2025 Toyota Tacoma

The volume SR5 4x4 uses the 278 hp tune of the 2.4L i-FORCE turbo four; the base SR is detuned to 228 hp and the i-FORCE MAX hybrid tops the range at 326 hp. 2025 is a carry-over year for the powertrain within the fourth generation that launched for 2024. Against a truck band reaching 800 hp, a 278 hp four-cylinder normalizes low.

The volume turbo makes 317 lb-ft, competitive within the mid-size class, but the truck band runs to 800 lb-ft to cover full-size and electric pickups, so it scores low.

Instrumented tests of the current-generation turbo Tacoma span 6.2 s (MotorWeek, SR5 automatic) to 7.4 s (MotorTrend, TRD Sport 4WD); ~7.0 s is representative of the volume SR5/TRD 4x4. Same powertrain carries into 2025.

The 2.4L turbo delivers strong midrange torque, but reviewers consistently note a coarse four-cylinder sound under load and some off-boost lag from rest. The hybrid covers the lag with low-end shove but its engine/motor transitions are perceptible.

The 8-speed automatic is decisive with well-spaced ratios that keep the turbo on boost, with occasional low-speed hesitation noted. For 2025 Toyota still offers a 6-speed intelligent manual (iMT) with rev matching on i-FORCE models — a rare choice in the segment.

Maximum conventional towing is 6,500 lbs, on par with Ranger and Colorado, but the truck band extends to 14,000 lbs for half-tons, so it lands in the lower middle.

Best-case payload is 1,705 lbs; heavier TRD Pro and Trailhunter configurations give up several hundred pounds. Low against a band topping out at 3,400 lbs.

Core towing toolkit is covered: tow/haul mode, available integrated trailer brake controller, Trailer Back Up Guide with Straight Path Assist and 360-degree view, trailer-aware Blind Spot Monitor, and a newly available wireless trailer camera for 2025. No onboard scales or trailer-profile management of the full-size class.

Part-time 4WD with low range is available broadly and standard on off-road trims, with Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control and a rear locker on TRD Off-Road and up, plus full-time 4WD with an electronic locking center differential on Limited. Lower trims start RWD, keeping it short of the top band.

One of the deepest off-road benches in any segment: TRD Off-Road with Bilstein remote-reservoir dampers and available stabilizer disconnect, TRD Pro with FOX QS3 dampers and 33-inch tires, and Trailhunter with Old Man Emu suspension. For 2025 the stabilizer disconnect became standard on TRD Pro and Trailhunter, and both gained front recovery hooks.

Three tunes — 228 hp SR, 278 hp turbo, 326 hp i-FORCE MAX hybrid — plus a choice of automatic or 6-speed manual give real breadth with a genuine electrified option. All share one 2.4L four underneath; no V6, diesel, PHEV or EV.

The volume SR5 Double Cab 4x4 with the 278 hp turbo and 8-speed automatic is EPA-rated 21 MPG combined — typical for a body-on-frame mid-size 4x4.

City economy for the turbo 4x4 is 19 MPG; only the hybrid (22–23 MPG city) meaningfully improves stop-and-go consumption.

The boxy body-on-frame 4x4 tops out at 23 MPG highway despite the 8-speed automatic.

Derived from the 18.2-gallon tank and the 21 MPG combined rating; under 400 miles is short for a truck because the fourth generation shrank the tank to package the new powertrains.

EPA's current estimate for the volume 4x4 is $3,200 per year on regular fuel at 15,000 miles; 2WD versions run $2,900–3,050.

Every 2025 Tacoma powertrain, including the i-FORCE MAX hybrid, runs on regular unleaded; the hybrid is self-charging with no plug requirement.

NHTSA rated the 2025 Tacoma crew cab 4 stars overall, held back by a 3-star frontal crash result despite 5 stars in the side test. 2025 is the second year of the fourth generation (from 2024), so the rating describes the current structure.

Good in both small overlap tests and the updated side test, but Marginal in the updated moderate overlap front test (rear-passenger restraint), which keeps the 2025 Tacoma out of the 2025 Top Safety Pick awards. The 2024 truck earned a 2024 TSP under the older criteria, before the updated moderate overlap test was applied to it.

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard on every 2025 Tacoma, including pedestrian-detecting AEB, full-speed adaptive cruise on automatics and lane centering — content rivals gate behind packages. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is the gap, standard from SR5 up but not on the base SR.

IIHS rates the standard Pre-Collision System Good in both its tougher vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0 evaluation and the pedestrian (day and night) evaluation — top-tier results for a body-on-frame mid-size pickup.

Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is standard on SR5 and above, covering the volume trims, but it is alert-only with no braking or steering intervention and no trailer-length coverage, and the base SR goes without.

Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist and Lane Tracing Assist are standard on every trim, generous for the class, but Toyota's centering is functional rather than benchmark — reviewers note occasional wander and frequent hands-on prompts.

Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with stop-and-go is standard on automatic Tacomas and pairs with Lane Tracing Assist for hands-on highway assist; manual-transmission trims get a non-stop-and-go version, and the system brakes conservatively.

No hands-free highway driving is offered on any 2025 Tacoma trim; the most capable assistance is hands-on Lane Tracing Assist with radar cruise.

LED projector headlights with automatic high beams are standard and IIHS rates them Acceptable on every trim — consistent, with no Marginal units on the volume trims, but no trim reaches Good.

The fourth generation's higher seating position improved forward sightlines over the old truck, but the tall hood, high beltline and thick pillars leave real blind zones, and the 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor is limited to upper trims.

IIHS rates the Double Cab's LATCH hardware Acceptable — workable anchors behind conventional rear doors, but the upright, legroom-limited rear bench complicates rear-facing seats and the XtraCab has no rear seat at all.

The four-door Double Cab that makes up the large majority of Tacoma sales seats five. In this generation the two-door XtraCab has no rear seat at all, but it sells in small numbers and isn't the volume trim.

39.7 inches is mid-pack for a mid-size crew cab: enough for tall drivers, but behind Ranger and Gladiator. The truck band runs up to 43 inches to cover full-size cabs.

At 41.8 inches the Tacoma trails the Ranger and Canyon by roughly 2–3 inches. Combined with a seat that has limited travel, this is behind the long-running complaint that tall drivers end up sitting with their knees up.

The Double Cab's rear headroom is adequate rather than generous. That is about level with the Canyon and below the Ranger. In the back seat, legroom runs out before headroom does.

This is the Tacoma's clearest packaging weakness. The fourth generation gained about an inch over the third-gen Double Cab, but it still has the least rear legroom of any mid-size crew cab. Reviewers consistently call the rear quarters tight.

The volume SR5 Double Cab uses the 5-foot bed, which is in line with the Ranger and Canyon short boxes. Unlike those two, the Tacoma still offers a 6-foot bed, but only with the leaf-spring configurations.

The 5-foot bed holds about 34.4 cu ft, below the Ranger and Canyon short beds. The adjustable deck rails and available bed outlet make the space more usable than the raw volume suggests.

Storage is above average without anything segment-first. The cabin has a deep console, a dash shelf and large door bins, and the Double Cab's rear seat cushions flip up to reveal covered storage underneath. In the bed there are deck rails, a damped tailgate, an available 120V outlet and a 2,400W inverter on the hybrid. Nothing here matches the Ridgeline's lockable in-bed trunk.

The front buckets are well shaped, but the low hip point and short seat travel leave taller drivers with their knees up on long drives. The rear bench is upright and tight. TRD Pro's shock-absorbing IsoDynamic seats are excellent but don't apply to the volume trim.

The volume SR5 Double Cab gets the new coil-spring multi-link rear suspension, which reviewers say is a large ride improvement over the old leaf-sprung trucks. The ride is still firm and somewhat busy when the bed is empty, and some critics still call it stiff. It sits above the Ranger, below the Canyon and well below the unibody Ridgeline.

Wind and road noise are reasonably well controlled at highway speed. The 2.4L turbo four is the main problem: it sounds gritty and unrefined under load. The cabin is far quieter than a Gladiator's but a step behind the Ranger and Canyon.

Dual-zone automatic climate control arrives at SR5. Heated front seats and a heated wheel are mid-trim or package items, and ventilated seats come only on Limited, TRD Pro and Trailhunter. The Double Cab has rear vents but no separate rear climate zone, and the base SR is sparsely equipped.

The SR XtraCab 4x2 opens the 2025 range at $33,085 including destination, up just $90 on 2024 in a carry-over year of the fourth generation. That is competitive with the Ranger XL and Colorado WT rather than a clear undercut.

Volume sits at SR5 and TRD Off-Road Double Cab 4x4. The SR5 4x4 short bed lists at $41,985 and the TRD Off-Road at $44,395, so about $44,000 is a fair as-typically-equipped figure. That is mid-pack for the segment.

KBB's projection for the 2025 Double Cab is about $7,200 in maintenance and repairs over five years, which is mid-band for a pickup. CarEdge projects a lower maintenance-only figure (~$2,241). Repairs are low, consistent with Toyota's record, but scheduled maintenance is not cheap over five years.

Resale is the Tacoma's strongest ownership argument. KBB projects about 73% retained after five years, and CarEdge projects about 78%, ranking it near the top of all popular vehicles. Both clear the Ranger and Colorado comfortably.

Toyota's basic coverage is the industry-minimum 3 years / 36,000 miles. Ford and GM match it, but it is the bottom of the band.

Powertrain coverage on the scored gas i-FORCE truck is 5 years / 60,000 miles, the bottom of the band. Only i-FORCE MAX hybrid buyers get longer coverage on the hybrid-specific hardware.

ToyotaCare covers two years of no-cost scheduled maintenance plus two years of unlimited-mileage roadside assistance. That is a genuine included-service plan that beats the Ranger and Colorado. It sits just below the top band because 2 yr / 25,000 mi is shorter than the longest plans in the market.

$44,000 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (72.6% retained, or about $31,944) leaves about $12,056 in depreciation. Add the projected $7,195 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $19,251 in total.

The 2025 Tacoma is the second model year of the all-new fourth generation (N400, launched for 2024), and Consumer Reports still predicts below-average reliability for it, placing it mid-pack in the mid-size truck class. Owner data for 2025 improved noticeably over the troubled 2024 launch year, so this sits in the lower part of the mixed-signal band rather than outright failing.

Toyota is the benchmark mainstream brand for dependability, consistently near the top of Consumer Reports brand reliability rankings and in the upper group of J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study alongside Lexus.

Four NHTSA campaigns touch the 2025 Tacoma, two of them safety-relevant hardware: rear brake hoses on 4WD trucks that can be damaged by packed mud and leak fluid, and a front driveshaft CV joint that can deform and break, whose final remedy was not available until 2026. That is above the norm for a second model year, though the remaining two (instrument-panel OTA software, load-capacity label) are minor and nothing touches the engine itself.

The volume gas Tacoma uses the 2.4L T24A-FTS turbo four with an 8-speed automatic, a family now shared across Highlander, Grand Highlander and Lexus NX/RX with no systemic engine-failure pattern, but it has nowhere near the high-mileage record of the 3.5L 2GR V6 it replaced, and owners report low-speed shift-quality complaints on the 8AT. Newer powertrain without red flags at the engine level; the 2025 driveshaft CV recall is a driveline concern on top of that.

The fourth-generation cabin is a large step up from the third generation, with modern dash architecture, better switchgear and up to a 14-inch touchscreen, but materials favor ruggedness and hard plastics dominate below the beltline. Competitive for the class rather than leading it.

Assembly from Toyota's Mexican plants is generally solid with tight panel gaps, a clear gain over the old truck, but early fourth-generation builds drew scattered rattle and interior-trim complaints and the CR owner data behind the below-average 2025 prediction keeps this short of the top band.

Toyota operates one of the densest US dealer networks, putting service within reach almost everywhere including the rural and mountain areas where Tacomas are used, with service satisfaction at or above average.

The Tacoma has the deepest aftermarket in the mid-size truck segment by a wide margin, and routine maintenance costs are among the lowest in the class. Turbo-four components and new-generation-specific parts are pricier and less widely stocked than the outgoing V6's, which trims the score slightly.

The volume SR5 Double Cab comes with the 8-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia screen as standard. The 14-inch unit is optional there and standard only on the top trims. Scored on the volume trim's standard screen, it sits at the floor of the truck band.

Toyota Audio Multimedia is fast and has a shallow menu structure. The cabin also keeps physical controls for climate, volume, tuning, 4WD and the locker. It falls short of the top band because the base 8-inch screen looks small in the wide dash and the app selection is thin.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every trim with both the 8- and 14-inch head units.

The cloud-based 'Hey Toyota' assistant understands natural phrasing. Native cloud navigation requires a Drive Connect subscription after the trial ends, so most owners will switch to phone projection.

The optional 10-speaker JBL system, with a removable JBL Flex Bluetooth speaker docked in the dash, is a good fit for a truck used outdoors. On the volume trim, though, it comes bundled with the 14-inch package. The base 6-speaker system is only adequate.

The SR5 has a 7-inch digital display between analog gauges. A 12.3-inch fully digital cluster is standard from TRD Sport upward. That is a partial setup on the volume trim, with full digital on higher trims.

Toyota Audio Multimedia receives over-the-air software and map updates, so the truck clears the floor. However, there is no regular program of whole-vehicle updates that add features.

The Toyota app handles remote start and climate, locking, status, vehicle locating and guest-driver settings, and a Digital Key is available. Remote Connect needs a paid subscription after the trial, which keeps the score mid-band.

There are USB-C ports in both rows of the Double Cab, a 120V bed outlet is available, and the hybrid adds 2,400W of onboard AC power. Qi wireless charging is on upper trims or packages, not standard on the volume SR5.

Smart Key proximity entry with push-button start is standard from SR5. Remote start is available through the app, and Digital Key is offered. The base SR does without these, and the app-based features require a subscription.

A backup camera is standard, and front and rear parking sensors are available or standard on mid trims. The Panoramic View Monitor with Multi-Terrain Monitor is reserved for upper trims, and there is no automated parking.

No Tacoma trim offers a head-up display. Toyota keeps its HUD for the Tundra.

The Double Cab has the least rear legroom of any mid-size crew cab, and the upright bench makes rear-facing child seats a squeeze. Rear doors, LATCH anchors and the flip-up rear cushions with storage underneath keep it workable for families.

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard on every trim. Blind Spot Monitor starts at SR5, and the 4-star NHTSA overall rating, which includes a 3-star frontal score, is only average.

Four adults fit, but the rear bench is tight and upright for long drives. Rear amenities are limited to vents and USB-C, and luggage rides in an open bed unless you add a cover. The coil-sprung rear on the SR5 Double Cab helps the ride.

Full-speed adaptive cruise and a settled coil-sprung ride help in traffic. Turbo lag, an unrefined engine note, occasional bumpy downshifts and an awkward seating position for tall drivers keep it from feeling effortless.

21 MPG combined on regular fuel is ordinary for a mid-size 4x4. Low repair costs and two years of ToyotaCare maintenance bring the cost per mile back to roughly average for the class.

A turning circle of about 42 feet is good for a mid-size crew cab, but the tall hood and high beltline make the truck hard to place in tight spots. The 360-degree camera is reserved for upper trims. Off-road trims on larger tires turn wider, at about 44 feet.

A maximum payload of about 1,705 lbs and a durable composite bed make it a capable light-duty work truck. The 6,500-lb tow rating trails the Colorado, Canyon and Ranger at 7,500–7,700 lbs, and the 5-ft bed is small.

No mid-size pickup has a stronger durability and resale reputation than the Tacoma. The score stays out of the top band because the turbo-four and 8-speed combination is only in its second model year and has no long hard-use record yet.

Practical work features include the composite bed, adjustable deck rails, damped tailgate and an available bed outlet. The 2025 SR5 auxiliary switch circuit was raised from 65 to 95 amps, which helps with upfits, and the hybrid offers 2,400W of power. The Tacoma has the deepest aftermarket in the segment.

The range of roughly 380 miles means frequent fuel stops, the engine is coarse at cruise, and the seating position tires tall drivers. Lane Tracing Assist with full-speed adaptive cruise reduces highway fatigue, and the coil-sprung rear improves the ride, but no hands-free driving is offered.

This is the segment benchmark for adventure use. There are three factory off-road builds (TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro and Trailhunter), plus a low-range transfer case, an electronic locking rear differential and a disconnecting front stabilizer bar. Camp power is available, and for 2025 front tow hooks and a full-size spare on TRD Off-Road are standard.

The open bed with deck rails, the underseat storage and the huge rack and hitch ecosystem handle bulky gear well. The short bed's volume is small for the class, and there is no lockable weatherproof cargo space unless you add a cap or tonneau.

The TNGA-F frame and the coil-spring multi-link rear on the volume SR5 Double Cab give the truck much better body control than the previous generation. It is still a tall body-on-frame pickup with modest grip, and some critics still call the handling clumsy.

The electric steering is linear, consistently weighted and low-effort on the highway, a clear improvement over the third generation. Feedback is still limited, as with most trucks.

The gas SR5 has adequate stopping power and acceptable fade resistance for the class. The pedal is soft with long travel. The grabby regen blending that critics fault is specific to the i-FORCE MAX hybrid, not the scored gas powertrain.

The 2.4L turbo has strong midrange torque, but throttle tip-in is lumpy, stop/start restarts are noticeable, and the 8-speed sometimes makes bumpy downshifts.

The turbo four sounds gritty and unrefined under load and is the main limit on cabin refinement. It drones in a way the outgoing V6 did not.

Published spec tables list 42.2 ft for the Double Cab with the 5-ft bed. The volume SR5 shares that wheelbase and street tires. Larger tires on the off-road trims widen the circle to about 44 ft.

The control layout is good, with real knobs for climate and volume and hard switches for off-road functions, and the view of the road is commanding. Limited seat travel and a hip point that sits low relative to the floor leave tall drivers with their knees up, and some reviewers find the position awkward.

The Tacoma has more character than its on-road dynamics suggest. A 6-speed manual is still offered on TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road, the off-road trims are entertaining away from pavement, and the enthusiast following is huge. The coarse engine holds the score back.

Every 2025 trim gets Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, including full-speed adaptive cruise and lane centering, plus wireless CarPlay/Android Auto and LED lighting, which rivals often put in packages. On the other side, the volume SR5 has an 8-inch screen where the Colorado and Ranger come with larger standard displays, and the 14-inch screen and digital cluster are upper-trim items.

A typically equipped SR5/TRD Off-Road 4x4 runs about $42,000–$44,400 and its 278 hp / 6,500 lb numbers only match rivals, so it is not the content-per-dollar bargain the Frontier is. The class's deepest off-road hardware, an available 326 hp hybrid and best-in-class resale make much of the premium recoverable.

KBB lists 26 distinct 2025 configurations, spread across eight trims from the SR through PreRunner, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road and Limited to the Trailhunter and TRD Pro. Buyers also choose between XtraCab and Double Cab, short and long beds, 4x2 and 4x4, three powertrain tunes and a 6-speed manual. No mid-size rival comes close to this spread, which runs from $33,085 to $65,230.

The Tacoma has led the mid-size class for about two decades and, in its new generation, outsells the next rival roughly two to one. That volume underpins the segment's deepest aftermarket.

The Tacoma has a loyal, culturally entrenched following, backed by Toyota's reliability reputation, class-best resale and the overlanding halo of the TRD Pro and Trailhunter. It is the default nameplate in mid-size pickups.

Toyota's incentive spend is among the lowest of the mainstream brands, and the Tacoma's demand and residuals keep transaction prices near sticker. Modest APR and lease programs on SR5/TRD stock appeared through 2025 as inventory recovered. Discounts are far smaller than the GM and Nissan money on the Colorado and Frontier.

MY2025 is the second year of the fourth generation, which launched for 2024 on the TNGA-F platform. Its hardware is current: turbo and hybrid powertrains, TSS 3.0 and an available 14-inch screen. Changes for 2025 were minor carry-over tweaks, and there is no redesign risk for a buyer.

Reviewers treat the fourth generation as a big step forward, and it is a default buyer's-guide recommendation on resale and off-road ability. On the other hand, the Colorado won MotorTrend's 2024 Truck of the Year, and on-road tests dock the Tacoma for its coarse turbo four, low seating position and tight rear seat. It wins off-road comparisons and loses most of those decided on pavement.