There are certainly a number of Hollywood celebrities with decadent car collections. Ellen Degeneres, for example, has an affinity for Porsche models. On the other end of the spectrum, Christian Bale drives a throwback Toyota Tacoma pickup truck. 

What cars does Christian Bale drive?

While it’s typically difficult to know all the details of each celebrity’s car collection, Christian Bale is frequently seen driving the same under-the-radar Tacoma model. There are countless paparazzi photos of Christian Bale with his 2003 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road PreRunner V6. In the Taco world, this thing is basically a collector’s item.

This Taco model is a prime example of how durable these compact pickup trucks are. At nearly 20 years old, Bale’s Toyota Tacoma is still getting he and wife Sibi Blažić, along with son Joseph and Daughter Emmeline, around in LA. The Dark Knight Trilogy star may have driven some gnarly vehicles during his time as the batman/Bruce Wayne duality. But in real life, it looks like he’s cool to keep things simple.

Bale is also known to drive a BMW 3 Series. Sure he was behind the wheel of some greats in Ford vs. Ferrari. But in real life, his taste isn’t all that extravagant when it comes to cars.  

The Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road PreRunner V6 

The Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road PreRunner V6 model from 2003 employed a 3.4 liter V6 engine that creates up to 190 hp. Not a huge departure from the Taco’s modern fuel economy, this truck gets 17 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway. The 2021 V6 Tacoma gets 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. 

Equipped with four-wheel drive, the 2021 Tacoma with a V6 engine gets 18 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. These numbers drop down by 1 mpg each when the truck features a manual transmission. However, it’s hard to imagine someone like Christian Bale concerning themselves with the fuel economy of their personal vehicle. 

Then again, it’s hard to imagine someone like Christian Bale driving an old pickup truck that’s nearly 20 years old. But the photos don’t lie. Bale drives a 2003 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road PreRunner V6.

Why does Christian Bale still drive a 2003 Tacoma? 

There’s no way to know for sure why someone with pockets that are Hollywood Blockbuster deep drives a 20 year old truck. However, it’s pretty reasonable to assume that he probably likes how under the radar he is in the pickup truck. Plus, it’s likely that there is some kind of sentimental attachment to the truck. 

According to Driving, Bale’s friend Matt Damon says he still drives the old Taco because he has dreams of putting a motorcycle in the bed. If he parts with the truck, Bale will be “giving up on his dreams.” 

The Things writes that bale “doesn’t seem like he’s ready to upgrade anytime soon.” And this truck could still have many more miles and years of life ahead. These first-gen Tacoma models are historically reliable and noted for their longevity. Bale might be driving his motorcycle-moving dream truck for a long while yet.