When the Toyota Tacoma was introduced to America in 1995, as a variant of the worldwide sold Hilux, not many could have imagined just how popular this versatile and rugged midsized truck would become over the next decade. Certainly, in line with the Toyota company taking its place as the largest motor manufacturer in the world, the Tacoma rapidly established a market leading position that proved impossible for any other truck to match.

Drawing on the US love of pickups and trucks, the Tacoma was initially offered to the market as a compact pickup with just the one cab size, although with a variety of engines that set it aside from its rivals. With build reliability and quality coming very much as standard from the Japanese company, American drivers rapidly warmed to the stylish and rugged design, and took to heart the excellent 2.4 and 2.7 liter four cylinder engines, as well as the more powerful range topping 3.4 liter V6 that enthralled drivers with its plentiful 190bhp performance.

The launch of the Xtracab crew cab design a few years into the models life lent a new lease of life to the model, and by now the Toyota Tacoma was very much the truck of choice for anybody wanting a workhorse with outstanding capability. Regular facelifts kept the Tacoma looking fresh and able, while younger drivers were attracted by the versatile qualities and aggressive pricing structures that kept the Toyota at the top of the market.

The Toyota Tacoma Truck settled into a yearly sales figure in the USA of around 170,000 plus, and showed no signs of slowing when the model was upgraded to a second generation shape in 2005; a choice of two outstanding engines – 2.7 liter four cylinder or 4.0 liter six cylinder – offered between 160n and 240 bhp and performance to match, and soon the Tacoma was looking at an extended stay at the top of the truck charts. So it proved, with sales never flagging and the models continued improvements to the range leading to a new generation of Tacoma drivers committed to this impressive truck.

A further extension to the cab provided better flexibility for the working user and the family man, while permanent four wheel drive became a fixture on some models and a choice of transmissions added to the models variety.

Toyota also went on to capitalize on the public’s love of exclusivity with a series of special editions, the X-Runner model featuring improved suspension for off-road running and the Toyota Racing Development version going even more extreme with a full package of off-road improvements.

It seems Toyota can do no wrong with the Tacoma, as it continues to sell in impressive numbers and remains the largest selling truck on American roads.