Difference in 2nd Gen and 3rd Gen for Tall Guys

Hi,

I am thinking of buying a 2005 2nd gen SR5 Access Cab Long Bed. The problem is it is 5 hours away from me.

I am 6'5" and worried that there will not be enough legroom and head room for me to see comfortably out the windshield.

I sat in my friend's 3rd gen (2017 double cab). There was lots of room (see attached pic of me sitting in it)

My question is: is there a significant difference in the design of the 2nd gen and the 3rd gen? Do any tall guys have issues with the 2nd gen but not the 3rd gen?

I am unable to find a 2005 near me to sit in. I have attached a pic of the 2005 interior without me sitting in it. But it is hard to tell based on the pic if 1) I will have enough leg room and 2) what the visibility is like.

For eg, I can't really see out the windshield of a Ford Ranger.

 

I'm 6'1" with a 2nd gen and with the seat all the way back it's not that bad. My left knee runs the door armrest area a bit

 

I've owned both a 2nd gen and 3rd gen access cab long bed. The cab structure is very similar between the two. A lot of interior items have the same mounting points. Windshield is the same size. Seats are the same height. 2nd gen has a slightly deeper footwell.

Beware the 2nd gen SR5 seats aren't comfortable (though the TRD seats are very good).

 

6'3" 240lbs 2015 owned since new, feel like I push the size limitations of the truck. Really enjoy it, has served me well, with really no issues to date. Not planing to sell anytime soon. Sometimes I find it nice to ride in a bigger truck. Up to you.

 

Thanks. This is very useful. My main concern was that I'd have to sort of hunch over the see under the visor and wouldn't be able to see stop lights. With the ranger I had to bend over to get. Good view is the street when making turns etc.
Also worried that the sterring wheel would be too close to my thighs and I'd be hitting my hand on my thighs when making turns.

The 3rd gen I sat in had sort of crappy visibility. I had to sort of move around to see put of the windshield and hunker down for a full view os the road way ahead of me. I think I could get used to it though. I dont want to get a bigger truck because I like the size of the Tacoma for the city and agility.

It is good to know that the general consensus is that there isnt much of a difference. I am thinking I'll make the drive to check out the 2nd gen!

 

6'4" here. i have a 2nd gen. its comfy for me. i guess i do recline the seat more then the normal person but its not like im laying down.

i did test drive the 3rd gens, they are a little smaller. im sure the regular one would be ok for me, but the 3rd gen with the moon roof has about 3" less headroom from what i hear. just thought you should know.

being 6'4" i did spend about 4-5 hours in my truck on some road trips and it was fine. no complaints. only issue you will run into is when you have passengers in the back seat. thats when you will have to sit more upright and move the seat forward. it wasnt too bad for me, but it was only for about 20-30 min. but then again, i have no back pain or knee pain like a lot of people complain about.

i was about to buy the 2015 F150 for the interior because they are huge but i have to park in a garage structure for my work. the f150 would just be a pain in the a$$ for that. if you dont have that problem, i would highly recommend a F150. 2015 tacoma and the 2015 f150 were almost the same price when i was looking at them. F150 had the 2.7 eco boost. and i bought the 2015 TRD Off Road DCSB 4X4

 

I'm 6' 6" and have both Gen 1 (2003) and Gen 2 (2015) double cabs. The Gen 1 has better headroom, the Gen 2 better legroom. Overall, I'm probably more comfortable in the Gen 2 due to seat design and leg position.

I tried a Gen 3 and rejected it. In fact, I wasn't sure I could drive it safely. Inadequate knee room around the steering wheel and dash panels. The wheel might as well not be adjustable in fact, it stays so low. And I guess for styling, they cut headroom in the Gen 3s too. Overall disappointment -- I'm gonna have to make these two last!

 

Very helpful. Thanks.

Sounds like the 2nd gen might actually be better than the 3rd gen for tall guys!

I find that the design of the interior makes a lot of difference. I know that the specs between the two arent much different, but it matters how the dashboard, controls etc are designed.

Good news: I found a 2nd gen near me that I'm going to sit in tonight to compare. I'll report back.

If the 2nd gen (no sun roof) fits like the 3rd gen (no sun roof) then I think I'm gonna be a taco owner!

I read about lowering the seat last night (sounds like a real pain in the neck and there is no elegant solution). I also read that raising the rear view mirror makes a lot of difference (I immediately noticed this in the 3rd gen. The mirror obstructs my view).

I can't get an f 150 or a Tundra because of my garage space and city living.

 

6’4” here. Plenty of leg room with the seat back and steering wheel adjusted to my liking.

 

The mirror-raising kit from ImMrYo (search for it on here) makes a big difference, @dgildy. My mirror is right up to the headliner.

Before:


After:

 

I sat in the 2005.

Leg room: It is fine!

Visibility: Still a slight visibility issue in that I have to hunch down to see the traffic lights when I'm waiting for it to turn green, but I can live with that.

Thanks for the mirror suggestion.

I'm also going to look into aftermarket seats that ride lower than the stock. That should clear up the visibility issue.

But first, I have to buy the truck!

 

Tacoma's are small,buy yourself a Tundra.