Wheelbases
and overall body lengths were stretched out almost six inches across the
line while front and rear tracks were widened by nearly four inches. This
opened up passenger room and increased stability. The next-generation
Tacoma is derived from Toyota’s Prado platform, which is the basis
for the Lexus GX470 and Toyota 4Runner SUVs. The frame is fully boxed
up front while the middle is rolled-lip C-channel and the rear is open
C-channel.
The basic suspension is double-wishbone with coil-over shocks up front
and leaf spring/live axle in the rear. But there are variations at each
end to meet specific needs. Four-wheel-drive and PreRunner models have
the upper A-arm pivots mounted higher than 2WD and X-Runners. On 4x4s,
the rear leaf springs are arched and mounted over the axle while 2WD leaf
springs are flatter and mounted under the axle. Dedicated packages such
as the X-Runner and TRD Off-Road or Sport get even more detailed with
different bushings, shock absorbers and anti-roll bars in addition to
tires meant for respective uses.
The Tacoma
has a standard towing capacity 3500 pounds using the step bumper. Add
the V6 engine and a receiver hitch, the limit goes up to 5000 pounds.
Up to 6500 pounds can be pulled with the tow package that includes an
automatic transmission cooler, engine oil cooler, upgraded battery and
130-amp alternator.
With 245 horsepower and peak torque of 282 lb-ft, the Toyota V6 is one
of the top-rated engines of any compact/midsize truck. Nissan recently
announced its 4.0-liter V6 will be rated at 265 horsepower and 284 lb-ft.
Chevy/GMC offers an inline-5 engine rated at 220 horsepower and 225 lb-ft
for the Colorado/Canyon siblings. The Dodge Dakota has a base V6 engine
210 horsepower and a base 4.7-liter V8 rated at 230 horsepower (a special
High-Output edition is rated at more than 250 horsepower).
We’ve seen the Toyota V6 engine in the 4Runner, and it’s
available in the 2005 Tundra. Accompanying this engine are new 6-speed
manual and 5-speed automatic transmissions. The manual was engineered
from the beginning to be a 6-speed; it’s not a carryover 5-speed
with an extra gear tacked on the end. It has a stump-pulling 4.17:1 First
Gear ratio and a 0.848:1 overdrive 6th Gear. The automatic was designed
just for the 4.0-liter engine. This electronically controlled 5-speed
features flexible logic for torque-converter lockup and is designed to
provide more engine braking during off-road driving. Toyota also built
a new transfer-case for 4WD models that has a 2.566:1 reduction and is
electrically actuated.
Toyota offers
many of its innovative chassis systems to the Tacoma for safety and performance.
Anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution is standard
as is brake assist. The former balances brake force at each wheel while
the latter increases brake force during panic stops. Vehicle Stability
Control w/ Traction Control (VSC+TRAC) is available on all except X-Runner.
This system detects front- and rear-wheel slide while cornering and assists
the driver regain control with either throttle intervention or braking
individual wheels. VSC uses an automatic limited-slip differential, which
uses brake intervention instead of an internal mechanical device to reduce
tire slippage. VSC+TRAC includes Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) that
controls the brakes to prevent the Tacoma from rolling backward or slipping
sideways while climbing from a stopped position on an upgrade. When ordered
on a 4x4 V6 with the TRD Off-Road Package, Downhill Assist Control (DAC)
is included. This system uses engine braking and independent control each
wheel brake to regulate downhill speed.
