Americans love their pickup trucks, using them for everything from the daily commute to hauling supplies from a local home improvement store or pulling a camper to the lake. Of course, we don’t always need the capability or dimensions of a full-size model, which makes trucks like the mid-size Toyota Tacoma a perfect solution. With a choice of engines, cab styles, bed lengths, drivetrains, and trims, the Tacoma is highly configurable. As a bonus for enthusiasts, it is one of the few remaining vehicles available with a manual transmission.
With a max towing capacity of 6,800 pounds, the Tacoma lands in the middle of the mid-size pack, beating the Nissan Frontier and Honda Ridgeline’s ratings but trailing the Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado. Like its competitors, the Tacoma’s actual tow capacity depends on various factors, which we’ve detailed below.
What is the Towing Capacity of a 2023 Toyota Tacoma?
- Which Toyota Tacoma Can Tow the Most?
- How Much Can a Rear-Wheel-Drive Toyota Tacoma Max Tow?
- How Much Can a Four-Wheel-Drive Toyota Tacoma Max Tow?
- Toyota Tacoma Max Towing Capacity by Body Style
- What is the Max Towing Capacity for the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro?
- Does the Toyota Tacoma Have Any Special Towing Features?
| Engine / Model | RWD (Max) |
4WD (Max) |
Double Cab (Max) |
Access Cab (Max) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7L I4 | 3,500 lbs* | 3,500 lbs* | 3,500 lbs* | 3,500 lbs* |
| 3.5L V6 | 6,800 lbs | 6,500 lbs | 6,700 lbs | 6,800 lbs |
| 3.5L V6 (TRD Pro) | N/A | 6,400 lbs** | 6,400 lbs** | N/A |
* Towing with the 2.7L I4 requires installation of an optional or aftermarket Class IV trailer hitch receiver.
** TRD Pro is available only as a 4WD Crew (Double) Cab Short Bed with the 3.5L V6 engine.
Which Toyota Tacoma Can Tow the Most?
To get the Tacoma’s maximum 6,800-pound tow rating, you’ll need a RWD Access Cab model equipped with the available 3.5L V6. Tacomas with the six-cylinder engine also feature a Class IV tow hitch receiver.
How Much Can a Rear-Wheel-Drive Toyota Tacoma Max Tow?
The 2021 Tacoma can tow up to 3,500 pounds when fitted with the base four-cylinder engine. This requires the addition of an optional or aftermarket trailer hitch. With the available V6, a RWD Tacoma can tow up to 6,800 pounds.
- 2.7L I4: Up to 3,500 pounds
- 3.5L V6: Up to 6,800 pounds
How Much Can a Four-Wheel-Drive Toyota Tacoma Max Tow?
All four-cylinder Tacomas, regardless of drivetrain, can tow up to 3,500 pounds when equipped with an optional or aftermarket trailer hitch. With the V6, a 4WD Tacoma can tow up to 6,500 pounds.
- 2.7L I4: Up to 3,500 pounds
- 3.5L V6: Up to 6,500 pounds
Toyota Tacoma Max Towing Capacity by Body Style
Double Cab:
- 2.7L I4: 3,500 pounds
- 3.5L V6: 6,700 pounds (RWD short bed) | 6,600 pounds (RWD long bed) | 6,400 pounds (4WD)
Access Cab:
- 2.7L I4: 3,500 pounds
- 3.5L V6: 6,800 pounds (RWD) | 6,500 pounds (4WD)
What is the Max Towing Capacity for the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro?
Serving as an upscale hardcore off-roader, the TRD Pro is offered exclusively in a 4WD Crew Cab Short Bed configuration with the V6 engine. This is one of the few vehicles on the market that can be ordered with a six-speed manual transmission or the more common six-speed automatic. Either way, the TRD Pro’s maximum tow rating is 6,400 pounds.
Does the Toyota Tacoma Have Any Special Towing Features?
Along with the tow hitch, Toyota bundles the V6 with a power steering cooler, engine cooler, and transmission cooler (requires the automatic transmission. Other related features include:
Trailer Sway Control: Prevents the trailer from weaving side to side while towing.
Hill Start Assist Control: This feature temporarily prevents the truck from rolling backward when releasing the brakes on an incline. Requires the automatic transmission.
