The Toyota Tacoma Had an Unfair Advantage While Rising to Fame
One truck has been more popular than the rest, and you’ve probably heard of it. Rivals of the Toyota Tacoma have been trying to catch up for years. But one thing gave the Toyota Tacoma an incredible advantage.
The Toyota Tacoma had an unfair advantage
During its time in America, the Toyota Tacoma has never been discontinued. It replaced the Toyota Hilux when it failed to meet rising emission standards in the 1990’s.
This means that the Tacoma was around for years as other trucks temporarily bit the dust. For example, the Ford Ranger was discontinued in America in 2011.
While we grieved for the little single-cab truck that could, other countries around the world got to see the next-generation Ranger transform into a four-door truck.
That truck was introduced in America back in 2019, but it was pretty similar to the 2011 model that debuted in Australia. It was gone for eight years then returned feeling a bit old.
Do you remember the Dodge Dakota or Ram Dakota? It was the mid-size truck that went by both names. It was discontinued due to a lack of sales in 2011 after an impressive 25-year run.
The Chevrolet Avalanche got the axe in 2013 due to a lack of profit. The Chevy Colorado was discontinued in America in 2012 and didn’t return with much confidence in 2014. It lived on in countries like Thailand, though.
So, for a solid chunk of time, the Tacoma’s only competitor was the Nissan Frontier. I’m not throwing shade on the Frontier, it’s proved to be an affordable workhorse.
However, without the Ranger, Dakota, or Colorado around, people flocked to the Tacoma. This gave it time to build up its popularity and reliable reputation.
On that note, the average Toyota Tacoma is expected to last between 250,000 to 300,000 miles. There are plenty of examples that have surpassed 300,000 miles and it can provide 20 to 25 years of service on the road.
However, things could change. The Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma were recently redesigned, leveling the playing field.
People may want to save with the Colorado or race across the desert with the Ranger Raptor instead of spring for the Tacoma Hybrid.
