Concerned about Tacoma downshifting when climbing hills

The rav-4 v6 is toyotas highest power vs weight ratio vehicle. Way over powered for how light it is. The taco has similar power but a lot more weight.

 

Thanks for all the info. I can't find a manual in my area to test drive. I was able to test drive the crew cab but still an auto. The crew cab seemed to shift a lot more like I expected it to. I'm thinking that the access cab I test drove just wasn't shifting properly. The crew cab I took out tonight was the sr5 and the access was a base. I'm not sure if the crew and the access are supposed to shift differently but the difference was like night and day. I'm going to try and find an sr5 or TRD access cab to test drive tomorrow.

The access base I test drive last night didn't seem to have very good traction control compared to the crew sr5. Both test drives were done on wet pavement and the base just spun the tire all for a distance before the traction control kicked in. The sr5 crew cab didn't seem to spin at all before the power was transferred to the other wheel (that's what it felt like was happening) and the truck just accelerated rather then spinning.

I'm hoping the access TRD performs differently than the base model or I'll be looking at getting the crew cab.

I'll find out tomorrow if there is a manual within a reasonable distance that I can test drive.

Thanks again.

 

No such thing as too much power!

 

I have 70k miles on my '11 DCSB. I regularly tow a 6000# travel trailer over the summers in good grade. The auto teams does a great job, I have a scan gauge to watch trans temp. Never had an issue. I tow in 4, there is a difference in shift pattern when I get home and drive normal. But within a day it is back to normal.

 

Thanks again for all the info, I feel a more confident about getting the auto now. I have noticed that in most vehicles I drive seem to perform differently as the vehicle learns driving style/conditions. I was hoping the taco was the same. I wish they would offer the dcsb with an auto but I'm leaning towards the access long box.

The crew cab long box I tried out seemed to feel better than the access cab. The access can was a base and the crew was a sr5. The access just spun the tires when I have it throttle and the crew can hooked up and the truck took off fairly quick.

Is there a difference between the tranny/traction control from the base access to be crew sr5? If there is a difference, is the TRD access the same as the crew sr5? I noticed in the access TRD options on the Toyota website say that it comes with A-TRAC but the crew cabs mention nothing about that anywhere. Is that because all crew cabs come with it or its not offered in the crew?

Thanks again

 

I just found a thread about the a-TRAC system and it send like it only applies to 4wd low range. I haven't had time to read the complete thread but I don't think that's why the access can just sat there and spin one tire while the crew can just took off with minimal wheel spin. I'll read more about it after work, lol.

Besides the weight difference would there be anything else in the drive line that would make the crew cab hook up better?

Maybe this is a topic for a new thread, I'm getting a little off topic about the uphill down shifting, lol.

 

Nissan has more horespower!!

 

yeah it shifts fine, it shifts a lot harder than other trucks...kinda bumpy/noticable depending on the throttle but those transmissions don't fail much. Im at 12k did it from day one...

 

Thanks everyone, I believe I'm sold on the auto tranny.

bjboucher is correct when he said there's no such thing as to much power. The RAV4 was an amazing vehicle. The biggest turn off is that it's not a very friendly vehicle to work on. Everything is jammed in and the motor has to lifted to do anything on it.

 

Are you in Canada OP ?

 

I have the V6/6speed - my only complaint is cruise control. Have a feeling cruise works much better with an auto tranny - the manual (in my opinion) applies too much throttle on smaller hills, where a automatic would probably shift down a gear and maintain speed with less throttle. No problem with cruise on flat ground, just annoying in rolling hills.

Don't really use cruise, even interstate, in the mountains. Pick a gear and go either up or down hill. Do use the air conditioning downhill - it's worth about 1/2 a gear drag.

Never have a problem with doors the OP mentioned.

 

Mine is very annoying when I've got the cruise control on. Sometimes it'll down-shift all the way to 3rd gear and bring the RPM's way up and I'm like "easy girl, easy". Now I try to beat it to the punch if I see a hill coming up I'll manually downshift to 4th gear and that will prevent the 3rd gear from kicking in. I think it's kind of fun that way.

 

It is normal for automatic transmissions to downshift on hills. All of them do it. These have 5 gears and 5th gear is just a cruising gear, it naturally wants to kick down into 4th to maintain power and speed up a hill. Get a 6spd if you are worried about it, but trust me, it won't damage the transmission from downshifting up hills, they are designed to do that.

 

OP if turning radius is a deciding factor avoid the Frontier. It's like trying to turn a semi.

 

OZ-T, yep, I'm in Ontario Canada.
ace96, I agree, the Nissan's are crap for turning around. I didn't find the crew cab long box Toyota to be much better in overall turning radius but it did seem to handle parking lots better than the Nissan.

I just ordered a 2015 TRD 4X4 in black! I can't wait to get my new truck! I was worried that Toyota will come out with a much newer design for 2016 but I wouldn't want to buy a first or second year of a new model anyway. I really wish they offered the crew cab short box with a auto tranny but I couldn't get one so I went with my first choice all along, lol.

I'll be adding the stainless exhaust and stereo upgrade a little later. Now I have to decide on getting an extended warranty or not. I've read the different threads on them but am still undecided. They agreed to take $200 off any 48 month or $300 off any 60 month but its still a lot of extra cash on a three year term.

The weeks waiting for it are gonna seem to go slow, I could have got one in red this coming week but I'll figure out a way to work for a few weeks to get the black.

This is a great site, I look forward to many posts, lol.

thanks again everyone.

 

sorry, I forgot to mention in my last reply that I took a access cab trd out for a test drive and it was a huge difference in shifting than the base model for some reason. It still doesn't seem to have the traction in 2wd as the crew cab does but it feels really different to drive. If anyone is considering a TRD I wouldn't recommend testing a base model to see what the truck drives like. There could have been something wrong with the base I tested though.

 

You get the AC TRD Offroad or the DC TRD Sport ?

 

There's no difference in transmissions or in traction control at normal speeds between the TRD, SR5, or base as long as they are all V6's. TRD gives you suspension and additional traction control at very low speeds and in 4LO. If you noticed a different shift point in the transmission, it was either due to the additional weight of the larger cab and accessories or the calibration of your throttle foot.

 

Normal.

The transmission adapts to your type of driving pattern and in an effort to preserve the brake system it uses engine braking as an alternative. My 2012 does it also. I like it, but I still row the shifter to the gear that I desire anyways.

 

Am I missing something? Most double cab short beds I see are autos, and the DCLB is auto only...