Toyota Tacoma Ground Clearance: What to Know
2016 Toyota Tacoma by Kevauto — CC BY-SA 4.0
Toyota Tacoma continues to be one of the most popular trucks in America, and for a good reason. It’s a powerful, attractive, and fun vehicle to drive. But depending on your needs as a consumer, knowing the exact Toyota Tacoma ground clearance is essential.
In this guide, we’re taking a closer look at this truck’s ground clearance and where it shines the most. Could this be the perfect truck for camping or off-roading? Perhaps you want something to go mudding in. Whatever the case, we break it all down in our guide to Toyota Tacoma ground clearance.
All About Toyota Tacoma Ground Clearance
The Toyota Tacoma boasts an impressive 9.4 inches of ground clearance. That alone says that it’s plenty capable of traversing various types of terrain without issue. Whether you’re looking to go off-roading in the woods or pass over high rocky terrain, the Tacoma has you safely covered.
But ground clearance isn’t all that Toyota gives you. On top of the generous ground clearance is a 35° approach angle, allowing the Tacoma to outperform similar trucks in its class.
But off-road terrain isn’t the only place that the Tacoma excels. We found that it’s more than capable of handling itself on pavement, which is a considerable advantage over the competition. Many off-road vehicles have difficulty on blacktop and other hard, flat surfaces.
While they might excel on rough terrain, there’s generally trouble in pavement assortments. That’s not the case here at all with Toyota’s Tacoma. You can freely bounce back and forth between terrain types without breaking a sweat, making the Tacoma a versatile driving companion that is sure not to disappoint.
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The Tacoma’s Off-Road Capability
The great thing about Tacoma’s versatility is that you’re afforded endless possibilities. The Toyota Tacoma ground clearance comes with a boatload of options that complement your off-road lifestyle.
Keep in mind that the features listed below are ones you will need to include if you want them. They aren’t standard options on Tacoma’s base model, so you will need to choose a model that offers them if you wish to have them on your truck.
Trail Control
Do you need a truck capable of alternating its power depending on the type of trail you’re on? With the Trail Control option in your package, you can seamlessly travel up and down steep inclines with the right power to ensure safe passage.
This feature works well in conjunction with the 9.4-inch ground clearance. This means you don’t have to worry about what’s underneath your vehicle as you climb over rough terrain.
As you’ll learn, if you invest in a Tacoma with Trail Control, it’s easier than ever to drive to remote locales, thanks to the Toyota Tacoma ground clearance and Trail control option.
If you prefer to enjoy the outdoors away from civilization and others, you’ll want to ensure your model sports this feature.
Crawl Control
Usually referred to as “Crawl,” Crawl Control is an advanced multi-terrain system. This option automatically adjusts the Tacoma’s throttle and brakes on five low-speed settings.
Thanks to this advanced feature, you can focus more on your steering while Crawl Control handles the more complex components of your off-road navigation. Once again, Crawl Control isn’t standard in all Tacomas. As such, you will need to make sure that your package includes this option.
When you consider that the Toyota Tacoma ground clearance clocks in at 9.4 inches, Crawl Control works in harmony with the benefits of having so much room below, therefore, you’ll find that it’s much easier – and safer – to explore the off-road trails when you have these features working in unison.
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Multi-Terrain Monitor
When you have the 9.4-inch ground clearance that this truck has, you must be able to see what’s underneath your vehicle at all times. But how can you do that when you’re behind the wheel traversing various landscapes?
Easy; Toyota’s Multi-Terrain Monitor. Thanks to this advanced monitoring system, you can see what’s under your truck with a glance. That’s because Toyota positioned a camera under the truck, allowing you to see what the ground looks like in real-time.
If you happen to get snagged on something, you see it and position your Tacoma to get free. Granted, this is far less likely to occur given the Tacoma’s excellent ground clearance, but it’s still a potential hazard nonetheless.
Other Considerations
As we’ve already discussed, the Tacoma is an ideal off-roading vehicle. Thanks to its ground clearance and helpful options, you can look forward to enjoying yourself on the rough terrain of the outdoors.
But there are other benefits to the Tacoma that you should consider. Inside the truck is a beautiful cabin with all the bells and whistles. It’s truly comfortable and inviting inside, ensuring that you’ll have a great time as you go exploring off-road.
What’s more, the Tacoma is backed by 278 horsepower, which is a must-have if you’re going to put that impressive ground clearance to good use. We found that the two go hand-in-hand, allowing you to explore the outdoors in ways other trucks and off-road vehicles cannot compare.
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Furthermore, you can choose between a manual or automatic shift, depending on your preferences. However, some consumers might find that the manual transmission works better with high ground clearance.
If you don’t get a model with the options detailed above, you might be able to get better control over your Tacoma with the use of a manual shift. For some drivers, it’s easier to use the lower gears to their advantage, depending on the type of terrain they are driving over.
But if you’re looking for a more relaxed drive and don’t expect to be traversing rough, rocky terrain, an automatic shift will undoubtedly serve you well.
Should You Buy the Toyota Tacoma?
Toyota has a well-documented reputation for reliability and excellence. The Toyota Tacoma is well-loved by consumers for a reason, including off-roading fans. If you’re going by ground clearance alone, the Tacoma offers 9.4 inches of ride height which is plenty even for the most demanding off-road activities.
If you want to maximize the Tacoma’s off-roading potential, go for the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro models for their off-road specific features like upgraded shocks and traction control. The main feature that off-road enthusiasts will love is the Crawl Control function. It’s Toyota’s low-speed cruise control, ideal for those who travel the beaten path. With Crawl Control, it becomes possible for this truck to drive over large rocks, logs, boulders, and other bumpy terrains.
Crawl Control works by managing the throttle and braking of each wheel, so you can focus on steering through the obstacles in front of you.
Meanwhile, TRD Sport is mainly targeted toward ride quality. It’s the Tacoma model that’s tuned for driving on the pavement. Thus, if you’re less of an off-roader and you plan to drive your truck to work and the occasional road trips, the TRD Sport is your best bet.
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