Even with more power, more towing capability and more cargo room, the 2005 Toyota Tacoma doesn't feel very truck-like. And it doesn't really matter what you're driving: two or four wheel drive, on or off-road, the ride and handling of the Tacoma is refined to the point where even a car person could appreciate it. And while there isn't anything radically different about the Tacoma's suspension design, we found that its tuning-the quasi-mystical process whereby engineers tweak spring rates and shock absorber settings to achieve a desired outcome-delivered a ride quality as good as many passenger cars. Particularly notable is the way the suspension set-up managed to keep its composure on stretches of rough pavement or rutted gravel roads. The Tacoma's handling characteristics were equally impressive. The optional Sport suspension package from Toyota Racing Development on our test truck allowed very little body roll in turns. This level of cornering stability in a pickup was startling; a performance we might not have believed had we not experienced it for ourselves.
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