Lists about automobiles often rate the best or worst of a class or type, ignoring the middling models that aren’t bad but aren’t great either. These vehicles are the wallflowers of the auto world, and no one cares to give them much attention. But that isn’t the case with the Toyota Tacoma — consumers love this midsize pickup truck for its great resale value.

However, the 2022 Toyota Tacoma is decidedly average, and the Consumer Reports scores prove it.

It’s called ‘midsize’ because everything about it is mid

There’s a new meme going around that makes fun of things for being merely “mid.”

On September 9, 2021, the All Elite Wrestling YouTube channel uploaded a verbal segment before a pro-wrestling match in Cincinnati, Ohio. In the video, wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman, portraying the bad guy in the fight, trash-talks the Midwest. Nothing is off-limits during his tirade, from the audience members to the Cincinnati Reds to Skyline Chili.

MJF really gets the crowd fired up when he declares, “It’s called the Midwest because every single thing in it is mid!”

The epic burn quickly led to a series of memes and TikTok videos. People began calling anything overhyped “mid” to explain why they think something isn’t all that great.

And “mid” is an apt description for the 2022 Toyota Tacoma — a middle-of-the-road midsize truck. The Consumer Reports scores prove it.

The 2022 Toyota Tacoma earned middling scores

A quick look at Consumer Reports proves the label “mid” for the 2022 Toyota Tacoma is well earned. The truck has an overall score of 51 out of 100, placing it in the lower half of the midsize trucks that CR ranks. It scored an embarrassing 42 out of 100 on its road test. And though Toyota is renowned for its reliability, CR gave the 2022 Tacoma only 3 out of 5 in predicted reliability and predicted owner satisfaction.

The road test seems to be where things really fell apart for the 2022 Tacoma. CR blasts the Tacoma for its outdated style, uncomfortable driving position, clumsy handling, stiff ride, and full-time four-wheel-drive system.

As far as praise goes, it’s pretty scanty. Consumer Reports gives the 2022 Toyota Tacoma points for being a great work truck and admits the price is hard to beat. The truck also earns kudos for its resale value, off-roading prowess, and ruggedness.

“But make no mistake, the Tacoma drives like a primitive, agricultural-era relic,” CR adds. From there, the review goes downhill. Consumer Reports never lobs any major insults or hints that the 2022 Tacoma lacks power or ability in any way. It’s just meh.

The 2022 Toyota Tacoma is fine, and that’s just about it

The 2022 Toyota Tacoma is available with an extended cab or crew cab. It also offers two engine options. The first is a standard 2.7-liter V6 producing 159 hp or an optional 3.5-liter V6 harnessing 278 hp. Either can pair with a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.

Though not the most powerful midsize truck on the market, the 2022 Tacoma has a max towing capacity of 6,500 pounds and a max payload capacity of 1,285 pounds. Its EPA-estimated gas mileage is 18 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

None of that is mind-blowing, and the lack of high scores probably won’t matter to Tacoma fans. But everyone who wants the best should avoid the 2022 Toyota Tacoma and pick a better truck. Let’s hope the 2023 model will lift this humdrum pickup out of its slump.