USED:2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro: The Multi-Tool of the Truck World
Erica Mueller
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Looking for a little escape from the stress of work and life?
Hop into a small pickup truck like the 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and leave the pavement. In the middle of a really hard day this week I did just that, speeding all over our 4 acres in this fun little truck. Driving this little green Taco put a huge smile on my face.
Related: Toyota Tundra vs Toyota Tacoma Pickup Truck: Which Truck is Right for You?
Just the right size to fit thru all our gates, and that bed liner and rubber mat protected the truck wonderfully! Photo: Erica Mueller
The 2020 Toyota Tacoma is a Mini-Farm Dream Truck
I love that the Tacoma is such an agile truck. It doesn’t thump and bump over the uneven ground as a big truck would. In fact, it feels more like driving an ATV thanks to the large wheels, tight shocks, and small size. And the turn radius is great! After a week with the truck, my husband and I were both commenting on how perfect it was for our mini-farm. We were able to drive right under the trees beside the house, through the pasture gates with no problem, and it was big enough to haul the rototiller to the repair shop. The only downside? It doesn’t fit our whole family.
One of the great additions to the 2020 model of the Tacoma is a push-button start. To me, this is just so handy when you’re working around the farm and don’t want to have to remove your gloves to dig through your pockets for the keys.
Related: Toyota Tundra vs Toyota Tacoma Pickup Truck: Which Truck is Right for You?
The Multi-Tool of Mid-size Pickup Trucks
There is a reason the Toyota Tacoma has taken home so many awards, year after year. This truck really is the best of everything… You can opt for a decked-out 2-wheel drive truck that will take you to work and back and still be a little fun on the weekends, or you can jump to the other end of the spectrum and get an off-road beast that will ford rivers and climb mountains. It really reminds me of a Swiss Army Knife!
The 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro we drove was fully equipped for adventure. We loved the rubber floor protector in the lined pickup truck bed. This enabled us to haul a tiller, pick up some trees for the orchard, toss shovels in the back, and more without having to worry about scratching the paint. The large tires and 4-wheel drive gave me confidence when I took to the hardly-graveled county roads after a rainstorm, and the rugged interior with its all-weather mats reminded me that it’s OK for a truck to get a little dirty on the inside. And with its Army Green paint job, this truck blends right into the landscape, making it an awesome choice for any outdoor adventure type.
Need to tow? The Tacoma, when equipped with the 3.5L V6 engine, can tow up to 6800 pounds.
You get storage galore with the 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The back seats flip forward to reveal storage behind the seats, and the bottoms can flip up for access to more storage compartments under the seats. These compartments lock too, so you can safely store your tools and outdoor gear out of sight.
I was impressed with the number of drink holders in such a small truck! In addition to the three in the confront of the center console, and two in the back, each door also had a drink holder. These came in handy on our outings when everyone wanted bottled water, plus a special drink like juice or soda.
Of course, you get plenty of charging ports for everyone, in the front and back seats. But did you know the Tacoma can also come with a regular outlet in the bed? This would be incredible for powering a slow cooker or electric griddle on your camping trip, or for plugging in power tools when you’re using the pickup truck’s tailgate as a workbench for that DIY project.
Related: Getting Outside My Comfort Zone and Back to Adventure by Off-Roading in a Toyota (or Six)
I had to move the driver’s seat up quite a bit to fit our infant car seat in the back. Photo: Erica Mueller
But Does it Really Seat 5?
The short answer is yes. As long as your back-seat passengers are short. (See what I did there. Short answer…) I digress.
Long answer… The back seat is comfortable and roomy for the size of the truck. I’ve ridden in the back just fine when the person in front of me wasn’t very tall. But I wouldn’t expect 3 adults to ride long distance back there. It’s great for kids tho!
For right now, we could technically fit our whole family in the Tacoma, if the baby’s infant seat was behind me (It won’t fit behind my husband who is tall and needs the front seat all the way back) and our 13-year-old is behind dad, with his long legs angled out to the sides. This doesn’t leave much space for the middle child. So I guess if you didn’t have an infant seat, and your driver wasn’t over 6′ tall, you might comfortably seat 5 passengers.
Red stitching on black leather, all-weather mats, and plenty of get-up-and-go. Be still my beating heart! Photo: ERICA MUELLER
A Tacoma for Every Budget
Starting at just $26,050 the 2-wheel drive, 4-cylinder, SR model with the access cab (extended, with small back seat) will come with cloth seats, 16″ wheels, color matching bumpers, and trim, power windows and locks and a backup camera. From there the prices and options increase until you top out with the 3.5L V6 TRD Pro at $43,960. This 2020 Toyota Tacoma not only comes with all the TRD Pro badging, leather seats, and a premium sound system, but the shocks and exhaust get an upgrade. The truck also comes with a skid plate to protect the underside of the truck while you’re off-roading, crawl control, multi-terrain monitor, fog lights, a moonroof, sequential LED headlights, and more. It truly is a beast.
Lockable storage under the rear seats! Photo:ERICA MUELLER
What We Loved About the 2020 Toyota Tacoma
- On-demand 4-wheel drive
- 3.5L V6 engine with 278 horsepower
- 6,800 lb towing capacity
- LED headlamps with automatic high beams
- Heated leather seats. 10-way power-adjustable for the driver.
- Premium audio with 8″ infotainment touch screen.
- Android Auto, Apple Car Play, Bluetooth enabled, and plenty of USB ports for hands-free connectivity.
- Safety features like rear parking sensor, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warnings, and backup camera.
- Smart key for keyless entry and push-button start
Click to enlarge for detail
Toyota let me drive this 2020 Toyota Tacoma for a week. All opinions are my own.
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