The 2016 Toyota Tacoma maximum towing capacity is between 3,500 lbs and 6,800 lbs depending on the truck specifications.
Any trailer exceeding 1000 lbs must have its own brake system when using the Tacoma and should not exert a tongue weight over 10% of the total trailer weight.
You should always check your manual and weight ratings (on the inside of the driver’s door) for the most accurate information before towing and make sure you are properly equipped.
This article will help you identify the towing capacity and GCWR of your Tacoma based on trim.
The information taken from this article was compiled using 2016 the ebrochure.
Though I tried to make this information as accurate as possible, you should always check your manual or contact your local dealer to determine the appropriate towing capacity of your vehicle and necessary equipment.
Towing Capacity by Engine
There are two main types of engines in the 2016 Toyota Tacoma. There is a less powerful, 2.7L 4-Cylinder and a 3.5L V6 engine.
2.7-L 4-Cylinder Engine
One of the engine options in the Toyota Tacoma is the 2.7L 4-Cylinder engine. This engine is the standard in SR and SR5 trims.
It is a less powerful engine at 159 hp @5,200 and 180 lb.-ft. @3,800.
In all of these models, the maximum towing capacity is 3500 lbs.
There is no package or modification to increase this value for the Tacoma.
The 2.7 L engine is the standard engine in the SR and SR5 trim levels of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma.
3.5-L V6 Engine
The V6 engine is the more powerful option of engine offered in the Tacoma. It can deliver up to 278 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 265 lb.-ft. @ 4,600 rpm.
This engine can tow up to 6800 lbs and on the low end, 3500 lbs, the same as the 2.7 L engine.
This engine comes standard in every type of Tacoma trim other than the SR and SR5, but is available in all of them. This engine is also offered in a manual version as well, but only for a few trim option levels.
Toyota Tacoma GCWR
What makes the Tacoma fairly unique is that the GCWR is the same for all trim levels.
The GCWR for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is 11,360 lbs.
The GCWR is the maximum weight that a truck can have with a trailer.
This means that at any point in time, the scale of a truck plus a trailer should never exceed this amount.
This takes into account the weight of the passengers and cargo.
All of the values below are taken from the Toyota brochure.
Towing Package for Toyota Tacoma
Any truck with a 3.5 L V6 engine is eligible to upgrade with the tow package. If you choose to select the 2.7 L engine, you will not have the ability to add the towing package.
The following are included in the tow package:
- Class IV Towing Hitch Receiver
- 4-pin and 7-pin connector with converter
- engine oil cooler
- power steering cooler
- Trailer-Sway Control
Towing Capacity by Trim
Maximum towing capacity is calculated by taking the GCWR and subtracting the curb weight.
These values are also only listed for conventional towing with a hitch. 5th wheel and gooseneck towing is not an option on the standard Tacoma.
SR
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR can 3500 lbs and up to 6400 lbs with a 4×4 3.5 L V6 engine with a double cab and tow package.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Towing Capacity |
| 4×2 Manual | 2.7 L | Access | 3,500 lbs |
| 4×2 | 2.7 L | Access | 3,500 lbs |
| 4×4 | 2.7 L | Access | 3,500 lbs |
| 4×2 Manual | 2.7 L | Double | 3,500 lbs |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs 6,400 lbs (tow package) |
SR5
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 can tow 3500 lbs and up to 6800 lbs with a 4×2 V6 engine with an access cab and a tow package.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Towing Capacity |
| 4×2 | 2.7 L | Access | 3,500 lbs |
| 4×4 | 2.7 L | Access | 3,500 lbs |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Access | 3,500 lbs 6,800 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Access | 3,500 lbs 6,500 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×2 | 2.7 L | Double | 3,500 lbs |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Double | 3,560 lbs 6,700 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs 6,400 lbs (tow package) |
TRD Sport
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport can tow 3500 lbs and up to 6700 lbs with a 4×2 V6 engine with a double cab and tow package.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Towing Capacity |
| 4×4 Manual | 3.5 L | Access | 3,500 lbs 6,500 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Access | 3,500 lbs 6,800 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Access | 3,500 lbs 6,500 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×4 Manual | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs 6,400 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs 6,700 lbs (tow package) 6,600 lbs (tow package/long bed) |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs 6,400 lbs (tow package) |
TRD Off-Road
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road can tow up to 6700 lbs with a 4×2 V6 engine with a double cab and tow package.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Towing Capacity |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Access | 3,500 lbs 6,500 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×4 Manual | 3.5 L | Double | 6,500 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×2 Manual | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs 6,400 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Double | 6,700 lbs |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs 6,400 lbs (tow package) |
Limited
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited can tow up to 6600 lbs with a 4×2 V6 engine with a double cab and tow package.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Towing Capacity |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs 6,600 lbs (tow package) |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Double | 3,500 lbs 6,400 lbs (tow package) |
Towing Capacity Chart from Manual
The owner’s manual has a listing of the GCWR and trailer weights for each model. Listed on pages 179 and 180 you will find charts (shown below) that will give you the exact GCWR of your Tacoma.
You can find your code on your certification label on the inside of the driver’s side door as seen in the photo below. You will also have the engine type as well. I do know that the 2TR-FE engine is the 2.7 L and the 2GR-FKS is the 3.5 L engine.
Tacoma Towing Capacity Chart – Access Cab
Tacoma Towing Capacity Chart – Double Cab
What is the max tongue load of a Tacoma?
The tongue load is the amount of weight that can be exerted on a trailer hitch.
For most trailers, this value is 10-15% of the total trailer weight.
Toyota specifies that for all of their engines a tongue weight of 10% should not be exceeded. That means that a max towing capacity of 6800 lbs can only have a tongue weight of 680 lbs.
In addition, you should not tow above 1000 lbs on any 2016 Tacoma without a trailer with a braking system.
How can you make sure you don’t exceed this value?
You can make sure of this by weighing the tongue weight of your trailer. There are multiple ways to do this, which I outlined in the article: What is trailer tongue weight? & How to Measure It
2016 Tacoma Payload Capacity
The 2016 Tacoma has a single GVWR of 5600 lbs for all trucks. Don’t know what I’m referring to? Check out: What Does GVWR Mean? GVWR Explained for Trucks and Trailers
SR
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR can carry up to 1620 lbs with a 4×2 4-cylinder engine with an access cab.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Payload Capacity |
| 4×2 | 2.7 L | Access | 1,620 lbs |
| 4×4 | 2.7 L | Access | 1,380 lbs |
| 4×2 | 2.7 L | Double | 1,505 lbs |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Double | 1,175 lbs |
SR5
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 can carry up to 1620 lbs with a 4×2 4-cylinder engine with an access cab.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Payload Capacity |
| 4×2 | 2.7 L | Access | 1,620 lbs |
| 4×4 | 2.7 L | Access | 1,380 lbs |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Access | 1,540 lbs |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Access | 1,295 lbs |
| 4×2 | 2.7 L | Double | 1,505 lbs |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Double | 1,420 lbs |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Double | 1,175 lbs 1,120 lbs (long bed) |
TRD Sport
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport can carry up to 1540 lbs with a 4×2 V6 engine with an access cab.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Payload Capacity |
| 4×4 Manual | 3.5 L | Access | 1,275 lbs |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Access | 1,540 lbs |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Access | 1,295 lbs |
| 4×4 Manual | 3.5 L | Double | 1,155 lbs |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Double | 1,420 lbs |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Double | 1,175 lbs 1,120 lbs (long bed) |
TRD Off-Road
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road can carry up to 1420 lbs with a 4×2 V6 engine with a double cab.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Payload Capacity |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Access | 1,295 lbs |
| 4×4 Manual | 3.5 L | Double | 1,155 lbs |
| 4×2 | V6 | Double | 1,420 lbs |
| 4×4 | V6 | Double | 1,175 lbs 1,120 lbs (long bed) |
Limited
The 2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited can carry up to 1370 lbs with a 4×2 V6 engine with a double cab.
| Drive | Engine | Cab | Payload Capacity |
| 4×2 | 3.5 L | Double | 1,370 lbs |
| 4×4 | 3.5 L | Double | 1,120 lbs |
How to determine how much your Tacoma can actually tow
Toyota states that under the right conditions and properly equipped the 2016 Tacoma can tow between 3500 and 6800 lbs. However, the exact amount that you can tow at any given point in time is slightly different.
Max towing capacity is calculated by subtracting the curb weight from the GCWR, which is essentially what is reported by Toyota, however, there may be other factors that will limit your capacity even more.
This means that the total weight of a truck plus a trailer at any point cannot exceed the GCWR (found in owner’s manual). The ebrochure lists that the GCWR is 11,360 lbs for all trim levels, but the manual differs slightly.
If you add any passenger weight or cargo weight, you will need to subtract this from the towing capacity to determine the actual towing load allowed.
Don’t forget that you will need to consider whether or not your truck has exceeded its payload capacity with this load.
Does this confuse you? I run through an explicit example of how you need to know both the payload and towing capacity to determine if you have safe driving conditions in the following article: How to Calculate Towing Capacity
