Toyota Tacoma: Careful, It’s Larger Than It Looks
If you need something bigger than a Malibu Barbie truck but something slightly smaller than those double-wides that you see on Yellowstone and Landman, then perhaps the 2026 Toyota Tacoma is the truck you need for both urban sprawling and rural horseplay.
This is one of those Hugh Jass trucks that is a top pick in the midsize category, according to U.S. News and World Report.Yes, the Tacoma falls in the midsize category, which means you can get trucks that are much bigger, where the bumper hitch on the back can probably drag your bear den along for the ride.
Its main competitor is the Honda Ridgeline, a very popular ‘midsize’ truck as of late. These big haulers were meant for suburban dwellers, men who want a truck but still have to deal with HOAs or other hassles from neighbors who live close enough to complain about your overt manliness, however it may waft through the hamlet.
You can get the Tacoma as a 2.4-liter turbo (which they call i-FORCE), which offers 278 horses, or you can get it as a hybrid, which will get you 326 horses.
Like with any truck (or big beast), these boys are fun to drive and fun to rent when you need a vehicle for a few days for heavy duty. There is plenty of room for you to spread out in style though it’s not so posh that the nachos or ice cream will ruin anything should you hit a pothole.
I tested the TRD Pro trim, which is their off-roading turbo that comes with 326 horses. Quite the impressive beast, and it truly does run over anything – so be careful. 4-Wheel Drive is standard as you go up the food chain, which brings me to a fine point: on the base trims, Rear-Wheel Drive is standard, and I don’t know why they do that on any truck.
Again, keep your eyes open as you shop. Same rule applies when you are in those vendor markets at Bear Runs.
As sung in the old Disco song, Love Is In The Air this week. Our advice? Treat yourself this Valentines Day on Saturday.
Don’t wait for someone to suggest something or to become available. Buy that useless trinket or Bluey stuffed toy. Go to that movie or concert that means something special to you. Or watch the Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show again for the umpteenth time.
Don’t wait for the right moment or the right person to come along.
RuPaul always says, “How can you love someone else if you can’t love yourself?”
The joke to follow is always that sometimes, that can take the form of self-pleasure.
Along with Masters and Johnson, we say Go for It.
