Driving Experience
Includes acceleration and handling
What Owners Say
"I find that the 4 cylinder automatic is somewhat sluggish in acceleration. I would have chosen the 6 cylinder model if I could do it over again."
BRIAN Y., CA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Front seats are uncomfortable and too low"
GORDON A., ON (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Acceleration-could be a little peppier. Fuel efficiency- moderate at best"
PETER H., NS (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"rides very hard .transmission does not shift smoothly at times. tires are loud .truck has off road package"
Anonymous, MA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Sometimes when climbing a steep hill with cruise control activated the vehicle slows down to a crawl. Not a big deal, but, still it happens"
C T., MA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"The 2.7 liter 4 cyl engine is under powered for the pre runner model"
Anonymous, AL (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"just a great vehicle all round"
Anonymous, CA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"It has very slow acceleration and the V4 seems "weak" when paired with automatic tramsmission."
MATT S., WA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"I have a Honda CRV but recently I had to use my husband's car, the Tacoma. What a difference in power! I very nearly got a speeding ticket because it did not feel like I was going 73 mph but I was. A few times LOL. It was fun to drive. Nice handling for a truck which was unexpected. It's his second Tacoma in a row as well."
SHERRILL V., CA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"I bought this vehicle used and it wasn't made clear at the time of sale that the 4x4 system does not automatically lock in the non-TRD versions; the vehicle has to roll forward or backward for it to engage. This isn't great when you're stuck and would need the system. I really like the truck, but the automatic locking differential would be much appreciated in sticky situations. I'm not an off-roader by any stretch so it's not a huge deal. I can usually anticipate when 4x4 is needed, but for"
CHRIS B., TN (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"The 2012 Toyota Tacoma is underpowered, especially for the advertised horsepower rating is has."
Anonymous, TX (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"I have the small 4 cylinder engine and i feel that size engine is just to small for the weight of the truck. Also the MPG should be better."
Anonymous, TX (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Sluggish transmission."
Anonymous, TN (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Acceleration and handling are adequate for my needs, however, the combination of 4 cylinder engine and 4 speed transmission make for a very busy driving experience. The transmission shifts often in order to maintain speed, and the widely spaced ratios make each shift noisy and unpleasant."
ROBERT B., TX (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"It’s a Toyota simple as it gets."
Anonymous, WA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Overall pretty good, however, recently experienced the 'no-recall', Recall on the Tacoma air pump. Got the letter from Toyota back in April saying it's not a recall but if you have trouble with the air pump we'll look after it. In June the pump broke and took truck and letter to dealer who replaced at no charge otherwise a $2400 bill."
Al V., ON (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"It handles beautifully and is fun to drive."
Andrew L., GA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Great acceleration and handling for a truck."
Anonymous, OR (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"all around great"
Robert L., VT (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"The performance is ok. Enough power for daily use"
Michael F., CT (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"very quick and easy to manoveur"
Anonymous, MN (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Handling smooth ride acceleration"
Rooselvet G., FL (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Lots of pep. Smooth ride at high speeds"
Anonymous, RI (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"The Tacoma handles fairly well for a pickup but the vehicle's acceleration is very poor. This year model Tacoma is very underpowered, in my opinion."
Anonymous, TX (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Solid and stable."
Anonymous, UT (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Economy"
Edward B., CA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"I have the 4 cylinder manual transmission, which is good on gas mileage but somewhat weak in acceleration, particularly on hills. Handling is typical truck-type."
Anonymous, CA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Not too many issues other than improved ride with touring tires just purchased. I am disappointed with the EPA estimates of 17 miles city and 21 Hwy. I can coax it to about 16.5 on hwy. perhaps new touring tires will help a bit. First brake job at 51,000 miles."
Jack C., LA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Great in the back country with 4WD; high clearance and great traction. Highway is very good also; acceleration is always more than I need."
Bradley H., ID (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"handles and accelerates well for what it is a small economical pickup"
Peter L., ND (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Great acceleration for a pickup. Love having a manual transmission as it helps in mud and snow (deep water, too) and improves the gas mileage. Great at towing."
Anonymous, CO (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"It is excellent handling, stopping, turning,excellerating. Only problem is the backup screen (camera) is not accurate. It goes in and out of the 4-wheel drive easily"
Andrea G., AZ (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"acceleration is sluggish with the 4 cylinder engine."
William E., NJ (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"The truck is reasonably quick and handles well enough. This vehicle (TRO) has a very firm ride, like real trucks used to, and is well suited for rugged off highway travel. We put a small 4 Wheel pop up camper on it which smooths out the ride quite a bit (even with 10 ply tires) and have taken it on some pretty awful roads."
Dal H., NV (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Responsive acceleration, handles good"
Diana D., ME (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Acceleration is certainly adequate. It handles like a truck, but is still fun to drive. It's great in the mountains and fun to 4-wheel with. The short pickup bed is almost worthless. I have topper on it so it cannot hold very much cargo. All things considered, I still like it pretty well"
Anonymous, CO (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"luxury handling"
Carl C., TX (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Great gas mileage, safety features"
David N., AZ (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Quick and powerful acceleration when needed. Handling tight and easy to maneuver"
Anonymous, TX (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Found it to have very good acceleration, not as good as the v8 in my previous F150, but plenty good for freeway driving."
Anonymous, CA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Very slow accelerating due to lower cylinders"
Anonymous, VT (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Must Dior 4 cylinder engine"
Anonymous, HI (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Ride isn't as smooth as I would like. Feel all the bumps in the road."
Anonymous, NY (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"Turning radius of a semi."
Allen T., GA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"handles well off road"
Anonymous, CA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)"just a truck nothing special.motor should bring a little more power"
Eduard V., AL (2012 Toyota Tacoma)
"I would like a bit better acceleration."
Anonymous, CA (2012 Toyota Tacoma)