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2008 Toyota Tacoma Safety Review

July 24, 2008

SAFETY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

built to passenger-car safety standards
Automobile

curtain side airbags are an important safety plus
ConsumerGuide

Five stars, frontal impact
NHTSA

Good,” frontal offset and side impacts
IIHS

The 2008 Toyota Tacoma scores well on safety tests and includes many safety features, though stability control is an option.

For the second-gen Tacoma, Toyota significantly ups the ante regarding safety. VSC (vehicle skid control) and traction control became available on all models across the line, excluding the X-Runner, in 2005; these systems had previously been available only on the 4WD models. Automobile notes, “ABS with brake assist is standard. You can add stability control with traction control, as well as hill-start assist to prevent rolling back from an uphill stop.”

Speaking to the effectiveness of the standard brake assist feature, which incorporates a valve that increases vacuum assist when the brake pedal is enthusiastically applied--as in a panic situation--Car and Driver finds that their test Tacoma “conduct[s] four rapid stops from 70 mph in less than 190 feet, fleet performance for any pickup.”

In addition to standard driver and passenger airbags, side impact and side curtain airbags are optional in the Double Cab models.

In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests, the 2008 Tacoma scores five stars for driver and passenger side frontal impact, as well as five stars for both front and rear occupants in side impacts. In rollover resistance, it managed a rating of four stars. In the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) frontal offset and side impact tests, the Tacoma scored that agency’s top “good” rating. Tacomas with bucket seats managed a “marginal” for rear crash protection, a comment on headrest design and whiplash protection.

Conclusion

Especially in the Double Cab, the 2008 Toyota Tacoma has you and your passengers covered with a host of safety features both active and passive.

SAFETY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:built to passenger-car safety standardsAutomobilecurtain side airbags are an important safety plusConsumerGuideFive stars, frontal impactNHTSAGood,” frontal offset and side impactsIIHS The 2008 Toyota Tacoma scores well on safety tests and includes many safety features, though stability control is an option. For the second-gen Tacoma, Toyota significantly ups the ante regarding safety. VSC (vehicle skid control) and traction control became available on all models across the line, excluding the X-Runner, in 2005; these systems had previously been available only on the 4WD models. Automobile notes, “ABS with brake assist is standard. You can add stability control with traction control, as well as hill-start assist to prevent rolling back from an uphill stop.” Speaking to the effectiveness of the standard brake assist feature, which incorporates a valve that increases vacuum assist when the brake pedal is enthusiastically applied--as in a panic situation--Car and Driver finds that their test Tacoma “conduct[s] four rapid stops from 70 mph in less than 190 feet, fleet performance for any pickup.” In addition to standard driver and passenger airbags, side impact and side curtain airbags are optional in the Double Cab models. In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests, the 2008 Tacoma scores five stars for driver and passenger side frontal impact, as well as five stars for both front and rear occupants in side impacts. In rollover resistance, it managed a rating of four stars. In the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) frontal offset and side impact tests, the Tacoma scored that agency’s top “good” rating. Tacomas with bucket seats managed a “marginal” for rear crash protection, a comment on headrest design and whiplash protection. ConclusionEspecially in the Double Cab, the 2008 Toyota Tacoma has you and your passengers covered with a host of safety features both active and passive.  2008 TOYOTA TACOMA STYLING | [7 out of 10] Cars.com: Consumer rating of “4.7 out of 5.0” Kelley Blue Book: "might be mistaken for a domestic truck" Car and Driver: “keep-it-sane styling…and straightforward controls” Motor Trend: “It no longer looks like a small truck” Introduced for ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2008 Toyota Tacoma rides harder than the comparable Nissan Frontier models but doesn’t handle quite as well. The Nissan has a better-looking interior, with more comfortable seats and appointments, as well as sprightlier performance from its 4.0-liter V-6. But the Tacoma has a more enviable reputation for reliability. Both the Colorado and Ranger feel inferior and outdated compared to the Tacoma, with subpar interior appointments and a lack of safety features, but the Ranger makes a strong case as one of the only true compact pickup designs left—and it's very fuel-efficient in basic four-cylinder form. Then there’s the Dodge Dakota, which is a little closer to full-size than the Tacoma and has available V-8 power for towing.

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See the Toyota Tacoma in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

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