Over the past few years, I’ve amassed a few cars in the driveway and it was time get rid of everything. I got down to two cars, my Ford Ranger and Ford Mustang. I traded the Ranger in and got a Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE. I knew that I was getting rid of the Ranger for something else, I didn’t know it was going to be the Corolla, but it is done. While I was at the dealership, I had the urge for another purchase, a Toyota Tacoma.
Now, let me preface this by saying that the Toyota Tacoma is possibly my favorite vehicle that normal working class person could buy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an expensive truck but it is obtainable and let me be the prime example of that. I never really thought that I’d be able to buy one new off the lot but the timing was right. With the purchase of the Corolla, I built a rapport with the salesman and financing manager so I felt that I could, perhaps, squeeze in something bigger. I also had the Mustang that I could trade in to help with the cost. Everything was in place. Now is the time to do this. So, two cars in two days. I bought the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE for practical purposes and I bought the 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport to fulfill a very long fantasy. I bought my dream car.
Today, I wanted to break down this purchase and talk about why I went with this particular truck because I feel that it is pretty specific build. This is not a post breaking down every little detail about the various Tacomas. There are plenty of sources out there that have already done that. I just want to share some thoughts that went into this purchase and hopefully help anyone who’s interested in buying a 2019 Toyota Tacoma.
First, let’s talk about the truck itself and why I went with this particular build. For 2019, the Toyota Tacoma comes in 6 different trims: SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Offroad, Limited and TRD Pro.
For my Tacoma, I really only had one hard requirement and that is for it to have a double cab, meaning a truck with four full doors. My Ranger had a standard cab meaning 2 doors and no realistic room behind the driver at all. I ended up hating this because there wasn’t enough room for my uses. Luckily for me, there are no current Tacomas with this cab size. The smallest is the Access Cab, meaning two doors but there are some smaller seats behind the driver and passenger seat accessible by moving the front seats forward. My uncle had an access cab Tacoma and from that experience, I just know that it’s not for me. I wanted the Double Cab and that’s available in all trim levels. But if you want the access cab, it is available in all trims except the Limited and TRD Pro.
I’m going to be honest with you, I wanted nothing less than the TRD trims. That means no SR or SR5. I bought the Tacoma largely because it’s a Tacoma. This truck just has that wow and coolness factor. It is a Tacoma, enough said. I’m sure many of you who want a Tacoma will understand that. This truck has become so much more than just performance, reliability and whatever else you may need a truck for. I bought this truck for the Tacoma lifestyle and that’s it. I not going to pretend like I’m going to haul thousands of pounds or climb the biggest rocks with my truck. This thing is spending 95% of its life, if not more, on asphalt and maybe that last bit driving on the minor gravel roads that I encounter while heading to trailheads in the mountains. This thing is just a toy, I have no shame in saying that. If your financial situation is correct and you can buy something materialistic that will truly bring you some joy, why not? For me, this is the Tacoma.
Back to trims, the SR and SR5 just would not have given me that Toyota Tacoma coolness. Without the TRD badging, I wouldn’t have been happy. That’s not to say that you should think the same. If you need a truck to be a truck and the SR or SR5 works for you, by all means, go for it. They are great trucks and get the job done. I actually think that these trims are the most practical and all that most people really need. Had I not have that want for a TRD truck, the SR or SR5 would’ve realistically have been the best option for me.
Since I wasn’t going to buy the SR or SR5, I was left with the TRD Sport, TRD Offroad, Limited or TRD Pro. Even though I said that I wanted the TRD sticker, I was still practical about this purchase. I knew that this truck will very likely never see anything other than asphalt so the TRD Pro, with its more offroad oriented features and higher price, did not make sense for me. I was not going to spend an extra $5k on the TRD Pro for things that I KNOW I don’t need.
The Limited is interesting and was originally the trim that I thought that I was going to buy. With this, you’re getting the creature comforts. As standard with the Limited, you’ll get the Premium Package (includes dual zone automatic climate control, leather-trimmmed seat with heated leather front seats, Entune Premium JBL Audio with Integrated Navigation and Entune App Suite, auto headlights and moonroof) and Technology Package (includes rear parking assist sonar, Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)). This is all very nice and wants for me, but I still wanted that TRD sticker and those packages that the Limited provide can be purchased as an add-on with other trims. The Technology package is $1459 and Premium package is $2890. These were two things that I planned on getting if I didn’t go with the Limited.
Another thing that is preferred is having a 6 foot long bed instead of the standard 5 foot short bed. This is not for hauling extra stuff but for sleeping in. I often go hiking or travel far for photography and need to do a makeshift camp in the back of the vehicle. The 5 foot bed is just too short and I would have to lower the tailgate when laying down. The 6 foot bed is the way to go and this is not available with the Limited or TRD Pro but is available with the TRD Sport and TRD Offroad.
I realistically narrowed my options down to the TRD Sport or the TRD Offroad and I think for many people, this will be a similar situation. Let me explain my decision for buying the TRD Sport.
First of all, I personally think that the TRD Sport’s exterior looks the best among all the trims. Although the hoodscoop is not functional, I think that it makes the truck look so much meaner (in a good way). The TRD Sport also comes with color matching fenders whereas the Offroad come with matte black fenders to help show less damage for those who will actually take the truck offroad. Cosmetically, the TRD Sport looks the best to me, but that wasn’t the absolute determiner.
I initially told myself that I wasn’t going to buy the TRD Offroad because, again, it has offroad features that I don’t need. Not to mention that these features come with an MSRP price increase of $1255. I wasn’t going to pay extra for features that I don’t need. If I were to pay extra for offroad features, I would’ve just bought the TRD Pro for some real badass offroad truckery. Again, this is what I initially thought but it all changed when I found out that the realistic prices for the TRD Sport and and TRD Offroad are about the same. This really started to sway me towards the TRD Offroad because, no doubt, the TRD Offroad provides more features and costly parts than the TRD Sport if they are at the same price. With the TRD Offroad, you get the Bilstein suspension, Crawl Control, electronic locking rear differential, front skid plate, 16” wheels (TRD Sport comes with 17"), along with some minor other things. Although I do not need and will likely never use these features, I’ll take them if I’m getting them for the same price as the TRD Sport. The TRD Offroad is just a financially better investment.
There’s another thing that I wanted to point out. Although the upgraded Bilstein suspension is pretty nice, it may not be for everyone. Because it’s an offroad orientated suspension, it behaves like an offroad suspension. This means that everything is kind of loose and soft. When you drive it around you get more of that driving in a boat feeling and get more body roll with the TRD Offroad. The TRD Sport on the other hand, has a road orientated suspension system which minimizes the things previously mentioned. For me personally, I can deal with the way that the TRD Offroad drives IF I can get it for the same price as the TRD Sport. It isn’t that big of a deal to me. For those who care, these offroad features do make the TRD Offroad less fuel efficient. It is an extremely minimal difference (TRD Sport 19city/24highway vs TRD Offroad 18city/22highway) but it is less fuel efficient.
So, why didn’t I get the TRD Offroad? At the end of the day, the TRD Offroad was not the same price as the TRD Sport, FOR ME. At the dealership that I went to, the same spec TRD Sport and TRD Offroad were largely the same price. But again, I wanted a very specific configuration. I wanted a double cab, 6 foot bed, Technology Package and Premium Package. These things are easier to find with the TRD Sport because these are things that city drivers tend to care more about and city drivers will more likely lean towards the TRD Sport than TRD Offroad. The dealership that I was at had exactly what I wanted in the TRD Sport but not the TRD Offroad. The closest dealership with the TRD Offroad that I wanted was a state away. This means that I had to pay for the destination/delivery fee and, most importantly, pay sticker price. Although the TRD Sport and TRD Offroad can theoretically be purchased for the same price, I just couldn’t purchase them for the same price. After negotiations, I was looking at close to a $5k price difference in favor of the TRD Sport. This made the decision so much easier. Remember, for $5k more, I can just buy a TRD Pro. Why would I waste that money on a TRD Offroad?
Although it took at lot of time to figure out exactly which truck to buy, I feel that my decision was ultimately very straightforward. It just all came down to what I wanted, practicality and price. Now, this is not a post that is intended to try and sway you towards or away from a certain trim or option in any way. These are simply the thoughts that led to my decision. What I wanted may not be what you want.
If you just want a Toyota Tacoma and don’t care about the minor little features here and there, you just want a Tacoma at a good price, then I would suggest you check out the SR or SR5. These are the most practical Tacomas and will fit the lifestyle of most modern city people. Also, if you want the 4 cylinder engine, these trims will be your only option.
If you want the badest of the Tacomas, the most capable offroad Tacoma and the one that will get you the most clout, go with the TRD Pro. This is THE Tacoma to get in terms of cool points. However, it is also the Tacoma with the most offroad focused features and comes with the highest price tag. If you don’t want to spend money on features you don’t need, then look for something else.
If you want the most luxurious and comfortable Tacoma from the factory, then go with the Limited. However, the Limited isn’t available in certain configurations and many of the appealing things that you’re getting with the Limited is available as an add-on with other trims.
Now, if you are torn between the TRD Sport or TRD offroad, my first instinct is to recommend the Offroad. If you can get either of these at the same price, the Offroad provides a better value with the upgraded parts and extra features. However, these two trims do provide different driving experiences. The Sport is going to be more comfortable on road. The suspension is a little tighter and feels a little more planted while the Offroad can feel loose and like you’re driving in a boat. However, when offroading, the TRD Offroad is likely going to give you a better ride. The Offroad’s softer suspension will help to soak up the uneven terrain, making the ride more comfortable. But, this just all depends on how extreme your offroading is. On simple gravel dirt roads, there is going to be little difference. But when you start going to specific sites to go offroading, to climb over rocks, crawling through mud/ruts and all of that, the TRD Offroad may be the better choice. The Crawl feature and electronically locking rear differential may be the difference between getting stuck and making it through. Just be real with yourself and your needs. Test drive both cars in the conditions that you intend to use them in, if possible. Don’t overpay for something you don’t need just to say that you have it unless that was your reason to buy it in the first place.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m completely a Toyota Tacoma fanboy. It is just the coolest truck to me. I have no problem admitting it. That being said, I’m well aware that it is not the perfect truck. It is not even the most practical vehicle for me right now. I just bought it because I wanted to fulfill a long time fantasy. For those who are reading this post and need a little help in affirming that the Tacoma is a cool truck, no problem, I’ll be the first to tell you that it is a completely badass truck. But for those reading this post and are looking for a truck with class leading features, I would advise you to throughly shop the market and make sure that this truck has what you’re looking for. There are a lot of minor inconveniences and annoyances with this truck that, on paper, makes it lacking and dated.
Here’s something else to think about, by the time that you read this post, it will already be late August 2019. The 2020 Toyota Tacoma has long been announced. It was supposed to be in dealerships starting summer of 2019 but my dealership was saying that January 2020 is more realistic. Either way, if you can wait it out, I would personally recommend that you wait for the 2020 Toyota Tacoma. Notable things with the 2020 Tacoma is that it will come with electronically adjustable seats. In 2019 and at over $40k, the Tacoma still has full manual seats. The electronic seats aren’t important to me, but this is one of those things that make the Tacoma a bad value compared to the competition. The 2020 Tacoma will also come with an updated entertainment system that is Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatible. This is the most important update to me. I’m an iPhone user and having Carplay is just a nice feature and one that a modern car at this price should have. The last big update to me for the 2020 Tacoma is the inclusion of the panoramic view camera which uses the Tacoma’s various cameras to give you a bird’s eye view of the truck. This is a helpful safety feature that makes maneuvering around small spaces, like parking lots and even offroad (when you can’t see obstacles), much easier. There are some other minor updates but these are the three things that would make me want to wait for the 2020 Tacoma. So, why didn’t I? Again, it ultimately came down to money. If I were to wait for the 2020, I would’ve had to buy sticker price unless I wait until the 2021 Tacoma is close to hitting dealers and at that point I probably would tell myself to wait for the 2021. For me, the price was right for the 2019. I got a good enough deal that made waiting for the 2020 not worth it but if this is not you and you’re paying around sticker price for the 2019, I would just wait it out for the theoretically better 2020 Toyota Tacoma.
