Tacoma’s namesake vehicle, the Toyota Tacoma pickup, is about to turn 30 years old.
Since its introduction in 1995, the Tacoma has become the country’s most popular midsize truck. Its spawned a legion of fans who go off-roading together, swap accessories and proudly show off their trucks on social media.
But why did Toyota pick Tacoma as the name for its new truck?
Why Tacoma?
The Tacoma was unveiled by then-Tacoma Mayor Harold Moss and then-Toyota vice president Bryan Bergsteinsson at a Portland auto show in 1995.
Until the Tacoma was introduced, Toyota had only given its trucks alphanumeric names.
At the show, Bergsteinsson tried to answer, “…. a question that has entered the minds of many. Why give the truck a name and why Tacoma?”
It was just marketing, he said.
“Too many numbers confuse potential truck buyers,” he told the assembled crowd. The new model needed a real name.
First, there are conventions to auto naming. The name has to be short enough to fit on the vehicles and catch eyes and ears in advertising. O’s, A’s, T’s, K’s and hard C’s are popular. Tacoma fitted the bill there.