By Philip Ruth–
At the Folsom Street Fair, we got into our getups to show the world an edgier side of ourselves. It is always fun to join others in letting our freak flags fly.
Vehicles can be chosen for their forms at least as much as their functions, and the two we’re examining here—a $39,895 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring and $54,784 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4×4 Double Cab—distinguish themselves from the norms of common sedans and crossovers.
They couldn’t be more different. The redesigned-for-2024 Tacoma TRD is classed as a mid-size pickup, but it’s big, about three inches wider than its predecessor and as wide as a full-sized Tundra from 20 years ago.
That extra width is noticed around town, where the new Tacoma TRD slips less easily through traffic gaps. This is countered by the commanding seating position and wide-open visibility, which allow you to see all the Tacoma’s corners as you point your way.
The Tacoma TRD’s redesign brought with it a massive improvement in ride quality, thanks to Toyota swapping out the rear leaf springs for more compliant coils. With that change, the Tacoma went from being among the stiffest-riding 4×4 pickups to being almost car-like. And, it handles with an accuracy and directness that belie the Tacoma TRD’s height and bulbous tires.
Climb down from the Toyota’s perch and into the Mazda’s, and the MX-5 Miata feels like folding yourself into a skateboard with a seat. With the backrest against the rear bulkhead, my 6’1” frame had just enough room to work, and I quickly adjusted to looking into the taillights of sedans, rather than seeing over their roofs.
The MX-5’s lowness and lightness instantly alight your driving enthusiasm; you’d have to be in an epic funk not to take the Mazda’s lead and zip around the mastodon-like SUVs around you. Yes, most others could squish you like a bug, but the Miata’s magic combination of steering, suspension, and braking finesse makes the Mazda’s responses seem hardwired to your own thoughts. Lightweight and flickable, the Miata remains a rare bird as new cars and trucks inexorably grow.
Hybrids are everywhere these days, but neither the Tacoma nor the Miata come as such. Instead, the Tacoma chucks its previous V6 with a turbocharged and intercooled 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It produces the same 278 horsepower as the larger one did, and its low 1,700-rpm torque peak means the Tacoma TRD jumps off the line, even with 4,700 pounds to move.
Two Miatas weigh about the same as one Tacoma TRD, so the Mazda needs only 181 horses from its non-turbo 2.0-liter four to feel sparky, and it loves to rev up. Mileage just about matched the EPA’s estimates of 29 mpg overall for the Mazda and 21 for the Toyota.
Inside, the Tacoma is blocky and functional, while the Miata is surprisingly upscale. Outside, each displays its own distinctive and unmistakable image, which is part of the fun.
Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant with an automotive staging service.
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Published on October 3, 2024
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