How Much Does it Cost to Own a Toyota Tacoma in Tucson Arizona in 2025?

Choosing a Toyota Tacoma over other car options is a good decision. This car isn’t only stylish on the outside, but it also comes with a bunch of great features. These include the multi-terrain select, allowing you to travel over rough terrain or smooth roads, as well as the many safety features included.

But how much does the Toyota Tacoma cost after the initial cost of around $32,000? Are there hidden costs you should be aware of once you’ve purchased yours in Tucson? We’ll cover seven different cost aspects of the Toyota Tacoma so that you’re not caught unawares after getting one.

Here’s a quick breakdown of those costs before we look more in-depth at each one:

Insurance Costs on Your Toyota Tacoma

According to Edmunds, the average insurance for a 2025 Tacoma is about $1,360 to $1,371 in the first year. Of course, this depends on the model, but in 2025, insurance in Arizona is going up.

The increase you can expect is about 7%, which could raise the average full coverage cost to around $2,472 a year. Make sure you get Tucson car insurance from a reliable policy provider that gives you the best rate.

Tax on Your Toyota Tacoma

When you buy any vehicle in Tucson, you pay about 8.7% extra in sales tax. For a $40,000 Toyota Tacoma in 2025, that comes to around $3,480 in taxes. Be prepared for this extra cost, even though it may be slightly less for an entry-level version of the car. Factor this into your budget and make sure you can afford this as part of your initial layout.

Vehicle Licensing of the Tacoma

The VLT is a yearly fee (kind of like a property tax) based on part of your car’s value. For a new vehicle like the Tacoma, the state takes 60% of the sticker price (MSRP). Then, for every $100 of that amount, you pay $2.80 as the VLT fee.

For a $40,000 Tacoma, here’s more or less what this will look like:

• Assessed value = $24,000

• VLT in Year 1 = $672

Fortunately, the fee goes down each year. That’s because the vehicle loses about 16% of its value each year that you drive it.

Registration Costs

When you buy a new car, you usually pay:

• Basic registration: $8

• Title fee: $4

• Air quality fee: $1.50

• Highway patrol fee: $32

• Dealer fees: These can be higher.

• Documentation: This usually costs about $410.

• Shipping or other dealer charges: These can go up to $1,700, depending on where in Tucson you buy your new Tacoma.

Mandatory Emission Testing

Yes, Tucson is one of those places where you have to get an emission test done on your vehicle. This needs to be done every two years, and no, it’s not optional. The test checks that your car isn’t polluting the environment too much.

There’s a fee for this, and it’s usually around $20 to $35. Even though it’s a small cost, it does help to keep the air cleaner. If you don’t do the test every two years, you won’t be able to renew your registration, so make sure you schedule and budget for yours.

Fuel Consumption and General Ballpark Costs

Let’s hope fuel prices don’t go up any time soon. For now, you’ll be paying around $3.85 per gallon. Based on this and the general consumption of a Tacoma, you’re looking at around 19 MPG city / 24 MPG highway for standard models, and 22 MPG city / 24 MPG highway for hybrid models.

How Well Does the Tacoma Resell?

A 2025 Tacoma SR5 4WD (as our model example) is expected to lose about $6,322 within the first year. It will more or less also lose around $12,144 of its value over five years. You don’t pay this directly, but it shows how much the truck’s value goes down over time! Depreciation is usually the biggest “cost” of owning any vehicle, but Toyota cars are usually one of the best resale cars around.

Final Thoughts

When you’re budgeting for a new Toyota Tacoma, keep these “extra costs” in mind. They may not seem like a lot individually, but they are worth considering before making a purchase.

This article appears in Sep 4-11, 2025.