The 2018 Tacoma is mostly a carry-over model year, but Toyota has added some important safety and comfort systems as standard equipment. Starting with the new model year, all new Tacomas will come with forward collision prevention with automatic emergency braking and other active safety systems.
About Forward Collision Prevention
Automatic emergency braking systems have spread rapidly through the automotive world. Toyota went first among all automakers in making the systems standard on all its new models starting in 2016. Toyota began with its top sellers and is now working through the remainder of the product line. The technology has been proven to reduce rear-ending crashes by 40% in real-world testing.
Every automaker has agreed to make the technology standard on all models by 2022. Mazda and Nissan have followed Toyota's lead and are ahead of the curve on this important technology.
Safety Ratings and New Tacoma Changes
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) requires advanced or superior-rated forward collision prevention in order to earn the Top Safety Pick designation. When tested in 2017, the Tacoma lacked this technology and did not earn that rating. With its new standard system, it could.
In addition to the active safety systems now standard, the Tacoma will also have adaptive cruise control. This system allows a car to follow another and speed up and slow down to match that vehicle's speed.