Good to know, the heat is one of things I am concerned about. The boat isnt his, and I have no intentions of letting go of it, so it wouldnt be getting near the tow miles my tundra gets every year, but the summer time when he is home is likely to be the majority of the tow miles.

Check your weight estimate...I put my 18� fish and ski at around 3k on the trailer. I would think you�re at more than 4000 lbs. Per Yamaha a ZX225 is around 3500 lbs as they tested it. Add weight of the trailer and tackle/gear. Yamaha�s weight at least includes fuel, TM, jackplate, and batteries.

https://www.skeeterboats.com/performance_bulletins/SKT_ZX225_VF225LA_2014-07-24_BSS_0.pdf

That said, I loved my 2005 Tacoma. It towed the boat fine. Just maintain a safe speed and distance and you�ll be fine. I didn�t have trailer brakes.

A Tacoma is a great vehicle for a college kid. It was my first new truck. I bought as soon as I had a job the semester I graduated

I have a 2012 4Runner and I tow a Skeeter SX190 with it. The SUV (same frame as the Tacoma, I think) handles the boat fine, but the mileage drops from 20mpg to about 16mpg hauling the boat.

I picked this up a few days ago at Bonham Dodge. Retirement present from my wife. Seems to pull a 4000lb Ranger OK....and a 20,000lb trailer fairly decent too. Sorry, just had to show it off. A buddy towed his full sized bass boat w/his Tacoma just fine. Way within limits of the truck. Only complaint I have is I never understood why all Toyota trucks had to use so much more stinking fuel than any other brands but they do last forever.

you always refer others to other forums on here LOL

do you have a "get off my yard" sign???

If he likes the Tacoma and will only pull every once in a while, doubt it would be a problem. Lots of cars and trucks are good for the 1st 100K. 100K and up never seen anything that lasts like a Toyota. .

I tow my Ranger RT188 aluminum with a 2017 Tacoma. It works fine, but I feel it hesitate a little on most highway inclines. My 2007 Tacoma had a 4.0 vs a 3.5 on the 2017 and the 4.0 did a better job towing (3.5 has higher rated horsepower). I would recommend something bigger.

Good point, starting in 2015 you couldn't get a 4.0 Taco anymore, one of the reasons I don't have a Toyota anymore. Looked at the Tundras but the 4x4's were just too thirsty. I look forward to the next gen Tundra, they are downsizing it back to the pre 2007 tundras, to me that was the perfect sized 1/2 ton truck.

I agree, get an F-150 with 5.0 or get a Tundra if you prefer a Toyota

the way it was explained to me was that its not an issue of power, nearly any truck will have enough pull to tow a boat, it's about control. How well can the truck stop the load? Can it keep the load stable on hills and turns without burning up the transmission? Bigger trucks in general will be better at this.

Note, I'm not an expert at all and a Tacoma may be fine, I'm simply repeating good advice that I got on here years ago when i was asking the same questions.

Over 12,000 of the same posts best I can tell!

You maybe be surprised I weighed my 20' Basscat on a scale 4,400 lbs.

I would look for a 1/2 ton as others have said. You said a 2017 Tacoma was in your price range. There are 10s of 1000s 1/2 ton trucks for sale in the price range of a 2017 Tacoma. I have towed horse trailers, cattle trailers, flat beds, boats, travel trailers for 45 years. NO FRICKIN WAY would I put my inexperienced kid in a lightweight small truck towing a boat around. Pulling is the easy part. STOPPING, is a problem, surge brakes SUCK, as well as short wheelbase , weight of the truck and on and on and on it's just a bad deal and it's your kid.

Don't concern yourself about what is better "driving around campus" If he can tow a boat he can park a 1/2 ton truck, what else is needed driving around campus.

WHY would you even consider putting him in a compromising choice?

Tacoma's hold their value as well as any vehicle on the market...So do Tundra's, but nothing like the Tacoma That being said, you may be surprised at how little a difference in price there is between a Tacoma and a Tundra with a vehicle that has 60-80 thousand miles on it.

And basscats are lightweight