What is the single best improvement you've made to your 3rd gen that makes your life easier?

Background: My salvaged 2nd gen popped a seal and gunked up the engine. Upon inspecting the problem, my transfer case was also hosed. I played the salvage-vehicle-lottery and lost. Its been some years and I'm finally back to a point where I'm about to get back into a taco. (My Tucson blew a rod out the underside of its completely stock 3-year-old engine.)

From a cursory glance through the forums it looks like I'll need to repeat some improvements I made to my old 2011:
interior LEDs
automatic locking tailgate
all weather floor mats
camper cover


I'm looking at a TRD Sport but may in up in an SR5.
So what are the best upgrades I can put into my new taco to make my day to day even more enjoyable?

Can I sneak an A/C controller or head unit from a limited in and have it work correctly?

UPDATE: in my Amazon cart I now have
Pop & lock power tailgate lock
bedrug
interior LED kit
Redline hood struts
Amp Research bed step
JDM organizer combo pack

The AMP research powerstep running boards are in a save for later list
also still looking at HID conversion kits.
I really want to get the engine tuned now that like 25% of y'all said its the best thing ever. I've never had an engine tuned before. I feel like I'm in over my head on that mod.

The truck I'm buying has a bed cover already, but I anticipate disliking it. I'm already looking for a used camper shell.

I'm really intrigued by the gear net I've seen to go above the back seat. I'm also intrigued by the seat tilting spacers several of y'all have said are so great. I was pretty comfortable in my 2008 taco, so I'll keep those in mind as I get everything set the way I want it.

Thanks everyone for tons of great suggestions! Please keep the suggestions coming!

update: now have the 2018 TRD off road! Got the JDM console and glove box organizers in already, and it’s amazing how much more useable those spaces are now. Pop n lock tailgate kit is ordered.

Update 2: JDM console tray is really popular! My truck was broken into 9/27 and the thief took my console tray! They took some other stuff too, but I had my vaccine card in the bag with it - think the thief's mommy found it with my vaccine card and turned it in to the police.

 

Trifold bed cover

 

MT and/or OV Tune.

 

This. I love my bakflip mx4 cover. Great for leaving stuff in the bed.

 

Side steps, sliders or whatever it's called.

Helps my wife and minion get into the truck easier.

 

RSI SmartCap

 

Nothing truck was perfect when it rolled off the lot.

 

Weathertech Side Window Deflectors
automatic locking tailgate
Spotter mirrors
Jdmcar Center Console organizer

 

Make sure you get a bed mat.

I put a backflip on mine, I like it don't have to worry about anything flying out when driving. Or people stealing crap out of the back of the truck. Get the auto locking tailgate with it though.

I like the window deflectors too, it's nice when it's raining. But get the low profile in channel AVS I did not I got the regular in channel. Wish I got the low pros.

Meso Tail light upgrade is awesome. And the Meso Dome light/ Map lights

The cheapest thing is the center console tray, so you can have two separate sections.

 

Bed Step, Bed Lights, Bed Mat. (all OEM)
Weather Tech all weather liners ( tan and they look good in my Super White )
Bakflip MX4 - really a nice addition.
RekGen flaps - they look great.
Console organizer - can't tell you how much a difference it makes.
Finally these steps - really make a difference in getting in/out and they look good too so these would be the SINGLE item that I couldn't live without.

 

For me the combination of the Bakflip G2 and the OEM auto tailgate lock secure the bed and keep it as dry as possible, and the Bedrug bed mat and Snailarmor tailgate insert make my knees much happier and keep stuff from sliding around in the bed. Also, my Weathertech sun shade and tinting all the rest of the glass make a big difference when I get in the truck in this Florida heat.

 

Magnuson Supercharger.

 

+1 for the bakflip and bed mat. weather tech side window deflectors come in useful for rain, leave the window cracked on hot days, driving on the freeway with the window cracked on fresh days and not having the annoying wind sound in the cab. Some good seat covers like Clazzio or WetOkole. Weathertech mats.

 

Oem tailgate lock is nice, should be standard. Same with the bed mat, and I love my Retrax pro tonneau. And Pitaka phone mount on a dmm. They improve the experience pretty much every day.

 

OEM bed mat, Bakflip MX4, and cargo net. The bed mat for some reason keeps things from rolling around like no other I've had. The MX4 seems to be pretty good so far- no complaints. The cargo net is great to keep smaller purchases close to the tailgate for easier access. I had to get some extra rail hooks to secure the net, but all in all, good set up. The Toyota bed mat was a great $30 purchase at my dealership... Way better than my aftermarket one I used to have in my Tundra...

 

Window deflectors all the way. It's so nice to get into the truck at the end of the day and not have it be 140 degrees.
Dollar for dollar, they can't be beat considering I use them every single day.

 

The few things that have made the biggest improvements for me were having Daniel from OEM Audio install their sound system, which after breaking the new speakers in sounds amazing, and amazingly close to my Genelec 8351B's (look 'em up at Sweetwater) in my home recording studio. A front camera has been indispensable and even though I put it in to see better offroad, it's been a huge help to parking in Los Angeles, but probably the best upgrade I've done so far was to replace the stock headlights with the 2020 Tacoma LED units, which my local dealer, Culver City Toyota, sold to me for five percent over cost and did so quite cheerfully.

 

Cut that stupid ass tether off my gas cap

 

I second the bed step. I thought it was just a flimsy gimmick accessory until I tried it. It's not flimsy at all and makes loading the bed like stepping up stairs.

 

Cuts down on tar, mud, chips and rust.
Husky Liners Mud Flaps Long John Flare Flaps 12" Wide - 36" Length 17048