The Ford Ranger is dead! Long live the Toyota Tacoma! Yes, the Ford Ranger died a long but not painful death. Even though it survived nearly 20 years without any significant changes, the Ranger still picked up good sales every year. However, the time had come for the plug to be pulled.
Coinciding with the death of the legendary Ranger is the physical rejuvenation of its biggest foe, the Tacoma. Back in 2005, the Toyota took the top spot in the US from Ford as best-selling compact truck. Even though the Ranger bowed out of the No. 1 position, it hung on to the second step of the podium. The next-best seller was the Nissan Frontier, itself outsold two to one by the Tacoma.
Old school but good
As a long since out-of-the-closet fan of pickups, in their respective segments, my faves have forever been the full-size Ford F150 and the compact Tacoma. As I ponder my rating of the truck in this review, I find myself confronted with the fact that I like the Tacoma more for what it isn't than what it is.
What the 2012 Toyota Tacoma is not is modern and refined. What the Tacoma is not is meant to be a showcase for technology or for creature comforts. The Tacoma is what the wicker chair is to the La-Z-Boy. And I'm very fond of it.
The Toyota Tacoma has a reputation for being tough, robust, and pretty much the most dependable product the Japanese giant has in its massive stable. This, the Tacoma is. It also has a long history that goes way back to the first Land Cruisers from the early 1950s. What those trucks were capable of was what made them legends in their own time. The Tacoma carries on that lineage.
Ingredient upgrade needed
Unfortunately, that fact that the Tacoma stays true to its roots is what hurts it, or rather, me. In actuality, the only negative aspect of this Tacoma is the available 4-speed automatic transmission.
The 2012 Toyota Tacoma's base engine is a 2.7L 4-cylinder that develops 159 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. A 236-hp 4.0L V6 is available. Despite sounding and running exactly like a 4-cylinder engine from the ’70s, the 2.7L has plenty of heart and gets the job done. With it comes a 5-speed manual transmission as a 2x4 or 4x4. For an appalling $1,000 extra, Toyota will hand over the 4-speed automatic.
Although the box may be as tough as the rest of the truck, it not only robs the 2.7L power-wise, but it increases fuel consumption. On acceleration or passing, the poor mill tries as best as it can to make things happen but the transmission drops 2,000 rpm between first and second and will not kick-down unless you kick it. I think Toyota should give the buyer a $1,000 discount if they opt for the 4-speed.
Article by .... Mathieu St-Pierre
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