4 vs 6 cylinder Tacoma

Hi all,

I am in the market for a Tacoma (most likely 3rd gen, possibly 2nd gen) and was looking for feedback regarding things to consider while deciding between the 4 and 6 cylinder. I know these trucks have a good reputation for being reliable, but I was wondering if the 4 or 6 has proven more reliable over the other.

I will be using this vehicle primarily for in town driving with little highway miles. I will be using this vehicle to do side jobs and might be pulling a small single axle trailer occasionally. I will be buying automatic transmission.

all input regarding reliability comparison between the 4 and 6 is welcome and anything else you think I should know before making this decision is appreciated.

thanks in advance!
WB

 

Good luck with your search. If l were going to get a 4 banger it would have to have a Manual Transmission, they are pretty rare though as only 2016 and 2017 had them.

 

Test drive, test drive, test drive.
If you’re towing a lot-6cylinder
If you only need a truck for Home Depot and the occasional short distance lighter load towing, 4 cylinder will suit you.
Gas mileage is a wash. That being said I’ve had them all and I much prefer the 4 cylinder with the manual transmission. Sadly, you’ll have to find a used one. If I were choosing a new 4 cyl AT vs. 6 cylinder. I’d take the 6 cylinder. Both are great trucks but 95% won’t enjoy the sluggishness of the 4cylinder. If reliability is your thing and the sluggishness doesn’t bother you then the 4 cylinder is one of the most rock solid engines you’ll come across.

 

4 cylinder is a very proven, dead reliable engine. Been practically unchanged since the 90's. However, the 6 cylinder is in plenty of vehicles and will also likely be fine for hundreds of thousands of miles. Gas savings is technically better in the 4 cylinder, but not by much if you leave the truck stock. The 4 cylinder will do fine towing a single axle trailer (I've towed a car with my 4 cyl) but it will work much harder than the 6 and get worse fuel economy while towing. Some people will tell you the 6 cyl have better resale value, but I disagree.

Really, it just comes down to preference. For your use, either seems like it would be just fine. I love my 4 cylinder to death, others can't stand it for even a few miles. Take them both on a very long test drive to really get a feel for it.

 

4 banger = slow as shit, but a super reliable time tested motor, regular oil filter
6 banger = faster (ish) more powerful, more expensive, still a good motor but not as time tested, ridiculous cartridge oil filter system

Generalizations and JM2CW. I have a 2.7l 4 banger but have driven a few 6ers.
Mileage is about the same surprisingly…

 

I had a 2016 access cab 4 cyl auto and it was ok here in Miami were there is NO hills… the good thing about the 4 cyl is that the engine is bulletproof. So if you want to use this truck until it falls apart FOR SURE, then go with 4cyl.

I used circumstance of having a baby to go to 2019 6cyl manual trans.

both are slow until you rev the heck about of them.. but 4 cyl is way slower, BUT gets the job done.

Ideal combo for me from the begging would have been double cab, 4cyl, manual 4x4. Simple and reliable. But only way to get manual was to go v6 and off road trim.

both engines are more or less same in terms of feel. Transmissions are obviously different but auto hunted too much for gears up to the point that it got annoying.

at the end of the day, I would say transmission choice is more important than engine.

if you are 100%sold on auto, then it would be:
Turtle slow reliable
Or unproven peppier v6

 

I owned a 2014 2.7 auto and i really liked it except for towing and going up down hills, it gear hunted so bad that i now own a 2021 v6 and will never go back. Gas mileage is actually better than the 4 banger and it is the long bed.

 

I am hearing some hesitations from people with the v6 3rd generation. They seem to be reluctant with their optimism of the reliable tacoma reputation with this generation because of its infancy. Regarding reliability, is the 3rd gen's v6 short life something to put a consideration into?

 

The 2.7 is a tough little engine they have to spin to make power though. My last one had 300+ K miles on it. That being said they are not power houses and the MPG is not much better than the 6 cylinder. Empty hi way no problem bottom line go with the 6.

 

see also:

4cyl over 6cyl, any regrets? | Tacoma World

 

The 3.5 engine had been in other Toyota vehicles for some years before it was put in the Tacoma. Toyota would not have put it in the Tacoma if it had proven unreliable.

 

I have a 4 banger. It has 2 cylinders less than the 6 banger. I reckon that they is both good engines.

 

There's this conception that it's somehow not reliable but it actually doesn't have many issues. Of course there are occasional issues, but that goes for any engine. Mostly people just don't like that it is a higher revving engine, which comes from the fact that it is part-time direct injected.

The 4 cylinder has been around a lot longer and hasn't changed much over the years. The V6 actually gets better highway MPG because it doesn't have to work as hard, but that sounds like it isn't really an issue for you.

 

What kind of terrain do you live in? Will it be 2wd or 4wd? Do you offroad? Is snow a factor?

Just trying to think of other quirks that might play into a choice.

 

If 3rd gen offered a regular cab, 5-speed, 4 cylinder like my '05 I'd have one. The 2.7 is a great engine. However, access cab or larger is v6 for me.

 

6 cyl = Plagued with random American truck like internal mechanical defects and 4-figure to fix oil leaks. Makes diesel like noise at idle and requires a deep throttle to move the truck anywhere due to its permanently retarded part throttle ignition timing.

The 4 cyl is Toyota's most durable and dead reliable engine in production today. It's quiet even when its first started on a cold morning. No complicated, expensive to fix hybrid direct & multiport injection. 2022 will be the last year you can get it. It's 1,000,000 mile capable: https://youtu.be/qXYuxaRjyHY

 

All i can comment after owning a 4.7 v8 tundra and test driving both the 4 and 6 tacoma, the 4 cylinder was painfully slow. Imo, these current gen3 mid size trucks should of never had a 4 cylinder....Yeah their ultra reliable and haven't changed, but they need a turbo or supercharger. Getting back to the 6 cylinder, it was much better, more what i'd been use to.
My tundra was getting an average of 15 mpg, the 6 cylinder tacoma i now have gets 22-23 mpg, and does everything the tundra did....very happy with this truck.

 

Thats bs, i spoke with other 3.5 v6 tacoma owners at my dealer during the toyotacare service visits. One had a 2017 v6 with 90k miles that was in for routine maintenance....claimed its been trouble free, but like any vehicle its best to have the maintenance done when its suppose to. Imo, if a vehicle can go 200k miles without a major engine failure, the manufacture has done their job. My v8 tundra was still running like new when i sold it...with nearly 300k miles.

 

Do you have the automatic? How’s the transmission with the 3rd gen v6. I heard it gear hunts pretty consistently. From what I read, it’s not really a mechanical liability, moreso an annoyance that Toyota designed the trans to be more fuel efficient.

 

I put about 150,000 miles on my 2010 Access cab, long bed 2.7 l 5sp SR5. I loved the truck. I towed light loads (a couple loads of mulch every spring and a pair of dual sports to the mountains a couple times a year). It was rock solid. It was not a great tow vehicle even with under 1000 lbs of trailer and load in the mountains. Of course it always made it, but I was stirring the mt frequently. Fast forward, I bought a 2018 TRD/Sport 3.5L automatic. It tows much easier, has several tech features I didn't have before, gets decent gas mileage, though not quite as good as the 4 cyl. It's a 4 door short bed. I have rarely had a third passenger (except my Brittany), so the Access cab and long bed were a better arrangement for my use. I am torn to give a recommendation. I loved both, and would be happy to keep either long term. YMMV