Tacoma - Fun to Drive?

You sound like you frequent ADVrider.

 

I agree with what was already said above.

If you want the 6MT do a really good test drive. The rev hang is quite annoying.

 

I went from a '13 genesis coupe 2.0t to my v6 double cab TRD off road Taco. There is still some fun to be had in a taco. Every time it snows, I've got the trac control off (hold for 3 seconds to kill that annoying auto LSD too) and I'm instantly ken block. Flip that little 4wd hi switch and its as capable as I could ever need.

There are no amenities, there is barely any comfort, but its a truck and there is just something about a truck...but you knew that.

 

You didn't say what year the JK is you own, but I'm guessing you are going for the Rubicon for the off-road features, as well as the more powerful newer engine...just know, from a previous Rubicon owner, that the Rubi will be great on slow off-road situations, but not so much on the higher speed stuff like sand. With the 4.10 axles and 4 to 1 transfer case, you can't really generate much speed in 4-low, and 4-hi is too high for sand and such.

 

I may have spent some time over there. There's a guy with the same screen name over there who can really spin a Ride Report.

 

You're spot on in your assessment except for the new Rubicon is an Unlimited as opposed to the yellow 2 door. The lower gears should be offset by the 35s a little bit and there's no sand in my neck of the woods. Most all offroading is slow offroading.

 

I don't know how Honda does it. I had a '13 civic SI for a while and that thing had by far the best manual trans I've ever driven.

 

Adams, MA huh? I work for the railroad that runs through North Adams so I get out that way every now and then. Can confirm its slow off-roading territory. There's also no good way to get there from the east. Stupid mountains.

 

You have picked the right vehicle for that, then. You can't beat the Rubis for slow, steady off-roading.

 

Yup...not much other than trees and hills out here...have you ever gone through the Hoosac Tunnel on the train?

 

^^^True dat! But I still enjoy driving my Taco.

 

I might buy the Tacoma just because I'm enjoying this forum so much.

 

I've always assumed it had something to do with their torque-less motors. Less torque = lighter transmission materials? I'm not sure.

The Tacoma handles pretty well for a truck, although it's probably not as refined or smooth as your Tundra. In my experience, the FJ Cruiser drove better on the road. I often found myself chirping the tires on twisty back roads in the FJ. The tacoma does not inspire the same level of confidence as the FJ, but it does a good job IMO.

EDIT: none of these vehicles came close to my WRX.

 

Brown noser

 

I had a Smurf Blue FJ for a few years...great ride...phenomenal in the snow...but the visibility and the suicide rear doors were a bit of a bummer...the kids hated it. I had a 6 speed which also meant it was full time 4wd...I don't think I ever chirped a tire ever.

 

Hondas have always been designed around lighter transmission oils. Back in the day they took 5w30 motor oil, and after the oils went to SH they switched to their own formulations of lightweight friction-modified oils.

Combined with very tight manufacturing tolerances and great synchronizers, it's an awesome-feeling transmission design. It's not lightweight for the most part (I had my civic's apart, those gears are fairly beefy). Even on that engine-tranny combo there were people pushing 400 hp (and over 300 lb-ft) on cheap Vitara-piston builds and the tranny would hold together even on track slicks as long as the clutch was strong and its differential was replaced with a Quaife torsen-type. The biggest Achilles heel of any non-LSD Honda tranny is the spider gears and that takes care of that problem. Really not shabby considering the most powerful engine that tranny got from the factory was 127 hp.

My personal opinion is that the Aisin manuals in our trucks have much looser tolerances (just look at how some of the shift hubs cause annoying intermittent shifter wobble in some of them), and they use

$30 75w-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75w-90 to keep them reasonably quiet and durable, but in combination with the antiquated synchronizer design the transmissions are going to shift exactly like what they are: Carter-era engineering.

 

Dang, you have three. I only have 1.

 

More times than I can count! Usually take a train that way at least once a week.

 

Not fun to drive.
Been looking at sports cars and or sport bikes to get my thrills back.
Its a truck and hauls the family. Better than a minivan though!

 

I just traded a 2011 Laramie Ram for my Tacoma. The ram was a beast, flowmaster exhaust hemifever tuned with a trinity T1000 tuner and it was just shy of 450hp. A total blast to drive because of my immaturity and constant heavy foot.

So I traded it for a 4x4 2012 TRD sport since the Ram was 2WD cuz I bought it in Hawaii at windward dodge and that wasn't working for me here in Maine.

I like the Taco! It's simple, I'm not worried if it gets dirty but the only thing I absolutely HATE! Is that when I'm on snow and I try to drift it around a corner it makes all these funky electronic noises and straightens itself out therby completely ruining my fun. I've tried the Trac off button and the VSC off button together and separate and it does the same thing.

So in regards to being fun to drive if you like doing what I just described I can only speak personally about my 2012, but u will be disappointed.

That's my only gripe which is a big one for me but other than that I love the truck.