Conflicted on my Tacoma Love

As ashamed as I am to admit it my love for the midsize truck has started to dwindle. Growing up I always wanted a Toyota Pickup and then a Tacoma when they introduced them. I remember when the Toyota Pickups got twice the mileage and could squeeze into twice as many backwoods trails. Now it seems that today's midsize truck is yesterday's full-size right down to the gas mileage. What's worse the new fullsize trucks have gotten some major re-engineering in the last few years and are posting close to the same mileage numbers as the new Tacomas.

What is making you guys fork out this kind of money for a new Tacoma? I don't have it right now but if I had the money tomorrow I doubt I'd have a new Tacoma sitting in my driveway tomorrow night.

I think all this came about a few weeks ago when I went on about a 300 mile trip in a buddy's Megacab Diesel and got 20mpg the whole way. He had less than $2,000 worth of modifications in it and is getting maybe 6 less mpg than my humble regular cab 5-lug.

This all just rubs me the wrong way. Forgive me for what may be a pointless thread. Feel free to scroll past, flame, or explain why you spent your hard earned dime on a Tacoma. I am still well aware of the resale values and the quality of Toyota vehicles in general but nothing lasts forever or has to for the guy who trades up every 6 to 8 years.

 

To each his own. I love both of our trucks. I have an 03 that takes premium and gets about 12MPG and a 2011 trail that is a bit better. Wouldn't trade them for anything, bad gas mileage or not.