The Toyota Tacoma is one of the most popular trucks on US soil, which means it’s unlikely that you’ll ever get bored of choices if you want to modify yours, including installing tonneau covers for the Tacoma. But how do you select the best Toyota Tacoma bed cover? Well, the answer is simple, scroll down, read through the next few paragraphs, and you’ll have a strong idea of what you want and how to get it.
The 5 Best Tonneau Covers for Toyota Tacoma:
- Tonno Pro Hard Fold Tonneau Cover – the best tonneau cover for Toyota Tacoma
- Roll-n-Lock Tonneau Cover
- Gator ETX Soft Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover
- BAK BAKFlip MX4 Hard-Folding Tonneau Cover
- TruXedo TruXport Soft Roll-Up Tonneau Cover
Our Recommendations
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Pro Protection and Flexibility: Tonno Pro Hard Fold Tonneau Cover – the best tonneau cover for Toyota Tacoma
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At around twice the cost of the soft cover mentioned above is the Tonno Pro Hard Fold Tonneau Cover for Toyota Tacoma. In terms of functionality, it’s exactly like the soft tri-fold cover but offers additional protection thanks to the hard panels. That difference alone makes it the best cost-effective compromise there is between hard and soft covers.
It’s compatible with 2005 – 2015 Toyota Tacoma trucks with a 5’ bed. Under the vinyl outer surface are aluminum sub-panels backed by an aluminum frame. The entire arrangement can be installed on your Tacoma without needing a drill or any other specialist tools. Just align and clamp it to the body, and you’re good to go. Tonno Pro also includes a simple installation video to make things even easier.
Lifetime warranty
The bed cover is backed by a limited lifetime warranty and is claimed to hold up to 350 pounds of evenly distributed weight on it. It comes assembled from the factory so you don’t have to worry about putting it together either. And the vinyl also comes with a preset tension control.
What do we think of it?
The Tonno Pro Hard Fold Tonneau Cover for Toyota Tacoma is the right choice if you’re looking for solid protection from the elements but don’t want to spend a lot of money (relative to other hard cover styles). Check with the seller on things like warranty and fit to be sure of your purchase.
Pros
- Added protection of a hard cover
- Not too expensive
Cons
- None
On a roll: Roll-n-Lock Tonneau Cover
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The retractable bed covers have two significant advantages: a clean look when unfolded and the ability to access the bed partially or fully without worrying about folding the panels. The protection offered is just as good as a hardcover. And to top it off, the construction is made so that the entire cover disappears when folded.
Promises years of use without any issues
The Roll-n-Lock Tonneau Cover is compatible with 2005 – 2015 Toyota Tacoma trucks with a 5-feet bed, in the Crew-Cab configuration. The cover can be rolled up/opened in multiple positions: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, or fully closed. It has a clamp-on installation, which makes it easy to install. The cover mechanism is supported by a torsion-spring drive housed within a 3-inch aluminum reel and should provide years of use without any problem.
What do we think of it?
If you want the convenience of a retractable cover and don’t mind paying a higher price, really consider the Roll-n-Lock tonneau cover for Toyota Tacoma. It’s expensive, but it makes the truck look sleeker and the ease of use is possibly the best out of this list. Installation can take some time, but otherwise, it has gotten a good response from users. Check with the seller about finer compatibility details and warranty (Roll-n-Lock offers a 3-year warranty).
Pros
- Clean design
- Ease of use
Cons
- Expensive
For the new Tacoma: Gator ETX Soft Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover
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With the soft tri-fold cover for Toyota Tacoma, there are a lot of advantages. It’s not as heavy or expensive as hard covers. It also offers more protection than a roll-up soft cover but almost as much versatility, since you can partially open it as well.
Drill-free installation
The model we’ve featured here is for the 2016 – 2019 Toyota Tacoma trucks with a 5’ bed. Gator offers other choices, including one for the older modes and one for the 6’ bed. It’s easy to install (drill-free as well), and while Amazon does offer an expensive installation option in certain locations, we don’t think that’s necessary for this product. And once installed, it’s a breeze to use. It comes with an integrated buckle system that helps you open and secure the panels. There are three panels, and if you’re carrying large items, you can even drive with the 2/3rd of the bed open.
The Gator tonneau cover for Toyota Tacoma can be easily clamped on to your truck. Its aluminum frame adds protection and supports the ‘tear-resistant’ vinyl above it. To back that claim, Gator has a lifetime warranty on the frame and a 10-year one on the tarp.
What do we think of it?
At what it costs, the Gator ETX Soft Tri-Fold looks like a good deal and users have supported that with positive reviews. Although some did have an issue with the hinges and some with the fit, so to be safe, check with the seller before ordering.
Pros
- Easy Partial access
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Limited protection by a soft cover
Premium tri-fold: BAK BAKFlip MX4 Hard-Folding Tonneau Cover
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BAKFlip is a well-known brand, and this tonneau cover for Toyota Tacoma proves why. The tri-fold cover offers 100 percent bed access, matte-finish aluminum panels (scratch/UV resistant), solid construction, and a 3-year warranty. The cover can withstand a total of 400 pounds of an evenly distributed load as well.
Matte, scratch-resistant finish
The cover is made for 2016 – 2020 Toyota Tacoma trucks with a 6’ bed. It has a scratch-resistant, matte finish for both the panels and the bolts are hidden for a slick appearance. The cover has rail end & cab corner caps for a better seal and rounded look.
What do we think of it?
The BAKFlip tonneau cover for Toyota Tacoma not only has a lot of functionality benefits (including a tighter fit than rivals) but it also looks great. Check with the seller about the warranty (3-year warranty on the listing, but BAK mentions a 5-year warranty on the product) and compatibility. Users have appreciated the quality and fit, but it can take about an hour and a half to install. Also, there are some complaints of the internal bits not being finished well and the clips not being up to the mark.
Pros
- Looks great
- Fits well
Cons
- Big investment
Softer alternative: TruXedo TruXport Soft Roll-Up Tonneau Cover
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Retractable covers are great, but as we’ve seen in the model above, they can also be expensive. A soft roll-up makes for a reasonable alternative option, as it offers the same versatility but at a lower price. Of course, because of the soft cover construction, it doesn’t provide as much protection.
Easy to install (and remove)
The TruXedo TruXport cover here is for the 2005 – 2015 Toyota Tacoma trucks with a 6’ bed. It’s drill-free installation, comes backed by a 5-year warranty, and has a leather-grain material for the cover. It mounts on top of the truck bed, has a preset tension control (but you can manually change the tension to ensure a tight fit), and is easy to open and close (roll up or down — that’s it). In fact, if you want to remove the cover for some reason and install it again, it’s not going to take much time there, either.
What do we think of it?
It’s only slightly more expensive than the soft tri-fold one on the list but offers better versatility than that. Some may even say that this looks better. The users have found the product to provide a decent fit, although some have mentioned it could be better.
Pros
- Not expensive
- Versatile
Cons
- The fit could be better
What’s the best tonneau cover for Toyota Tacoma?
Get the best tonneau cover for Toyota Tacoma and your time with your truck will get even better. Depending on the type of cover you want, it’ll have strengths in ease of use, partial access, or overall protection. We’ve listed the products that offer a great balance between these. The Roll-n-Lock hard roll-up cover and the BAKFlip MX4 offer the most protection. The former looks cleaner when folded while the latter is more conventional. You can enjoy the retractable cover’s advantage at a lower cost with the TruXedo soft roll-up cover. But you’d need to compromise on the overall strength. The other soft cover is the Gator and it offers a tremendous value for money. The best compromise here has to be one that offers decent strength but isn’t very expensive, either. And that is the Tonno Pro hard-fold cover.
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