Toyota Tacoma 1st Generation 1995-2004 Review

Having been on the market for ten model years, the 1st-gen Tacoma was refreshed several times, first in 1997 and again in 2000. These were the major facelifts, but there were also other cosmetic updates for the 1998 and 2001 model years.

The old, small, upright, and rectangular headlights are replaced with larger¹, slanted ones, now smoothly integrated into the nose next to the larger grille on 2WD models². Off-road trims gain a new bumper with less chrome and upright front turn signals, but other trims retain the old chrome bumper with the horizontal turn signals.

The changes made to the front ends of the 1997 2WD models are applied to the 4WD models as well for the 1998 model year, so all Tacomas now have the smoothly integrated headlights and larger grille. The front bumper is revised, losing the chrome on its wraparound sections¹, while the turn signals move down² to either side of the restyled lower air intake.

New exterior mirrors make their appearance¹, and daytime running lights are added to the optional ABS package. A color-coded monochrome exterior package becomes available.

The front end looks substantially different, with a bold new grille with smaller vertical slots¹ next to the new rounded headlights² and a pronounced power bulge in the hood now blending into the new grille³. A new bumper has a bigger air intake⁴ in its lower half and clear indicator/foglight units on either side of it⁵.

The Toyota emblem¹ and tailgate badging² differ on the 1998 model.

The radio head units were redesigned in 1998 and in 1999, a four-speaker audio system with a CD player became optionally available on Xtracabs. In 2000, the Base trim received new cloth upholstery.

The first-generation Toyota Tacoma launched as a 1995.5 model with a choice of three modern fuel-injected DOHC engines with four valves per cylinder - two inline four-cylinders from the ZR family and a V6 from the VZ family. The 2.4-liter 2RZ-FE base four-cylinder develops 142 hp and 160 lb-ft of torque and is available only with 2WD and an R150F five-speed manual or Aisin A340E four-speed automatic transmission. The 3RZ-FE 2.7-liter four-cylinder develops 150 hp and 177 lb-ft and was initially only available with 4WD and either the R150F manual transmission or A340F automatic. The 5VZ-FE 3.4-liter V6 packs 190 hp and 220 lb-ft and is available with either transmission and with a choice of 2WD or 4WD. From 1997, the Regular Cab lost access to the V6 engine.

In 1998, a PreRunner Regular Cab 2WD automatic 2.7 was added to the lineup. PreRunner and Double Cab bodies only receive the four-speed automatic transmission, while Regular Cab and Xtracab 4WD models also have access to the five-speed manual transmission. Four-cylinder models can tow up to 3,500 pounds and V6 models up to 5,000 pounds. An aftermarket supercharged TRD V6 producing 254 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque was also offered. In its final model year, stability control became optionally available on V6s, 4WD V6s received standard off-road traction control, and 2WD PreRunners got normal traction control and a limited-slip rear differential.

Fuel consumption on the combined cycle varies between 16 and 22 mpg, depending on the engine and transmission, and many owners improve on these figures, as shown by the EPA's user-submitted economy figures. The gas-tank size is either 15.1 or 18 gallons, depending on the model.

* Real-world mpg and MPGe figures are provided by the EPA. Once a car has been on sale for a significant period of time, the EPA gets real-world figures directly from the customer base. These figures are then provided on the EPA website. Real-world figures are not available for certain models due to a lack of sales, or not enough people partaking in this after-sales survey.

Being launched as a 1995 model, a dearth of safety features is a characteristic of the first-generation Tacoma. To be fair, this was par for the course at the time. The 1995 Tacoma comes with a driver's airbag, high-mounted center stoplight, and side-impact door beams as its only notable standard safety features. ABS is available only as an option, so you'll have to check whether this box was ticked. 1998 models all get a passenger airbag, and the driver's airbag becomes a more modern depowered item. The 1999 Tacoma has seatbelt pretensioners and force limiters, and 2000 MY units with ABS brakes get standard daytime running lights. 2003 Tacomas all get ABS brakes, and lower anchors are provided for the child-restraint systems - on the front passenger seat in the case of Regular Cabs and Xtracabs, and on the rear outboard seats on Double Cabs. 2004 PreRunner V6 models get access to optional stability control and 2WD V6 PreRunners all get standard traction control.

Even according to ancient '90s safety standards, the Tacoma didn't do all that well in crash-testing, scoring only two stars for the driver-side frontal impact and three for the passenger the first time the Regular Cab was tested in 1996. The Xtracab scored a single star for the driver's side when it was tested in 1997. Safety improved significantly in 1998, leading to a four-star result for the driver and the same three stars for the passenger. When the side-impact test was added for 1999, the Xtracab scored a single star with a safety concern attached but this improved substantially to three stars for the 2001 model. The 2001 4WD scored a poor two stars for the rollover test.

The 1st-generation Toyota Tacoma was on the market for ten years and received many changes along the way. It debuts with an all-new chassis, trendy styling, and two body styles - Regular Cab or an extended-cab Xtracab with a six-foot bed and tilt-out rear windows. There is only one 1995-1996 SR5 model available in Xtracab 4WD and with the V6 engine only. For the 2001 model year, a four-door crew-cab body called the Double Cab was added to the range with a five-foot-five bed. In total, the 1st-gen Tacoma could be had in 18 different configurations in terms of drivetrain and body style. The model codes used to differentiate between them were Toyota Tacoma N140, N150, N160, N170, and N190.

Here is a summary of the main annual changes:

1996:

• Off-Road package becomes available for Regular Cab 4WD Tacomas

1997:

• A front facelift is applied to 2WD models
• Several optional packages are added
• 4WD models get access to an optional locking rear differential
• Xtracab Tacomas get access to optional bucket seats
• Regular Cab loses access to V6 engine

1998:

• 4WD Tacomas receive last year's 2WD front-end facelift
• TRD Off-Road package becomes available on extended-cab V6 PreRunner and 4WD Tacomas
• PreRunner trim is added
• Standard passenger airbag is added

1999:

• PreRunner with the Regular Cab body is added
• Four-speaker audio system with CD player is optional on Xtracabs
• 4WD models get 15-by-7-inch steel wheels

2000:

• Models equipped with ABS get standard daytime running lights
• Stepside package is added
• Four-cylinder 4WD models get an enhanced gear ratio for better off-road performance

2001:

• A facelift is applied to the range
• Double Cab body is introduced to the lineup
• S-Runner package becomes available on V6s with 2WD
• Stepside bed option available on 2WDs only

2003:

• ABS brakes become standard across the board
• Child-restraint systems are upgraded

2004:

• Stability control becomes available as an option on V6 PreRunner models
• V6 models get standard TRAC off-road traction control
• PreRunner 4x2s fitted with standard traction control and a limited-slip rear differential
• Electronic brake-force distribution added as standard on all models

By 2004, the first-generation Toyota Tacoma was really showing its age in terms of interior design, but there was never any question about material quality and that it's built to last. It's easy to use, everything is where you'd expect it to be, and space is reasonable, although quite a few owners complained about the seats being either too small or too uncomfortable, so try them out on an extended test drive. Its interior space was also falling behind by 2004, and newer-generation rivals such as the first-generation Chevy Colorado launched in 2004 and has a bit more rear legroom in the double cab - 34.8 inches to the Toyota's 33.7 inches.

The annual maintenance cost of the first-gen Toyota Tacoma come to around $478 per year, which is about $70 less than the typical mid-size truck of the era. The cooling system must be flushed and the coolant replaced every 30,000 miles, along with the engine's air filter, the cabin filter, and the spark plugs. For the four-cylinder models, this bigger service can cost up to $1,620 at Toyota and $1,190 at an independent workshop, depending on the model year, and up to $1,770 or $1,330, respectively, for the V6. Transmission oil changes are critical to the long and trouble-free operation of the four-speed automatic, and an oil change should be done at least every 60,000 miles and probably won't cost more than $300.

The basic lube service should happen every 5,000-7,500 miles under normal conditions, but stick to 5,000 miles if the vehicle sees harsh use, such as in sub-zero temperatures or dusty conditions. This service should cost around $280 at a Toyota dealer and $150 at an independent workshop. The oil capacity of the 2.4 and 2.7 is six quarts, and V6 uses 5.5 quarts; the suggested oil type is synthetic 5W-30. Buying the oil and filter from a parts shop will set you back about $73.

The 15,000-mile service is also regarded as a minor one, but several more systems are checked, bringing the costs up to $380 and $200, respectively. Spark plugs only last 30,000 miles, but they're very cheap at around $10 for a set of four, on four-cylinder engines. All engines' air filters cost around $26. On the V6, six spark plugs cost $19.

The first thing you'd want to make sure of when buying a used Tacoma is that all its recall repairs have been performed. Submit the VIN to a Toyota dealer to check. Here is the list of 1995-2004 Toyota Tacoma recalls that may still be relevant today:

• Tens of thousands of 1995-2004 Toyota Tacomas were recalled due to non-compliant aftermarket headlights, combination lights, and side reflectors.
• 1995-1996 Tacomas were recalled to repair a front suspension support that may crack and fail, leading to a loss of vehicle control.
• There were a few Toyota Tacoma cruise-control problems. Some 1996 Tacomas were recalled to replace defective cruise-control assemblies, and 2000 Tacomas were recalled to replace an e-clip that could detach from the accelerator linkage and render the cruise control inoperable with a cotter pin.
• 1998-1999 Tacomas were recalled to replace defective lug nuts that may fail and cause a wheel to detach.
• There were only two restraint-system recalls, and neither was a fault on the vehicle itself. More than 84,000 1998 Tacomas were recalled to have their owner's manuals replaced due to a misprint in the switchable passenger airbag's usage instructions, and the second recall was for non-compliant seatbelt labeling. Besides these, there was no Toyota Tacoma airbag recall for any of the model years.
• 1999-2000 Tacomas were recalled to replace a trailer harness that may short circuit due to insufficient waterproofing and disable the trailer lights.
• 150,000 2001-2004 Tacomas were recalled to replace a spare-wheel carrier plate that may rust and fail, causing the spare wheel to detach.
• There was a 2001-2004 Toyota Tacoma ball-joint recall affecting nearly 770,000 Toyotas in total for a lower suspension ball joint that may separate from its knuckle and lead to a loss of steering control.
• There were some 2001-2003 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab problems that prompted a recall to install a fuel-hose protector to help prevent damage to the fuel inlet in a side crash. 123,000 vehicles were affected.

Here are some of the typical OBD-II error codes you may encounter on a 1995-2004 Toyota Tacoma:

• On a 1995-2004 Tacoma, P0001, P0031, P0032, P0130, P0133, P0135, P0136, P0137, P0141, P0170, P0420, P0430, P1072, P1130, P1135, and P1217 are all fuel- and emissions-system codes related to conditions such as the mixture strength, injector performance, catalyst efficiency, or oxygen-sensor readings. P0410 indicates a problem with the secondary air-injection system. P0440, P0441, P0442, P0445, P0446, P0450, P0453, P0456, and P0466 are related and indicate problems with the evaporative emissions (EVAP) control system. P1036 is an error associated with the nitrogen-oxides sensor.
• On any 1995-2004 Tacoma, P0100 and P0101 are MAF error codes.
• On 1995-2004 Tacomas, P0110 and P0505 are intake air temperature (IAT) sensor errors.
• P0115, P0116, P0125, and P0128 on 1995-2004 Tacomas are engine coolant temperature (ECT) sensor errors.
• On any car, not just the 1995-2004 Tacoma, P0300 is a random misfire error code. If the last digit is not a zero, such as in the case of P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, P0305, or P0306, it indicates the number of the misfiring cylinder, in this case from cylinder one to six.
• P0325 and P0330 mean a knock sensor is not working correctly.
• On a 1995-2004 Tacoma, P0335, P0336, and P0340 are camshaft-position errors.
• P0500 is a vehicle speed-sensor error.
• P1300 is an error code that indicates an issue with ignition coil number one.

Because these Tacomas are now so old, give a used one a thorough once-over, preferably with the help of an expert. Some problems aren't deal-breakers but you need to know what you're dealing with. Although there was a recall for suspension ball joints, the odd failure may occur outside the recall and then it would cost you between $250 and $450 to replace the ball joints, plus another $170 or so for wheel alignment. The parts themselves are quite cheap - even a complete set of upper and lower ball joints and sway-bar links only cost around $100 - but the labor adds to the bill. There are few brake problems, but a few 2002 owners complained about warped brake rotors that caused shudders and had to be replaced at a cost of around $220. Despite a few owners complaining about 2000-2004 Toyota Tacoma ABS brake problems, these are very rare overall.

For every unhappy Tacoma owner, there are ten happy ones and the majority of the vehicle's systems seem very reliable in the long run:

• The electrics are tough and in terms of electrical problems with the 1995-2004 Toyota Tacoma's alarm and security system, ignition switch, power windows and door locks, blinkers, and radio, there is nothing establishing a worrisome pattern of problems.
• The HVAC system is mostly free of issues too and only a handful of owners ever reported 1995-2004 Toyota Tacoma climate-control, heater, and air-conditioner - or AC - problems.
• The fuel and emissions systems do not give undue reason for concern and there weren't many problems with the 1995-2004 Toyota Tacoma's fuel injectors, fuel pump, or catalytic converter, but the fuel gauge was reported by some owners to be inaccurate.
• In terms of the running gear, there were a few suspension issues as mentioned earlier, but almost no problems with the Toyota Tacoma's power steering.

Unless you really want a bare-bones work truck to trundle around the farm, we'd avoid the Base trim at all costs because it has virtually no standard features. For everyday use and family duty, we'd avoid everything up to 2003, as they cannot be had with stability control at all, a safety feature we regard as non-negotiable on a family vehicle in the current day and age. While they were perfectly good at the time, the four-cylinders seriously lack power by today's standards too.

Seeing as the Toyota Tacoma first generation is now a very old truck, we'd go for the latest and greatest - a 2004 model V6 PreRunner with the stability control fitted, along with a few other desirable extras. This brings it up to relatively modern standards in terms of equipment and safety and the gutsy little V6 still provides good performance today, thanks to the truck's relatively low curb weight. For a surprisingly interactive and rewarding driving experience - for a truck, at any rate - the five-speed manual is both an oddity and unexpected delight in these anesthetized times.

With tough engines and a generally excellent reputation for reliability, the 1st-generation Toyota Tacoma has plenty going for it if you can still find a good one around, as they're getting on a bit now. It's not perfect, with too many features on the options list, so you'll have to shop around for one with the right extras fitted. Frame rust was also quite a big problem in some areas, so the truck should be carefully inspected. With a proper cleaning and rustproofing treatment, a good frame should last a long time and you can get yourself a great, reliable truck for between $10,000 and $15,000. It might have been quite expensive when new, but it represents sound value today.