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A silver 2020 Toyota Tacoma compact pickup truck parked on display

Drivers Keep the Toyota Tacoma Longer Than Any Other Truck

The Toyota Tacoma just got another victory. It’s the truck that owners keep for the longest amount of time. You’ve probably heard that the Toyota Tacoma is the best-rugged truck before, and that’s not wrong as these bad boys will last forever.  How reliable is the Toyota Tacoma?  The Toyota Tacoma is very reliable because …

The Toyota Tacoma just got another victory. It’s the truck that owners keep for the longest amount of time. You’ve probably heard that the Toyota Tacoma is the best-rugged truck before, and that’s not wrong as these bad boys will last forever. 

How reliable is the Toyota Tacoma? 

The Toyota Tacoma is very reliable because owners don’t get rid of them. Whatever Tacoma problems people may face don’t seem to be enough to cause drivers to sell or trade them in, according to AutoBlog

This data comes from an iSeeCars study. iSeeCars analyzed over 660,000 used vehicles from 1981 – 2005 that were sold in 2020 to see which vehicles drivers keep the longest. They found that only 6.1% of people keep their vehicles for 15 years and some owners hold onto their favorite trucks and SUVs for a much longer time. 

Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro off-roading in dirt
2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro | Toyota

The Tacoma is actually in 3rd place on the list of vehicles that people hold on to for the longest amount of time. The Toyota Highlander came in second place, and the Toyota Prius landed in first place. So, Toyota vehicles came the bronze, silver, and gold metals! 

Are newer models reliable? 

The iSeeCars study only looked at trucks before 2005. So, are older Tacoma models more reliable than newer ones? We went to Consumer Reports to get these answers. The 2021 Toyota Tacoma has an average reliability rating of three out of five. 

An average rating doesn’t provide much confidence for a truck that will last forever. But problems from previous models can impact the predicted rating. It looks like the 2016 Toyota Tacoma struggled with drive system issues, the 2018 model faced engine trouble, and the 2019 model struggled with transmission issues. 

A dark-gray metallic 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 parked on gravel next to an ocean
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 | Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Now let’s look at an older model. The 2004 Toyota Tacoma has a much higher reliability rating from Consumer Reports with an excellent score of five out of five. Potential problems include fuel system problems from the 2003 model, and the 2002 model had fuel system issues with exhaust issues. 

What is the best Toyota Tacoma year? 

According to Tacoma World, the best model year is the 2015 Toyota Tacoma. But this is a forum full of Tacoma fans. But Consumer Reports seems to agree because this model year has a predicted reliability rating of five out of five. 

People reported trouble spots such as climate system problems with the 2014 Tacoma and minor transmission problems with the 2013 model. It lacked reports of major issues that newer models have. 

Car Complaints awarded the 2015 Tacoma with a ‘Seal of Awesome,’ meaning they trust in this ride. Only 34 complaints have been reported for the 2015 Tacoma, but the 2016 model racked up 151 complaints, and the 2017 model has 68 complaints. 

Another good Tacoma model to consider is the 2014 option. It only has 21 complaints listed and also has a good reliability score. Both Consumer Reports and Car Complaints use data reported by actual owners in surveys and from NHSTA reports. They serve as honest reviews you can trust.