Well, look at me driving a truck for the first time! This army green baby is the 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4X4 Double Cab!
Before I had the pleasure of driving this truck for a week, I used to be intimated by them. Also thought trucks were more suited for men. But as the saying goes, "You can't knock something if you haven't tried it."
I had to let myself know that I needed to get behind the truck's wheel to help face my fear.
It's great that I got to experience driving a truck for the first time with my favorite brand, Toyota. They always have the best line-up of vehicles!
Driving a truck is not that bad; it's actually pretty fun! The Tacoma feels similar to riding around in a Toyota 4Runner until you look behind you and see you have a cargo bed in the back.
Even my daughters thought the Tacoma wasn't a bad vehicle after all; their opinions were the same as mine at first.
I did a lot in the Tacoma truck, like drop-offs and picking up at my daughters' school, my weekly gym sessions, regular errands around town, and some fun stuff like celebrating my youngest daughter's 15th birthday!
While driving around in the Tacoma truck, I noticed many more of these trucks driving on the road here in my area. And I see why; it's a great multipurpose vehicle that can be used for families, a work truck, for travel adventures, towing, etc.
There are pros and cons to the 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4X4 Double Cab. Here are my likes and dislikes:
Pros
1. Styling- This Toyota Tacoma is a great-looking truck and a crowd-pleaser that had the men checking it out and shocked that a small girl like me was hoping in and out of one of these. The 16-in bronze wheels that gave the truck a rough, edgy appearance made the truck stand out most. The truck may not be as robust and macho as the Tundra; however, the Tacoma has that huskiness look to it, as well.
2. Cooler and Storage- How cool is that the cargo bed has a cooler, plus lockable bed storage! If you ever want to take the truck camping or tailgating, you can fill the cooler with ice and add your drinks and food items to keep them cold. I like to call the Tacoma "The Party Truck!"
3. Armrest Safe- While checking out the Tacoma features, I noticed when I opened the armrest that there was a safe that you can use a combination code to unlock. It's a great feature to lock your valuables in so you don't have them in view of the public walking by. Also, having the safe comes in handy for me when I go to the gym. I won't need to use their lockers and can place my items in my own lock safe in the Tacoma truck.
4. Space- Although the Tacoma is considered a mid-size truck, it doesn't lack legroom. I was surprised by how spacious the Tacoma was. The back seat had plenty of wiggle room for passengers and cargo space. The Tacoma has more legroom than my RAV-4! Incredible! As I said before, this truck is excellent for families.
5. Easy to Drive- It also surprised me how easy it is to drive a truck. Similar to driving an SUV. It's just that you're sitting up higher off the ground.
6. 120V Outlet in Cargo Bed- With a powerful 120V outlet, you can power up grills, TVs, camping gear, work gear, electronics, and more!
Cons
1. Needs Parking Assist- Although it was easy to drive, I had a hard time parking the truck due to being unable to see from the sides and if I was parking too close to the vehicle in front of me in parking stalls. If the Tacoma had a front camera or an alert signal when I'm too close to an object in front of me, it would really help me out. I had my daughters jump out of the truck to help guide me with my parking. Kind of embarrassing!
2. Needs Stepping Rails- I'm only 5'3, so getting in and out of the truck was hard. My family and I had to literally jump into and out of the truck! Now, this is an easy fix. Stepping rails can be added on for additional cost. From what I have seen, the price to add stepping rails can range from $200- $500.
3. Bump Ride- Driving a Tacoma is very bumpy and rugged. This is not a vehicle meant to drive fast in, or you'll be feeling like you're going to tip over. Although the drive is not smooth, it still drives powerfully.
4. Pixelated Camera- I've been complaining about this for years! Why are Toyota's backup cameras not crystal clear? Their competitors have good camera resolutions; why can't they? Toyota seriously needs to get with the program with this!
5. Fuel Economy- The fuel economy rating is not good, scoring a 4/10. I did a lot of in-town driving and found that the gas gauge went down quite quickly than I would like. With these gas prices on the rise, the fuel economy needs to be better, or you'll spend a lot of money.
6. Needs a Cargo Bed Cover- The Tacoma sat in the driveway under a tree, so the truck filled up with leaves when it was rainy and windy. Having a cargo bed cover is necessary to keep the cargo bed clean. Plus, it keeps your storage items out of sight. I recommend getting a cargo bed cover with a lock to prevent theft. Price for cargo bed covers range from $200- $1000.
After experiencing driving a truck for the first time, I now think differently about them. First of all, trucks can be driven by men and women, including teens! I even saw teens at my daughters' high school driving trucks.
Even though my perception of trucks has changed, my preference of what kind of vehicles I enjoy remains the same; I'm an SUV kind of girl.
Are you interested in the 2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4X4 Double Cab? The starting price is over $35k, and the Tacoma I drove is $42,472.00.
Make sure to check out these other Toyota vehicles I have reviewed.
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