Have you ever wondered where Toyota got the “Tacoma” name for its midsize truck? First launched in 1995 as the successor to the confusingly named N80, N90, N100, and N110 series Toyota Pickup (Hilux in other markets), the Tacoma wasted no time finding homes in American households. It immediately became known for being a dependable, reliable, and everyday-usable pickup truck, with some owners calling it “the best investment in a vehicle ever” and “they sure don’t make ’em like this anymore,” according to consumer sentiments from Kelley Blue Book.
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Since the first-generation Tacoma started when Toyota branched out from the Hilux lineage, the Japanese automaker wanted a proper name for its truck, and to deviate from the letters and numbers nomenclature of its forbearers. As it turns out, there’s genuine substance behind the origins of the names of Toyota vehicles. For instance, “Land Cruiser” implies a go-anywhere vibe, and “Corolla” refers to the “outer envelope or crowning portion of a flower,” said Toyota.
