Resources — tacoma interior mods

Over the last few months, I’ve started adding some new interior mods to my Tacoma. One of the companies that I’ve been most interested in as of late is MESO Customs. They are doing a really great job at addressing many issues and gripes that Tacoma owners have about their Tacos.

One of the big issues they address in the market is the ungodly amount of chrome that Toyota decided to add to the interior (exterior is pretty bad too) of its latest generation Tacoma. I, like most Tacoma owners, hate chrome and the fact that Toyota did this drives us nuts! You can do a quick search in Google for Tacoma World threads related to chrome and there are countless posts about it.

When I decided to start making some additional cosmetic updates to the interior of my Tacoma, I reached out to MESO to see if they were interested in working with me on getting some product to use and review. Below are the four items they sent me (missing from the picture are the vent rings that arrived a few days later). As I buy or am sent additional pieces, I'll be updating this post with my thoughts.

MESO Customs Chrome Delete Vent Rings & Trim Pieces

As many of you know, I sell matte black vent ring decals, which I previously had on my vent rings. They worked just fine and if you're looking for a budget-friendly option, I sell them for $12.99 here. The number one problem with these decals was that it only solved half the chrome problem for me. I wanted a complete chrome delete kit and that's where MESO came in. They not only provide a vent ring chrome delete kit but a kit that deletes the chrome from the start button, 4-wheel drive button, cup holder and shifting knob. It pretty much eliminates all of the chrome except for the door handles. Hopefully they're working on that!

You can buy the vent rings here.

You can buy the start button, 4-wheel drive switch, cup holder and shift knob trims here.

MESO Customs Map Lights

The map lights the MESO sells are insanely bright, almost too bright. The install took me about five minutes max and was relatively straight forward. The process goes as follows:

• Grab the console with two hands and pull down from the roof of the truck.
• Disconnect the console from the power cord on the left-hand side of the unit.
• Grab a butter knife or a small flat tip screwdriver and push it into the outside gap and pull up. The plastic piece will pull right out. (see picture below)
• On the backside, disconnect the bulb and push in the cord connected to the back of the MESO light. (see picture below)
• Install the MESO light by pushing into the vacant slot.
• Reconnect the console to the power cord.
• Push the console back into the roof of the truck.

All in all, if you drive a Tacoma, you need these, regardless of how bright they are. The stock lights that come with your vehicle are straight up garbage and you can't see anything very well.

You can buy the map lights here.

MESO Customs Minimalist Keyfob

 I've been very interested in the concept of the minimalist keyfob for a few years now. I loved what AJT did with their fob and I love what MESO did with theirs. I mean, how much smaller can you make these fobs? I honestly don't think you can. They've perfected it.

The one thing that makes me a little uneasy about their keyfob is the fact that it doesn't house the key to unlock your Tacoma if the battery in the fob dies. I've never had a fob run out of battery, but I can imagine that it happens and not having that key would make me pretty pissed.

You can buy the keyfob here.

Future MESO Mods

Some of the other MESO customers mods that I'm looking at doing this year include the following:

• Ultimate Turn Signals
• The Gasshole
• Stealth Pro Shift Knob - I would love to be able to control the ETC switch and my garage door opener with the side buttons.
• Climate Control Knobs - I want these to be black!

When it comes to your Tacoma, your seats are one of the very first things you and your passengers see when the doors are opened. Next to the floor mats, they also are subject to the most abuse, this is why they are one of the most common interior Tacoma mods out there. Works belts, tools, pants, bags, wet clothes, and more all constantly slide into and out of these seats. Cloth or leather will degrade over time. Let’s not forget about what the sun can do.

Seat covers can be a great way to change the way your seats look, cover up damaged seats, or protect your seats from getting destroyed. Toyota Tacomas are built tough, but even the toughest of materials will get damaged over time. Let’s take a closer look at some types of covers and some examples to help find what is best for your ride. 

There are three main types of covers that we will be focusing on: throw, universal, and fitted. Each one can be made from a wide variety of materials such as vinyl, cloth, leather, and more.

Throw Seat Covers

Throw seat covers are basically seat-shaped bags that are designed to be thrown over your seats for quick and effective protection. Generally cheap, these are not fitted to any specific type of seat and therefore are not very attractive. They are ideal for when you know you’ll be going off-roading next weekend, and you don’t want mud on your seats. Throw them on, and when you get home, wash them or rinse them off (if the manufacturer allows), and tuck them away for the next time.

They are great for covering your back seats if you’re throwing things back there, or taking your dog for a ride and want to keep fur and muddy paws off the seats. These are utilitarian only, but do a good job at it, and won’t break the bank. You can get these from around $20 to $150 depending on how many, size, and material.

Universal Seat Covers

Universal seat covers are a tad more form-fitting compared to throw covers, but they won’t give you the snuggest of fits. These are generally purchased by vehicle size, such as “these will fit most small cars” or “these will fit most SUVs and mid-sized trucks.” These tend to have a more pleasing look to them and a wider range of materials, but they cost a bit more for that reason.

If you use your truck for work a lot and want to keep the seats looking good over time, these are a good option. Perhaps your truck is pretty beat up, but you just want it to look a bit nicer, these will take care of that as well. Washing a dirty seat cover, or replacing a ripped one is much cheaper and easier over an upholstery job on your actual seats.  You can find these for around $40 to $170, again depending on the material, size, and how many.

Fitted Seat Covers

Fitted seat covers are for when you want a total replacement or a total upgrade. While they do serve the same function of protecting your stock seats by covering them up, most people get fitted covers when their stock upholstery is really bad, or you want to upgrade to a better or more durable material. An example would be upgrading to leather from cloth seats.

While they take a bit more effort to get them over your seats, they look like they came from the factory. These are generally going to cost around $200 or more, and are usually of higher quality materials.

Popular Toyota Tacoma Seat Covers

Here are some popular options based on search results, forums, and reviews!

Clazzio Tacoma Seat Covers

Clazzio is probably the most popular brand of Tacoma seat covers on the market. They are in no way the cheapest options, but Tacoma owners absolutely love the look and durability of them. Clazzio definitely has the most options available to further customize the look of your interior, including different leather types (perforated leather is my favorite), body color and stitch color. These typically run around $649, but are about a hundred dollars cheaper on Amazon.

You can check them out and purchase them here.

Coverking Tacoma Seat Covers

Another popular brand of Tacoma seat cover is Coverking. While these are also not the cheapest, many owners love the wide range of material options from suede to leather and more, and each material has a few colors to choose from. The lowest price is around $200, and the highest is around $630. They are fitted to your truck for  “guaranteed fit.”

You can get the bucket seat covers here and the rear bench cover here.

Carhartt Tacoma Seat Covers

If you want something for durability, Carhartt not only makes tough clothes, but it makes a popular tough seat cover for our trucks as well. While these are more of a baggy, universal fit, they offer serious protection. They even offer a set cover specifically to protect your seats from your puppy in the back. You don’t get as many options, but for around $250, you get all the protection you need.

You can check them out and purchase them here.

Bartact Tacoma Seat Covers

For a more tactical version, Bartact offers a fitted seat cover with MOLLE attachment systems on the back of the seats. This can give you a great place to store some gear and a good storage option for overlanding when you need to make use of all the space you have. For $320, they are a tad pricey, but the company says it’s the same style they make for the US military, just with color options.

I want to throw you a cheap option, but there are tons out there. This isn’t really a brand, but a category of around $20. Amazon has a ton of Tacoma seat covers for around $20 to $30. They won’t have the best fit or feel, but they will get the job done. Take a look at the options and find what works for you.

Image Credits

Clazzio - Tacoma World User Jacked Burton

Coverking - Tacoma World User lachevron

Bartact - Tacoma World User Chris15sr5

Carhartt - Tacoma World User AntMan408

* Please note that some of these links are Amazon affiliate links and we make a small commission if you purchase the product.