2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro in Army Green

Quick Spin2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

Class: Compact Pickup

Miles driven: 503

Fuel used: 27.4 gallons

CG Report Card
Room and ComfortB
Power and PerformanceB+
Fit and FinishB-
Fuel EconomyB-
ValueB-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big GuyC
Tall GuyB-
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs278-hp 3.5-liter
Engine TypeV6
Transmission 6-speed automatic
Drive Wheels4WD

Real-world fuel economy: 18.4 mpg

Driving mix: 35% city, 65% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 18/22/20 (city/highway/combined)

Fuel type: Regular gas

Base price: $46,665 (not including $1095 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Desert air intake ($725), TRD air filter ($90), paint protection film ($395), bed mat ($120), door sill protector ($79), deck rail camera mount ($56), mudguards ($129), D-rings ($55), glass breakage sensor ($299)

Price as tested: $49,708

 

Quick Hits

The great: Peppy acceleration, off-road capability

The good: Decent ride for a serious off-road truck, control layout

The not so good: So-so interior materials, noise, limited interior space

More Tacoma price and availability information

 

CG Says:

As we reviewed a very similar Tacoma TRD Pro last year, we invite you to read that report for more details. Here we’ll touch on what’s new for Tacomas for the 2020 model year, and what makes the tested version a little bit special.

2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
All 2020 Tacomas get revised taillights. Our tester had a sliding back window, handy for hauling long items.

All Tacomas — from the base SR through mid-line SR5 and off-road TRDs to the line-topping Limited — get standard Toyota Safety Sense-P for 2020, which includes forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. They also get Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/Amazon Alexa capability through a 7-inch touchscreen on the base SR, an 8-incher on all others. All also get redesigned taillights, most get new grilles, and a power driver seat with lumbar adjustment is offered on V6 versions of the SR5 and up. Also available are a 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor, and — on off-road versions — a Multi-Terrain Monitor that provides a low-down view of what’s in front of the truck to help avoid unseen obstacles.

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2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
Neat TRD touches on our tester included a “monogrammed” lower front skid plate, hood scoop, tough-looking wheels, raised suspension, and a huge air intake climbing the right-front roof pillar.

The tested example — wearing new-for-2020 Army Green paint — featured an optional Desert Air Intake that brought a tall air scoop (intended to reduce the ingestion of sand/dirt particles kicked up by the truck when driving in dusty conditions) along with an optional TRD Air Filter. The combination added $815 to the bottom line, but could well be worth it if you indeed traverse sandy/dusty terrain.

But the former also caused a bit of a problem. The intake consists of a large-diameter pipe that runs up the passenger-side windshield pillar, culminating in a scoop at the top. The pipe is so large that it blocks almost as much of your front-right-corner view as the pillar itself–not great when turning left out of a parking lot across traffic. Otherwise, visibility is very good, aided by a wide-angle 180-degree rearview camera and 360-degree cameras.

2020 Auto Chicago Show: 2020 Jeep Gladiator Mohave

2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
Interior materials are on the utilitarian side, and while most controls are easy to use, those to the right and some of the low-mounted climate controls are a bit of a reach. Left of the steering wheel is a handy button to select camera view, which includes 360-degree and lower front view for unseen off-road obstacles.
2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
In the right-rear corner of the bed are a small covered bin and 120-volt outlet.

Tall ground clearance means it’s quite a hop into the interior for even average-height folks. Interior space overall isn’t great, though it’s fine if no passengers are much more than average size. Interior storage is just OK, with our tester boasting 12-volt and two USB plugs along with Qi wireless charging. The control layout is mostly good, though some right-side audio controls and most climate controls are a bit of a reach. Back in the bed, there’s a handy (though non-locking) little cargo bin along with a 120-volt (household current) outlet — both nice touches — along with a sliding rear cab window.

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0 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
The Tacoma averaged 8.17 seconds in the 0-60 dash by our clock, a respectable showing.

The 3.5-liter V6 provides good acceleration (our tester averaging a commendable 8.17 seconds in the 0-60 dash), aided by quick kickdowns from the 6-speed automatic transmission. Although the ride gets “hoppy” at times — to the point it’s sometimes difficult to hit your chosen audio buttons — it’s fairly livable overall, particularly for a jacked-up 4×4. On the highway, wind, tire, and engine noise are more noticed than in most vehicles, though not overwhelming.

Toyota states that the Tacoma has been the best-selling compact pickup for 13 years running. Yet it doesn’t really boast anything that really sets it apart. But our tester did stand out with its Army Green paint along with jacked-up suspension and that huge air intake that tell folks you do some serious off-road driving — or at least make it look like you do.

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0 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
With its tall stance, dark wheels, and Army Green paint (not to mention the big air scoop on the other side), our Tacoma tester looked like the serious off-roader it is — though the “off road” intention is for sand.

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2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

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