2016 TRD Sport or off road, pro and cons

I have a 2013 tacoma double cab and have been wanting to trade in for a sport or off road, need 4 wheel drive now, didn't want to buy anything newer than a 15' because I have heard of a lot of problems with the newer gens, but now have been looking at a 16' and 17' sports and for the price thinking of making the move. anyone can help with some pros and cons.

 

All I can say is read here https://www.tacomaworld.com/search/7868110/?q=Or+vs+sport&t=post&o=date&c[title_only]=1

 

Love mine..
You really just need to go do a thorough test drive to see if you like it. The biggest thing people complain about is the shifting/power of the 3rd gens. A good test drive (pinning it, driving up inclines, highways, etc) will tell you if you like the truck or not.

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=2016+Tacoma+sport+vs+off+road

 

I was planning on buying the sport, test drove the Sport back to back with the OR and just like the way the OR rode better and bought the OR.

 

3rd gen has plenty of power. The ECT button fixes the shifting when you need it to, but honestly, I don’t use it that often. Look at what you will use the truck for. I came from a Lexus RX and need 4wd for mainly snow and maybe accessing some trail heads. I also tow occasionally. I will never rock crawl. I ended up with a Limited and love it. I do need a truck for hauling lumber and other stuff, but like a few luxury features, such as the electronics, heated leather seats and sun roof. I am used to paying $40k+ for vehicles, so price wasn’t a factor for me.

 

Gota 2016 DCSB TRD OR... love it.. took it to the dealer for a few issues howling lower control arms (fixed for most part..), and had the trans refreshed for proper shift points... see the TSB list... it drives great, definitely bigger than my mazdacx5 AWD but I love the power it has, and the abilities will have when I upgrade some components... I highly recommend the 2016+... it does have some quirks.. like no height adjustment on the seat,and the limited steering wheel adjustment, but I got over that quick once I found a comfortable seating position..

 

I think OR is the best bang for the buck. You get the locker, crawl control, multi terrain select (a-trac with MT) Also better bilstein shocks. Sport gets the skeeewp, color matched fenders and rear bumper. Gets sports tuned suspension with hitachi shocks. Quite stiff , good on road and sucks off road. You can get color matched fenders and bumpers with OR if yiu get premium tech package.

The only reason i went with the sport is because i needed 4 door manual. In canada no 4dr OR manuals. I was quite dissapointed.
But i love my truck, just wish it had a locker.

 

The Off Road with Premium and Tech has the painted rear bumper but the front bumper and fenders are still black.

 

Yes you are right. My bad.

 

Love my Sport and how it handles on the road and highways where I do 99.9% of my driving. The other .01% is mall crawling.

 

This is how you’re supposed to do it. Test drive, test drive, and test drive.

 

Not sure what problems you speak of. I have a 17’, almost two years of ownership and absolutely no problems or issues. Go and test drive one and report back, form your own opinion.

 

I just recently purchased a 2017 DCSB OR, premium tech with 13000 miles on it. I was looking at the same questions. There was a 2015 with 47 k miles that was really clean but I wanted a sunroof. I know, silly, but I really like the open feeling it adds. That was important for me coming from a big f150. I also like the front exterior look of the 2nd gen better but the inside of the 3rd gen more. I also hate the large obstructionist rearview mirror on the 2018 and 2019. That being said I test drove about three 2017 Sports and two three different 2017 OR. They all "felt" a little different , but the ORs consistently felt better to me. I just like the tighter feel and more connection with the road. Ive been very happy with the 2017 OR, but I will say the tranny gets some getting used to and not the big V8 I was used to but plenty of power. I've already started making some of the numerous wonderful Mods available here on TW. Go with your gut...

 

Do you want to go four wheeling or just have it to get over snow or sand?

If you want to go off-road and camp, explore, get away from the rest of the world, you should get the Off Road TRD.

The same money as an Off Road TRD buys a Sport TRD, but there are no special traction systems on the Sport if you don't need that and save the money and get a base or SR-5, etc. The high price of the Sport is mostly a looks package, like the fake hood scoop and painted bumpers, etc.

The high price of an Off Road is for real, useful hardware, like the Multi-Terrain traction system with Crawl Control/ A-TRAC system and a locking rear differential plus meatier off-road ratio sidewall 16" tires and Bilstein nitrogen shocks. These systems turn the Tacoma into a Sherman Tank off road and you really have to try hard to get the thing stuck! Four wheel drive, without the special traction or lockers, just lets you get stuck in worse places than where 2WD gets stuck!

Whatever you get, buy a good electric air pump for the tires (MV-50 for example), because deflating the tires has amazing results to keep from getting stuck or getting out of a stuck... Drop the air down to 15 or even 10 psi and you can go so much beyond than before... The pump is for when you are back on the pavement.

 

The battle between the OR and Sport is 50/50. There is many Sports out there, as many OR’s. It’s just a matter of preferences and what not. To say one is better than the other is vague.

 

Of course sport is better cuz of the skeeewp...

 

One is not better, one is totally different but about the same price as the other.

 

There is no problems with the 3rd gens OP. Don’t be deceived from what you read in this forum. The 3rd gen was designed the way it should perform. Some members in here like to troll around making people rethink their decision whether to buy a 3rd gen or not. I have a 2018 Sport and have NO regrets buying it, I even wasted time looking at other trucks due to the stupid comments I read. I LOVE my Taco!