Little brother question

Looking to get into a Tacoma- trying to decide whether to just get a '23 & deal with outdated tech, poor MPG along with poor power....

OR

Trust that Toyota has figured out the 2.4L turbo that will be a reliable motor. Something just scares me about pumping out more hp/torque on a smaller turbo'd motor.

 

Have you stop by the dealer to see when they are arriving?

 

Said the '24's would be early March (just the regular 2.4T not the iforce Max)

 

try here

4th Gen. Tacomas (2024+) | Tacoma World

 

I have no desire for the current crop of Tacomas. Just wasn't a great overall package. The new one intrigues me, but also leery of first year for new tech, motor and trans.

 

In addition to lack of tech, 3rd gen Tacomas had a very weak drivetrain. I had a 2nd gen for 15 years and wanted to get into a newer one but after I test drove a 3rd gen I knew that was never gonna happen. I honestly could not stand the way the drivetrain felt and behaved. So, I was waiting for the 4th gen but Toyota just took too long, so I got a Tundra. If I were you, I'd go ahead and get the 4th gen. Sure, it is a first year and there may be some issues. But hopefully the growing pains with Tundra gave them a chance to think about and deal with some of those in advance. And, IMO, the turbos are a game changer with the early and fat torque curves. The other problem will be demand and supply so expect to pay MSRP until maybe the end of the year once the first rush is over and supply improves.

 

What will be your uses? If just a daily driver and nothing more, I don’t think any of them will be a terrible choice.

I had a 2010 Tacoma that I loved. Traded it in for the 2018 and felt an immediate loss of power. Got rid of that 2018 Tacoma within a few months and got into a 2018 Tundra.

 

I'd re-read your own statement and reconsider the 3rd gen taco being an option...."outdated tech, poor MPG along with poor power." All those are true. I had a 2nd gen taco and a 3rd gen (lift/tires/tune/gears). The third gens are reliable good trucks for what they are. If you're going to keep it stock and you live at sea-level, it's a fine every day driver for light use.

If you're going to put tires, weight, and all the other goodies on it then you're going to feel a substantial difference in performance.

The tundras are powerhouses with plenty of room. The new tacos, though unproven yet, are a product of the learning curve Toyota developed after hearing years of people bitching about the 3rd gen engineering.

Those small turboed motors are becoming the industry norm. Everyone was skeptical about the tundra's v6 TT, too, but they turned out to be fantastic.

 

I was with you up till this....

 

All good I love mine.

 

I think the last gen looks good.

 

I would rock a 1st Gen (had one, what a truck!) a 2nd Gen, or a 4th Gen Taco ( this truck I am looking forward to seeing, looks great and should have plenty of power), but that 3rd Gen, oof, I test drove one and bought a Canyon instead.

 

Don’t do first year of any new Gen. My 2016 Gen3 Tacoma had a pile of issues. Some that were never resolved. There are always kinks to work out.

 

I bet the engine issues are less than 1% of trucks sold. Mine runs fine.

 

10 guys at work piled into the previous gen Tacos. 2017s to 2019s. All traded them in in under 2 yrs. One guy had the peeling white paint. All the others could nor stand the drivetrain. First road trip with some gear or dragging a small boat, new truck within 30 days of getting home.

 

Yeah, I drove it and really hated the way the engine and transmission paired up. They should have stuck with the 4.0 for those models. I think the new one is going to crush it. They sure sell the heck out of them though. When I did the test drive, then went and drove a Canyon right after, it was night and day difference for me. We got the Canyon and it was a great truck for 6 out 7 years, had hardly any trouble until it hit 100k and then after a series of troubles that cost me a good 5 grand, we traded it in on the Tundra.

 

Exactly, as I mentioned above it took just one test drive of the 3rd gen Tacoma to make me hang onto my 2nd gen. Gutless motor, awkward out of sync transmission... Oof. These 4th gen turbo motors... and better transmissions... are going to be a game changer compared to the 3rd gen weak sauce.

 

I honestly hated my 2018 Tacoma. It was cramped, severely underpowered, no low end torque, lots of revving and downshifts. Overall drivability was unpleasant. You felt every grade and every headwind. I hated the drivetrain. I averaged 17mpg most tanks.

Compare that to the Tundra. More creature comforts, tons of power, amazing low end torque, low RPMs, hills and headwinds mean nothing, and I'm averaging 18.5mpg.

 

You mean MSRP? Agree, at least for awhile. I would never pay over MSRP but there probably are plenty who will... at first.

 

I just had to laugh when just one month after I sold my 8 yr old 2016 White Taco with its peeling paint since 5 yrs old, Toyota stepped up with a customer loyalty campaign and offered to repaint it for free. Oh well. And look what color I bought to replace it

 

i would sit in a 3rd/4th gen taco before deciding. the cramp seating is a big turn off. going from a 2016 taco double cab to a tundra crewcab is night and day for seat comfort (seat elbow/butt space)

 

There is no way in hell I’d get an automatic 3rd gen Tacoma. Those transmissions are terrible. If anything it’d have to be a manual.

 

Glad your Canyon got to 100k. I'll never buy another GM again, wife & I had a terrible experience with them in the past.

 

You're getting 18.5mpg on a 5.7 Tundra?

 

That tundra in his picture is a 22+ with the 3.4TT. Not the 5.7.

 

Well, after it hit 100k all hell broke loose and even had a power steering problem where it would cut out while you were on the interstate, like very scary. Took a lot of figuring that out and then found out there was a recall on that years past, but my truck wasn’t in it, even though it had the same trouble. The Ac compressor went out, and the alternator, and a few other things. It felt like I was forking out $1000 every other week.

For those 1st 100k though it was an absolute gem.

Pretty obvious they engineered it to be that way. Planned obsolescence is a real thing I believe. Even as a GM apologist, I wouldn't buy anything other than an HD from them these days.

 

Not for nothing but you owe it to yourself to drive a new Tundra...and dealers are starting to discount them! Toyota is offering APR rates that are competitive even $750 customer cash. I just picked up a 2/23 production 2023 demo with 6000 miles for $8000 off of msrp. The late 23's and 24's have had incremental price increases so it pays to shop around and be willing to travel a little...a new 24 like mine msrp's $3000 higher

 

Well equipped big brother (TTV6 389hp 4x4) only 48k. Impressive.

 

Nope. The original post was asking about a 2023. I own a 2023. I posted a picture of my 2023. And we're in the 2022+ subforum. The 5.7L was on 2007-2021 Tundras.

I averaged 14.3mpg in my 2014 Tundra (best was 16.7mpg highway)
I averaged 17mpg in my 2028 Tacoma (best was 22mpg highway)
I average 18.5mpg in my 2023 Tundra (best was 23.3mpg highway)