Safety takes a front seat as vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist as well as front seat-mounted side airbags and rollover-sensing curtain side airbags are included as standard fare on all Tacoma models/grades for 2009. Driver and front passenger headrests that automatically transition to a collision-ready, support-state in advance of a rear end collision also become standard equipment in 2009 on Access Cab and Double Cab models. Tacoma offers 18 different configurations in the Regular Cab, Access Cab, and Double Cab models. The four-door Double Cab can be fitted with a 60.3-inch or a 73.5-inch truck bed length.

Tacoma gets its power supply from either a 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine or a 4.0-liter V6. The V6, producing 236 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 266 pounds-feet of peak torque at 3800 rpm, is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission. Both engines have variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i), which equates to low-end and mid-range torque strength. And, an Electronic Throttle Control System with Intelligence (ETCS-i) assists with performance optimization and fuel economy. When fitted with the V6 and the automatic transmission, Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 collects estimated fuel economy of 16 city and 20 highway and carries a MSRP of $26,575.