The 2021 Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition Storage Bins Gobble Stuff and Bed Space

The new-for-2021 Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition tacks on a number of trail-ready bits—go figure. Based on the SR5 trim level and only available with the crew-cab body with the five-foot bed and the V-6 engine, the Trail Edition adds 16-inch wheels and Kevlar-lined all-terrain tires from the one-level-up Tacoma TRD Off-Road model, blacked-out badges, black fabric […]

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The new-for-2021 Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition tacks on a number of trail-ready bits—go figure. Based on the SR5 trim level and only available with the crew-cab body with the five-foot bed and the V-6 engine, the Trail Edition adds 16-inch wheels and Kevlar-lined all-terrain tires from the one-level-up Tacoma TRD Off-Road model, blacked-out badges, black fabric seats with tan stitching, a 120-volt outlet in the bed, all-weather floor liners, and a chrome grille from the Tacoma Limited. It also adds a pair of trick bedside-mounted lockable storage compartments.

Sure, we knew all of this back when the Trail Edition was originally announced last year, but after seeing those in-bed boxes up close as the trucks reach dealers, they merit closer inspection for their potential for usefulness—at least for overlanders—and drawbacks for others.

In-Bed Bins Are Rare In This Class

Note that even though the Tacoma Trail Edition’s bed storage bins are innovative in the midsize pickup truck segment (at least outside of the Honda Ridgeline’s “trunk” in the bed floor), factory bedside-mounted storage containers are relatively common among full-size trucks. Chevrolet offers a setup that fills the space above the wheel wells of the Silverado, Nissan has its Titan Boxes for the Titan, and Toyota fits bedside-mounted compartments (like the Tacoma’s) to the Tundra Trail Edition.

Similarly, Ram offers its less obtrusive RamBox cargo management system on its full-size pickup. In Ram’s case, the covered storage is integrated into the bed as opposed to being an add-on accessory.

Overlanders, campers, and adventurers in general often have to carry lots of recovery and off-grid gear to ensure a safe journey. For the sake of prudence and usability, this gear has to be organized, accessible, and secure. Hence, ironically, there’s a whole growing industry that’s focused on storing and securing these items via indestructible bins, brawny drawers, ninja tie-downs, miracle netting, and trick hardware-mounting systems.

Good For Storage, Less Good for Truckin’

Toyota’s bedside-mounted storage compartments help alleviate that daunting and expensive task of adequately storing overlanding gear—and that’s a major advantage in itself. Since the boxes are designed around the Tacoma, there’s no guesswork in the fit, finish, and mounting process. The boxes are compatible with a tonneau cover, too, meaning owners can store stuff in the bins or out, and either way not worry about them being nabbed, wet, or jumbled. Heck, the driver’s-side compartment includes insulation and a drain plug that evacuates under the bed so it can double as a beverage cooler—because beverages matter, too.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The bins take up a pretty big chunk of the Tacoma’s bed. Is it too much bin for the bed, though? That depends. The bins are advantageous for the volume of stuff each presumably holds, but they are also problematic for owners who may want to utilize the whole bed floor for, you know, doing normal truck stuff such as hauling furniture for a neighbor. Admittedly, the open bed floor between the bins can be used for lugging bigger items about, but since the bins’ lids open inward and into the middle of the bed, any contents placed in between may restrict access to the contents within the storage boxes.

Theoretically, owners can remove the bins. In reality, these pieces are not intended to regularly be removed, as that involves unbolting the boxes and then buttoning up those mounting points. Basically, it would be a major pain in the bin, not to mention you’d then need to store the storage bins somewhere. So once the bins are in, they’re kinda stuck there. Upside? At $1,775 to start (combining with other options ups the price to as much as $4,055), the Trail Edition upgrade doesn’t cost that much money, and it’s even available with two- or four-wheel drive. Even better? It is available with four sweet paint colors: Midnight Black, Super White, Cement, and Army Green. That last color, a super rad forest green hue, is only available on the SR5 via the Trail Edition. Otherwise, you must step up to the TRD Off-Road or TRD Pro models to get it.

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