New Face of Toyota Tacoma 2012

The Toyota Tacoma, still the best-selling compact pickup truck in the U.S. market by a wide margin, offers a restyled exterior look and a redesigned, upgraded interior in all models for 2012. New changes add comfort, usability and audio/infotainment performance.

To update the looks, the new facelifted model sports a new hood, grille, headlights and front bumper among other minor details that should be enough to attract customers to this workhorse. The 2012 Tacoma interior also gets a new look with a black high-contrast center console, switch plate covers, dash and upper door trim, while the SR5 grade features a new seat fabric design. With owners using their trucks for hard work and hard play, Toyota Tacoma offers new heavy-duty all-weather flooring in the 2012 Tacoma Access and Double Cab models, while the more specialized TRD Sport and Off-Road models offer new water-resistant fabric protection seats. The TRD Sport Package adds side mirrors with turn-signal lamps for 2012, as well as available chrome-clad 18-inch wheels.

The 2012 Toyota Tacoma line offers two engines: a 2.7-liter Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) four-cylinder that produces 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft. of torque, and a 4.0-liter DOHC V6 that provides 236 horsepower with 266 lb-ft. of torque. In both engines, variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i) provides strong low-end and mid-range torque.

An Electronic Throttle Control System with intelligence helps optimize performance and fuel economy. The V6 can be teamed with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. Four-cylinder models offer a choice between a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic transmission. When equipped with a V6 Tow Package, Access Cab models boast a maximum tow capacity of up to 6,500 pounds.