2012 Toyota Tacoma Extended Cab Truck

The Tacoma is the best product left in a segment other automakers have chosen to either abandon or neglect. Although Toyota hasn't redesigned the Tacoma since 2005, it stays committed with timely tweaks. Last year, for instance, Toyota added some swagger with new T|X and T|X Pro packages. Based on a SEMA show concept and available only on V-6 models with the TRD off-road package, the T|X adds black bead-lock wheels wearing off-road tires, an aggressive new grille, and unique graphics. The Pro tops all that off with a performance exhaust. At the other end of the spectrum, the Tacoma offers a 159-hp four-cylinder engine. The 4.0-liter V-6 would likely be a better choice for most buyers, as it enables up to 6500 pounds of towing. Altogether, there are about two dozen body and trim combinations, but the basic lineup consists of the regular cab; the Access Cab, which boasts rear-hinged doors; and the Double Cab, which has full-size rear doors, flexible rear seatbacks, and a storage unit behind the second row. The coolest Tacoma is still the X-Runner, which has a lowered suspension and eighteen-inch wheels, as well as a standard six-speed manual transmission. The Tacoma has long faced competition from cheap full-size trucks, but its smaller size offers agility that those trucks can't match. Piloting a Tacoma around a crowded city is a refreshing reminder that not all pickups have to be monstrously oversized and difficult to park.