Trims, Powertrains, and Performance

The 2023 Toyota Tacoma is just plain fun to own and operate, yet it’s completely sensible at the same time. This light-duty pickup comes in SR, SR5, Trail Special Edition, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Limited trim levels. Two cab configurations are available: Access with a 6-foot bed or Double with a 5-foot or 6-foot bed.

A 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 159 hp and 180 lb.-ft. of torque is standard in the SR and SR5, but a 3.5-liter V6 making 278 hp and 265 lb.-ft. of torque is optional (it comes standard in the higher trims). Both of these powerplants match with a standard six-speed automatic transmission, although the TRDs are eligible for the old-school six-speed manual that purists will prefer. Rear-wheel drive is the rule in most trims (with the exception of the TRD Pro), but a most truck owners prefer the optional part-time four-wheel drive system. When it comes to towing, the ‘23 Tacoma can handle up to 6,800 pounds with the optional Tow Package added.

Standard Amenities

The versatile SR comes with all of the pickup truck essentials, like a fiber-reinforced sheet-molded composite bed with steel outer panels, storage compartments, rail caps, and a lockable and removable tailgate, as well as a deck rail system with four adjustable tie-down cleats and four fixed cargo bed tie-down points. Other than that, it gets heated side mirrors, underbody skid plates, and a trio of USB ports (one for media and two for charging). The SR5 is enhanced with wide-angle fog lights, remote keyless entry, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The Trail Special Edition makes a distinct impression with its bronze-colored wheels (which are wrapped in Goodyear Kevlar all-terrain tires), heritage-inspired TOYOTA-stamped grille, lockable in-bed storage compartments with driver’s-side insulation, and black upholstery with tan contrast stitching. It also has two-zone automatic climate control and a 120-volt deck-mounted power outlet. The TRD Sport is like the SR5, but with a sport-tuned suspension, LED daytime running lights, side mirrors with turn-signal indicators, a hood scoop, the 120-volt deck-mounted power outlet, a wireless phone charger, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, driver’s-seat power adjustments, and a leather-wrapped shift knob. This trim qualifies for the brand-new Electric Lime paint, as does the TRD Off-Road, which also gets an electronically locking rear differential, Crawl Control with Multi-Terrain Select (which helps you more easily conquer off-road obstacles), and a specialized off-road suspension with Bilstein shocks. The Double Cab models of the TRD Off-Road also have a power-sliding rear window.

The TRD Pro is the only trim that’s eligible for the new Solar Octane exterior paint. Beyond that, it gets some enhanced off-road hardware led by a cat-back exhaust, an active traction control system, a machine-forged upper control arm, black wheels with Goodyear Kevlar all-terrain tires, a multi-terrain monitor, a front skid plate, and Fox internal bypass coil-overs and rear remote-reservoir shocks. On top of that, it’s issued LED headlights and Rigid Industries LED fog lights, a moonroof, a HomeLink universal garage door opener, heated front seats, and leather upholstery. The Limited inherits some of the TRD Sport’s signature amenities, minus the sport-tuned suspension. It also loads up with a few of the TRD Pro’s upscale items (the LED headlights, HomeLink system, leather upholstery, and heated front seats), in addition to chrome exterior accents and the power-sliding rear window.

Advanced Safety Technology

The Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P) bundle of advanced driving aids is standard in the 2023 Tacoma. It contains a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, and automatic high beams. The TRD Pro and Limited also get a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert and rear parking sensors, which are optional for the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road. Only the top-of-the-line Limited is supplied with a panoramic view monitor.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The base SR gets a nice infotainment setup made up of a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming, Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a six-speaker audio system. The SR5, Trail Special Edition, TRD Sport, and TRD Off-Road upgrade to an 8-inch touchscreen, while the TRD Pro and Limited are outfitted with navigation and a high-end six-speaker JBL sound system.