4G hate especially for the PRO why?

I am about to switch from my 3G TRD OR to a 4G Pro. I just don't understand why there is so much hate for the 4G Taco. Especially for the Pro. Why do people think it is a bad truck? Is it because of the high price to equipment ratio? There is little review on how it actually performs. Are the mechanicals good? Most reviews talk about how bad the front seats are and how much back space they take up. How too plasticky the interior is etc.
Can actual owners share their experience about the mechanicals of the truck? ICE and the i-force max motor? How does the truck ride for everyday use? Does the transmission work well with the rest of the powertrain? I am already aware of some tranny issues so I don't need those.
I may also consider the OR model with some upgrades.

 

I've read it's overpriced, rides rough, has no rear seat leg room, dislikes of the pogo shocks on the front seats and it sits too high. Plus, 4th gens have a transmission TSB as you mentioned. The Pro shocks only have three settings and you'll need to crawl under the truck to reach the clickers.

I've only driven the trd off road trim. It accelerates quicker and shifts much better compared to the 3rd gens. The turbo sounds like marbles are rolling around on the floorboard. There's some things I like and some I don't. For what the 4th gen costs, other makes and models are more appealing.

There's a couple of threads about CV shaft failures on lifted 4th gens. From what I gather, Icon's diff drop kit may or may not solve the issue.

 

I am not planning any major mods on it. I figured that for what I am going to use it for I won't be needing suspension mods. I did notice that getting in and out of the back seat is a bit tight compared to my 3G. It seems like they moved the B pillar more towards the back to make it easier for the front occupants to get in and out. I am 5'7" and there may be a bit more room in the back for the occasional passengers.

 

Unless it’s a diesel hilux, or a 2nd Gen…. it’s trash.

 

1st gen best gen

 

4cyl turbo…..price …no leg room or storage … the amount of money u are paying for these trucks u are not getting your moneys worth .

 

Can't speak for the OR as I have an SR5 4x4 with the cold weather and predator appearance packages, bought in late November and currently has 1400 miles. It rides very smooth on 265/60R18 Nitto Nomad Grapplers (part of the Predator package), though it's a 4x4 midsize truck so of course you feel the bumps in the road without the adaptive but expensive suspension in the upper trim levels. The engine is a bit noisy but to me, it's only really noticeable when you really hit the accelerator and wind it up... then I kinda like it as it awakens the nascent gearhead in me. It's impressively quick in Sport mode, much more so than my 2015 F150 Ecoboost that my Yoda replaced. I really like hearing the turbos spin up when I hit the gas. I like the gas mileage, 19-ish running around town and 21 to 25 on the highway depending on speed. Of course that varies with tire choice. I find the 8-speed transmission largely smooth as butter overall. If you check out the post on VINs that suffer from the tranny TSB issue, you can verify that your potential purchase is not on the list. I'm pretty meh on the back seat room, but as I am an empty-nester, that's not much of an issue for me. It's also nothing new to the Tacoma four door as my 2G had the same problem, though admittedly not as bad. It's what drew me to the F150 when my kids hit puberty, shot up 6 inches in a year and were no longer comfortable in the back seats on long trips. I am considering doing a rear-seat delete sometime down the line, though I'll make that decision after a summer of long-haul camping with my wife (we're both teachers). I'm looking forward to hauling our 4K lb TrailManor popup camper to see how well it does towing as a couple of Youtube videos indicated towing prowess was good. I am also looking forward to testing out off road capability this spring. I am a neophyte in that regard, so I am sure it will handle where I'm going to take it here in the southeast and up the Appalachian chain this summer. I really like the body style and the Celestial Silver paint job. The metallic fleck is awesome and the faint rainbow hues that come off it in the sun after a nice wash and wipedown are especially nice. Never seen that in a factory paint job before. Road and wind noise is noticeable but that's nothing new to the Tacoma, nor to my F150 Ecoboost which had significant wind noise at hwy speeds in particular. Seat comfort is good for me, though Toyota really cheaped out on power seats not being more available as standard on mid trim levels. They we're not even in the TRD Sport I test drove, which was one reason I opted for the SR5 instead. Ditto for not putting the electric lumbar support adjustment in the passenger seat also. Having said that, having the pump-action vertical adjustment on the seat is nice, and the 4G vertical seat height improvelent is WAY overdue. I wouldn't have bought the truck had they not done that as the low seats in my 2G bothered my wife and I on long trips back in 2015 when we were 10 years younger. Not completely sold on the JBL sound coupled with the 8 inch infotainment system. It's loud enough and with decent sound quality for me, but my younger self would appreciate more boost and refinement. Strangely, it's louder when playing a radio station than when streaming via bluetooth from my phone. 8-inch Infotainment system is somewhat Meh. Toyota wants me to pay a monthly fee for what my Google Pixel can largely do via it's bluetooth connection. Plus, Apple and Amazon music services but not Spotify? Are we back in the teens again? The few things the Toyota Premium fee pays for beyond that I can do without and use the $25/mo on gas and camping fees.

Overall at this time I am very happy with my purchase. I got the truck I needed to tow my camper and do the handyman jobs I need to around the house, the option to go off-roading in a capable vehicle and do it all in decent style to boot. I am looking forward to the many small and big mods I'll do in the future to fine tune it to my needs. Finally, if I decide I need to sell it, the Tacoma's resale value can't be beat.

 

One word Fast and Furious ugly ass seats.

 

Horse and recurve bow or nothing.



also on a more serious note and to answer the OP, 70k for a midsize truck is bonkers. You can blame inflation all you want but most people’s salaries haven’t caught up to that sort of jump in pricing.

 

People are scared of a little turbo. Go for it.

 

I had a 3rd Gen OR with full Pro parts added including the suspension (Pro was not available at the time to buy).
I sold it a while back and recently got a 4th Gen Pro. Best decision yet. Ride, comfort, interior, engine power are night and day difference.
Unlike most people, I bought it because I really love the seats. It's just me and the wife so back seats space isn't an issue.
As far as price goes, it's subjective to everyone. I didn't mind paying the asking sticker price for my Pro. Truck is all setup and ready to go.
No mods are needed. Only thing I may do is add 35s tires (wish it came from factory).
I would recommend going to your dealership for a test drive. You won't be disappointed.

 

If you have the money, the Pro is the best new "mid-sized" truck out there. I like it.

 

I think the Pro is a good package on an otherwise decent truck. All the things you mentioned could be a factor for why people wouldn't buy one. I think the market is terrible for halo vehicles and expensive trucks right now which is the biggest issue. 2020-2023 would have been the best market for a halo Tacoma, but Toyota was successful in selling the 3G a vehicle that's from 2005 during that time. Prior dealer mark ups on the Pro series in general killed any intrest I had in a Pro model.

Speaking for myself a $60,000 midsize makes no sense, and the Pro offers nothing I need that an SR5 does not offer. I also want a 2 door truck.

 

People hate what they can’t afford.

 

3'rd gen owner will hate, trying to play it in their head that they have the better truck & it would be a mistake to trade-up...
Its what they do, well at least, on this forum....

Any little mechanical mishap that is discussed here is totally blow out of perportion & turns into a 3rd gen is better debate...

 

And after 8 years they still deal with a poor transmission that was never fixed, coolant pipe leaks, seating position that wasn’t addressed, all packaged tightly in a minivan motor! That they claim is superior because it has 6 cylinders (because there’s no replacement for displacement).

 

Only reasons not to get the Pro in my opinion is budget and rear seat room. Enjoy it!

 

In the 4th Gen Tacoma trims, I only see 2 disappointing issues:
1. The Pro should be available with normal seats, and the Iso seats should be optional (saves money too)
2. The Pro should be available in non-hybrid with a hybrid option.

The aforementioned could lower the Pro base price by several grand, allowing more people to afford a Pro. Those 2 items are NOT what makes the Pro valuable

The expensive content of the Pro is a money grab. During the pandemic, manufacturers were focusing on shipping mostly loaded trims of the vehicles they could produce. Then they got slapped with addendums.
Post-pandemic, the Pro content and likely addendums for a "OMG it's a PRO!" Reminds me of how miserable the pandemic vehicle shopping experience was. If you miss being gouged, you could buy a Pro to relive the experience.

Everything I said could apply to the TH too.

I see Toyota doing a mid-generation refresh that may provide a more basic Pro trim.

 

My goodness, I see plenty of Gen4 owners either posting issues they’re having with their own trucks, and playing the troll-victim card. Set aside the self affirmation, and just buy it, and tell us about your experience (with pics).

I’ve sampled Gen4, and of course overall it’s a better truck. After 20 years of Gen2-3 riding the same chassis, how could it not be? But it’s also got a lot of flaws reported not by “trolls”, but by the early adopters themselves. I seriously doubt Gen 1-3 owners are jealous when they see Toyota dealers begging them to trade their truck in at top dollar, for a ‘24 with big discounts.

 

Pro is a halo trim. It has never been about being affordable or selling more.