The Toyota Tacoma is a midsize pickup built in North America and sold almost exclusively there. The third generation went on sale for 2016, and for the 2020 model year Toyota gave it a substantial refresh rather than a full redesign. The 2020 Tacoma was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show on 7 February 2019, and Toyota stated at the time that the Tacoma had been America’s best-selling midsize pickup for 14 consecutive years.
The 2020 changes were concentrated on equipment and styling. Almost every Tacoma received a new grille, with specific wheel and trim updates per grade, and the interior gained a larger touchscreen. The truck continued to be built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, in San Antonio and at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Baja California, in Mexico.
Third-generation Tacoma background
The third-generation Tacoma was introduced in January 2015 at the North American International Auto Show and reached dealers later that year as a 2016 model, the model’s official history records. It was a major redesign over the second generation, adopting a new, stiffer frame, a fresh interior and, for the first time, a 3.5-liter V6 with direct and port injection. The 2020 truck is a mid-cycle refresh of that design rather than an all-new generation; the third-generation Tacoma remained in production through the 2023 model year and was replaced by an all-new fourth-generation truck for 2024.
Toyota has built the Tacoma in North America for its entire production life. The truck is sold almost exclusively in the United States and Canada, and Toyota has kept it distinct from the global Hilux that underpins pickups sold elsewhere. That distinction explains why the Tacoma’s engine, transmission and frame choices differ from trucks such as the Hilux and Fortuner.
Engines and powertrains
The 2020 Tacoma was offered with two gasoline engines, both detailed in Toyota’s Chicago press release. The base powerplant is a 2.7-liter DOHC inline-four rated at 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. The optional 3.5-liter V6 produces 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft. Both are mated to a six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission, and the V6 can also be paired with a six-speed manual.
The U.S.-market Tacoma is not offered with a diesel or a hybrid powertrain. Those configurations exist on other Toyota trucks sold elsewhere, but they were never part of the North American Tacoma line for 2020, and no 2020 Tacoma uses all-wheel drive in the crossover sense; four-wheel drive is a part-time system with a two-speed transfer case.
Towing and payload
V6-powered Tacomas came standard with a tow package that adds a Class IV receiver hitch, an automatic-transmission fluid cooler, engine and power-steering coolers, a 130-amp alternator and a four- and seven-pin connector with converter. When properly equipped, the 2020 Tacoma can tow up to 6,800 pounds under the SAE J2807 standard.
What was new for 2020
The multimedia upgrade was the headline change. A new system added Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa compatibility, with a 7-inch touchscreen on the SR grade and an 8-inch screen on SR5 and above. A new 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support was fitted to SR5 and higher grades, and a new LED bed lamp was available.
Off-road grades gained new trail technology. The TRD Off-Road included Bilstein shocks, a locking rear differential, Hill Assist Control, Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control, with a new Multi-Terrain Monitor showing the ground beneath the truck. The TRD Pro added sequential LED headlamps, re-tuned Fox 2.5-inch internal-bypass shocks and Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires, plus a new Army Green color.
Trims and cab configurations
Toyota sold the 2020 Tacoma in six grades: the work-focused SR, the SR5, the TRD Sport, the TRD Off-Road, the range-topping off-road TRD Pro and the luxury-oriented Limited. Buyers chose between the Access Cab, on a 127.4-inch wheelbase with a 73.7-inch bed, and the Double Cab, offered either on the 127.4-inch wheelbase with a 60.5-inch bed or on a 140.6-inch wheelbase with the 73.7-inch bed. Every bed uses a sheet-molded composite inner deck.
That spread of grades is central to the Tacoma’s identity. TRD stands for Toyota Racing Development, the company’s motorsport and performance arm, which has offered off-road packages on the Tacoma since the second-generation truck. The SR and SR5 are aimed at buyers who need a durable work vehicle, while the TRD Sport and Limited lean toward street-oriented comfort and the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro are set up for trail use, with the Pro adding the most aggressive suspension and tires.
Fuel economy
According to fueleconomy.gov, the 2020 Tacoma is rated at 21 mpg combined for a two-wheel-drive V6 automatic, 21 mpg combined for a two-wheel-drive 2.7-liter automatic, 20 mpg combined for a four-wheel-drive V6 automatic and 18 mpg combined for a four-wheel-drive V6 with the six-speed manual.
Safety and ownership
Every 2020 Tacoma came with Toyota Safety Sense P as standard equipment. The suite bundles a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with a sway warning, automatic high beams and high-speed dynamic radar cruise control. Higher grades added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and the Panoramic View Monitor. The Tacoma was also covered by Toyota’s 36-month/36,000-mile basic warranty, a 60-month/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, and the ToyotaCare plan that includes scheduled maintenance and roadside assistance for two years or 25,000 miles.
Price
The 2020 Tacoma carried a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $27,584 for the Access Cab SR and $33,849 for the Double Cab SR, according to Kelley Blue Book. Fully equipped TRD Pro and Limited models pushed the range well above the entry figure. Toyota Safety Sense P, including pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert and adaptive cruise control, was standard on every 2020 Tacoma grade.
Related Toyota guides on this site: 2020 Toyota Camry XSE V6 Review, 2020 Toyota Altis Review and Toyota Review.
