The 2016 Toyota Tacoma is either all-new or a serious refresh depending on how you look at it, but it is still the best selling midsize pickup truck in the country.
But back in 1995, the first year of the Tacoma, Toyota took a big gamble and separated the global Hilux truck – which was sold here as the plain old Toyota Truck – from the North American Tacoma.
While the Hilux soldiered on with the same basic chassis, the Tacoma and its SUV sister, the 4Runner, were now based on the Land Cruiser Prado, a smaller version of the venerable off-roader not sold here. Toyota wanted to cater to the American market where trucks were more than just work vehicles, they were daily drivers.
So how does the original Tacoma compare with the latest one? For this comparison, the 1995 Tacoma is a base 4×4 Xtra Cab, while the 2016 Tacoma is the SR 4×4 Access Cab. Both come with a four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission.
Looking at the chart below, the first thing that is noticed is how much hasn’t changed. The engines in both Tacomas have an identical displacement of 2,693 cc (2.7 liters), and their power numbers are remarkably close. The modern Tacoma bests the old by only nine horsepower and three lb-ft of torque.
Fuel economy numbers are close, but again the modern Tacoma wins out by three mpg city, but only one mpg highway.
The biggest change, of course, is size. While the original Tacoma was no longer a Hilux, it was still considered a compact pickup. But time moves on and, as is typical of most models, each successive generation is larger than the last. Now considered a midsize pickup, the new Tacoma positively dwarfs the old one.
The 2016 truck is longer and wider than the 1995 and has a longer wheelbase. As expected, it’s also heavier. But what those dimensions give is passenger space. Headroom, legroom and shoulder room are all up, and by significant amounts.
One interesting dimension is ground clearance. The old Tacoma has nearly one and a half inches more ground clearance than the old car, making it ostensibly better off-road from the factory.
1995 Toyota Tacoma vs. 2016 Toyota Tacoma
| 1995 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 Extended Cab | 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR 4×4 Access Cab | |
|---|---|---|
| Price: | $18,028 ($28,135 in 2015) | $26,205 |
| Engine: | Inline-4 | Inline-4 |
| Displacement: | 2,693 cc | 2,693 cc |
| Horsepower: | 150@4,800 rpm | 159@5,200 rpm |
| Torque (lb-ft): | 177@4,000 rpm | 180@3,800 rpm |
| Fuel economy (city/hwy): | 16/20 | 19/21 |
| Transmission: | 5-speed manual | 5-speed manual |
| Wheelbase: | 121.9 in | 127.4 in |
| Length: | 199 in | 212.3 in |
| Width: | 66.5 in | 74.4 in |
| Height: | 66.3 in | 70.6 in |
| Weight: | 3,877 lbs. | 4,195 lbs. |
| Ground clearance: | 10.8 in | 9.4 in. |
| Headroom, front: | 38.4 in | 39.7 in |
| Shoulder room, front: | 54.1 in | 58.3 in |
| Legroom, front: | 42.8 in | 49.2 in |
References:
http://www.toyotatacomasforsale.com/specs/
http://www.autotrader.com/1995-Toyota-Tacoma.jsp?modelId=11069
http://www.toyota.com/tacoma/features/dimensions/7513
http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/tacoma/1995/st-4541/features-specs/
Check out this TFLtruck first drive video review of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma:
