The Toyota Tacoma is a pickup truck manufactured in the U.S. by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota since 1995. The first-generation Tacoma, model years 1995 through 2004, was classified as a compact pickup. The second generation, model years 2005 through 2015, and third-generation, in production since 2015, are classified as midsized pickups and are produced in the U.S. and Mexico. The Tacoma was Motor Trend‘s Truck of the Year for 2005.
As of 2015, the Toyota Tacoma is sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Bermuda, and the French territory of New Caledonia.
The Tacoma comes standard with anti-lock brakes, brake assist, and electronic brakeforce distribution. For 2008, a rollover sensor was added which would deploy the side curtain airbags in the event of rollover in Tacomas equipped with the optional side airbags. Beginning with the 2009 model year, all Tacomas feature Toyota’s Star Safety System which added Vehicle Stability Control and traction control. Front row side torso airbags and side curtain airbags for both rows also become standard as well as active head restraints.
Given the smaller size of pickup trucks in the Tacoma’s category, crash testing for these sized trucks lags with how well most full-size trucks perform. However, in an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) test of the Tacoma and other small trucks, only the side airbag-equipped Tacoma received the highest overall rating of “Good” in the side impact test. The Tacoma also is rated “Good” in the frontal offset crash test. In 2009 with the active head restraints the Tacoma is given the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick award.