Used 2016 Toyota Tacoma

Toyota redesigned the Tacoma for the 2016 model year. With a more rigid frame and a new V6 powertrain, the Tacoma was more powerful, more fuel-efficient, and more capable than ever. No doubt, these upgrades, combined with interior refinements, new infotainment systems, and a handful of driving-assistance technologies, helped to ensure the Tacoma retained its decade-long status as the best-selling midsize truck in America.

When shopping for a used Toyota Tacoma, you’ll find the truck in extended cab (Access Cab) and crew cab (Double Cab) styles. Trim levels include SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and Limited. Depending on trim level and cab style, the Tacoma is equipped with a 4-cylinder or a V6 engine, 2WD or 4WD, and a manual or an automatic transmission.

When it was new, the Tacoma’s primary competitors were the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, which offered similar levels of equipment and capability. The Nissan Frontier, a rugged truck in its own right, is a comparative bargain but by 2016 was a decade-old design.

You need to have a clear idea about what you want in a midsize-pickup truck before choosing a used 2016 Tacoma.

If serious off-roading is in your future, you’ll want the TRD Off-Road with 4WD and an automatic transmission. If not, then a TRD Sport makes sense. Leather and several other features are exclusive to the Limited trim, while the SR is best for work instead of play. The Tacoma SR5 offers a good blend of value and equipment.

For this review, we drove two versions of the Tacoma. One was a TRD Off-Road and the other was a Limited, both in Double Cab 4WD specification with the new 3.5-liter V6 engine, 6-speed automatic transmission and 4WD.

How fast is the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?
In spite of its more powerful V6 engine, the 2016 Tacoma isn’t particularly fast. Nail the gas pedal to the floor, and it bellows with authority while delivering satisfactory acceleration. In most driving situations, though, the V6 delivers steady performance.

Neither is this powertrain refined when it comes to noise and vibration, but then again, this is a truck designed first for work, second for play, and third for just about anything except coddling its occupants.

In an apparent effort to conserve fuel, the new 6-speed automatic transmission is usually in a hurry to upshift and tends to resist downshifts. However, it faithfully holds a lower gear when driving in the mountains to help power up grades and to use engine braking when descending a hill.

Does the 2016 Toyota Tacoma get good gas mileage?
Rated to get 21 mpg in combined driving, the most efficient version of the 2016 Tacoma has the V6 engine, automatic transmission and 2WD. While the 4-cylinder engine also earns a 21-mpg combined rating, its highway average is lower than the V6 engine’s rating.

This combined average matches the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon V6, but the Chevy and GMC 4-cylinder models are slightly more efficient. And, in 2016, the reigning fuel-economy champs in the midsize-pickup-truck segment were the Colorado and Canyon equipped with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel 4-cylinder engine. They average 23-25 mpg in combined driving.

During our testing, the Double Cab TRD Off-Road V6 4WD averaged 19.1 mpg, falling a bit short of the EPA’s rating of 20 mpg. The Double Cab Limited V6 4WD landed in that same neighborhood, averaging 18.9 mpg.

How does the 2016 Toyota Tacoma handle?
The answer to this question depends on where you drive a Tacoma. In the dirt, especially with TRD Off-Road trim and equipment, the Tacoma is a natural, giving its driver boundless confidence in the face of worsening trail or weather conditions. On pavement, the Tacoma is less pleasing to drive. Slow and vague steering, front-disc/rear-drum brakes that are hard to modulate, and tall tire sidewalls mean it is wise to keep speeds in check.

How does the 2016 Toyota Tacoma ride on the highway?
Though equipped with a frame making use of high-strength steel, the Tacoma wiggles and jiggles its way across imperfect pavement. Rather than smoothing them out, this truck amplifies potholes and bumps. Basically, it rides like a truck, and in every configuration.

How does the 2016 Toyota Tacoma perform off-road?
The Tacoma, especially in TRD Off-Road specification, excels off-road. With 9.4 inches of ground clearance, Kevlar-reinforced all-terrain tires, Multi-Terrain Select driving modes, and Crawl Control technology, the Tacoma TRD Off-Road is a 4-wheeling rock star. Unfortunately, the truck’s long and flat hood obscures visibility, forcing regular stops for visual checks on tougher trails.

Are the 2016 Toyota Tacoma’s driving-assistance systems helpful?
Equipped with no more than a rearview camera, the 2016 Tacoma is refreshingly simple. The single upgrade is a blind-spot-monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert system, one of the most helpful driving-assistance technology innovations of the past decade. It came only with TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and Limited trim levels.

Is the 2016 Toyota Tacoma fun to drive?
Take a 2016 Tacoma off pavement, and you’re virtually assured to have a blast. Especially in TRD Off-Road specification, the Tacoma is lots of fun. On pavement, the Tacoma is not fun to drive — unless you enjoy the rough, unrefined behavior that comes with tough, truck-spec underpinnings. A busy ride, limited handling capability, and often sleepy powertrain responsiveness can make the Tacoma a chore to drive on a daily basis.

Available in Access Cab and Double Cab styles, every Tacoma is designed to seat a minimum of four people. Rear passengers will be happier in the Double Cab, though, which has a full, 3-passenger rear bench seat instead of the Access Cab’s occasional-use jump seats.

Tacomas sit quite high off the ground, but must remain short enough to easily garage, so the cabin is squat in terms of height, and broad in terms of width. For 2016, Toyota redesigned the Tacoma’s interior, installing a sporty yet utilitarian dashboard with stylish round vents, a touch-screen infotainment system, and a mix of knobs and buttons logically arranged in neat, tidy rows.

Does the 2016 Toyota Tacoma have a nice interior?
The answer to this question depends on your definition of “nice,” and which trim level you’re talking about.

Designed to withstand indifference and abuse, the Tacoma is loaded with hard plastic materials. In fact, in most trims, it appears ready to hose out after an adventure. From that standpoint, no, the interior is not nice.

Several Tacomas have silver dashboard accents along with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear-selector knob. These upgrades help, and the Limited trim adds Hickory brown perforated leather for the seats and color-matched simulated leather on the dashboard. That’s about as nice as a Tacoma’s cabin gets.

From a design standpoint, yes, the Tacoma has a nice interior. Emphasizing function but with a layer of stylish form, the simple symmetry of the air vents and gauges, and the tidy rows of controls on the dashboard, impart elegant attention to design detail. The steering wheel is, however, oddly oversized.

What 2016 Toyota Tacoma interior colors are available?
Toyota offered the 2016 Tacoma’s interior in just a few colors. Cement Gray fabric was the only choice for the base SR trim. Moving up to SR5 trim featured Black cloth in addition to Cement Gray, while the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road replaced Cement Gray with Graphite. Every Limited came exclusively with Hickory brown leather.

Are the 2016 Toyota Tacoma’s controls easy to use?
Often, truck owners wear gloves. Toyota appears to understand this, because aside from its rather small 6.1-inch touch-screen display infotainment system, the Tacoma’s buttons and knobs are large, clearly marked, and for the most part, logically located.

Is the 2016 Toyota Tacoma’s infotainment system easy to use?
If the Tacoma’s buttons, knobs, and switches are easy to use, even when you’re wearing gloves, the touch-screen infotainment system is not.

Three versions of the Entune infotainment systems are available. The standard setup has a 6.1-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, a USB 2.0 port, Siri Eyes Free, and a rearview camera. The mid-level version adds satellite radio and a Scout GPS-connected navigation app that works through your smartphone and data plan, showing directions on the display screen. The top version has a larger 7-inch display, a flush-mounted glass surface, an embedded navigation system, and Entune App Suite. A JBL premium sound system is optional for TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road, and standard with Limited trim.

Both test trucks included the top-tier system. With its flush display screen, gloss-black stereo volume and tuning knobs, and touch-sensing main menu buttons flanking the screen, it certainly looks modern. The user experience, however, leaves something to be desired.

For example, the volume and tuning knobs don’t stick out far enough from the surface, making them hard to twist. Even without gloves on, they can be difficult to grasp. The on-screen virtual buttons are even harder to use because the Tacoma doesn’t have a smooth ride, so stabbing at the screen with any expectation of accuracy is often an exercise in futility.

Pairing to the Bluetooth is easy, and the voice recognition system is intuitive as long as you stick to the pre-programmed script. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not included with any version of the Tacoma’s infotainment systems.

Is the 2016 Toyota Tacoma comfortable?
Each of the Tacoma’s front seats offers 4-way adjustment. You can move them forward and back, and you can recline the seat angle. That’s it.

Because neither front seat is adjustable for height, you sit low in this truck, close to the floor. And because you can’t tilt the bottom of the seat cushion to add thigh support, it’s easy to adopt a slouched, splay-legged driving position.

The benefit here is that when you enter or exit the high-riding Tacoma, it’s fairly easy to just slide into and out of the cab. And, once you’re inside, there is plenty of headroom for taller people.

The back seat sits up higher, almost stadium-style in relationship to the front seats. This restricts headroom, though, and since there isn’t much legroom in the first place most adults won’t want to ride in the back of a Double Cab for long. And forget about putting grown-ups into the Access Cab.

Is the 2016 Toyota Tacoma’s cargo bed useful?
Yes, and while it’s deeper than previous Tacomas, it still isn’t as accommodating as what you’ll find on a Chevrolet Colorado or GMC Canyon.

All 2016 Tacomas have a composite-lined cargo bed with storage areas, and the TRD and Limited versions include a handy 120-volt/400-watt power outlet in the right sidewall of the bed. The locking tailgate lowers slowly instead of slamming down, and a 3-piece hard tonneau cover was available as an option.

What else should I know about the 2016 Toyota Tacoma?
There is a decent amount of storage inside the Tacoma’s cab. Both the center console box and glove box offer plenty of room, and in addition to six cup holders the Tacoma has a sizable tray on the center console. The Tacoma Double Cab also supplies storage underneath the seat, and if you fold the seat down you have plenty of locking in-cab space.

With a long and flat hood, a bold hexagonal grille that takes on a different appearance depending on the trim level, boxy fender flares, available over-fender trim, and chiseled lower character lines, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma looks like nothing but a truck. Which is as it should be.

As expected, the Tacoma is basic in SR trim, but most include a body-color front bumper to improve the truck’s appearance. Stepping up to SR5 trim adds some chrome-coated bling and fog lights, and Tacomas with the optional Appearance Packages have over-fender trim and aluminum wheels.

Tacoma TRD Sport and Off-Road models are easy to identify, mainly because they have decals on the cargo bed denoting them as such. The TRD Sport has a hood scoop, while the TRD Off-Road has a reworked front bumper that gives the truck a better approach angle for superior off-roading capability. Both have bright and shiny grilles.

Get a Tacoma Limited, and the truck features a unique blend of chrome and body-color trim, combined with handsome 18-inch polished aluminum wheels and a tasteful gray grille.

What 2016 Toyota Tacoma colors are available?
The redesigned 2016 Tacoma came in eight colors, three of which were new to the truck. They are listed below, with the new colors duly noted:

Super White
Silver
Magnetic Gray
Black
Barcelona Red
Quicksand (New)
Inferno (New)
Blazing Blue Pearl (New)

INTEGRATED GOPRO WINDSHIELD MOUNT
You know a truck is built for adventure when every version of it includes a factory-installed GoPro mount on the windshield. Whether you simply want to record other drivers during the daily commute, or you want to capture the fun you’re having on the weekends, the Tacoma is ready. Oh, the places you’ll go!

CLUTCH-START CANCEL
Equip a Tacoma with 4WD and a manual transmission, and it comes with a clutch-start cancel system. This is helpful off-road when you need to get the Tacoma moving without rolling back or spinning the wheels. Push a button on the lower left side of the dashboard, and you can start the truck without depressing the clutch. As the engine starts, it puts power to all four wheels and you just need to press on the accelerator to keep the Tacoma moving.

ACTIVE TRACTION CONTROL
Tacoma TRD Off-Road models with a manual transmission include Active Traction Control (A-TRAC) as standard equipment. Once the driver activates the system using a button on the lower left side of the dashboard, A-TRAC detects wheelspin and actively distributes torque from the wheels that are slipping to the wheels that are gripping.

MULTI-TERRAIN SELECT
Standard with any Tacoma TRD Off-Road equipped with 4WD and an automatic transmission, this technology provides an electronically controlled locking rear differential and five driving modes for different types of terrain. They are: Mud and Sand, Mogul, Rock and Dirt, Loose Rock, and Rock. These driving modes automatically adjust throttle response, wheelspin and brake pressure to keep the Tacoma moving across challenging terrain.

CRAWL CONTROL
Crawl Control operates like cruise control, but at ultra-low speeds. It works between 1 mph and 5 mph, managing acceleration and braking to maintain the set speed as the Tacoma crawls up and down difficult hills. This frees the driver to focus on steering the truck and putting the Tacoma on the best path forward. It is included on Tacoma TRD Off-Road models with 4WD and an automatic transmission.

For 2016, the Tacoma came in basic SR, popular SR5, sporty TRD Sport, rugged TRD Off-Road, and upscale Limited trim levels. Below, you’ll find the major differences between each of them.

What comes in the 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR?
Built for work before play, the Tacoma SR is a basic midsize-pickup truck available in Access Cab and Double Cab styles. Highlights include air conditioning, power exterior mirrors, power windows and power door locks. A touch-screen infotainment system with a 6.1-inch display is standard, and it comes with a rearview camera, Bluetooth, Siri Eyes Free, and a USB 2.0 data port. Oh, and it has an integrated GoPro camera mount on the windshield, right from the factory.

What comes in the 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5?
The Tacoma SR5 is a popular version of this truck for its blend of value and configurability. Standard equipment includes cruise control, remote keyless entry, a trip computer, satellite radio and a Scout GPS-connected navigation system. A leather-wrapped steering wheel classes up the joint, along with chrome grille and rear-bumper trim and a set of fog lights.

What comes in the 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport?
You can tell the Tacoma TRD Sport apart from the rest of the lineup by its hood scoop. The TRD Sport also gets 17-inch aluminum wheels, chubby over-fender trim pieces, and an infotainment system with a larger 7-inch display screen, an embedded navigation system, HD Radio, HD traffic and weather data, and Toyota’s Entune App Suite technology. Wireless smartphone charging is also on board, along with a handy 120-volt/400-watt AC power outlet in the cargo bed.

What comes in the 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road?
The Tacoma TRD Off-Road is just like the TRD Sport but with features that make it more adept off pavement. Smaller 16-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in Kevlar-reinforced tires and unique exterior styling elements identify this model, and if you get the manual transmission it includes an Active Traction Control system. Choose 4WD and the automatic, and the TRD Off-Road includes an electronic locking differential, a Multi-terrain Select traction system, and Crawl Control, which works like cruise control for off-roading. Off-road suspension tuning is also standard.

What comes in the 2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited?
Remove the TRD Sport’s hood scoop, add chrome exterior trim, bolt on a set of polished 18-inch aluminum wheels, and you have the foundation for the Tacoma Limited. Intended to serve the role of the upscale Tacoma, the Limited has leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power sunroof, and a JBL premium sound system. Other upgrades include rear parking-assist sensors and a blind-spot-monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert.

Toyota grouped most Tacoma options into packages, which are summarized below. Additionally, dealerships offered a wide range of extra-cost accessories for this truck, installed on-site by the retailer.

SR Utility Package
Available only for the Access Cab with a 4-cylinder engine, this option transforms a Tacoma into a true work truck. It strips out the back seat and rear cup holders, and it adds black exterior door handles, black mirror caps, and a black rear-bumper finish. The rear window is fixed rather than a slider.

SR Convenience Package
Going in the other direction, this option makes the basic Tacoma SR more livable with cruise control and remote keyless entry.

SR5 Appearance Package
Toyota offered multiple SR5 Appearance Packages for the 2016 Tacoma. They all had aluminum wheels and over-fender trim. Additional extras could include rear parking-assist sensors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, an embedded navigation system, and Entune App Suite.

TRD Premium & Technology Package
This option upgraded the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road with dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, automatic headlights, rear parking-assist sensors, and a blind-spot-monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert. For Double Cab models, this package also installed a power sunroof.

V6 Tow Package
This package prepped a Tacoma V6 for towing with a Class IV tow hitch receiver, 4- and 7-pin connectors, 130-amp alternator, transmission-oil cooler, and trailer-sway control.

Standard with SR and SR5 trim, the Tacoma’s direct-injected 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine makes 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. Transmission choices include a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic, and it comes with 2WD or 4WD drivetrains. This engine is neither powerful nor fuel-efficient. Instead, it’s cheap. Notably, it’s also installed in the version of the Tacoma that can carry the heaviest payload: the Access Cab 2WD.

2.7-liter 4-cylinder
159 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
180 lb-ft of torque @ 3,800 rpm
Fuel tank size: 21.1 gal.
EPA fuel economy range (city/highway/combined): 19/23/20-21 mpg
Driving range (city/highway/combined): 400/485/422-443 miles

If you plan to tow with your Tacoma, or you desire a semblance of acceleration when you push the right pedal, you’re going to want the direct-injected, 3.5-liter, Atkinson-cycle V6 engine. It’s standard with TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and Limited trim, and optional for SR and SR5 versions of the truck. The V6 is available with a manual or an automatic transmission, and with 2WD or 4WD.

3.5-liter V6
278 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
265 lb-ft of torque @ 4,600 rpm
Fuel tank size: 21.1 gal.
EPA fuel economy range (city/highway/combined): 17/24/18-21 mpg
Driving range (city/highway/combined): 358/506/379-443 miles