If Buying Today, Would You Still Choose the Tacoma?

Ditto on this BUT they're more difficult to get than the Taco. At this point I think prospective buyers are SOL unless they reserved back in January.

 

If you were buying today, would you still choose the Tacoma? Why?
Probably not. Has been in the shop for too many issues. 23,000 miles. 2019. Zero off-road

If not, why? What would you buy instead? Why?
Continue to retain my 2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan I've owned since new.

What problems have you had that disappointed you in the Tacoma?
Reduced braking performance at highway speeds. Brake actuator replaced. Issue still remains, but is not consistent. Unresolved.
Too many interior rattles below 40 degrees F. Headliner at windshield, interior of dash etc. Unresolved.
Cruise control algorithm useless. Unresolved even with latest TSB.
Shuddering/ surging transmission at times. Unresolved. Dealer can't replicate.
Strange shifting characteristics. Semi-resolved with newest TSB.
A/C compressor replaced. Resolved.
Rear differential howling. Replaced once. New already howling. Unresolved.
Random no start issue. No CEL, no codes. Dealer could not replicate. Towed and stranded twice due to issue.

Were these issues significant enough to cause you to doubt the reliability of the truck?
Yes.

What other trucks did you look at before buying the Tacoma?
All midsize trucks available during October 2018.

What did you like & dislike about them?
Some were missing features I was seeking.

 

Sometimes I want to go bigger, but then all I have to do is drive down some trails during hunting season and remember why I went to a smaller truck. Fits the bill and other than recall no problems worth mentioning as they are all self inflicted. Gets decent mileage, shifts way better with KDMAX, though honestly as our other cars are little 4 bangers with CVTs the rpms are all over the place so it just reminds me of another small engine. Have had three previous TOY trucks starting with an 86 which I bought brand new, all the way through a 95 Taco I sold for a Silverado 1500 due to larger family. Bough a JKU when I turned 50. Drove it for about 3 years and realized for long trips on the highway it was a tiring drive. Pretty much needed two hands on the wheel at all times. Got a great trade in and bought my 2018 Taco. Way more comfortable than the jeep, and much more practical for camping

 

That last problem you documented is a zinger (Random no start issue. Towed and stranded twice) and would be enough for me to move on.

Did you buy new? I ask because I'm wondering if this is one of those trucks the original owner used as a saltwater submarine.

 

I purchased new. Needless to say, I'm not impressed with the product and manufacturer.

 

Knowing about the new Tundra, its a coin toss.

 

Owned a 1992 V6 extra-cab 4X4 from brand new for 14 years. Head gaskets failed once under warranty and again out of warranty. Toyota covered it both times at no charge. Well maintained and was awesome for the 14 years. Reliably explored so many places with this truck before kids arrived. sold it in 2006 only because I could not get the baby car seat in the back.

Could not afford a 2006 Tacoma 4 door back then so we purchased a 3 year old lease return (Made in Japan) 2003 Pathfinder. Awesome family vehicle for us and our 2 kids. Well maintained but wore that out after 15 solid years. Purchased a 2020 TRD Sport DCLB 4X4 one year ago today. We are more than pleased with our decision. Yes a few quirks with the truck but we knew that going into that. Zero problems so far. We did consider an F-150 Ecoboost but was concerned about reliability in the long run.

So awesome to be in a Toyota truck again!

 

I love the new sidewalls on the tires but I still cannot find them elsewhere.

 

Would not buy again, especially not at the inflated COVID prices seen today. The truck looks decent, has supposed Toyota reliability, and is very capable out of the box off road. Beyond that, the stock sound system was beyond terrible, the truck rides like shit, is slow AF, and the gear hunting is beyond frustrating.
Also extremely uncomfortable for long road trips. Short bed is limited in its use.

I feel like these trucks have a cult-like following but really aren’t that great. Mine is almost paid off, I’ll keep it as a second vehicle for Home Depot trips and eventually give it to my son, but if it were totaled today I would not go out and buy another.

 

I would definitely buy again. I bought mine used with about 76k miles in stock form.

Tacomas have their problems just like any vehicle, and part of what I enjoy is being able fix all those problems with what I want. It adds character and personality to me. A new truck that has all the power you want, no weird noises, can clear larger tires, good audio system, and all this nice problem free stuff sounds boring to me. They aren't great, no, but they are pretty easy to make great imo.

 

I don't know what the old sidewalls looked like, but coming from KO2s (and OG KOs before that) on my Xterra, I'm perfectly happy with these... actually kind of relieved to have tires that are stout but not quite as aggro, since the truck's job usually ends at the trailhead for me.

 

I still find it odd that so many buy a mid sized moderately priced (before Build Back Better pricing) pick up truck and then bitch about it not accelerating as well as a Hemi Charger or not handling as well as a Porsche 911. The Tacoma is a middle of the road offering, it doesn't do anything great, it isn't awful at anything (within design limits)

 

I read through the first couple of pages and then skipped to the last page and saw your review.

You make a valid statement (bold/underlined).

I bought my Tacoma this year (TRD Sport in Black) and I love it. It's my first 4X4 and first new Toyota. I'm finding out there are lots of upgrades I need to do but happy with my Toy.

I had a right-hand drive (used) black 5-speed Celica when I was stationed in England (USAF) in the early 90s. Discovered using the rear seat to put our daughter in the car seat would sometimes result in bumping my head. lol

That lead me to getting into the SUV market when I got back to the US...Dyess AFB, Abilene TX. I got the Isuzu Rodeo/5-speed and tried to teach my wife how to drive it with no luck.

Onto a new 2003 Honda Pilot and then a used 2010 Mazda CX-9. SUVs were good during the time we took our kids on adventures. Now that they are grown up, I wanted a vehicle I did not consider beforehand.

I sat in a Tundra and simply decided that it was WAY too much truck. I've had no issues with my Taco and it suits me fine. I don't sit in the back (and neither does my wife) so groceries/boxes/beer is its only purpose at the moment.

This is one happy Tacoma owner! (Me)

Ed

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At the time I bought my Tacoma (Dec 2015), I looked at the Nissan Frontier and the Chevy Colorado had just been reintroduced. Based on what was available at the time, I still would have bought the Tacoma. Having owned mine for 6 years these are the things I have seen which I wanted to change for my next vehicle.

Underpowered. This has a few secondary factors as a result. I didn't see it at the time, but Toyota really made this truck around fuel efficiency. As a result, the engine is rather anemic and everything is geared for the tiny factory tires. As soon as you upsize tires or add gear weight you immediately cut into the mpg's. It was like they had designed it as a stack of cards, and you change one thing and it starts to suffer. General lack of throttle response and just get up and go for getting on the freeway and such. Current half ton trucks get equivalent gas mileage but offer a lot more power, space, and load capacity.

Size. While I wanted a mid sized truck at the time, now I want more space in the back seat (for kids/family as others have mentioned) and more space in the bed. Keying off the underpowered thing, I want enough space that I don't have to strap stuff to the roof because currently the drag is killing gas mileage and I can't take the truck anywhere to be cleaned. You start throwing on some steel on the bottom, gear in the back, and a couple people in the cab, and you start approaching its load limit pretty fast.

Transmission. The thing is always hunting for gears, and with slightly larger tires I don't ever get to 6th gear. Driving through Idaho once on a long, gradual incline when the speed limit was 80mph and my truck sounded like it was trying to take off and fly away. 10 speeds seem to be much smoother and more efficient.

4x2. This was just a first time truck buyer mistake on my part mixed with a bit of sticker shock at the time.

Other things that have changed is the fact that I want something I don't have to modify, something that has good off road capability for hunting without needing to spend extra money doing suspension or new tires.

With that in mind I was really excited about the Tundra until I actually saw the reviews and specs. Toyota's continued and desperate attempt at fuel efficiency resulting in aluminum doors and hood, odd gear ratio, no tow hooks, etc all to end up with comparable MPG numbers to all the competitors already on the market. Seems like the TRD Pro is chasing the Raptor market without going all the way for an unapologetic desert racer the way the Raptor did. Local Simi Valley dealer told me the Tundras will have a $25k mark up on arrival as well.

Ultimately I test drove and ordered an F150 Tremor 401A package. Didn't think I would ever deviate from Toyota, because I really do love my Tacoma, I just think I have outgrown in.

 

Having owned my Sport for 10 months, I like mine more every day. I would definitely buy it again.

 

This is what came on my truck. They say the "new" tire is the Goodyear Territory AT but on Goodyear's website it shows a completely different tire. What is on your truck is basically the same tread pattern as above with a more aggressive looking side wall.

 

Probably not. Would’ve looked into a Tundra instead

 

I've owned mine for about a month and a half now, 2021 SR5 DCLB, and I like it a lot in every way except for what I'd call a jittery ride.

Every time I hit even tiny bumps on the road you can feel it like a wave from the front to the bed, then the rear wheels will hit the same bump in the road and send another wave through the cab. Instead of two quick bumps right after the other the whole cab just wobbles for like 1.5 sends like I just jumped on to a water bed or bouncy castle, but imagine it happening much much faster.

I've seen my passenger seat visibly shake on otherwise smooth highways, and can see the bed shaking a bit in the side mirrors.

All of this contributes to a a feeling of wobbliness throughout the whole ride, and it's actually worse on "smooth" roads, where it feels like if I ran over a penny I'd be able to tell if it was heads or tails. And yes I reduced tire pressure to the door listed 32 PSI, added a tonneau cover, and a bed mat. Running boards are in the mail and will also be added soon.

Now I'm hoping that the truck breaks in a bit more (I don't even have 1000 miles on it) and this problem goes away on its own or at least smooths out over the next couple of thousand miles, otherwise I'm bringing it back to the dealer to make sure everything is bolted in right. My thought is that I either need a little more weight in the back or the shocks have to break in more and allow the truck to ease in and out of bumps rather than transfer the motion directly into the bed and cab.


The other issues people mention, like the transmission or lower power levels, don't bother me really. I used to drive a 5 speed Impreza with really wonky rev hang and a janky shift that gave me more problems than this, and I also use ECT power and S+/- shifting on hills and whatnot since I'm used to the speed control of a manual.

 

That "wobbly" feeling doesn't sound familiar, unless you're just more sensitive to the way it rides than I am. Coming from 10 years behind the wheel of an Xterra that rides like a lumber wagon, I'd call the Tacoma "a familiar rough ride" but I don't think "wobbly" would fit the description. If I were coming from a sedan or crossover, I'm sure my observations would be less rosy. I have all of 150 miles on my Tacoma, so I'm definitely still getting to know it.

What did surprise me is how much the ride is affected by weight in the bed. I have a commercial brush cutter that I use to mow local mountain bike trails, and with it in the bed (~400 pounds with gas and ramps) the truck rides a lot smoother. Talking to other pickup owners I know, that's totally normal.

 

Yeah, I've driven a 2WD 2003 Tacoma that did not ride like this at all, and a 2005 Tundra that was also a lot heavier and softer. I figured this Tacoma would ride somewhere between the two but it's really stiff, which, some would think that stiff and wobbly are mutually exclusive, but not if the stiffness of hitting bumps is transferring to the bed and cab and having them kind of shimmy a bit.

I honestly don't even care about it much - it's more for my passengers' sake. Although to be fair my wife is the one that seems to care less and literally just said "it's a truck, what do you expect?"