way home from work than the average truck.
