2019 Toyota Tacoma

The volume SR5/TRD Sport/TRD Off-Road Double Cab trucks use the 3.5L 2GR-FKS V6; 278 hp is the model-range maximum and sits low in a band that spans to full-size output.

265 lb-ft from a high-revving Atkinson-capable V6 with its peak arriving high in the rev range; well short of turbo and diesel rivals of the era (Colorado 2.8L diesel 369 lb-ft, Ranger 2.3T 310 lb-ft).

Car and Driver's instrumented V6 4x4 tests land at 6.6–6.8 s, competitive for the class, though Edmunds' 8.1 s run shows the result is sensitive to test method; the four-cylinder is far slower.

The 3.5L V6 is smooth and willing once revving, but its torque peak at 4,600 rpm makes it feel soft at low speed and it must be worked hard on grades or when towing — a common complaint in reviews of the 2016–2023 generation.

The six-speed automatic is tuned for economy, upshifting early and frequently hunting or hesitating to kick down on hills, a widely cited weakness of this generation; a six-speed manual is a rare bright spot for enthusiasts.

6,800 lbs is a class-competitive mid-size rating for 2019 (Colorado gas V6 7,000, Ranger 7,500), and the V6 Tow Package is standard on V6 trucks.

Maximum payload of 1,620 lbs is mid-pack for a mid-size truck and low against a band that reaches heavy-duty-adjacent figures.

V6 trucks get a Tow Package with Class IV hitch, 7-pin harness, transmission and oil coolers, and Trailer Sway Control, plus a standard backup camera — but no integrated trailer brake controller, no trailer backup assist, and no trailer camera views.

Part-time 4WD with a two-speed transfer case and auto limited-slip rear is offered on every trim, and TRD Off-Road/Pro add a locking rear differential, Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Select.

The TRD Off-Road (Bilstein shocks, locker, Crawl Control, MTS, skid plate) and TRD Pro (Fox internal-bypass shocks, TRD skid plate, all-terrain tires; 2019 adds a desert air intake) make the 2019 Tacoma one of the segment's off-road benchmarks.

Two gas engines (2.7L I4, 3.5L V6) with six-speed manual or automatic transmissions and 2WD/4WD — choice, but no diesel, turbo, or electrified option (the hybrid arrived only with the 2024 redesign).

The volume V6 4x4 automatic is rated 20 MPG combined, typical for a body-on-frame mid-size truck of the era; 2WD adds 1 MPG and the manual costs 2.

18 MPG city is mid-band for gas pickups; the Atkinson-capable V6 and D-4S injection help modestly in stop-and-go use.

Highway economy is held back by the boxy 4x4 body and a six-speed with relatively short gearing; the 2WD V6 reaches 24 MPG.

A 21.1-gallon tank at 20 MPG combined yields 422 miles — adequate, but below the long-range full-size trucks that anchor the top of the band.

EPA's current annual cost estimate for the volume V6 4x4 is $3,350 on regular fuel; the figure reflects fueleconomy.gov's present fuel-price assumption, which moves over time.

Every 2019 Tacoma powertrain runs on regular unleaded with no premium recommendation, so there is no fuel-grade penalty.

The 2019 Tacoma (third generation, carry-over year before the 2020 facelift) earned a 4-star NHTSA overall rating, held back by 4-star frontal and rollover results.

Mostly Good crashworthiness but an Acceptable passenger-side small overlap and Marginal headlights on every trim kept the 2019 Tacoma off the Top Safety Pick list.

Toyota Safety Sense P is standard on every 2019 Tacoma (AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, auto high beams, radar cruise), but blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert are missing from the volume SR5 and there is no steering-assist lane keeping.

Standard Pre-Collision System earned IIHS's top vehicle-to-vehicle rating; pedestrian and nighttime performance were not evaluated for this year, so the score stops short of the top band.

BSM with RCTA is alert-only and limited to Limited/TRD Pro as standard or option packages on TRD Sport/Off-Road; the volume SR5 and base SR can't get it.

The Tacoma's TSS-P only provides Lane Departure Alert (warning without steering assist); there is no lane keeping or lane centering.

Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is standard but is the high-speed-only TSS-P version without stop-and-go, so it drops out in traffic, and there is no combined highway assist.

No hands-free driving system was offered on the 2019 Tacoma.

Every trim's halogen projector headlights rated Marginal, with poor visibility on straights and curves; standard auto high beams help a little.

Typical midsize-pickup sightlines with a tall hood and a standard backup camera; the 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor didn't arrive until the 2020 facelift.

IIHS rated the Double Cab's LATCH Marginal, with full lower anchors in only two rear seats, and the upright, cramped rear bench makes it hard to fit several car seats.

The volume Double Cab seats five on a 60/40 split rear bench; the Access Cab's rear jump seats are token seating.

Adequate front headroom for the class, helped by the very low seat mounting rather than a tall roof.

Mid-pack front legroom on paper, though the low, legs-out seating position makes it feel less accommodating to tall drivers.

Rear headroom is at the bottom of the truck band.

Among the tightest rear seats in any crew-cab pickup; adults ride knees-up on an upright backrest.

The volume short bed is a typical mid-size 5-footer; the 6-ft bed is available but less common.

Toyota does not publish a bed volume; the figure is estimated from the 60.5-in floor, ~41.5-in between-wheel-well width and ~19-in depth, small for the band.

The composite bed with deck-rail tie-downs, two-tier loading and an available 120V/400W bed outlet are genuinely useful; in-cabin storage is ordinary, with small console bins and under-rear-seat storage on the Double Cab.

Cushions are fine in themselves, but the floor-mounted, legs-out seating position and no power driver's seat on any 2019 trim draw consistent complaints, especially from tall occupants; the rear bench is upright and cramped.

Improved over the prior generation and acceptable on road, but the leaf-sprung unladen ride is stiff and jiggly over broken pavement versus the Ridgeline and Colorado.

Wind and road noise are prominent at highway speed and the V6 is vocal when revved to find power; reviewers single it out as loud for the class.

Heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate are package options on TRD Sport/Off-Road and standard on Limited/TRD Pro, but there are no ventilated seats, heated wheel, rear vents of note, power driver's seat or remote start on any trim.

The 2019 SR opened the range below most mid-size rivals of the year, though the base I4 work-truck spec is sparse.

Tacoma volume clusters at V6 Double Cab 4x4 SR5, TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road trucks, which with common packages land in the mid-$30,000s for 2019.

The proven 3.5L V6/2.7L I4 and cheap, plentiful parts make the 2016–2023 Tacoma one of the least expensive pickups to keep running; KBB singled out the 2019 as the cheapest used truck to maintain.

KBB named the 2019 Tacoma its best-resale vehicle overall for the fifth year running; the 62.2% projection sits mid-band only because the truck band is calibrated high, and real-world post-2020 used-truck prices have run well above it.

Toyota's basic coverage is the industry floor, matched by Ford, GM and Nissan in the 2019 mid-size class.

Bottom-of-band powertrain coverage, the same as Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Ranger in 2019.

ToyotaCare gives two years of no-cost scheduled maintenance plus two years of unlimited-mileage roadside assistance — real included service that rivals like the Ranger and Colorado lacked in 2019, though shorter than luxury-brand plans.

$36,500 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (62.2% retained, or about $22,703) leaves about $13,797 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,800 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $17,597 in total.

2019 is a carry-over year of the third generation (2016–2023), before the 2020 facelift, and both major sources rate it above average: Consumer Reports scores it more reliable than the typical 2019 vehicle and J.D. Power gives it 80/100 for Quality & Reliability. The persistent blemish is owner-reported shift quality from the 6-speed automatic, which holds it just short of the top band.

Toyota was consistently in the top tier of Consumer Reports brand reliability rankings and the upper group of J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study through the late 2010s, alongside Lexus — the strongest brand-level input in the mid-size truck segment.

Four NHTSA recalls for the 2019 model year, two of them for the Denso low-pressure fuel pump that can stall the engine and one for brake master cylinder machining — real safety items, but industry-wide or narrow-batch rather than Tacoma-specific design flaws. The well-known TSB for 2016–2019 automatic-transmission shift hunting/deceleration vibration was a software reflash, not a hardware failure.

The volume SR5/TRD Sport configuration uses the 3.5L 2GR-FKS V6 with the A6 six-speed automatic; the 2GR family has a long high-mileage record across Toyota's lineup and the 2.7L 2TR-FE four is among the most durable engines Toyota builds. The deduction is for the 6AT's widely reported hunting/shudder calibration and the Atkinson-cycle V6's relatively soft low-end, which drew complaints but not failure patterns.

The pre-facelift cabin is durable but plain: hard plastics dominate, the seating position is notoriously low with a floor-mounted feel, and the 2019 truck lacked Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (added for 2020). Reviewers rated it serviceable for a work-capable truck but behind the Colorado/Canyon and Ridgeline on perceived quality.

Assembly from Toyota's San Antonio and Baja California plants is generally consistent with solid long-term structural integrity, but J.D. Power's early-ownership feedback flagged issues and owners reported scattered rattles and rear-diff/driveline whine on some 2016–2019 trucks. Solid, not class-leading.

Toyota's roughly 1,200 US dealers form one of the densest service networks in the country, including the rural areas where Tacomas are used hard; service satisfaction is generally at or above industry average.

As the long-running mid-size truck sales leader, the third-gen Tacoma has the segment's deepest OEM and aftermarket parts supply — suspension, armor, overlanding and wear parts are abundant and competitively priced, and the naturally aspirated V6/6AT driveline avoids turbo or hybrid component costs.

Even the largest available screen sits below the bottom of the truck band.

Physical volume/tune knobs and simple menus help, but the Entune interface is dated, slow to respond and dim-looking on small screens next to 2019 GM and Ram systems.

Neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto was offered on any 2019 Tacoma, wired or wireless — both arrived with the 2020 refresh.

Command-style voice recognition and Siri Eyes Free are standard; native navigation comes only with Entune Premium on TRD Sport and up, while SR5 relies on the Scout GPS Link phone app.

A six-speaker base system on volume trims; the JBL upgrade (six JBL speakers plus subwoofer amplifier) is confined to Limited and automatic TRD Pro.

Analog gauges on every trim, with a 4.2-inch color multi-information display between them on upper trims; no full-digital cluster offered.

No over-the-air software updates; head-unit and map updates are dealer or USB-based on the 2019 Entune units.

The Entune App Suite offered streaming and Scout GPS Link through the phone, but no factory remote start, remote lock or vehicle-status app functions on the 2019 Tacoma.

USB-A media/charge ports and 12V outlets only, but Qi wireless charging and a 120V/400W outlet are available on upper trims and packages.

Smart key with push-button start is limited to upper-trim packages and the Limited; volume trims use a conventional key, and no factory remote start was offered.

A low-resolution backup camera is standard and front/rear parking sensors come in Technology packages, but no surround-view camera was offered until the 2020 Limited.

No head-up display on any 2019 Tacoma trim.

A 32.6-in rear legroom figure leaves little room for rear-facing seats, IIHS rates LATCH usability Marginal, and the tall step-in plus small rear doors make daily kid loading a chore.

Toyota Safety Sense P (AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, auto high beams, radar cruise) is standard on every trim, but NHTSA gives only 4 stars overall, headlights are Marginal and blind-spot monitoring is optional.

Cramped upright rear seat, loud cabin and stiff ride make multi-hour trips with four aboard tiring; luggage goes in an open bed unless a tonneau is fitted.

The low seating position, hesitant six-speed automatic that is slow to downshift, and stiff ride add fatigue in traffic, though the truck is otherwise easy to place.

Around 19–20 MPG combined for the V6 4x4 is typical of a mid-size pickup, with inexpensive Toyota consumables keeping per-mile costs average for the class.

A 212-in Double Cab short bed with a tight ~40.6-ft turning circle is manageable in town, but only a rear camera is standard and sensors require a package.

Up to 6,800 lbs towing with the V6 Tow Package and around 1,100–1,600 lbs payload handle light-to-moderate work, but the peaky V6 has to be revved hard under load.

The Tacoma's long-standing reputation for longevity and class-leading resale makes it a proven tool, though the third generation's early transmission complaints keep it short of the very top.

Dent- and rust-proof composite bed, deck-rail tie-downs, available 120V/400W bed outlet, standard Class IV hitch with 7-pin and an enormous aftermarket ecosystem.

Roughly 400 miles from the 21.1-gal tank and standard radar cruise help, but the loud cabin, stiff ride and low seat limit long-haul comfort.

TRD Off-Road brings a locking rear diff, Crawl Control, Multi-Terrain Select and Bilstein dampers, and TRD Pro adds Fox shocks and skid plates — a class benchmark for trail use.

An open 5-ft bed with deck rails and a standard hitch swallows bikes and camping gear, and a 6-ft bed is available, but the short-bed volume is small and the cabin offers little secure dry storage.

Secure but truck-like: noticeable body roll and a ponderous feel, with off-road-biased tires on the volume TRD trims limiting grip.

Hydraulic-assist steering is reasonably weighted but slow and vague on center, typical of the class.

Adequate stopping power with a soft pedal and front-disc/rear-drum hardware; instrumented stops are mid-pack for mid-size pickups on all-terrain tires.

The Atkinson-capable 3.5L V6 makes its torque high in the rev range and the six-speed automatic hunts and hesitates to downshift, giving lazy tip-in response.

The V6 sounds strained when wound out to find power, compounding an already loud cabin.

A tight turning circle for a pickup, close to the lower bound of the truck band.

Simple, logical physical controls, but the floor-level seat with legs-out posture, no seat-height adjustment worth noting and a tilt-telescope wheel with limited range frustrate taller drivers.

On pavement it is unremarkable, but the available six-speed manual and genuinely capable TRD Off-Road/TRD Pro trims give it real character for enthusiasts who leave the road.

Toyota Safety Sense-P (pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, auto high beams, adaptive cruise) was standard on every 2019 Tacoma, which no mid-size rival matched; offsetting that, there was no Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, no power driver's seat even on SR5, and the base SR is sparse.

Prices are fair and the value story leans on resale and running costs rather than content: the Colorado and new Ranger offered more torque, towing and tech for similar money, while the Tacoma charged a premium for its name and off-road trims.

Six trims (SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, TRD Pro), Access and Double Cab, 5-ft and 6-ft beds, I4 or V6, 2WD/4WD, and a six-speed manual — one of the broadest mid-size lineups.

A record 248,801 US sales in 2019 kept the Tacoma the runaway mid-size leader for a 13th straight year, well ahead of the Colorado and the newly relaunched Ranger.

Toyota's durability reputation and the Tacoma's off-road/TRD cult following give it an exceptional halo that shows directly in its class-leading resale.

Strong demand meant the Tacoma typically sold near MSRP with only token incentives, and TRD Off-Road/TRD Pro often commanded dealer markups — good for resale, poor for buyers seeking a deal.

Fourth model year of the 2016 generation, on an aging frame and interior carried from the 2005 truck; the 2020 facelift brought CarPlay/Android Auto, so a 2019 buyer got the pre-refresh tech.

Won value-oriented awards (KBB Best Resale, KBB 5-Year Cost to Own) but reviewers routinely criticized its cramped, low-seat driving position, hesitant transmission and dated cabin, and it rarely won comparison tests against the Colorado/Ranger.