Toyota Tacoma Limited Worth Every Penny

You won’t find a fan base more rabid than Toyota Tacoma enthusiasts. They love their little old truck. Even in a transitional year with the old Tacoma out and the new one in, Toyota still sold more than 237,000 units in 2023. That’s the fifth-best for all trucks and tops its midsize class of trucks by more than 200,000 units.

The new Tacoma gives enthusiasts even more reasons to flock to dealerships; a sharp redesign, a pair of new turbocharged engines, and depending on the trim you choose, a premium interior with thoughtful upgrades. In that regard, the Tacoma Limited packs a lot of punch for a still-reasonable (at least, in the larger truck world) starting price of $57,295. And that’s pretty impressive.

Call it blasphemy, but the new four-cylinder hybrid engine is a far cry from the old V-6. It fixes one of the Tacoma’s biggest problems: Torque—or lack thereof. The awkwardly named I-Force Max hybrid engine powers the high-end Tacoma Limited model and combines a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder with a 1.9-kilowatt-hour battery and an electric motor. The result is a best-in-class 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque at just 1,600 rpm. That’s a big improvement over the old V-6’s underpowered 265 pound-feet at 4,600 rpm.

Finally, thankfully, the Tacoma has torque. Fast-acting electrons from the 48-hp electric motor add force to the tires and move the Taco along quickly before the gas engine kicks in to add more power. While Toyota doesn’t list an official 60-mph time for this truck, my dyno showed about seven seconds. Fast.

Even at 70 mph, you barely need to step on the accelerator to get more power. The combination of turbochargers and electric motors means you always have torque when you need it, and the four-cylinder feels more capable than even the previous V-6. And there’s still enough power to tow up to 6,000 pounds in this Limited trim.

The entire drivetrain is very smooth; there were no jarring vibrations from the drivetrain during my week of driving the truck. The gas engine is a bit noisy when you step on the accelerator, but so are the other four-cylinders. It’s all paired with an equally smooth eight-speed automatic transmission.

Pros: Finally Some Torque, Better Drivetrain, Premium Cabin, Still Quite Capable

The Tacoma’s biggest improvement is the way it handles. The now electronically assisted steering feels light and direct. There’s no mystery about which way the nose is pointing. The ride is plush in the truck’s Normal setting and stiff enough in Sport to keep it engaging. And the chassis is well balanced.

Standard all-wheel drive with an electronic locking center differential means you can take this truck on most trails, too. The TRD Pro or Trailhunter trims are still the most rugged, and have more advanced suspension technology, but even the Tacoma Limited is still capable of doing pretty well off-road.

As the most luxurious Tacoma of the bunch, and in keeping with the Limited trim across their entire truck lineup, Toyota really goes all out on the chrome here—the grille, wheels, door handles, and tailgate handle all get a polished finish. Meanwhile, the font separator drops way down below the bumper to look like Jay Leno prime. For such an aggressive-looking, attractive truck, the Limited trim doesn’t do the Tacoma justice.

And if you were hoping for a variety of bed and cab sizes, sorry—the Limited is only available in a Double Cab configuration with a five-foot bed. Even with the larger cab, the back seat felt cramped for my six-foot frame.

At least the interior is truly premium. The Tacoma Limited is equipped with nice materials. Toyota’s SofTex faux leather covers the seats and is nearly as soft and supple as real cowhide. The seats are heated and ventilated. You get real leather stitching on the steering wheel, at least, and it’s heated, too.

A gorgeous, thick walnut accent runs across the dashboard with the “TACOMA” logo emblazoned on the passenger side, in case you forgot. And a large 14.0-inch screen sits atop the dash. It runs Toyota’s latest and greatest infotainment system, which has crystal-clear graphics, a clean home screen, and basic functions right where you need them. It’s the next best thing to Apple CarPlay—though, you can still access CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly if you want.

Cons: Too much chrome, cramped back seat

The best thing about the Tacoma Limited is that it’s fully equipped from the start. Faux leather seats, an adaptive suspension, and a 14.0-inch touchscreen are all standard. You also get Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 at no extra cost, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, high-beam assist, and more.

If you don’t like all that chrome, Toyota does offer most of those features on other Tacomas—but only if you’re willing to pay a little more. The TRD Off-Road, for example, gets you a large touchscreen for an extra $845 and heated seats for an extra $585. It doesn’t have the adaptive suspension.

But the Tacoma Limited has its own unique qualities. Look beyond the chrome and this truck excels as a premium midsize truck. Nearly everything you could possibly want and need is standard, it’s comfortable to drive, comfortable inside, and tough enough for the occasional trail ride. If you’re worried that the new Tacoma won’t live up to expectations, don’t be.