Toyota Tacoma Overview

Toyota has updated its brawny Tacoma pickup with some tweaks to the styling and interior. New front styling gives the trucks a fresh appearance, while an expanded list of standard and optional equipment add comfort and convenience. New to the lineup is an optional off-road package from Toyota Racing Development. But Toyota Tacoma 4X4 pickups will still be known for their quality, durability, reliability and off-road performance.

Toyota has a history of building solid, dependable trucks. Its four-wheel-drive vehicles have always been standouts for tough duty, with rugged suspensions, rigid bodies and powerful engines. The 1998 Tacoma builds on that tradition--particularly when it's equipped with the V6 engine.

These trucks don't come cheap, particularly top-of-the-line models. Our top-of-the-line Tacoma 4x4 Xtracab V6 Limited, for example, retails for $24,448. It comes loaded with convenience features, but air conditioning adds $985, an automatic transmission costs $900, and antilock brakes tack on another $590. This sum brings top-drawer off-road performance, many years of reliable service and every luxury feature available.

More modest models are available for those who want a serious work truck without such a serious investment. Two-wheel-drive models fitted with 4-cylinder engines start at $12,958 and are highly capable work trucks.

Regardless of model, expect to get a high-quality truck that offers good resale value on the other end.