The Toyota Tacoma, the best-selling compact truck in the United States for the past year (2010), returns with only a minor facelift, making slight exterior and interior tweaks and no mechanical changes as Toyota goes with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude for 2012.

The 2012 Toyota Tacoma is available in four trim levels: Regular Cab, Access Cab, Double Cab and X-Runner. Regular, Access and Double cabs come standard with a 2.7-liter dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) 16-valve, 4-cylinder engine with VVT-I (Variable Valve Timing with intelligence) that is rated at 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. A 4.0-liter DOHC 24-valve, V6 engine with VVT-I that is rated at 236 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque comes standard in the X-Runner and is available as an option for Access and Double cab trims.

Certain trims can be upgraded to the Toyota Racing Development (TRD)-prepped 4.0-liter supercharged V6 capable of delivering 304 hp and 334 lb-ft of torque. The Tacoma is rated at 18 mpg city/21 highway (16/21 for the X-Runner), as all trims come standard with an electronic throttle control system to optimize performance and fuel economy.

All trims except the Double Cabs are available with rear-wheel drive (RWD) and a manual transmission with an automatic limited-slip differential. Regular Cabs are also available with an automatic transmission in both rear- (RWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) or 4WD with a 5-speed manual transmission. RWD versions of the Access Cab also come as PreRunners with a 4- or 5-speed automatic transmission. The Double Cab is available only with a manual transmission (6-speed) with a V6 engine in 4WD. The X-Runner is available only with RWD and a 6-speed manual transmission.

Exterior changes to the 2012 Tacoma include slight design changes to the headlamps, front bumper, grill and hood. Interior changes include revisions to the gauge cluster (changing the color display from red to blue), center console and steering wheel, which now has silver accents. One common complaint about the Toyota Tacoma is that while the seating is roomy – especially in Double Cab trims – the seating position is not. This is due to the truck’s high floor and the low position of the seats. Unfortunately, this issue was not addressed with the Tacoma’s interior redesign.

Base trims come standard with air conditioning, power locks, power windows, cloth seats, a full-size spare tire, tachometer and rear mudguards. The standard 2012 bed size remains the same at 6 feet, although the Double Cab can be configured with a smaller 5-foot bed. Base trims have a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, while the X-Runner is rated at 3,300 pounds. An optional V6 towing package, which includes a Class-IV towing receiver hitch, engine oil cooler, 130-amp alternator, heavy-duty battery, 7-pin connector with converter and Trailer-Sway Control (TSC) is available for certain automatic transmission trims.

All Tacomas come standard with a coil-spring double-wishbone front suspension and stabilizer bar and a leaf-spring rear suspension with staggered outboard-mounted gas shock absorbers and stabilizer bar. Standard for the X-Runner and available as an option on the other trims is an X-brace-tuned suspension with gas-filled Bilstein shock absorbers and rear stabilizer bar. Overall, the ride remains the same. The Toyota Tacoma continues to have decent maneuverability and a stiff suspension and one-piece frame that let the driver and passengers know they are riding in a truck.

The Tacoma's sound system has received a complete overhaul. Access Cab trims offer a 6-speaker system with an AM/FM/satellite-radio-capable unit equipped with a single-disc CD player. Bluetooth access is now standard, as well as a USB port to allow connection to an external music player. The Double Cab V6 trims offer navigation, Toyota Entune services, SiriusXM satellite radio (along with a 90-day trial subscription), HD radio and a JBL GreenEdge audio system with 7 speakers.

Safety features for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma remain unchanged. These include side-impact/side curtain airbags, active headrests, 4-wheel antilock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution (and brake assist), vehicle stability control and traction control. Holdover exterior color options for the 2012 Toyota Tacoma are Super White, Barcelona Red Metallic, Black, Magnetic Grey Metallic, Nautical Blue Metallic, Pyrite Mica, Silver Streak Mica and Spruce Mica.

As the compact truck market shrinks, with both the Ford Ranger and Dodge Dakota being retired for 2012, the 2012 Toyota Tacoma is left with competition from only the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier and Honda Ridgeline. The Tacoma should retain its status as the premier truck in its segment.