Help With Getting First Tacoma!

Tacoma General Discussions
1

Hey y’all, looking to get a Tacoma soon and need help deciding what to go for. My main requirements: 6ft bed and 4x4. Planning to convert the bed into something livable since I’ll be driving between Alaska and Colorado once or twice a year for work over the next five years.

I’ve been looking at 2023 Tacomas without focusing on trim, none of that really matters to me. The issue is that they’re basically the same price as the 2024/2025 models. I’ve been hesitant about the newer ones since Toyota switched to the turbocharged i4s.

If I’m aiming for reliability and won’t be beating the truck up too much, does it even matter which year I get? I also heard that manufacturing has moved to Mexico, and I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Any info on that would be helpful.

Finally, I’m open to alternatives. If anyone has recommendations outside of a Tacoma, I’m all ears. Appreciate any advice!

2

Tacomas have been made in Mexico for a while now, including some 2nd-gen models (pre-2015). I believe the U.S. plant was shut down for Tundra production in 2019, but I might be off by a year. The ‘drama’ around the 4th-gen models comes from Toyota opening an entirely new plant in Mexico, which got a lot of media attention.

To check where a truck was built, look at the first character in the VIN:

  • 3 = Mexico
  • 1, 4, 5 = USA
  • 2 = Canada
  • J = Japan

For midsize trucks with a long bed, options are limited. Right now, it’s mostly the Tacoma and the Frontier. Chevy dropped the long bed in 2023, and Ford hasn’t offered one on the Ranger for a while.

You might also consider an SUV. The 4Runner is Toyota’s best bet for a good rear living space, but if you’re open to other brands, a Tahoe would make long trips between Alaska and Colorado much more comfortable.