2006 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 User Reviews

Pros

Tough, Reliable, and Versatile

Cons

Not quite the same quality as the older Toyota trucks

Purchased As New

I owned a 96 Tacoma 2WD and that was a great truck. 10 years later I bought the 2006 4WD and this also a great truck. This truck gives me much more confidence while driving in any conditions than my old truck. In 4WD it's unstoppable. Plenty of power and torque. Fuel economy is good, if your easy on the gas pedal. I think that this one of the most versatile vehicles on the road. 4 doors and a roomy backseat/cargo area, combined with the 5' truck bed works pretty well for me in most situations. This truck is easy to handle with city driving, and tight areas. Compared to a full size pick up, it turns on a dime.
The thing I miss about my old truck is the simplicity and quality. The new Tacoma is very good quality, but it doesn't quite measure up to the older Toyotas. It's nothing you can really point at, you can just feel the difference. I prefer simple and utilitarian, like the older models.
I still think that the Tacoma is, by far, the best choice in this size/class of trucks....read morehide

Pros

strong engine, milage OK, smooth 5 sp transmission, solid brakes, reliable, access cab design

Cons

cruse control engagement, trailer electrical mounting, larger, stuffy

Purchased As New

I bought this truck for off road vacations so I will review it in that context.

I like the 6cyl engine. It starts quick (my '95 Tacoma required a lot of cranking), runs smooth, has linear (not "goosey") throttle linkage, and has lots of power and torque. I also like the 5 speed automatic transmission. Fifth gear is really high (2000 rpm at 70 MPH) so if you pull hard at all, it will quickly down shift. If you try to drive 80 mph at higher elevations then the engine is unable to produce enough horspower to stay in 5th gear and must run in 4th.

The locking rear axle (off road package) is rarely used but essential in tough situations. I got the truck hung up with all weight on right front and left rear wheels. The other wheels just spun. Managed to back out and engaged lock-up rear axle and then proceeded through the tough spot with no problem.

Cruse control does not always engage consistently. Say I engage at 70 mph then take foot of accelerator. Speed drops till I hit 65 mph then cruse goes into panic mode where it shifts into 3rd gear (4000 rpm on Tach!) to get back to 70. Wow. Once it reaches 70, it maintains speed OK. Took to dealer, they found nothing wrong.

The mounting bracket for the trailer electrical socket is easly ripped off when going off road. I know, I ripped mine off somewhere in Utah.

I wish Toyota would provide "easy to remove" mud flaps. I would take them off when going into rough country. When the rear wheel drops off a large rock, the mudflap is jammed into the rock. They are tough but are taking a beating.

I like the rear jumpseat arrangment where the seat back folds down creating a flat surface ('09 Tacoma does not have this featue !?). I have the access cab with the short rear doors; that arrangment is perfect for hauling and accessing my camping stuff. The non metal cargo bed is nice in that I can drill holes in it without worry about rust.

The AC power unit is useless to me. It only works when the engine is running. I use my own unit for AC power for low drain toys while camping.

My previous truck, a '95 Tacoma, was smaller than my 2006 Tacoma. My '06 Tacoma is trending away from a compact pickup to a midsized pickup. I do like the extra room but tight hairpin switchback turns are a bit harder now with this bigger truck.

I always put a cap on my truck so I can sleep in the back. I have the back area carpeted, like a small living room. For some reason, the height of the side rail drops down behind the rear window causing a gap between the bottom of the cap and the side rail. The cap dealer stuffs foam in that gap but that never works well.

Over tinted: the rear window is tinted rather dark. The windows on my cap are also tinted. During the day, I can see OK but at night, I can't see a thing out the back. The day/night mirror is never used in night mode.

They took away a handgrip! My '95 tacoma had two handgrip spots for the passenger but the '06 has only one. Toyota: please don't let your truck slowly morf into a sedan like most SUV's are doing today.

I manage to get the milage that Toyota clames. To do that though, you need to drive gently: accelerate slowly, drive at 70 or below and coast when you can. If you hot-rod this thing then forget about any good milage.

The brakes on my '06 Tacoma are much improved over my '95 Tacoma. The pedal pressure and braking action seem very linear on my '06 Tacoma.

The cabin seems hot and "stuffy" compaired to my '95 Tacoma. My '95 Tacoma had a sunroof and "wedge open" rear windows that my '06 does not so I must always have the fan running to get any air flow. The air conditioner is strong and will freeze you out if you like.

My Tacoma is a good off-road truck; it has never let me down. I can camp in luxury in remote areas with no problem. I will buy another Tacoma if I manage to live long enough to wear this one out....read morehide

Pros

Looks, performance, off road handling

Cons

none

Purchased As New

Iv owned 2 other toyota trucks (both great), this one is the best so far, Iv got around 20K on mine since purchasing it in late 06, Id say about 2K of that has been off road in 4WD. Not a single thing has gone wrong, even with some good off road punishment. Rides great on the street, and has plenty of power, pulled a 3000lb trailer with 2 motorcycles in the bed from Louisiana to California, holding 75mph, even up the hill into Flagstaff on I40. Im keeping this truck till it hits at least the 20 year mark (ill buy a toyota sedan, if I ever have a family and need more seating)....read morehide

Pros

Sets me up high, lots of go & power-great for highway driving. 4WD shift is really easy.

Cons

The attachment system in truck bed is confusing-I have not figured out how to use them.

I really LOVE my truck! It is a bit heavier and more TRUCKY feeling than my earlier Tacoma, but I still love it. I feel very safe in it, especially when I am on the highway. I am a woman who travels alot long distances on her own and I trust my truck to get me there. I was caught in the terrible wind storm in IN &KY earlier this yr. and the truck performed beautifully! Thanks Toyota for a great product....read morehide

Pros

my fist truck at age 64, take it on the beach and the 4 wheel drive is excellent

Cons

not paid for yet

Mt first truck at age 64 and wanted a 4 wheel drive tt go fishing on the barrier beachs. Choose 4 door king cab so I can take the grandkids along.

Pros

Good Power, good ride for 6200# towing cap.

Cons

Light color interior shows dirt

Tried them all Colorado, Ranger, Dakota and the Frontier. The Fronteir is is the only one competitive to the Tacoma. It was a hard decision between the Fronteir and the Tacoma but I picked the Tacoma it had a little better gas millage and the interior is nicer. One thing I wish it had is a tailgate lock. I like the composite (no rust!) bed. Another thing about the Tacoma which is not a complaint about Toyota is the lack of aftermarket acsesories such as caps and tannou covers. Great truck it is head and shoulders over any of the so called American compact pickups....read morehide

Pros

TRD Upgrades, JBL stereo, front seats, smooth 5-sp auto transmission

Cons

Cargo bed is small, paper-strong tailgate.

We got the TRD Off Road package on our Tacoma DoubleCab V6 with a 5-sp automatic transmission. ------ The 4WD system is responsive and confident. The powertrain is strong and shifts right when you expect, and the V6 provides adequate power. The ride, even with the TRD Off Road suspension, is surprisingly smooth. ------ The interior is well-appointed and offers more elbow room than the previous generations. Our DoubleCab model provides easy ingress/egress in the back seats. And while the back seats aren't as supportive as the front, they are better than you'd probably expect. The storage bins make excellent use behind and under the rear seats. Even though there's not a ton of storage space to be had, you can stow away most of the stuff you want to take with you. As mentioned before, the front seats (part of the TRD package) are amazingly supportive. They'll remind you of a sports car. The JBL stereo with in-dash 6-disc CD changer and subwoofer provides excellent high fidelity sound. The stereo doesn't support MP3 players or iPods, but it supports CD-Text ... for the 5 or so CDs that support that feature. However, many freeware applications can burn CDs with CD-Text pulled from MP3s' metadata (if you're not sure what that is, you're probably not interested in CD-Text, anyway). ------ The bed offers a couple of stow-away bins with flimsy covers that offer absolutely no security. The TRD package even offers an AC plug near the end of the bed. It won't power a hair dryer or a blender, but you can watch TV or recharge your laptop. The rim of the bed offers rails with adjustable cleats rated for up to 200 lbs. There are two stationary tie-downs at the back of the bed, and matching ones at the front are MIA. The bed is made of a high-impact plastic instead of metal, so rust will not be an issue as the truck ages. The problem is the tailgate. That poor thing is so weak, it's scary. Do not place too much weight in it in any one spot (like loading a heavy appliance or ATV), and don't let your overweight Uncle Fester sit on it, either. I'm NOT exaggerating! ------ Aesthetics are subjective, of course, but I think this is the best looking truck in its class....read morehide

Pros

TRD Off Road package, seats extremely comfortable, great power, great looks

Cons

had to have rotors turned at 5.5 K miles, thats my only complaint

Love this truck, have owned Dodge, Jeep X 3, Chevy and Ford--This beats them all hands down. I traded a Jeep Liberty CRD-Diesel in for this truck--MPG did not slip much 20 MPG back and forth to work with a V6 4WD, Toyota--Need I say more!! If you are debating--just debate the color and options--buy the truck...read morehide

Pros

Great power, smooth ride, excellent in the corners

Cons

Huge problem with paint chipping after only 6 months, questionable shifting with the automatic trans

I also have a '91 and have had a '96 toyota 4x4. This truck blows those two out of the water. I do a lot of driving for work, high mountain passes, snow, rain, fog, and it's never let me down. I like everything about it --except the paint. After only 10K, the rocker panels are totally chipped, the hood's chipped, and the protective sealant is already bubbling....read morehide

Pros

SWEEEET, IT COULD HAVE A MP3 PLAYER STANDARD IN ALL VERSIONS

Cons

RIDES SMOOTH, VERY NICE ACCELERATION, GOOD BRAKEING, AND VERY NICE HANDLEING

VERY NICE TRUCK, I LOVE IT, PREATY GOOD ON GAS. BETTER THEN OTER IN ITS CLASS, IT ALSOW PRESENTS ITS SELF VERY CLASSY BUT AS ALWAYS THERE COULD BE SOME EXTRA FEW OF THOSE THINGS THEY COULD OF THROWN IN THERE LIKE THE SIDE STEPS, SUN ROOF,
BED EXTENDER ( AT LEAST ON THE SHORT BED :) ) OR A MP3 PLAYER, MAYBE SOME POWER SEATS BUT, THE TRUCK IT SELF IS A +++ ALL THE WAY.... ONE MORE THING NOT ALL COLORS LOOK GOOD ON JUST ANY CAR OR TRUCK BUT WHEN IT COMES TO TACOMA DOUBLE CAB TRD SPORT WITH TINTED WINDOWS ??? SILVER WAS JUST REINVENTED...

THAT ONE HAS NO TRACTION CONTROL BUT IT ALSAW DONT NEED ONE EVEN IN TWO WEEL DRIVE :)...read morehide