Originally, pick-up trucks started out as utilitarian vehicles designed with the primary purpose of hauling or towing. In other words, their most defining feature was the size of their bed. Those older trucks were much smaller and a lot more basic than the trucks of today. These trucks also paid more attention to the truck’s payload capacity than its towing capacity. However, all of that changed in the past few decades.
Modern trucks have car-like interiors and the option for crew cabs whereas it was all about single cabs in the early days. Sure, the bed of the truck and its payload capacity still plays a big role, but a truck’s towing capacity is a big selling point these days. Trucks on sale today are required to fulfill many roles, but the ones we’ve mentioned are the fundamental qualities they are expected to have. Keeping that in mind, let’s discuss the 2020 Toyota Tacoma towing capacity.
How Many Toyota Tacoma Generations Are There?
There are a total of three generations of Toyota Tacoma. This truck is the smaller alternative to the company’s Tundra. While bigger is usually better in the world of trucks, there’s a huge market for smaller models that offer more agility.
The Tacoma is in its third generation at the moment and underwent a mid-life refresh in 2020. Before jumping into the details of the 2020 Toyota Tacoma towing capacity, let’s take a look at the three generations of trucks.
First-Generation Toyota Tacoma – A Quick Recap
Toyota began selling the Tacoma in 1995. It entered the market as a replacement for the company’s Hilux — also known as the Toyota Pickup in North America. With the Tacoma, the Japanese company decided to step it up a notch with multiple advancements. Firstly, Toyota realized that simply making a bulletproof 4×4 was no longer enough. The Tacoma was taking on trucks that had a lot more to offer than that. As such, it had to adapt.
Toyota made changes in terms of the overall experience. The first-gen Tacoma might seem basic now, but it featured improvements in terms of comfort, quality, safety, as well as performance. As a result, it was seen as a truck that could be used for several purposes. Toyota sold the first-generation Toyota Tacoma from 1995 to 2004.
Modern trucks are expected to deliver in many ways. The ability to tow heavy loads is near the top of that list. How much weight a truck can pull depends mainly on what’s under the hood, and between the axles. The more powerful the engine, the more it can pull. The first gen Toyota Tacoma did fairly well in this regard. It may not have been the most powerful truck out there, but it did well considering its design. Depending on the model you got, you could tow anywhere from 3,500 lbs to 5,000 lbs.
Second-Generation Toyota Tacoma – A Quick Recap
The second-gen Tacoma went on sale in 2005. This Toyota truck brought even more to the table with quite a few significant changes. Most importantly, it was bigger and more powerful than the model it replaced. There were also improvements in the form of updated electronics and a more comfortable interior. The second-gen Toyota Tacoma also caught the attention of the team at Motor Trend as it was the winner of their Truck of the Year award in 2005.
One of the contributing factors to this was the sheer number of ways the second-gen Tacoma could be configured. Toyota had multiple engine and bed choices along with many variants which meant it could be specced in 18 different ways. When it comes to its towing capacity, the smallest engine could handle 3,500 lbs while the more powerful 4.0 V6 variant easily moved 6,500 lbs.
Looking at the Third-Generation Toyota Tacoma
The second-gen Tacoma was replaced by the third-gen in 2015. Like the second-gen, this one also featured significant improvements. The new truck came with a completely redesigned frame and a revised palette of engines.
The frame was now made of a different high-strength steel alloy that offered more rigidity than its predecessor, all while being lighter. This positively affected the power-to-weight ratio of the new truck, making it more potent across the board. To make things even more attractive, Toyota went with a different suspension setup, a new rear differential, and a new rear axle setup. These three changes did a lot to improve the truck’s performance on and off the road.
Toyota then gave the third generation Tamoca a proper luxury makeover by introducing a variety of features. In 2020, the Toyota Tacoma got its mid-life refresh where it received a facelift along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other new features on the inside included power-adjustable seats and a 360-degree camera.
2020 Toyota Tacoma Towing Capacity
The powertrain revision of the third-gen meant that the 2020 Toyota Tacoma towing capacity was affected but in a positive way. Even though the truck lost its 4.0-liter V6, the smaller 3.5-liter V6 could actually tow 300 lbs more, for a total of 6,800 lbs. With that said, the towing capacity of the base model didn’t change. Just like its predecessors, the 2.7-liter “Taco” could only handle 3,500 lbs.
What Does the Towing Package on the 2020 Tacoma Do?
If you are looking to make the most of the 2020 Toyota Tacoma towing capacity which would equal 6,800 lbs, the truck has to be configured in a certain way. You’d need a 4×2, Access Cab and the 6-foot bed option. In addition to that, your Tacoma would also need to be equipped with the company’s towing package. Without it, you’ll only get 6,500 lbs of towing capacity, even if your truck features the more powerful 3.5 V6 under the hood.
Being a modern truck, the latest generation of Tacoma relies on more than just raw power to improve its towing ability. The engineers over at Toyota have come up with a number of innovative features that they claim improve the overall towing experience. These features include:
- Variable-assist power rack-and-pinion steering
- Hill Start Assist Control
- Toyota Safety Sense
- Coil-spring double-wishbone front suspension
- The sport-tuned suspension (TRD Off-Road Sport)
- Tuned suspension with Bilstein shocks (TRD Off-Road)
- Electronically controlled locking rear differential (TRD Off-Road)
- A class IV receiver hitch with trailer wiring
- A 4/7-pin connector that sits inside the three-piece bumper
- Transmission cooler
- Engine oil cooler
- 130-amp alternator
- Heavy-duty battery
- Trailer-Sway Control
Is the 2020 Toyota Tacoma Towing Capacity Good?
When you compare the 2020 Toyota Tacoma’s towing capacity to the previous generations, there is a clear improvement. Not only does it have a more powerful engine that allows it to tow more, but also other changes including ones to the chassis and electronics that puts it ahead of the older Tacomas. That being said, with a maximum towing capacity of 6,800 lbs, the Tacoma doesn’t fare well against its rivals. The Ford Ranger, which is Tacoma’s direct rival, can pull up to 7,500 lbs.
What Is the 2020 Toyota Tacoma Capable of Towing?
Despite the Toyota Tacoma’s towing capacity being lesser than its main rivals, it’s still capable of quite a lot. Firstly, the 2020 Tacoma can tow trailers that meet the gross trailer weight requirement of fewer than 4,500 lbs. There are many options in the market and some of them weigh as low as 1,850 lbs. Things change slightly when it comes to campers as you are required to meet the payload rating instead of the trailer weight requirement. For campers, you need to ensure that you are below 1,155 lbs.
While we are on the subject of the Toyota Tacoma towing capacity, it’s a good time to bring up that it can tow a personal watercraft (PWC). This means it will be able to tow a small fishing boat, deck boat, or ski boat. That being said, it’s important to keep an eye on the weight to ensure that the total weight along with the trailer doesn’t cross the limit of the Toyota Tacoma towing capacity. Otherwise, you run the risk of overloading your powertrain, which could cause engine and/or gearbox problems.
A Perfect Light Truck that Delivers
With a vehicle like the Toyota Tacoma, you have the vehicle of choice for most adventures. The Toyota Tacoma’s towing capacity of up to 6,800 lbs also means that you can haul a decent amount of load, should you need to.
These big trips can only be fun when they go trouble-free and to ensure that happens, it’s crucial to make sure that the vehicle is in perfect running order. We at Newparts.com can help you make sure that your Tacoma remains in top shape with a large collection of OEM-quality spares. So, head on over to our Shop and make sure your truck is ready for your next big trip.
