Drivers Log.(News)

2007 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4x4

Date in fleet: Dec. 13-20 As-tested price: $30,804 Drivetrain: 4.0-liter V6; 4wd, five-speed automatic Output: 236 hp @ 5200 rpm, 266 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm Curb weight: 4045 lbs Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 19/18.6 mpg

RAYNAL: The Toyota Tacoma already feels due for a redesign. The chassis is floppy, the suspension harsh and the engine loud. The seats feel like you're sitting on the floor. It simply does not have the refinement of some competitors. It feels like an old-school pickup.

And this truck costs $30,000. I drove a new Chevrolet Silverado the other night that stickers for just a grand more and, while not exactly apples-to-apples, is a much more refined truck, with a lot more room inside to boot. Thirty is also what our Ridgeline costs, and that's a better, roomier, more refined truck as well.

Again, it's a refinement issue with this truck. The competition has caught and surpassed it. Knowing Toyota, I'm sure the engineers are beavering away on an all-new one even as I write this.

FLORADAY: I know Wes is discounting the difference in the level of equipment in those two vehicles, but to be fair, this Toyota is loaded to the gills with options, where the Silverado wasn't even 4wd.

Sure, this Tacoma gets expensive, but it is no worse than comparing a loaded BMW 3 Series to a base 5 Series. The price is the same, so why not step up to the big leagues and enjoy that 5 Series badge? That's a perfectly valid argument. But the Tacoma will seat five people more comfortably than that Silverado since it is a double cab, not just an extended cab like the Chevy. The Tacoma will also get around in some deep mud, ...