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1997 Toyota Tacoma Owner Ratings & Reviews

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5.0
Overall
2 Reviews

1997 Toyota Tacoma - Best truck ever made by Toyota

Bam
Greensboro, North Carolina
Overall
5.0
Value
5.0
Performance
3.0
Style
3.0
Comfort
2.0
Fuel Economy
5.0
Reliability
5.0
I drive a '97 Tacoma and it's almost old enough to qualify for antique status. Why would I drive a truck this old? It takes everything I throw at it and keeps coming back for more. I've put nearly two hundred thousand miles on this one vehicle. No mechanical problems at all but I did eventually wear out the clutch and had to replace it.
Story
Once I had to drive to the beach to load furniture from an old house. It was way more stuff than I thought. I kept stacking and tying until the truck looked like something the Beverly Hillbillies were driving. When I got on the expressway going back the truck was doing great despite the heavy, unwieldy load. I thought--I got this, I'll just drive slow. That was when the heavens opened up and i... (more)
Pros
It has hauled stuff so heavy the tires were squashed. The truck bed still looks great. I've put a few dings in it here and there but nothing major. The seat covers have never ripped, the dashboard looks as good as the day I bought it. I've had every other model of truck made and they never could take the abuse and daily wear and tear like this truck has.
Cons
The top negative things about this truck are really so minor they don't bear mentioning. For example, the hubcaps can pop off if the bed is heavily loaded. The radio didn't last long but it wasn't an expensive one. It came with the truck. And lastly, in extreme cold temperatures the battery can fail.

1997 Toyota Tacoma - All the essentials, none of the problems

Crystal
Flagstaff, Arizona
Overall
5.0
Value
4.0
Performance
3.0
Style
4.0
Comfort
3.0
Fuel Economy
2.0
Reliability
5.0
My Tacoma is nearly the platonic ideal of a truck. Robust? Yeah. It's been driven in snow and mud, steep slopes, and though creeks. Nothing has ever phased it. The four-wheel drive is simple and powerful, and the engine itself has power enough for any normal situation. The exterior is clean and simple, and the interior has exactly what you need in a car with no unnecessary frills. A comfy seat, a decent sound system, and a great heater and air conditioner.
Story
Taking the truck zipping around on snow-covered forest roads on the slopes of the San Francisco peaks and just barely dodging an elk that stepped onto the road.
Pros
The ease of maintenance and the cost of it. The robust build quality of all wear parts. The retained value after even 200,000 miles
Cons
It is not the most commutable ride for long drives. The fuel efficiency is not dramatically bad, but it's not great. And the single cab makes it inconvenient at times to use the vehicle.

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