The Toyota Tacoma is an icon of off-roading, a beacon of reliability, and the longest-running midsize truck model in America. The Tacoma was redesigned in 2024 and it moves into 2025 with a few minor changes. The Tacoma is a thoroughly modern truck with all the creature comforts you could ask for to go along with its impressive abilities. Many of the Tacoma’s outstanding features are focused on rough-road driving.
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The 2025 Tacoma is available in eight different trim levels with a wide array of goodies to choose from –- a veritable smorgasbord of truck tastes. Lower-end trims offer basic pickup truck functions and an acceptable list of standard features, but higher up on the food chain is where the really good stuff is. The top trim levels of the Tacoma have a robust set of comfort-oriented features, along with some advanced technology to help the Tacoma keep up with its rivals. Here are six particular features that have us excited about the latest version of the Tacoma.
The TRD Pro has IsoDynamic Performance Seats
The TRD Pro is one of the top trims available in the Tacoma lineup, and is geared up for off-roading. It offers all sorts of suspension and hardware updates that keep it going on the roughest trails you’re likely to encounter, but also gets quite a few nice touches on the inside. The TRD Pro’s IsoDynamic seats are a unique feature only available on the TRD Pro that use shock absorbers to stabilize the front seats. The shocks use an air-over-oil setup and are meant to keep the driver and front passenger firmly planted on the bumpiest terrain.
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Toyota says these seats help keep the driver’s field of view steady and reduce fatigue on rugged trails. The suspension on these seats controls lateral movement, absorbing some of the bumping and jostling that drivers typically experience on off-road trails. While they might seem like a gimmick at first, our review of the 2024 Tacoma TRD Pro revealed that these seats are anything but. They can handle 1.5 inches of travel and can be adjusted to driver preferences. The IsoDynamic seats are also heated and ventilated for maximum comfort. Just about the only thing they’re missing is a massage function — which would honestly feel a bit out of place on a truck like the Tacoma. There is one small drawback, though. With all the extra hardware, the IsoDynamic seats are pretty large and encroach on the legroom in back.
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Some Tacomas have high performance shocks
With all the off-road equipment you can get on a Tacoma, you shouldn’t be surprised that there are some high-end suspension options to choose from. What might surprise you, however, is just how many choices there are. The standard Tacoma suspension includes independent double-wishbones up front with a multi-link rear suspension and twin-tube shock absorbers at all four corners. In TRD Off-Road trim, the Tacoma uses upgraded monotube Bilstein shocks with remote reservoirs. Remote-reservoir shocks help dissipate heat that can build up when you’re off-roading for long periods over tough terrain. Essentially, a remote reservoir helps the truck’s suspension take more abuse.
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The TRD Pro trim level also has remote reservoirs, but they are built by Fox and come with three-way adjustable bypass shocks. According to Toyota, this setup improves high-speed off-road performance. Finally, the Trailhunter trim comes with 2.5-inch forged monotube shocks built by Old Man Emu (OME) that come with a piggyback-style remote reservoir. If these off-road suspension setups seem like a bit much, there’s always the Limited trim’s Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system that changes based on road conditions to maximize comfort.
The i-Force MAX Hybrid powertrain delivers serious power
There are two available engines for the 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The first is the standard turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine which puts out between 228 and 278 horsepower. This engine can be coupled with an automatic or a manual transmission – a distinction not offered on many mid-size trucks these days. Where the big power comes in, however, is with the hybrid i-Force MAX. With a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a hybrid add-on to spice things up, the i-Force MAX can produce as much as 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque.
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On top of its impressive power, the i-Force MAX hybrid powertrain reaps rewards at the gas pump. Fuel economy estimates for 2025 models aren’t out yet, but 2024 i-Force MAX models have an EPA rating as high as 24 mpg combined (23 city/24 highway), even with the hybrid’s exclusive pairing with four-wheel drive. The highest rating from four-wheel drive versions of the Tacoma with the non-hybrid engine is 21 mpg combined (20 city/23 highway). It’s not a massive difference, but it’s worth noting.
The Tacoma’s digital screens have been upgraded as well
The Tacoma’s off-road readiness doesn’t mean Toyota has skimped on interior refinements. The previous-generation Tacoma featured 7-inch and 8-inch touchscreens, depending on which trim level you got. While those got the job done controlling most of the truck’s tech functions, they weren’t exactly upscale. The newest Tacoma offers an 8-inch touchscreen as standard gear on a few trims, but there’s also an optional 14-inch unit that really classes up the joint.
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In addition to the center-mounted infotainment screen, the latest Tacoma also offers an optional 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. A 7-inch gauge cluster is standard on all trims, but the larger 12.3-inch cluster comes with all i-Force MAX versions of the Tacoma. The excellent graphics and selectable display features add a premium vibe to the Tacoma’s dashboard. The combination of both high-quality displays helps the Tacoma compete with rivals like the Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss –- both of which have impressive displays of their own.
The Tacoma’s lighting has also been upgraded
Exterior lighting is important, especially when you’re off-roading. Traversing a trail in the dark can be disconcerting and dangerous. Many off-road enthusiasts install light bars, external rock lights, or even lights that point rearward to guide the way for other off-roaders behind them. Toyota is keenly aware of this trend and they’ve made it a big part of the latest Tacoma. LED headlights are standard equipment, and sequential turn signals are standard on upper trim levels — that’s a great place to start. From there, LED fog lights are standard on almost every trim of the Tacoma and upgraded Rigid Industries lights are fitted to the TRD Pro trim. A 20-inch integrated light bar is available on the TRD Pro as well. At the top of the mountain is the Tacoma Trailhunter which has white-and-amber fog lights so you can switch between colors based on preference.
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On top of all the lighting options, the Tacoma also offers four pre-wired aux switches that allow owners to plug in their own accessories without having to drill out holes on the dash or install aftermarket switches of their own. Upfitting your Tacoma has never been easier.
Minor extras include a portable Bluetooth speaker
The new Tacoma also features a few modern tech features and smaller accessories that are worth mentioning too. For instance, upper trim versions of the Tacoma come with a 10-speaker JBL stereo system that includes a JBL Flex portable Bluetooth speaker. The Bluetooth speaker can be removed from the dashboard and brought along at campsites or wherever else you’d like to take it. The portable speaker charges in the Tacoma’s dashboard as you drive, and it acts as the center channel speaker for the truck’s stereo. It’s built for the rugged outdoors too — it can be submerged in three feet of water and still function perfectly.
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An available wireless trailer camera can also be purchased as a Tacoma accessory and is designed to give a live view of your trailer for extra peace of mind and assistance in tight parking scenarios. Wireless trailer cameras aren’t new — they’re available as aftermarket accessories and on some full-size pickup trucks, but this is a relatively rare feature amongst midsize trucks. Loading up a heavy trailer and worried that your headlights are pointed sky high? The Tacoma has you covered there too, with a headlight leveling switch for manual adjustment on the go. All the typical add-ons are available as accessories too –- items like recovery kits, tire inflators (and deflators), rooftop tents, and hammocks that hang from the Tacoma’s roof racks. Buying Tacoma-specific camping gear can save you the hassle of hunting down the perfect rooftop tent for your vehicle.
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