2014 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner

The 2014 Tacoma is Toyota's compact pickup, a familiar sight on job sites and trails, and a direct rival to the Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado. It's not a quick truck, but the Tacoma feels sturdy and composed, with a ride that's more car-like than you'd expect from a pickup. The cabin offers decent space for a compact truck, and the bed is long enough for weekend projects, though rear-seat room is tight in Access Cab models. Owners consistently praise the Tacoma's mechanical reliability, with many reporting trouble-free miles well beyond 100,000, though a few mention minor issues like faulty fuses or a rear driveshaft vibration. The PreRunner is a rear-wheel-drive Tacoma with a taller ride height and chunkier tires than the base truck, aimed at buyers who want the off-road look without four-wheel drive. Its 2.7L I4 makes 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque, enough for daily driving and light hauling, and the four-speed automatic shifts smoothly, though it'll struggle on steep grades with a load. The PreRunner's raised suspension gives it a slightly stiffer ride than a standard Tacoma, but that's the trade-off for the extra ground clearance and the more aggressive stance.