Used 2023 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab

The 2023 Toyota Tacoma midsize pickup truck is one of the company’s best-sellers and one of the most popular choices in its class. It’s tough, well-built, and retains its value better than any rival. It’s also our Midsize Truck Best Buy of 2023, reflecting our belief that it’s the best midsize truck for the most people.

The permutations of two cab styles, two bed lengths, two engines, two transmissions, two drive configurations, and six trim levels result in 34 possible configurations. And that’s before all the Toyota aftermarket products made for the community of off-roaders who have embraced this truck because of its extra abilities beyond the pavement.

Another perk of the Tacoma is class-leading resale value. The Toyota brand has consistently strong resale value and the Tacoma is a perennial leader in this category.

There’s just one minor cloud. Having debuted for 2016, this generation of Tacoma is due for replacement, possibly next year. But the 2023 model still has all the strengths that appeal to many buyers.

Maximum payload of the 2023 Tacoma midsize truck lineup is 1,685 pounds, with a rear-drive/4-cylinder engine/Access cab combination. Swap in the V6, and that figure becomes 1,525 pounds.

Drivers might like to sacrifice that extra 120-pound capacity to enjoy the V6’s extra muscle on a day-to-day basis. The 159-horsepower 4-cylinder unit really starts to show its shortcomings if asked to move any substantial weight, and it’s not as if the V6 is especially thirsty by comparison.

Versions powered by the V6 have a trailer package as standard, which is optional with the smaller engine. And speaking of towing, a rear-drive/V6 Tacoma can pull up to 6,800 pounds. Or 3,500 with the 4-cylinder.

One of the Tacoma’s special attributes is off-road prowess. With the right equipment — such as the Fox-sourced raised suspension in the TRD Pro — this midsize pickup can go as far into the wilderness as a Jeep.

It offers a 4-wheel-drive system with a low-range transfer case, Crawl Control, and a terrain response feature. Plus, technological assistance from a Multi Terrain Monitor in the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro models. Mud-spattered, rock-climbing purists will also like the optional 6-speed manual transmission available in these two variants.

Neither of the two cabs offered with the 2023 Tacoma midsize truck, Access or Double, have much in the way of rear legroom. It’s 24.6 inches or 32.6. The Access is a 4-seater, and the Double takes one more. But the drive to the worksite had better be short.

As usual with Toyota vehicles, the build quality is good, even if some of the plastics are a little downmarket. More generosity and thought into the cabins’ storage areas would have been appreciated, but there is some extra space under the rear seats.

The Access cab technically has four doors, but the rears are rear-hinged half doors. The Double cab has four full-size doors opening the conventional way — think of this as a crew cab.

A 6-foot bed comes with the Access cab, and a 5-footer goes with the Double in SR trim. The rest of the 2023 Tacoma pickup range offers the choice of either bed length with the Double. The TRD Pro and Limited also come solely with the Double cab.

Inside the steel beds are composite liners, storage compartments, and a deck rail system with four adjustable tie-down cleats. The tailgate is lockable and removable. The top four trims also gain a 120-volt outlet.

The SR5’s Trail Edition removes the front air dam for better ground clearance and brings in bronze-finished alloy wheels.

Potential buyers wanting a version with the Toyota name spelled out across the grille in upper-case letters (as opposed to the ho-hum corporate logo) will have to step up to the TRD Pro.

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
It’s user-friendly, and even the base SR model comes with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration, satellite radio, and Wi-Fi.

MULTI TERRAIN MONITOR
Available in the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro models, this feature provides drivers with views around the truck, including a special mode using cameras set into the side mirrors for close-ups along the flanks.

Like most truck lineups, the introductory trim level is really basic, created as a no-frills work vehicle. The SR version of the 2023 Tacoma has 16-inch steel wheels, cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats, and a plastic steering wheel.

However, the infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, Amazon Alexa compatibility, Wi-Fi, three USB ports, satellite radio, Bluetooth, six speakers, and a 7-inch touchscreen.

Safety systems are also on board, adding forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control.

The SR offers 4-wheel drive and the V6 engine, but going to the next-up SR5 trim opens up more options and standard equipment. A leather-wrapped steering wheel joins 16-inch alloy wheels and an 8-inch touchscreen. Among the extras are blind-spot monitoring, navigation, rear parking sensors, plus a Trail Edition package that includes a raised suspension, skid plates, Goodyear all-terrain tires, and a locking rear differential.

New this year, the SR5 with the V6 engine also becomes eligible for the SX package featuring black cladding on the fenders, black side mirror housings, black-finished alloy wheels, and black badges. The SR5 Double Cab/short bed/V6 combination is now offered with a Chrome package, adding shiny 18-inch alloy wheels, plus a chrome-finished exhaust tailpipe tip and exterior door handle.

The V6 becomes standard equipment at the TRD Sport level, which also gains keyless entry/ignition, wireless charging, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a 120-volt outlet in the pickup bed. The TRD Off-Road has a Multi Terrain Monitor when the automatic transmission is in the mix.

The TRD Pro has a specialized off-road suspension with components from Fox, a well-respected third-party supplier. Plus, a powered moonroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated/leather-covered front seats, and an upgraded audio system. Limited trim goes more uptown with 18-inch alloy wheels and a Panoramic View Monitor.

Some items in the higher trims are available as options further down. All versions of the 2023 Tacoma, except for the TRD Pro, are eligible for a lockable and water-resistant tonneau cover.

The base engine in SR and SR5 versions of the 2023 Tacoma midsize truck lineup is a 2.7-liter 4-cylinder unit making 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. That’s not a lot of power from this kind of displacement, but it means the engine isn’t working so hard that it’s stressed.

Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is the default setup, with 4-wheel drive (4WD) available as an option. Only the top TRD Pro model has 4-wheel drive as standard.

The two lower trims offer the choice of a 3.5-liter V6, which is standard from the TRD Sport version upward, developing 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque. If there’s going to be hard work and/or towing in a new Tacoma’s life, this is the engine to get.

Wherever there’s an automatic transmission, it’s a strong 6-speed unit. But the TRD Off-Road and the TRD Pro also offer a 6-speed manual transmission.

2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine
159 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
180 lb-ft of torque @ 3,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/23 mpg (RWD), 19/22 mpg (4WD)

3.5-liter V6
278 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
265 lb-ft of torque @ 4,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/24 mpg (RWD, auto), 18/22 mpg (4WD, automatic), 17/21 mpg (4WD, manual), 17/20 mpg (4WD, manual, TRD Off-Road/Pro)