“That thang ain’t hardly worth bein’ a pickup truck, is it?” the woman at the insurance sales office said when she saw the 2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner’s four-door cab and stubby bed.  “You cain’t haul any lumber back there.”

She had a point.  The Tacoma Double Cab’s bed is 61.5 inches long, a full foot shorter than that of other Tacoma models and far too short to carry lumber.  No longer bed is offered, but the Tacoma isn’t about grunt work.  It’s been said that Toyota builds great “town trucks,” and both the Tacoma and its big brother Tundra bear this out.  Rather than beasts of burden intended to work till they drop, Toyota’s pickups feel like big cars that are happy to occasionally pull a boat or haul a refrigerator.  The high-waisted Tacoma is no exception.  There are no major changes for 2003, but anti-lock brakes are now standard.

The Tacoma’s last major freshening was in 2001, but it still looks modern.  The aggressive vertical-toothed black grille is ringed with chrome, and the hood is significantly domed.  The truck retains the high-stepping stance that Toyota’s pickups have been known for since the early 1980s.  The ample ground clearance is emphasized in the PreRunner model, which is a two-wheel drive truck with four-wheel drive styling cues, suspension and braking components.  The four-door Double Cab adds a full-size rear seat, but shortens the bed drastically, prompting comments like the one we got at the strip mall.  The Tacoma will still carry large appliances and other bulky items, true to its town-truck mission in life.

Inside, the ergonomics are dated.  The seats are close to the floor, cramping long-distance comfort.  Shorter drivers will find themselves reaching for the stereo and air conditioning controls, which look like they were pulled from a ’98 Corolla, and the clock is mounted in a weird, on-dash spot that’s completely hidden by the steering wheel.  The parking brake handle still pulls out of the dash, where it’s positioned to clip the driver’s knee on entry.  The Tacoma works great, but it’s not much fun to be in.  We liked the floor shifter and two-level console.  There are four cupholders in the front, perhaps to make up for the lack of rear-seat cupholders.  Speaking of that rear seat, its backrest is vertical, which doesn’t do much for long-distance comfort.  The Double Cab Tacoma offers decent enough legroom for shortish trips.

Toyota’s torquey 3.4 liter V6 provided power for our test truck.  With 190 horsepower and 220 foot-pounds of torque, the Tacoma had no problem with the light hauling and towing jobs we tested it with.  The smooth V6 will spin the tires if you’re heavy on the gas pedal, thanks to the light tail and rear-wheel drive.  The optional limited-slip rear differential will solve this problem.  The Double Cab Tacoma’s bed may be small, but its heart certainly isn’t; V6-powered Tacomas will tow up to 5000 pounds.  A four-speed automatic transmission is standard equipment on the Tacoma PreRunner.  Looking for better fuel efficiency?  A choice of four-cylinder engines is also offered.

The PreRunner package’s suspension changes are somewhat at odds with the Tacoma’s town-truck mission in life.  It’s got almost a foot of ground clearance thanks to gas-filled shocks, but that has the effect of tightening the leaf-sprung rear end.  The ride is stiff, and prone to wandering side to side on bumpy pavement.  Those tall 225-series tires are bouncy, after all.  The Tacoma likes to drift from lane to lane on the freeway as well.  Drivers doing a lot of highway miles will want to opt for the lower-riding base Tacoma.  The up side to the PreRunner package is increased obstacle-climbing ability, of course.  The tall Tacoma is happy to hop curbs and scramble up small inclines without endangering the bodywork.

The Tacoma is available in three cab styles and three bed styles, with two- or four-wheel drive.  Double Cab Tacomas can be outfitted similarly to Toyota’s SUV lineup.  The Tacoma offers a Limited trim package that’s like that found on the 4Runner and Highlander, with body-colored trim, extra chrome, upgraded seats and handsome alloy wheels.  The SR5 package puts the most popular amenities in one package; air conditioning, tilt steering wheel and other options.  Want more?  Toyota Racing Development (TRD) has a collection of go-fast and off-road goodies to personalize the Tacoma even more.  Our test truck was a Tacoma Double Cab PreRunner with the SR5 package and power windows.  It stickered for $22,560.  With base prices starting well below $20,000, the Tacoma is a “town truck” that’s worth a look.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner, which we tested.
Length:         202.9 in.
Width:            70.3 in.
Height:            68.7 in.
Wheelbase:        121.9 in.
Curb weight:        3475 lb.
Payload:        1625 lb.
Towing capacity:    5000 lb.
Base price:        $19,710
Price as tested:        $22.560
Engine:         3.4 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain:         four-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower:         190 @ 4800
Torque:         220 @3600
Fuel capacity:        18.5 gal.
Est. mileage:        17/20

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