The 2026 Toyota Tacoma double cab AT is made for places like this… It not only looks the part, and with 17-inch off-road wheels and trail terrain tires, it’s got the chops too.
With off road features in cladding DAC and Crawl, not to mention the part-time four-wheel-drive, you could handle just about any situation you either find yourself in or put yourself in.
But what about the rest of the time? What’s this pick up truck like to drive around the city how is it when it comes to passing is it comfortable to be in and do you have room for family and friends?
I’ll answer all those questions in my hands-on review.
A quick word about how I’m going to do this review… What I’m here to share is the average person’s experience; what it’s like living with this vehicle beyond just a short test drive.
So consider this a car review for real people by a real person …
First Look
Let’s start by taking a look around the front. Toyota is done a really good job blinding both the tech tools and toys as well as some creature comforts.
With racing style seats with plenty of lumbar and side support the drive has been quite comfortable in here.
Since I spend most of my time reviewing tech let’s take a look at some of the more tech forward features in this vehicle
Inside/Driver’s cockpit
I’ll start with the small 8” infotainment screen in the centre of the dash. It is pretty small and it’s wrapped up in a fairly thick and chunky plastic bezel which makes it look a lot like an afterthought particularly sticking straight up out of the dash like this—it could certainly use a bit of an angle towards the driver—, but the good news is it connects to Apple CarPlay , and android auto, and comes with built-in navigation and SiriusXM satellite radio.
In front of the driver there’s a 12 inch digital gauge cluster and I’m a big fan of this. I recently reviewed Toyota’s 2026 RAV4 and it had a different digital screen for the driver which wasn’t laid out engages or dials and I found it very messy and confusing Ing. here all the info you need is solidly laid out and easy to read. Huge props to Toyota for that.
And of course if you’re looking for all the off-road toys everything is accessible from the dial right on the centre console. There’s DAC, crawl, drive modes and all wheel drive.
In centre of the console your climate control is all physical and no digital touchscreen’s here. As much as I love my tech I would much rather have physical dials for the heating and cooling.
Interior tech
Below that, is space for two smart phones to lay back within view and the left slot is Qi enabled for wireless recharging.
Speaking of charging there’s 2 45 watt USB-C plugs.
Something I noticed right away, and was not a fan of, is that the plugs are extremely hard to access when the vehicle is in park thanks to the stocky gearshift lever and holy cow handle to the right hand side. There’s also a power port a.k.a. cigarette lighter adaptor here too.
Below that is a small storage basket and then in front of that are two cupholders.
There’s a rather small centre console under the armrest but I’m actually not super choked about that because there’s plenty of other storage nooks and crannies around here…#2987 like the recessed alcove on the passenger side #2972 above a lockable glove box.
Both drivers and passenger doors get plenty more storage including a basket and multiple cupholders.
Up on the dash, there’s even a wee easter egg; what might look like a CENTRE channel JBL speaker actually pops out from the dash and doubles as a portable Bluetooth speaker for your off grid adventures.
TRD Off Road Package
Toyota’s TRD off-road package includes helpful extras like a #3004 power outlet in the Cargo bed a #2990 trailer brake controller plus shock absorbers recovery hooks and a full-size spare.
But also wrapped up in this trim level are things like the heated leather wrapped steering wheel, an extra digital card key plus power adjustable driver and passenger seats.
The engine on the tacoma Double cab here is 2.4L 4-Cylinder Turbo. Part-Time 4WD, 8-Speed Automatic. And I think it’s probably all too easy for this engine to feel underpowered… Depending on what you’re using your truck for
One thing I found I was missing was any kind of sunroof. Well there is a small automatic sliding window in the back, being out in the outdoor outdoors just begs for a panoramic roof… At least if you’re me. But maybe you off-road types could tell me if that’s a bad idea and Toyota is saving me from myself.
Pros & Cons
So is this pick up truck going to be right for you? Let’s go over both the pros and the cons as I found them …
Pros:
- Design
- Comfort
- Double Cab
- Charging & Storage
- Roomy back seat
- Drive Modes + Off road
On the pro side, I like the design, it’s comfortable, and the double cab leaves room for passengers or Transport. There’s plenty of charging and a boatload of storage… Including under the back bench seat seats. And the back seats are roomy enough for two adults. It’s got all the road drive mode you might need and you can switch up the daily driving mode too. Plus with Support for Apple CarPlay and android auto you can easily stay connected
Cons;
- Turbo lag
- Narrow windshield
- Infotainment afterthought
So what are the downsides I found? The turbo lag was my biggest dislike, and it laboured on hills and mountain drives, and I would worry that over the long-term I’d find the engine a bit underpowered. I also found the windshield was pretty narrow which impacted site lines, and the infotainment screen felt a bit like an afterthought in terms of integrating it into the dash.
The 2026 Toyota Tacoma double cab AT, as driven, is priced at $58,866CAD
