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The 2004 Toyota Tacoma is the last year of the first generation of the Tacoma! In this video, I'll show you everything you need to know, including a bit of its history, what I do like, what I don't like, and exactly how nostalgic I am about this generation of Toyota vehicles.
Thank you, The Dirt Tourist, for letting me borrow this; you can find their Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thedirttourist/
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0:00
While everyone else is showing you guys reviews of the new Toyota Tacoma that just came out
0:05
I wanted to show you guys where the Tacoma started off, which is why I'm going to show you everything that you need to know about this 2004 Toyota Tacoma
0:14
which is the end of the first generation of Tacoma, to see how far, or maybe how far back, the Tacoma has come
0:21
But before we get too far into the video, I do want to tell you guys exactly where I got this Tacoma I'm reviewing today
0:27
and that is from The Dirt Tourist. So this is The Dirt Tourist. I've borrowed quite a few vehicles from them in the past
0:33
and they do a fantastic job with their inventory. They kind of specialize in vehicles like this, so if you want to check out vehicles like this
0:39
or other kind of off-roady Toyota vehicles, they have a bunch of other stuff as well
0:43
make sure to check out his Instagram. I have it down in the description for you
0:47
So in this video, I'm going to start off by talking about everything you need to know, just kind of where this first-gen Tacoma came from, and stuff like that
0:54
but then I'm also going to get into what I do like about the Tacoma, and what I don't like, to see if this generation is right for you
1:00
Now, this first-gen Toyota Tacoma came out in the early 90s, and it actually came out as a result of the U.S. market
1:08
Previously, we had the Toyota Pickup. Yes, they literally had a vehicle called the Toyota Pickup
1:15
That is how small their pickup lineup was, is they had a truck specifically called the Pickup
1:20
Anyways, before that, it was based on the Toyota Helix, and in the early 90s, Toyota realized that the U.S. market and the Canadian market
1:28
was quite a bit different than the rest of the markets. So they decided to design a whole pickup in the USA, specifically in California
1:36
and they came out with the Tacoma. Now, it was a departure from the standard Helix
1:40
in that it was a little bit more meant for the on-road performance
1:44
it was a little bit more comfortable, and it had a little bit less for the off-road prowess and payload capacity
1:50
Now, of course, these are extremely well-known for being amazing off-road, so it was a really good compromise in a vehicle like this to have something that was comfortable
1:59
but also just a really good off-road vehicle. Now, this specific truck we're looking at today is the 2004 model
2:05
and it's actually the last model year of this generation before they switched over to the 2nd-gen Toyota Tacoma
2:12
and so it has everything like the updated front grille, the updated headlights
2:16
and everything that you would expect from this last-year Toyota Tacoma, and is quite a bit more refined than the Tacoma we found in the early 90s
2:24
Alright, so now let's go ahead and talk powertrain, and to do that, we need to get underneath of the hood, which has a latch right here
2:33
and so we're going to go ahead and pop that and go around to the front. Now, once you have popped the hood, there's a little latch here that gets you underneath of here
2:40
and really quick, I'm going to put the hood prop up and go from there. Alright, so now that we have the hood propped up here
2:46
this is the 3.4-liter V6 engine. Now, this engine came in a couple different sizes
2:52
Originally, there was the 2.4-liter engine, the 2.7-liter, of which both were four-cylinders
2:57
and then this right here was the range-topping 3.4-liter V6. Now, this one right here pushed out 190 horsepower and I think 210 pound-foot of torque
3:06
which was pretty impressive for the time, and this was the engine that you wanted to get from this generation
3:11
because it obviously had quite a bit more power and the reliability on these things were ridiculous
3:16
But that said, this one right here has a timing belt, whereas the four-cylinders both had a timing chain
3:22
so you want to make sure that you did replace the timing belt in these every once in a while. However, it was not an interference engine, which means that even if this belt did snap
3:29
it wouldn't be that big of a deal because it wouldn't throw off any valves or anything like that
3:33
like it would in interference-style engines, making that even more reliable. Now, depending on what engine you got, you would get in between 20 and 26 miles per gallon
3:43
and this engine in particular got around 21 miles to the gal
3:47
which honestly is really not too bad considering what trucks get nowadays
3:51
Now, no discussion about the powertrain would be complete without talking about the transmission
3:57
and this one in particular has a five-speed manual transmission. Of course, it did come in a four-speed automatic, but that automatic was more money
4:06
and nowadays, I would say this transmission is considerably more desirable, and this one has that
4:11
Alright, now let's talk exterior styling on this 2004 Toyota Tacoma, and things have changed over the years
4:18
Now, with the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma, it has gotten angrier-looking than ever
4:23
so if you're looking for a happier-looking truck, this one is a much happier-looking truck
4:28
It's a little bit more rounded. It looks a little bit more like what you would expect from a 90s Toyota pickup
4:32
even though it's a 2004, it still has a little bit more rounded styling
4:36
And as for body lines, I think this one right here is my favorite. It kind of swoops up and over the wheel arch, and then it ends right here on the door
4:44
only to be picked up again right behind this rear wheel arch, and I just really like the way that that looks
4:51
It's extremely simple and looks really, really nice, and outside of that, there really isn't much to talk about on the side
4:58
Moving around to the front here, this is actually one of the biggest updates to the Toyota Tacoma
5:03
throughout its life in the first generation, is that this has more of a styled lighting
5:07
As the original Tacoma, when it came out, had to have sealed beam lights
5:11
as that was actually mandatory at the time, and so when they no longer had to do that
5:15
they were able to update it and give it a little bit more rounded, and a little bit more specific style lighting to the Tacoma
5:21
Which this one right here has kind of black housing, so I think these are aftermarket and are not stock from the original vehicle
5:28
Some other cool styling bits is things like this little fender flare right here
5:31
Actually, I shouldn't say it's little. These are actually quite large fender flares
5:35
However, that kind of fell out of style for a little while, and so it kind of made it look a little bit more dated
5:41
However, now new pickup trucks, it's getting more in style, making it feel more modern than it has ever before
5:47
Now, around back is going to be obviously your pickup truck bed
5:51
and it's a bit of a point of contention for a lot of these first-generation Tacoma owners
5:55
in that they were a little bit angry about this bed, and that's because, well, this was the extra cab
6:00
so it has a longer style of bed. However, they came out with a double cab version with two full-size rear doors and two full-size rear seats
6:07
However, when they did do that, they actually made a shorter bed
6:11
which unfortunately meant that you lost quite a bit of capacity for your bed
6:15
and so Tacoma owners generally prefer this longer bed right here that we're seeing now
6:19
So let's go ahead and jump in there, so you can see what it looks like. And so getting in is pretty easy, just like any pickup truck
6:25
You just pull on right there. It is not dampened like you would find in modern trucks, so don't drop it
6:29
And it's a pretty standard pickup truck bed back here. Everything that you would expect, nothing that you would not
6:36
Of course, it doesn't have all the fancy features you have in those new pickup trucks. However, it does have four different tie-downs right there
6:43
so that you can connect ratchet straps and stuff like that. This is Line-X lining right here, so this was put in after market
6:50
which unfortunately over the years has started to kind of peel. However, that is not factory, so not something that you can expect in every single Tacoma
6:57
but still is a really nice thing to have. Alright, so let's go ahead and move into the interior of this pickup truck
7:06
And honestly, it is my favorite thing about this truck. I have owned four Toyota Celicas from this generation of Toyota
7:13
and I just really, really like the interior on here. It just kind of really is something that I've always enjoyed
7:19
It has that old-school tan interior that looks really nice there. You do have cloth seats, which keep you in the seat really well
7:27
And then down here is kind of a gray carpeting. Now the Dirt Tourist thinks that this is actually aftermarket and was replaced at some point
7:33
However, it looks pretty factory to me, which is really nice. And of course, like I showed you guys earlier, this is your five-speed manual transmission
7:40
This right here is how you switch into four high and four low, neutral
7:44
and then the other four-wheel drive button right there. Now I do really like the fact that it has this black plastic right here
7:50
I feel like a lot of cars from the 90s used tan on tan
7:54
and I just like that this kind of adds a little bit more interest to it. Now everything else on this dash is kind of what you would expect from a 90s Toyota
8:02
as this did come from the 90s originally. However, some interesting things to note is things like this
8:07
This clock right here is your clock. However, a lot of people complain when you're driving
8:13
you cannot really see that clock because your steering wheel is in the way. So that is a bit of a weird thing right there
8:18
Right here is going to be your on-off switch for the airbag. You basically put your key in there, and you can turn it on and off
8:25
I don't know why they had it in such a prominent position on your dash. It's like the first thing that you see on your dash
8:30
So that is a little bit weird. This right here, of course, is your hazards button
8:34
This here is going to be a Kenwood deck. Now that is not stock
8:39
Originally, they did have a CD player that had a tape player as well. However, at some point, this has been replaced for an aftermarket unit
8:45
So don't pay attention to that. And then to your left, you see this is your e-brake
8:49
You basically pull that out. Instead of being down here, which I thought was a little bit strange
8:53
most Toyota vehicles had your e-brake right here, and that's what I've been used to
8:57
However, they moved it to the dash for the Tacoma. Now for the year, this thing was actually optioned out pretty well
9:03
As you can see right here, it does have automatic windows. Now that's something we take for granted nowadays
9:09
However, back in this generation of Toyota pickup, it's not something that you should take for granted
9:14
I think for the interior front seats, this little caution label is probably the thing that I think is the funniest
9:20
as it's like in this really prominent position on your door card right here
9:24
and it's just a big caution label. It's permanent. It's not something you remove
9:29
and it just kind of sits there. Now that's something I actually did see. I think it was in the HiAce as well
9:33
which I'll link up here if you want to check out that review, but I just find it funny because that is not something
9:37
that would get past quality control nowadays. Now moving away from the dash, down here, you do have two different cup holders
9:43
I really like these ones, so it is kind of interesting, and they're very forward-thinking
9:48
So right here, you have little notches so that you can fit coffee mugs
9:52
That's a really good idea because a lot of cars nowadays even
9:55
you've run into where you can't fit a normal coffee mug in your cup holders. However, Toyota thought about that in the 90s when they made this truck
10:02
and they included cup holders where you can put your little handle into
10:06
And a video about the Toyota Tacoma cannot be completed without talking about the rear seats in this thing
10:11
so let's do that now. So I actually originally thought that these had rear doors on them
10:16
and they could be opened from the rear. However, that is not true
10:20
You have to pull that, the seat comes forward, and then you kind of crawl back there
10:25
and it's a really interesting experience in that doesn't have real rear seats
10:29
Now you do have storage bins down here, one, two right there. However, you have to kind of activate your rear seat right there
10:36
and it folds down, and then your back goes there. You are not going to be reclining or anything like that back there
10:41
So these seats are not meant for somebody to sit in for like long road trips
10:46
To show you guys what I mean, I am now in the back seat here, and as you can see, my legs just kind of have to hug that front seat there
10:53
and it is just not a comfortable place to be. These little jump seats are kind of pointless for the most part
10:58
other than for maybe very short adults or children for only short periods of time
11:02
Now it does have seat belts right here, so you are safe, I guess
11:06
but that is about it for these rear seats. They're a little bit better for just kind of throwing your bag into the back
11:12
and more for storage purposes, rather than for actually transporting passengers. Now before I get into my driving impressions
11:18
I do really quickly want to talk about what modifications have been done to this Tacoma
11:22
and the first thing is going to be right here. These are some General Grabber tires
11:26
and they are wrapped around some Vision wheels, which look really nice. Behind them, you do have some Bilstein shocks, that is on all four corners of this Tacoma
11:35
and then around front, you have seen it already. This is the ARB front bumper, and it looks pretty nice
11:41
and should protect it quite a bit off-road, and was a good addition to this pickup
11:45
Alright, so I would normally, now in this part of the video
11:49
do driving impressions of the vehicle that I'm reviewing, and then I would kind of go into the things that I do like and I don't like about the vehicle
11:58
However, I'm gonna start with a do like and don't like part of the video now
12:03
because driving, it is probably my favorite part of this. Now, like I mentioned earlier in the video, and I have quite a bit
12:09
I had four Toyota 5th Gen Toyota Celicas, which was this generation of Toyota
12:15
and it just brings so much nostalgia back. I like Celicas so much
12:20
I really, really, really like the way Toyotas drove from this generation
12:24
They're just so manual and so much fun. Their transmission just shifts so nicely
12:29
It's just really an enjoyable vehicle. Now, I'm driving up some mountain roads
12:33
They are paved, but it just handles it really well, and it's just so much fun
12:39
I don't get to drive manual vehicles as much as I would like to
12:42
but I just like this one so much. Now, the manual transmission does shift really well
12:48
It's smooth, has no issues whatsoever. It did take a little bit for me to get used to again
12:53
because I am used to driving automatic vehicles, but I am not having any issues on it at all
12:59
It is just so much fun to drive, and this is a pickup truck, and I'm just having so much fun shifting through the gears
13:06
I'm still kind of learning where to shift and stuff, but it has been like over a decade since I've driven a vehicle exactly like this
13:14
and it's so nice. So, I actually did grow up with the Toyota pickup
13:19
My uncle owned the generation before this one, which was not the Tacoma
13:23
It was the Toyota pickup, and so I remember sitting in those jump seats in the back
13:27
It had the similar setup, and I remember it just being a really cool experience and a lot of fun
13:33
So, I don't know, I might be a little bit biased in this vehicle just because I just do enjoy this style of pickup truck so much
13:40
but it is just a blast to drive. So, as for power delivery on it, it's really not an issue
13:46
This thing does have 190 horsepower, which isn't insane or anything like that
13:51
but it does plenty good enough. This is actually a pretty steep road that I'm driving up, and it's handling it no issue
13:57
I'm in third right now, going about 35, and it feels pretty at home
14:01
It's, oh, let's see, about 2,200 RPMs, and it's not having any issues whatsoever getting up here
14:08
I wouldn't worry too much about passing. I mean, this isn't exactly a vehicle you're gonna be passing a ton, but it is pretty nice
14:15
So, honestly, for the thing that I like the most about this pickup truck, it's just driving it
14:20
There just aren't vehicles like this anymore. I can't get over it. If you want a vehicle that's just a blast to drive, but you need it to be a pickup truck and a manual
14:27
you really can't go wrong with this one because it is just so much fun to drive, and I just, I can't say it enough
14:34
It is a really good one to do, and I just feel really, really at home in this vehicle
14:39
Now, the next thing I like about this pickup truck is its sizing. So, this is kind of a true compact pickup truck
14:45
Of course, back in the day, this was more of a midsize, and the Tacoma still is a midsize pickup
14:50
However, everything's kind of just like a sliding scale with these trucks
14:54
and the Toyota Tacoma of these days is honestly about the same size as the original first-generation Tundra
15:01
which was a full-size pickup truck, which people argued was not really a true full-size
15:06
but anyways, that's beside the point. But I really do like the sizing of this truck
15:10
It is, it's a small truck, and so it's gonna do a good job of getting around town and that kind of stuff
15:17
and it also helps out with the gas mileage. This V6, like I said earlier, gets around 21 miles to the gallon
15:22
which isn't like stellar gas mileage or anything like that, but it is respectable and is a really good upside of this vehicle
15:30
Number three thing that I like about this pickup truck is the way it looks
15:33
This, I really always really enjoyed Toyota's kind of 90s styling, that rounded look
15:41
They were one of the first manufacturers to switch over to that rounded feel to the body of the vehicle
15:48
It used to be much more squared off, which we're kind of moving more towards nowadays
15:51
It's kind of, nowadays, it's more of a combination of the smooth styling and kind of more angrier feel
15:57
However, this is kind of just, I think, the heyday of Toyota's styling
16:02
It wasn't bland, but it wasn't like aged or anything like that
16:06
and I really do like the way that this pickup truck does look
16:10
I think it has the right body lines, the right proportions, and is just a really cool-looking vehicle
16:16
The number four thing I like about this pickup truck is this manual transmission
16:20
I talked a little bit about it earlier. It shifts so nice, is so much fun, and doesn't slip
16:26
It just, just has a really really good manual feel to it
16:30
It actually doesn't really feel that much like a pickup truck with its shifting
16:34
It reminds me, honestly, a lot of my Toyota Celicas, and it just really really has a good feel to it
16:40
Really good shift points, and I'm just really impressed with this transmission
16:44
I have never driven this generation of Tacoma before, and I was just, I'm just really impressed with it
16:50
And then the last thing I like about this truck is its interior
16:55
I talked about it earlier as well, and I really, again, like this mid-90s kind of Toyota interior, this cloth interior
17:02
It hugs you really well. It feels nice. It's by no means high-quality components or anything like that
17:10
but you just, it just feels like something that you can just throw around and have fun in
17:14
You don't have to worry about spilling things, because let's be honest, things have been spilled in here
17:18
and you can see, like, there's little burns in the seat and that kind of stuff that have happened over the years
17:23
And it's just, I don't know, maybe it really is just me getting into the nostalgia of these Toyota trucks and Toyota vehicles
17:30
but I just really am impressed with it, and that kind of concludes the things that I like the most about this truck
17:36
I'm gonna pull over so somebody can get past me. Alright, and so now let's talk about the things I don't like about this truck
17:44
And the number one thing that I don't like about this truck, and it is less about this specific truck and more about this generation
17:51
is they had some serious issues with rust in the frame. They had recalls extending all the way from the beginning of this generation all the way to the end
17:59
Of course, the earlier in the generation was the biggest culprit, and these frames would literally rust out completely
18:05
and they had to do a massive recall on this truck for their frames, including either buying back the vehicle at 1.5 times the Kelley Blue Book value
18:14
or they would completely replace the frame. These older ones, they didn't do the Kelley Blue Book thing. However, many of them, they did have to replace the frames
18:22
I did check this particular one, and either the recall has already been completed, maybe the frame has been replaced, or it wasn't an issue on this one whatsoever
18:30
The next generation of Toyota Tacomas, they switched over to a different style of frame to get away from that
18:36
However, this whole generation was plagued with that issue, just not quite as bad in this year range or anything like that
18:41
Now, another thing that I don't like about this, and the number two thing I don't like, is the seat belt
18:46
Now, it's kind of interesting. I don't know if it's just more modern vehicles have this or anything like that
18:50
However, the seat belt, like, little latch mechanism, likes to fall all the way down to the floor
18:55
so it is actually pretty hard to find your seat belt when you go to get into here
19:00
You kind of have to struggle to reach over and find your seat belt, and that is a little bit annoying to me
19:05
And then the number three thing that I don't like about this Tacoma is just how expensive they are nowadays
19:12
Now, back in the day, these things were like, you could pick them up for like $1,000, $2,000, and nowadays you just, yeah, they're hard to find and just hard to buy
19:21
and these are sitting around $10,000 to buy nowadays, and for good reason
19:25
They're extremely reliable, they're fun to drive, and they're just a good rig to just kind of toss around off-road
19:31
but man, they are not cheap anymore, and that's just really the result of the market, people getting into overlanding
19:37
people seeing how good these old Toyota pickup trucks are, and that kind of stuff, but man, they are just so expensive
19:43
And so, that is the end of this review on the 2004 Toyota Tacoma. It is the end of the first generation of Tacoma
19:52
It has come a long ways, and this is a fantastic truck. I'd love to hear what you guys think down in the comments
20:00
and if you want to see a review of a newer Toyota pickup, I did one of those recently, and you'll see it right here
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