2016 6 Speed Manual

You've clearly never had to deal with a manual on a real steep rocky hill. There are 2 options, run through it quickly to save your clutch and risk lots of other damage or if you want to crawl it you risk burning your clutch.

At 4:00 in this video is a good example of what I'm talking about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLmv0GyrzZY&t=4m&1s

I've personally smoked a clutch there (at that same offroad park) to the point where there was smoke and we were smelling it. You can choose to bomb through it like they're doing or crawl it fairly easily with an auto. Real offroading (not bombing through a desert with some LT kit and a supercharger) is much more fun and safe on the equipment with an auto. If you want to build an offroad rig to race it, then yes, manual for the fun of it. But for rocks and trails and all things technical an auto is where it's at. Or.... an auto with a manual valve body. It's what I'll be going with on my next setup just because I don't want to deal with a clutch but I do sometimes want control of my gears.

I had a very similar experience, definitely not something I'll be repeating ever again.

 

Even high speed desert running an auto is better, you can't keep from breaking the manuals. Manual valve body auto is the way to go.

Manuals are fine for general offroad...start getting on the more difficult ends of the spectrum, auto is much better.

 

I agree. Though manual is more fun, what makes it fun, also makes it impossible to keep up with a computer controlled auto as far as efficiency is concerned. The general comparison for mileage between a manual and a auto is always dependent on the driver. The new 4 cylinder is not offered with a manual because I feel it will perform better with an auto. To keep a lower powered motor in it's sweat spot with a six speed around town would keep you rowing quite a bit. If you choose intermediate gears and try to fake it, you either lug or keep it racing too high. One isn't good for the motor, one isn't good economically.

 

someday i'm going to make a video of someone driving a manual... and then put it fast motion and keystone cop music... it will show how ridiculous it is and looks to see your arm and legs flailing around changing the gears all over the place. that being said, if these were sports cars, I get it.... they're not. in addition, I use mine to offroad - another advantage to an auto. it's 2015 for god's sake...

 

6th 0.85:1 gear is a little lower ratio than 5th in in the 5spd mt 0.81:1 the big difference is the extra gear ratio between 3rd and 5th on the 6spd.

pressroom.toyota.com/.../2013+toyota+tacoma+product+specs.download

 

I tow a lot in the summer months and find the auto is much safer, easier and sturdier for the task. I cannot imagine backing up on a narrow road with a pontoon boat in tow easily without covering the brake with the left and using the accelerator with the right. After several times loading and unloading a heavy boat with a manual transmission, that burn clutch smell becomes a little worrisome.

 

Think it all depends on the vehicle...could be a little white knuckle in a Tacoma, the clutch isn't very heavy duty. Though when I worked construction all of our trucks and dumps were manuals. The 2.5 tons had a 2-Speed rear end, talk about keeping your arms and legs busy.

Dumps are kinda nice with a manny, sometimes you have pop the clutch a bit to break a load loose when you are dumping it. Gawd knows I don't want to get out of the cab and grab a shovel to break it loose. Now-a-Days...even the medium/heavy duty trucks are moving to an auto trans.

 

Question for all: Is the current i4 manual as problematic as the current v6 manual?

What's wrong with driving a manual truck? Some people just like it. And I understand the reason to use an auto offroad, but why does Toyota say that true offroaders want a manual?

Page not found

 

Sorry Uploaded the PDF instead.

 

I have been following this thread because I am interested in buying a 2016 Tacoma but only if it has an improved manual transmission. Having owned a current generation Tacoma (05 TRD Sport) with a stick I felt the Toyota did a poor job with this generations transmission and put little into the whole truck. I'm not trying to offend current owners nor do I believe that the current Tacoma's are bad I just think Toyota treated the truck like a cask cow rather than investing in it.

My first generation Tacoma had a far better manual than what is available today. I believe that GM's small trucks will push Toyota to put effort into the new Tacoma. I don't think many as many people will care about Tacoma's tarnished but still superior reputation when they are leasing a truck for 3 years.

On driving manuals - If you don't like it don't drive one. Google and others are working on self driving car and that may be your ultimate goal. Sit back, enjoy the ride and good for you. I drive my vehicles and I like it, but I know its not for everyone. I taught my kids to drive sticks. My son now drives a stick and hates automatics my daughter chose not to own a stick but can drive one if needed. That doesn't mean that people who drive an automatic are teenage girls, I'm sure this is just a coincidence.

On manuals and gas mileage. - Automatic are programmed and set at the factory to get the best MPG on the the tests the government has designed. Manufacturers can't do that with manuals, hence a stick will always have a disadvantage on the Government tests. That doesn't mean they will get better or worse mileage than an automatic it just means the numbers you see are not an accurate comparison of real world driving. If you check published comparison of automatic vs manuals MPG (like Consumers Reports) you will see that sticks beat automatics in real world MPG's more often than not.

enough of this - thanks to the guys who found the 2016 transmission info.

 

we could always add a manual crank starter for you too if you like....

 

I like my manual but.. I find myself using 5th gear a lot more on anything but perfectly flat ground or down hill. And forget about pulling my 2,000 pound boat in 6th It just sucks fuel due to a lack of power I geuss. I pretty much get the same gass millage on any incline in 5th as I do in 6th. I'll average about 18-19 highway with my manual on 31.5" tires, my buddy gets 20-21 in his auto on 35" tires and a 4 in lift..

 

Sign me up for that right now, but only if I can keep the electric starter too. I have a pull starter as a backup on my outboard powered boat so why not on a truck, besides that fact that it would be all but impossible I like the idea.

And for what its worth I have push started many manuals over the years. Not as cool as a crank but better than calling AAA.

 

I learned to drive manuals on the farm...on a 1938 Chevy pickup.
He'd set his coffee cup on the dash and tell me my job was to not spill the coffee.

Then my Pop showed me how to drive the split shift dump. I was all of 13-y/o.
I pity kids these days. Now they'd arrest my old man for 'child endangerment'.

Ran a 2wd 83 5speed Yota to close on 200k, same clutch. Road and light construction, no real 'offroad'
I drove the truck so much tho I pretty much only used the clutch for stopping and starting. Shifter knew the way.
Only got rid of it because it was so rusted you could lift the cab off the frame barehanded.

The newest Auto trans are truly modern marvels!
A company I worked for bought a brand new 1985 Iveco Box truck, automatic trans.
Ran great, rode nice, good on fuel, terrific driver's seat, AC, stereo.

When you loaded it up...it would run up any hill just fine.
But coming back down with a load.... Whoa Nellie!!
Couldn't hardly hold it back, freaking gravity ride unless you were smoking the brakes and almost redlining the tach.
That truck scared me a bit once or twice.

I told the owner; he groused, and understandably so, about me bitching about a brand new truck. "It's like a Caddy in there!"

Then he used it to move some stuff for his upstate PA cabin.

After he got back, it had a tree crease down the driver's side box.
He said coming down about the 3rd hill in a row the brakes just faded and he had all he could do not to run off the road.
He said he swore he was going to tip over until he grazed the tree.
"I was too scared to blink."

We traded it the next week for another new Iveco, but about 2 sizes up. Air brakes, and a beefier trans. Much better.

Except for limited applications, the manual is pretty much a step back in time anymore.

 

70's F350 Dump for me....dang those old 4 speeds had a long throw on them.

I rented an International 26' Bobtail to move from AZ to ID, the autos have come a long way. It still hunted for gears while climbing...I had to help it find those gears.

I seen yinz are from Pee-Ay... I grew up in the Southwestern part. I was the first in the family to buy a Toyota all those years ago....man, did I get a lot of flack for not buying 'Murican...

 

Personally, I would never want the auto. My 6 speed works great. I generally get 18 +/- 2 mpg city & 20 +/- 2 highway. I have gotten as high as 23.3 on a local trip 15-20 miles keeping my foot out. Highway is usually 75 +/- 5 mph. Remember 6 speeds have 430 rear gears, not 390/391. I do have TRD Catback & TRD CAI. Maybe I’m just lucky, but it runs & handles great. Only issue has been a right front door seal which was replaced. No more wind noise! Short shifter would be nice, but I can move it pretty quick.