26 Limited Hybrid. Impressive so far.

[WindChillHybridLimited]

I had a new 2003 Tacoma V6 Xtra Cab 4x4. Traded it for a 2004 Tundra V8 Access Cab 4x4. When kids came, I got a Touareg TDI and when VW bought it back due to diesel gate, I had a Diesel Cayenne for the past 9 years until a month and a half ago when something in the transmission went.

I need(Ed) a vehicle to tow the 6,000 lb boat I have in my avatar and the Tacoma Hybrid Limited fit the bill. I don't care for the chrome but also don't mind it as so far, this is the first vehicle that I have had no desire to debadge or dechrome anything on the truck. At first, I had considered the non-hybrid but after reading and seeing some reviews, as the Cayenne Diesel had 400+ ft lbs of torque, I knew that getting the Hybrid would be the correct choice and after having driven the truck for the first time, I knew it was the absolute right choice for me.

I had to have a Limited, Hybrid, Pearl and Boulder and had found one 65 miles south of me. I had never even laid eyes up close, sat in one, let alone drive the Hybrid so I just bought the truck blind, knowing that I'd love it no matter what, and I was right. The truck is impressive and I'm glad I did not get a 24 or a 25, hoping that the 26 will have no, or less, bugs.

On the drive home, I was seeing 28 mpg on the highway and 25 MPG on the side roads and in heavy highway traffic right before Juneteenth. Ever since, the MPG have done nothing but continue to impress. Like many others had posted, it is both fun and a challenge hypermiling the Hybrid and trying to get as many MPG as possible and trying to use the electric motor as much as possible on downhills and when close to home or a destination where the ICE will shut down and the Hybrid motor will take over. People are always saying that they have never heard me either come or leave due to the Hybrid motor. It is awesome as when the power is needed, at least without towing as I had only taken the boat out of its winter spot and around the neighborhood so far.

In every metric as compared to the 2004 Tundra I had, that towed the 6,000 lbs with no issue, the 2026 Tacoma is heavier, wider, longer wheelbase, but just 5" shorter. Same with the Cayenne Diesel that is/was wider than the Tacoma. I'm probably going to love the integrated trailer brake controller as I have a 7x14 enclosed snowmobile trailer with electric brakes for wintertime fun.

Everyone loves the folding side steps.

The Softex makes everyone think that its leather and I love that its not leather and will stain less and wear better. Heated steering wheel and both heated and cool seats are another nice touch and why I had to get the Limited as other than the very light off roading I had done a few days after I got the truck, this vehicle will just be a tow vehicle and a pavement pounder extraordinaire. I had read that the chromed wheels are very light and I like that and will deal with the shine. I also like that the tires are as smooth as can be for a nice ride and if they help with MPG, so be it. I will be looking for a set of wheels for pure snow tires as when the winter comes, I'm going snowmobiling, no matter what and love having all the traction possible with good snow tires.

The custom drive modes are awesome and I feel like I have a few different trucks as Comfort is really nice. I made CUSTOM with soft suspension, sport steering, Eco for motor and Eco for A/C. Like many, in one of the polls, I just keep it on CUSTOM most of the time and every now and then go to Comfort and when I feel like it, Sport or Sport + as the AVS and throttle/engine sensitivity are nice changes to have at my fingertips.

The truck came with the OEM folding bed cover and I'm glad it did as I wanted one anyway and after using it a bunch so far, it works quite well.

I consider the OEM folding bed step and about the only two things I want for the truck, as a dream list, outside of some new wheels with some dish, I'd love either fang lights or the fang light insert with some brighter lights, or diode dynamics fog lights, and for the ultimate, the Alpha Rex headlights, the brightest ones they make but have to save up the $1,400 or so for them, and the decision to remove the bumper for the install(s), someday.

To be continued.

Sponsored

 

[Bravada]

Welcome. If you really want to be impressed with the towing, get a stage 1 tune, it will really wake it up.

 

[WindChillHybridLimited]

I had almost forgotten to mention that I'm glad to be part of this board. I want(Ed) to be a part of the biggest Gen4 Tacoma board as with many things in life, oftentimes, bigger is better.

I'm always so glad to see that in 2025, some 275,000 Tacoma's were sold. One of the very excellent things about going from what I always knew to be an overpriced German tow vehicle, to a Toyota, I now pay 1/2 if not even less, for any parts or even service. The amount of stuff we can get for these trucks is like nothing I have ever seen as it speaks to how incredible a truck the Tacoma is.

I can't even imagine more power out of the truck. As if 326 and 465 is not quite enough.

I did get an extra thick center console armrest pad(Muslogy), and a small bin that goes under the vent by the driver door, the 4 section separator for the glovebox, and the compartment under the center console lid, all nifty little things that don't weigh all that much but make storing all the little things a lot neater.

I did just remove all the headrests out of the back seat as they would force my head forward, making an already upright backrest even more upright with ones head being angled even more forward. Like many on here, as my kids are now 14 and 16 years old, the amount that I'll even need a back seat for passengers is a lot less necessary than it was when they were both younger.

 

[redlimitediforcemax]

Get the truck PPF in the area of the bed before the fender just right in front of the rear wheels and after the cab of the truck. It will pickup rock debris like no other. Mine got completely obliterated and I don't offroad on trails at all. get some wide mudflaps to help mitigate some of the rocks being thrown by the front tires.

 

[crepr12]

Yep... The Limited is a nice truck...Enjoy

 

[franx]

I have my Limited since March 2025. No major complaints so far and just a couple of annoying problems like my phone doesnt disconnect sometimes after hanging up and thinks its still connected. Battery died at 10 months, even with regular use. Replaced under warranty.

I do really like it overall though, rides great, decent gas mileage, performance is good. Glad I bought it and replaced my 2019 Sport.

 

[WindChillHybridLimited]

I finally got to use the Tacoma to tow the boat in that avatar and wow, the Tacoma can tow my 6,000 lb boat and trailer, just like it was made to tow 6,000 lbs.

My #1 concern was with rear end squat. I had flipped the ball mount so that the ball is on the rise and the rear suspension settles so that the truck stays level. and more importantly, the trailer stays level. I thought I'd have to install either Sumo Springs or air bags but after this first tow down the highway, the Tacoma has no problem, at all, pulling 6,000 lbs of boat on a trailer as the boat goes 5,000 lbs and the trailer about 1,000 lbs. I know that the boat is back there but the Tacoma handles it just fine. I definitely don't need to add anything in the rear end suspension. When I look under the bump stop, there is plenty of space between the axle and the bump stop and the rear end rides really nice while pulling the 6,000 lbs.

No matter how bad the expansion joints were on all the bridges, or any bumpy roads, the Tacoma Limited with its AVSuspension did a fine job of keeping the truck on track. The trailer was built perfectly from day 1 and it will be 20 years old next year. It has always pulled about as perfectly as can be and with its hydraulic surge brakes, with a disc brake on each wheel, the trailer almost stops as hard as the truck as the Tacoma has a fairly incredible 60-0 mph of 120 feet. I will be looking forward to plugging the enclosed trailer just to see how well the integrated trailer brake controller works. That trailer has electric brakes on all four wheels, and it, too, pulls incredibly well as it is also a quality trailer.

The video rear view mirror was nice as I could view a LOT more of the areas to the sides of the boat, and the side view mirrors also did a decent job of letting me see and also when at the ramp and backing down. I did not use the trailer backing function as there cannot be any way that it would work faster, or even better, than I can back my trailers anywhere at any time (like a boss).

As I have a bunk trailer, there are times I need to back the trailer further into the water to get the boat to float off. Being able to climb into the bed, then onto the tailgate, then onto the trailer tongue, was a lot nicer than having to wade into the water. The advantage of the pickup bed is sometimes underestimated, at some times.

I had kept an eye on transmission temps but there is not much elevation to and from the boat ramp and home. It won't be until I head north up to the big lake that the transmission will get tested and I'll get to see the transmission bar/line move going up the longer uphill grades in the heat, but I suspect that as the Tacoma has been designed so well that any need for an aftermarket transmission cooler, or a larger intercooler for any more power or cooling will not be necessary.

The transmission was a joy. No hunting and I could not even tell if it was shifting or even gear hunting as at 55-65 mph, the engine is just at 2,000 or so and just taking it easy getting the load down the highway. It always knows what gear it needs to be in and the turbo does what it does in a turbodiesel and keeps the entire thing moving down the road or highway. It will be something if this motor can go 150,000 to 200,000 miles while towing 6,000 lbs in the summer and then a 3,800 lb enclosed snowmobile trailer in the winters. The other best part is that if the Tacoma tows 6,000 lbs like it was meant to do it, a 4,000 lb load means almost nothing to it.

When not towing, the 326 HP and 465 TQ have been just splendid. It is nice that the Tacoma doesn't even need all that power, but it sure is nice to have.

I was glad as the VersaHaul motorcycle hitch racks that I had gotten some time ago, and came with a three bolt version of a Quiet Hitch-device, that stops any play in the receiver as I like having that solid connection between the ball drop shank and the receiver's box. I had gotten used to towing with unibody's and the fully boxed frame of the Tacoma feels fantastic as I was floating down the highway, but as solidly as possible, in this mid sized truck.

As I had fully expected, the motor had no trouble, at all, getting the 6,000 lbs up to any speed, at any time. I had hardly had to use the Hybrid motor but the turbo was getting used. What was nice was that I did not see the RPM exceed 3,000 at any time and with a 20 mile one way highway trip. One of the very best parts of the turbo motor was getting just a bit above 15 MPG, with about 20 miles of highway and 5 miles of 25-40 mph roads to get to the boat ramp. I love that the Hybrid Tacoma can tow about 900 lbs more than itself, and still get 15 MPG.

 

[gfk]

Get the truck PPF in the area of the bed before the fender just right in front of the rear wheels and after the cab of the truck. It will pickup rock debris like no other. Mine got completely obliterated and I don't offroad on trails at all. get some wide mudflaps to help mitigate some of the rocks being thrown by the front tires.

I only drive on road, 7500 miles. 2 chips down to metal already and I have the factory mud flaps

Sponsored