by Amanda Rodriguez, Dude Mom.
Not just because I’m a mom of dudes and I spend a lot of time with boys. But because I learned to drive in a pickup truck.
Not just any truck, but a Toyota Tacoma stick shift that my dad gave me driving lessons in. Being an early ’90s edition, it had none of the cool features you’ll find in a today’s Tacoma, but it was more fun than the sedans most of my girlfriends drove. My dad’s Tacoma was a monster truck; it had a lift kit for off-roading. And, being able to drive a stick shift and take it out to the desert to do donuts was an added perk (that I sadly never took advantage of).
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But if I did, I’d love the off-road crawl control designed to make navigating tough terrain easier for you and your vehicle: when you hit a point on the trail where other vehicles might get stuck, crawl control will constantly monitor each wheel to give just the right amount of power to crawl out of that spot.
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Another feature that makes this truck feel modern and comfortable is the touchscreen with Toyota’s Entune Audio system. It lets you wirelessly connect your devices and access your phone, apps, traffic and more on the in-dash screen.
I also love the rugged and fun feel of the interior, which is really roomy. We could easily fit all 5 of us, including everyone who is taller than me—which is most of them!
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And maybe best of all was the JBL sound system. We LOVED this during our test drive. There’s nothing like a bangin’ sound system to have fun singing and dancing with your kids.
This is all something I think about as my teenage son is getting his license and we are car shopping for him.
The nostalgia of learning to drive in a Tacoma makes me think twice; it’s such a big and capable truck. In my dad’s Tacoma I could hit almost anything I wanted and be safe– I’m not saying I did that– but a truck is the perfect mix of rugged functionality and in the Tacoma, well thought out luxury. It’s great for making your day-to-day commute as fun as your weekend adventures.
Disclosure: Toyota provided the Tacoma for this story; all opinions are my own.
