10 Reasons the 2018 Toyota Tacoma is the AutoWeb Buyer’s Choice Best Small Truck

2018 Toyota Tacoma double cab ・ Photo by Toyota

The Toyota Tacoma has a reputation that most competing pickups can only dream of acquiring. We’ve always been big admirers of the Tacoma, and as the 2018 AutoWeb Buyer’s Choice Best Small Truck award shows, buyers hold it in high esteem as well.

What makes the Tacoma such a winner? Let’s take a closer look.

10. The 2018 Toyota Tacoma is one of America's favorite small pickups.

The Toyota Tacoma has been a favorite among compact pickup buyers for years, and with good reason: These trucks have a reputation for being hard workers that are as tough as nails and as reliable as the sunrise.

The Tacoma is now in its third generation since Toyota adapted the name for its small truck (rather than merely calling it "Pickup"), but the formula it's used has remained relatively unchanged — and for good reason: It works.

Photo by Toyota

9. Toyota has the small pickup format down pat.

There's a reason buyers have been flocking to Toyota pickups for so many years: Toyota knows what its customers want. Witness the fact that the latest version of the Tacoma, introduced in 2016, is almost the exact size of the truck's previous generation.

The Tacoma is large enough to provide seating for a family of four (in its crew cab version) and a decent-sized load in the bed, yet small enough that it lets drivers avoid the headaches of full-size trucks: It's easier to park and more fuel-efficient.

Photo by Toyota

8. The 2018 Toyota Tacoma can do real work.

One of the keys to the Tacoma’s success is that fact that although it is small, it’s got plenty of brawn. Today’s Tacoma can haul between 1,155 and 1,620 pounds in the bed. Furthermore, all Tacomas come with a Class IV hitch receiver and a trailering package, with towing ratings ranging from 3,500 to 6,800 lbs.

Payload and towing capacity vary based on the cab and bed configuration, engine, transmission and driveline. It’s important to check the ratings of the model you're considering buying so you don't unsafely overload the truck. You’ll find the Tacoma’s payload/towing chart online or at the back of the dealership brochure.

Photo by Toyota

7. The 2018 Toyota Tacoma is easy to live with on a day-to-day basis.

One of the reasons buyers choose small trucks is their compact size — they want something that isn't going to be a headache to park. The Tacoma will slip neatly into parking spots large enough for SUVs but too small for full-size pickup trucks.

Toyota has also outfitted the Tacoma so that it's comfortable to live with on a day-to-day basis, with a well-finished interior, supportive seats, and many of the same comfort and convenience option that Toyota offers on its passenger cars and SUVs.

Photo by Toyota

6. If off-roading is your thing, the Tacoma has you covered.

Small pickups are popular for off-roading because of their durable construction and modest size, which lets them get over, around and through obstacles that would strand full-size trucks. The Tacoma is nicely sized for off-roading, and Toyota offers an off-road-capable transfer case with a low range on all 4x4 versions of the Tacoma.

Toyota even offers two different models designed specifically for off-roading: the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro. TRD stands for Toyota Racing Division, which makes many of the aftermarket parts traditionally used to fortify the Tacoma for serious off-roading, but these models are factory-made for this purpose. Also available: 16-inch wheels with off-road-capable tires and a locking rear differential.

Photo by Toyota

5. The Tacoma features Toyota's best off-road technology.

One of Toyota's best off-road features is Crawl Control, which can be best described as off-road cruise control. Many off-road vehicles have hill descent control, which modulates individual brakes to control downhill speed on steep descents over loose, low-traction surfaces. But Crawl Control goes a step further, managing both the throttle and the brakes to maintain a set (very low) speed, whether the truck is going uphill, downhill or over level but uneven terrain.

Toyota introduced Crawl Control on the jungle-conquering Land Cruiser, and it's now offered on the Tacoma TRD Pro model. When off-road Tacoma drivers come to an obstacle they're unsure how to tackle, they can simply turn on Crawl Control and let the Tacoma do all the work—slowly, gently and safely.

Photo by Toyota

4. The Tacoma offers a wide variety of configurations.

American truck manufacturers offer about a zillion customization options, and while the Japanese brands have not always followed suit, the 2018 Tacoma does offer its buyers a fairly wide variety of choices.

There are six trim levels, two engines (a stout 2.7-liter four-cylinder and a 3.5-liter V6, both proven designs), and a good selection of options and colors that let Tacoma buyers build the exact truck that they want.

Photo by Toyota

3. The 2018 Toyota Tacoma makes a great family truck.

If you have a family, a compact pickup may not seem like the most advisable vehicle, but with its available crew cab configuration (which Toyota calls the Double Cab), the Tacoma is reasonably family-friendly.

The back seat is large enough for adults, which means it'll do just fine for growing children. There's also a reasonable amount of room for kids in car seats, though hoisting them up there may be a challenge in some of the taller 4x4 Tacoma versions.

Photo by Toyota

2. Toyota trucks are virtually indestructible.

British TV show Top Gear once tried to destroy a Toyota pickup truck. The hosts dropped a travel trailer on it, hit it with a wrecking ball, set it on fire, let it wash out to sea and even sat it atop a 23-story building that was then imploded and collapsed. Every time, using nothing more than hand tools and no new parts, they were able to get the Toyota restarted and then drive it away.

Now, we are not suggesting you park your 2018 Tacoma right in the middle of a demolition project, but the fact is that Toyotas really are engineered for exceptional durability. AutoWeb is based in Southern California, where cars don't rust, and we've heard innumerable stories about Toyota trucks that ran 200,000, 300,000 and even 500,000 miles — their owners kept fixing them, and they just keep going. If you take good care of your Tacoma — follow the service intervals and don't crash it — chances are it will take good care of you for a long, long time.

1. The 2018 Toyota Tacoma is the truck you can keep as long as you like.

If you are looking at a truck as a long-term investment, you have to consider parts availability. Sooner or later it's going to break — will you be able to fix it? This is another reason to consider the Tacoma: It's a highly popular vehicle, and parts availability and repair know-how for Toyota trucks is in abundance.

If you set out with the goal of putting a million miles on your new truck (and why shouldn't you?), you'll find excellent long-term support for the 2018 Toyota Tacoma.

Photo by Toyota