2016 Toyota Tacoma Named Rocky Mountain Truck of the Year

The Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) has named the 2016 Toyota Tacoma the 2016 Toyota Tacoma Named Rocky Mountain Truck of the Year. Toyota and its Tacoma win a lot of awards, but given that the closest competitor to the Toyota Tacoma is the Chevrolet Colorado, we found this in a way interesting. Apparently the Colorado's name was not enough to tip the balance in its favor.

RMAP members receive manufacturer press fleet vehicles for review and testing, just like the membership of many regional automotive press groups. The members are also invited to product launch events and are able to sample vehicles at local and national media events. To be eligible for a win, a vehicle must be available to the membership as a test vehicle. This year, the contest for best truck came down to the 2016 Ford F150, Ram Rebel, and Toyota Tacoma.

Torque News’ own Aaron Turpen is the Vice President of RMAP. We asked Aaron, who has a focus on Nissan at Torque News, and a big fan of the Nissan Frontier, to tell us what made the Tacoma a winner. Aaron said, "This year was one of the most competitive years for the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press' Vehicle of the Year Awards and had more eligible trucks for Truck of the Year than we've ever had before.” Aaron went on to add, “Strong contenders meant that our record turnout of votes from RMAP membership was crucial in choosing the winner. The Tacoma was cited as being 'groundbreaking' and 'a leap forward' for pickup trucks by journalists casting votes. These and the lifestyle the Tacoma represents were reasons for Toyota taking the title this year."

The win by Tacoma means that at the upcoming Denver Auto Show, which runs from March 16-20 at the Denver Convention Center, the Toyota display will have a banner letting everyone know that the Tacoma earned the 2016 RMAP Rocky Mountain Truck of the Year award.

All images courtesy of Toyota.