It’s tough to pick a favorite trim of the latest Toyota Tacoma for sale. Each offers its advantages, whether you’re in the market for a value-packed trim in the SR, the Tacoma’s ready-built off-roaders in the TRD PreRunner and TRD Off-Road, a swift experience behind the wheel of TRD Sport, or the sort of luxury experience that only the Limited trim can offer. Each trim occupies a unique niche, but what if you’re on the hunt for an all-around performer that balances off-road and towing ability with tech, comfort, convenience, and the distinctive styling that’s made the Tacoma the industry’s best-selling midsize pickup?
Enter the SR5. Priced at just $36,220, this second-level trim embodies everything there is to love about the Tacoma while keeping the truck well within the price range of the average driver. I try to steer clear of superlatives, but it would be pretty easy to label the 2025 Tacoma SR5 the definitive pickup in today’s midsize segment. First introduced in 1975 as an option for the Corolla sedan, the Sport Runabout Package was soon expanded to Toyota’s SR-5 pickup. The name reflected the truck’s sporty intentions and five-speed manual transmission, and while the model hasn’t survived the test of time, the SR5 is still going strong as an integral part of the Tacoma’s trim ladder. Read on to explore this alluring Tacoma trim and learn how the SR5 has earned its place in the 2025 lineup.
Versatility on Tap
There’s plenty of customization potential on tap when it comes to the Tacoma SR5. Toyota has made this trim available in three different configurations for the 2025 model year, ranging from the two-passenger XtraCab with a six-foot bed to the spacious, five-passenger Double Cab with either a five- or six-foot bed. The Double Cab models do carry an extra charge, but it’s a worthwhile investment when you consider the increased capacity, split-folding rear seats, and under-seat rear storage area.
Those looking to maximize the truck’s utility might want to consider the Double Cab with a six-foot aluminum-reinforced composite cargo bed that measures 73.5 inches in length by 44.7 inches in width and comes standard with integrated LED lighting and a deck rail system with four adjustable tie-down cleats. This generous storage area allows the Tacoma SR5 to easily surpass the rest of the midsize segment in terms of bed length and offer nearly a full 12 inches of extra real estate when compared to the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado.
The 2025 Tacoma SR5 is also available in six distinct colors, from no-nonsense options like Celestial Silver Metallic, Underground, and Black to flashier hues including Blue Crush Metallic and Supersonic Red. No matter which color you decide on, a color-keyed rear bumper will help tie the whole thing together and give the SR5 a tidy look from head to toe. A set of 17-inch alloy wheels comes standard, but the optional TRD 18-inch black alloy wheels are hard to pass up.
Inspired by the off-road racing scene with which the Tacoma is so familiar, the wheels feature the TRD logo and a wider offset that gives the SR5 a decidedly aggressive stance. The SR5 ups its off-road resume even further with an advanced suspension that represents a notable improvement over the SR as the trim replaces the base model’s conventional leaf springs with a set of coil springs designed to complement the truck’s multi-link rear suspension system.
Midsize, Full Power
Power is an important part of the equation for any pickup, and the Tacoma SR5 doesn’t disappoint. While the entry-level SR trim is equipped with Toyota’s 228-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the SR5 employs a brawnier variation that manages to squeeze an extra 50 hp out of the same four cylinders. The i-FORCE engine makes all the difference in terms of towing capacity with the SR5 topping out at 6,500 lbs as compared to 3,500 lbs for the SR, not to mention an extra 190 lbs of available payload. This additional pulling power can be credited to the SR5’s torque-rich engine, which churns out 317 lb-ft of twisting force versus 243 lb-ft in the SR.
The SR5 also has the equipment you’ll need to take advantage of the truck’s towing potential, including an integrated brake controller, tow hitch, and selectable towing modes. The Tacoma’s base trim might be a good value if you’re searching for a reliable fleet vehicle, but the SR5 is able to produce the power that drivers have come to expect from the midsize pickup segment. The Tacoma SR5 also offers some impressive off-road ability thanks to a standard two-speed transfer case and an Uphill/Downhill shift function that improves the truck’s towing ability and allows it to better hold a gear when facing a change in elevation.
The SR5 gives drivers the choice between a rear-wheel and four-wheel drivetrain and comes standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The automatic ups the convenience factor while improving efficiency—and while it does ignore the SR5’s lineage as a five-speed manual, Toyota does offer a six-speed manual on the SR. The Tacoma’s 278-hp i-FORCE engine gives the truck a zero-to-60-time of around 7.0 seconds, which should be more than enough to get up to highway speed at a decent clip without adversely affecting the truck’s fuel economy.
Speaking of efficiency, the SR5 is amongst the thriftiest trims on offer when it comes to how much cash you’ll need to drop at the pump. The RWD version gets 21 MPG city and 26 MPG highway for a combined rating of 23 MPG, while those equipped with 4WD keep pace at 20 MPG in the city, 23 MPG on the highway, and 21 MPG combined. The SR5 might not be able to match the high bar set by the Tacoma Hybrid, but it’s a lot closer of a contest than you might imagine.
Excellent Tech and Safety
The 2024 debut of the fourth-generation Tacoma saw the midsize pickup thoroughly modernized with fresh powertrains, additional trims, and Toyota’s entirely new TNGA-F body-on-frame platform. While all of these upgrades play a part in the fourth-gen Tacoma’s early success, it’s the truck’s interior that really marks the most prominent area of improvement.
Toyota hasn’t simply slapped a few new comfort, convenience, and tech features into the cabin; it’s treated it to a top-down redesign across the entire trim ladder. A higher seating position and extra headroom give drivers a more commanding view of the road, which is particularly helpful in off-road scenarios. The interior also gets a boost thanks to new finishes and materials that lend the pickup a higher-end look without any noticeable effect on the price tag.
The 2025 Tacoma SR is also a standout from a tech perspective, with Toyota bestowing the pickup with a long list of advanced features that many of its competitors tend to limit to higher trims and optional equipment packages. Just take the Tacoma’s 7.0-inch Multi-Information Display (MID), a digital gauge cluster that replaces the analog controls found on most trucks in the SR5’s price range. The slick interface can display a variety of important driving metrics, advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) alerts, settings, and details related to the audio system.
The display even includes a handy Road Sign Assist feature that uses a network of cameras to detect and display speed limits, stop signs, and other relevant roadside information right on the dashboard. The SR5 features a full slate of ADAS as part of the comprehensive Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) suite, which also comes standard with automatic high beams, forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear-cross-traffic alert.
The Incredible 2025 Tacoma SR5
I’ve touched on some of the highlights of the 2025 Tacoma SR5, but there is plenty more in store when you start digging into the pickup’s optional equipment packages. The SR5 Upgrade Package adds a few luxury touches to the cabin in the form of a leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, automatic climate control, and power horizontal rear window. Springing for the SR5 Upgrade + Cold Weather Package brings heated front seats and a heated steering wheel into the mix.
Its tech upgrades include a wireless charging pad, automatic climate control system, and a JBL premium audio system complete with a JBL FLEX portable speaker. The package also includes a few enhancements to the SR5’s ADAS arsenal like front and rear parking assist with automatic braking and an integrated trailer brake controller.
These optional packages are a nice bonus and might be worth considering if you live in a colder climate or appreciate a cutting-edge cabin, but in truth, the SR5 gets along just fine without them. After all, the 2025 Tacoma is already miles ahead of the midsize segment, with strong sales that eclipse similar offerings from Ford, Chevy, and GMC. This versatile pickup has also been named the top midsize model in terms of resale value and gas mileage by iSeeCars.com, which are both important considerations when you’re looking past the MSRP to consider lifetime ownership costs and future trade-ins.
This 2025 SR5 trim is another strong showing for the Tacoma—and while it might not offer the sheer off-road ability or luxury touches of some of the specialized trims, it encompasses everything drivers have come to appreciate about Toyota’s iconic Taco truck.
