2021 Toyota Tacoma
Gas Pickup truck
The 2021 Toyota Tacoma is sold in the U.S. as a gas pickup truck with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Tacoma 2WD, is EPA-rated at 21 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 80 complaints, most often about power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma 2WD | Gas | RWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 19 | 24 | 21 | $2,950 |
| Tacoma 2WD | Gas | RWD | 2.7L 4-cyl | 20 | 23 | 21 | $2,950 |
| Tacoma 4WD | Gas | Part-time 4WD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 18 | 22 | 20 | $3,100 |
| Tacoma 4WD | Gas | Part-time 4WD | 2.7L 4-cyl | 19 | 22 | 20 | $3,100 |
| Tacoma 4WD | Gas | Part-time 4WD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 17 | 21 | 18 | $3,450 |
| Tacoma 4WD D-CAB MT TRD-ORP/PRO | Gas | Part-time 4WD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 17 | 20 | 18 | $3,450 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2021 Toyota Tacoma is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (0)
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Toyota Tacoma. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
Owner complaints
80 complaints filed
9 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 15 injuries, 1 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2021: 20 · 2022: 11 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 12 · 2025: 14 · 2026: 12
Most-cited components
- Power Train — 14
- Service Brakes — 12
- Unknown Or Other — 12
- Engine — 11
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 9
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PU/CC 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 15% |
| PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 19% |
| PU/EC 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 15% |
| PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 19% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Compare the 2021 Tacoma with
Other Tacoma model years
2026 Tacoma
0 recalls · 6 complaints
D2025 Tacoma
5 recalls · 92 complaints
C2024 Tacoma
5 recalls · 145 complaints
D2023 Tacoma
4 recalls · 53 complaints
B2022 Tacoma
3 recalls · 57 complaints
A2020 Tacoma
1 recalls · 87 complaints
C2019 Tacoma
4 recalls · 218 complaints
C2018 Tacoma
3 recalls · 203 complaints
D2017 Tacoma
5 recalls · 239 complaints
D2016 Tacoma
4 recalls · 323 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 43082, 43083, 43084, 43087, 43085, 43086). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.