I'm looking at buying a new truck soon and have been looking at the Toyota Tacoma Crew Cab 4x4 with the V6. Does anyone have any insight to the towing capabilities of these trucks. I have a 19' Super Vee on a Rogue trailer and pull it with my Explorer with the V8. I have no problem pulling it with my Explorer, but I don't want to make a mistake with 30 less HP with the Toyota. Any thoughts?

I can't speak to that particular Taco but here is the most comprehensive Tacoma towing guide....
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/towing/4031-tacoma-towing-bible.html
The current Tacoma model (2005 - present) is called 2nd Generation.

Taco suspension is very easy to upgrade if you are going that way.
I just did mine...send me a PM if you get a Taco.

So you're the one.

I would be more concerned about braking.

Trailer brakes.

If it's a single axel, I doubt it has brakes, besides those damn things never work.

Both of my Tundra's have done just fine with towing and stopping.

Chevy not so much, Ford would tow anything at 8 miles a gallon and Dodge well you could give me one but I would just put it up for sale.

Fishy

DD, Thanks for the link to the towing guide. A big help. This boat is not that heavy, (Don't have the specs on hand) It tows a lot easier than the 16' Crestliner I had before.

I just got a hand out from Toyota the other day, announcing that they now rent everything that they sell.
< wink >

You might have to bend a rule......but.....just don't wreck.

You might even be able to do it on the up and up if they (sales) thought that this was a deciding factor.

DD
Who rented a pickup and ran down to Springfield, OR to pick up a boat trailer once.

The 4.0 Taco motor will pull anything that a V8 can pull. Those things are super powerful for a V6. Can it stop a boat like a full-size? Nope.

A Freightliner would be ideal for pulling a boat, but few can afford one.

Spend your money on a full-size Tundra or a GMC 1/2 ton.

My 7.3 powerstroke will tow the 5th wheel and a hay trailer loaded and get almost 20 MPG.
Gas vehicles and towing are a problem IMHO. I towed all of our stuff from Wyoming when I moved to WA and got 18-20mpg.

Noted my truck is also modified for towing and fuel mileage.
Back to the topic of his taco towing.

Also those fuel readings were after the diesel quality went to sh!t. Before I got even better mileage. Now I have to run DDP additive to make the quality of the fuel even close to what it was.

Or a diesel. Since they are made to tow. Anything besides a gay man chevy (GMC). Or just be happy with what you have. I think the Tacoma will tow just fine. maybe not the most fuel efficient setup but it will work. Brakes might be sketchy at times but I have towed bigger loads than that boat with my jeep (not safe).
Is the Tacoma in question and auto or a manual???

My 7.3 powerstroke motor is designed by Navistar international. Not ford. The ford designed motors suck balls and have horrible turbo and injector problems in working applications.
Just saying.

Go FORD or go home.

I like "real" trucks. Some of the new Tundra's are nice looking.

Clearly there is a lack of knowledge on how long diesel motors will go for. 300,000 is not very long for a good diesel to last.

I agree that if we are talking gas only the Toyota will last longer than most fords,chevs,and all dodge gas trucks. I think the main problem with towing with a gas truck is going to be the valve body in the trans cracking from too much strain and multiple other trans issues. Manual Trans is the only way to go if your gonna "tow" with gas.

I knew someone would bring the diesel factor into it and rave about how great they are, but at what cost? Seems the OP wants to keep that in check and wants a rig that will tow and not be a behemoth the rest of the time.

My Tundra does quite well and suits me just fine.

Fishy