When it comes to comparing the best used compact trucks to buy or sell, the Toyota Tacoma often tops the list. 

The reasons are evident, a strong reputation for reliability, a mother company known for delivering quality vehicles, and plenty of choices. 

Buyers envy these attributes, and sellers are aware of the demand.

Built to Last

Image from Wiki Cars
Durability and quality are important to consider for Toyota Tacomas purchased this century. 

Gas prices are driving owners to sell their SUVs and pickup trucks, and used car buyers don’t want to take unreliability along with large bills at the pump. 

They might accept one or the other, but rarely both.

Plenty of Options

Then there are the choices. 

With the Tacoma you can choose to have an extended cab, or a regular cab. You can find used Tacomas with two or four doors, rear-wheel or four-wheel drive.

Even the PreRunner which is designed for both on and off-road use if you don’t want to go fully four-wheel drive.

Another point to consider if you are considering buying or selling a used Toyota Tacoma are the awards. 

Award Winning

The Tacoma was named Motor Trend magazine’s Truck of the Year in 2005; and Intellichoice named the Tacoma its Mid-size Truck of the Year the past five years.

Those models, dated but not necessarily old, are pickups still being bought and sold by private owners today.

Solid History

Since it was unveiled in 1995, the Toyota Tacoma sold steadily and quickly became the best-selling compact or mid-size pickup truck. This history helps to explain the this model’s popularity on the used-car market.

The Tacoma changed how automakers think about pickups. 

For example, the this was the first compact pickup truck to offer four doors, for easier access into the increasingly popular cabs.

Generations of Tacomas

Image from Race Off Road
The Tacoma has been through two different generations, pre 2004 and post 2004.

After 2004 Toyota started expanding buyer options, offering three types of cabs (regular, extended and crew), and the X-Runner trim was introduced to replace the slow-selling S-Runner.

There is also the PreRunner, a truck designed with improved suspension and height which allows owners to get off road without the full four-wheel drive capability and the poor fuel economy that goes with 4WD vehicles.

Lasting Value

In today’s market, fuel economy reigns supreme, and historically the Tacoma has achieved above-average gas mileage compared with the competition. 

Toyota has been able to maintain the fuel efficiency factor, as it has the Tacoma’s quality construction and reliability.

With the 2008 Toyota Tacoma carrying a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of a little more than $14,000 to $26,115, you know you can get an excellent, reliable used version for a reasonable price.

If the owner has kept the interior and exterior in decent shape, you can trust the Toyota workmanship and reliability. These factors keep the Tacoma atop the list of best used compact trucks for sale.