Hey guys! Welcome back to another Taco Tuesday.
This week, we are taking a look at the Tacoma’s rear end and showcasing some aftermarket tail lights that are currently being offered for the 3rd Gen.
You may be thinking that the factory lights work perfectly fine, so why would I want to upgrade to aftermarket ones? To be completely honest with you, it’s all personal preference. Those who like to customize their trucks and go the extra mile will swap out their basic factory tail lights that every other Tacoma has in order to achieve a more unique look.
Some added benefits of aftermarket lights are the inclusion of LED turn signals and reverse lights. This can help increase visibility at night while in reverse or allow other cars to better see you for safer lane changes.
Below you’ll find some of the reasons why 5 owners enjoy their aftermarket tail lights. If you have more questions for them, make sure to check out their Instagrams as well!
Table Of Contents
1. Chris Fabricante: AlphaRex
Tail Light Specs
- Model: Pro-Series | Smoke Red
- Price: ~$305
- Find it online: Check Price
I went with the AlphaRex Pro-Series tail lights in smoke red over the competition because it gives the truck a distinctive look over OEM with their signature light tube design. I did swap out the reverse bulbs to LEDs to make them full LED.
The tail lights are very bright, so anyone driving behind me is fully aware that I’m braking or signaling to turn. Some of the other aftermarket tail lights are dim and hard to tell if the brake/signal lights are on. The red smoke lens adds great color contrast to my cement gray truck.
2. Marvin De Los Reyes: Cali Raised LED
Tail Light Specs
- Model: Raptor Style Tail Lights
- Price: ~$270
- Find it online: Check Price
First things first, these have to be the best budget tail light for a style upgrade. I like how they add a menacing look to my truck. The smoke lenses give the rear of my truck that “murdered out” look which is exactly what I was going for. Also, being full LED is a bonus because they’re brighter and last longer than regular halogen bulbs.
3. Matthew Sexton: TacomaBeast
Tail Light Specs
- Model: TacomaBeast
- Price: ~$270
- Find online (Tacoma Beast): Check Price
- Find online (Amazon): Check Price
These tail lights changed the rear end of the truck a lot. They flow well with the stock headlights and the DRL light looks very good as well. They are very bright and are of pretty good quality. I would recommend getting a set of these if you are in the market.
4. Randy Apigo: AlphaRex
Tail Light Specs
- Model: Pro-Series Jet Black
- Price: ~$305
- Find it online: Check Price
These AlphaRex tail lights are a game-changer. These lights completely redefine and spice up the rear end of my truck. The smoked look goes perfectly with the black and white aesthetic I’m going for with my Tacoma. I love the fact that everything is plug-and-play. The process took me no more than 10 minutes to install both tail lights.
5. Josh Oats: Morimoto / Meso Customs
Tail Light Specs
- Model: Collaboration by Morimoto / Meso Customs
- Price: ~$650
- Find it online: Check Price
The quality of these lights is top-notch. They’re bright all around from the DRLs to the reverse lights. The turn signals can be set up as either solid-state or can be sequential (which is how I have mine set up). These are the best-looking tail lights currently on the market, in my opinion.
Final Thoughts
I hope you all enjoyed this week’s Taco Tuesday, I know I did! As I mentioned, we will have a full guide out soon covering the top tail lights currently offered for the 3rd Gen Tacoma, so definitely make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to know when that article drops!
If you want to be featured for Taco Tuesday, submit your build through TrailTacoma.com/Feature. Next week’s Taco Tuesday will be featuring Top Overland Essentials and asking owners what items they chose. We’re looking for sweet rides to showcase! If this is you and you love your setup, send in your details because we want to see it.
Thanks for reading guys. I’ll see you next week!
