The 4 cylinder?

My fuelly has me at a per-tank average of 23-24MPG going back 125K miles.

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/xaks
(caution: there's a pic here, and i'm funny looking)

I don't see too many 6 cyls getting that. Here's the Fuelly page sorted by Tacoma's with the 4L 6:

http://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/tacoma?engineconfig_id=5731&bodystyleconfig_id=&submodel_id=

That's without a filter for auto vs manual though, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

I do prefer the 5 Speed manual, I didn't think the 6 speed is too horrible though.

Ahh...thought it was a 2WD, I need a 4WD because snow country...and well I like to go out exploring the back roads.

I could get low 20's out of my 4WD 22RE truck....the 2.7 doesn't have much improvement.

Do wonder how the 2.7 would fair if the Tacoma was still the size of the mini trucks.

Around town mileage doesn't matter too much to me, I have 50 mile round trip commute, 98% is on the interstate at 65 mph. My work is literally 2 lights in from the interstate. My house is 3 lights in. So not too much town driving.

Most of my "free time" traveling around Idaho is on 2 lane roads, speed limits range from 55-65. I drive like an old man and keep it at the speed limit, some times a little below...since I just like cruising and looking at shit.

Pretty much comes down to compromise...the 4 banger doesn't like to be loaded down, you have to ring its' neck (which makes mileage suffer) to pull the passes here.

They are great if you don't have to haul or tow anything though, but if you're gonna do that...might as well buy a car that gets into the 30's or 40's for mpg. That is if you're chasing mpgs.

Diesel would get decent mileage, but you'll won't be saving any money. So it is all a compromise.

 

I would have to respectfully disagree with your statement here, if I may.

I do occasional light lifting (200-800 lbs in the back) and frequent 'single guy farting around and rebuilding a life with owning nothing (buy a bed? bring it home right then. picking up lumber and full sheets of plywood to build a desk and some bookshelves? home in minutes. pull buddies' Fusion out of the weeds when he slid off the road? lemme get my straps...etc).

I find the Taco to be a very capable small truck. I don't need a full size, I don't want a full size.

The once every 3 years I need a v8 or a flatbed, I'll rent one for an afternoon.

That's the part that Ford and the rest can't seem to wrap their heads around. If you discontinue the mini truck and build F150s with the old mini trucks mileage.....I DON'T WANT IT. I WON'T BUY THEM.

I want a goddamned small truck. I don't have any problems with 700 pounds of dirt in the back and getting home from the garden store. I ain't winning any pinks racing on the way home, no....but I wasn't doing that anyways. I'm not sure what you're trying to load that's too much for the 2.7 in the reg cab, but I've had over a half-pound back there and still gone hiway speeds for three counties.

 

I find the 4 Cylinder isn't quite enough on long trips for me. I am near max payload loaded down with camping/moto gear, towing a moto trailer with 2-3 dirt bikes on it. I don't need to fly up the road like a bat out of Hell, but I don't want to pull long grades in 2nd or 3rd gear either.

The V6 handles it better. I like the extra cab 4WD models, the 4 banger's mileage gain is marginal...not enough to make me buy one. Now if I could get a solid 25+ HWY (empty)...might consider it. In reality in that platform they gets 22 on a good day. I can get 20-21 out of the V6.

I hear you on the small truck thing. Don't really need a fullsize either...I downsized from a F250 25 years ago, and started buying Toyotas. Find that my 5X8' trailer is a great augmentation for the Taco. Have basically fullsize truck bed without having to own a fullsize truck. And since the V6's are rated to tow 6500 lbs...quite a bit more than a 3/4-1 Ton payload.

Now only if Toyota made a brand new 1st gen Taco sized, 4WD, with a diesel that got near 30 mpg...for $30K...

Ya know, I am seeing 1st gens for under $10K...and the Diesel Toys swap is $25K...that is real close...hmmm....

 

I very much hear ya here, amigo.

I"m already shopping around for my next one. There ain't nothing wrong with my Audra, but I want 2.7, reg or access, 5 speed, 4wd next and I don't care if it takes a year to find and work out the tradein, that's what I'm bloody getting.

Now, if Toyota made a true 3rd gen 4x4 with a smallish diesel and NO DOUBLE CAB, I'd already be signing up for 2017.

 

*thumbs-up*


They make what I want, just not here...

 

I have had 7 toyota trucks altogether. 3 were 2 wd and the rest were 4 wd. One 2wd was a six and two 4 wd were sixs. 2 4 wd were 4 manuals. When I look back at the ones I remember and liked the best, they were the six cylinder trucks. They were the ones I could pack full of gear and cruise at 75 to 80 taking kids to college. They were the ones that I could tow boats to racing regattas with ease. They were the ones I could easily do anything I wanted that you use a car for in more comfort then the fours. Off road, I really liked fours better. But the fours ? They were the ones the kids used growing up. They didn't like it at first, but I found them great for teens with active life styles. They learned to drive manuals on them, went off road and generally had a blast......once they knew they would get nothing else.

Now, if Toyota ever makes a four with at least 200 hp like the Colorado, many like me could chnge their mind. I pay well over $3.00 a gallon for diesel for my tractor which is used nearly daily. No way I want a diesel in a small truck that would be less of a hauler then a full size gas motor truck. Toyota execs made the right choice IMho. . No diesel

 

It is amazing how user's expectations play into the 4 vs. 6 topic. How many times does someone complain that the 4 just wasn't fast enough?...All the time. Which does make you scratch your head and wonder why they didn't simply buy a car if they wanted a "fast" vehicle. You should be expecting to give something up when you buy a truck, right?

I agree wholeheartedly. My 2.7 4x4 manages 22-23 in the summer and I'm happy with that. If it averaged 25 I'd be skipping everywhere I go.

Clark

 

The important questions I would ask you:

Can the 'fast car' in your example haul 800 pounds of dirt home from gravel pit?

Can I shove a new mattress & boxspring set in it and drive it home with...say, 5 minutes work in the parking lot at either end (combined)?

Also, you say you have a 2.7 4x4 with a 22-23 average MPG. 23 of 25 MPG is ...*carry the one, a digit over...scribble* 92%.

23 MPG current against a 25 MPG average is 92%.

So, at 2.39 a gallon (my last tank), you would change your gas bill...8%. Meaning...my last fillup would go up a whopping $2.82. That's for a full tank, mind you. So, spread that across however many gallons...mine was 15.5 gallons, so that means 2.82 / 15 gallons is...$0.188 a gallon savings.

You're skipping everywhere over...2.39 vs 2.58 at the pump, which will save you two bucks and change. Over 400 miles.

...


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You GO boy.

 

Hot dang.....

 

Xaks, I am glad you have banged pots and pans in regards to the 2.7L Manual. Its an incredible truck and I love it to pieces.

It continues to serve its purpose in my life as a stock truck aside from a camper shell for truck camping and getting to hiking locations on dirt roads. I'm not the one to spend $15k on outfitting my Tacoma when my feet can do the same damn thing and go even more remote for $2k in ultra light weight camping gear/clothing.

On average I get 20 city, and 24-25 highway with my manual, with the pre runner and size 245/75/16 Michelin LTX/AT2s. My last pair got me around 95k. Incredible tires.

This truck is truly amazing and is a joy to drive. As long as you leave it to manufactures specs, there's no reason to hate on this truck. Its more than capable with whatever you throw at it.

With a simple winch in the front and some emergency ramps to lay down to get you out of a mess you can go many places. That'd be nice if they made the TRD edition with the rear locker and outlet, and 2wd. Perfect Combination!

 

don't get me wrong I love the 4cyl toyota pickups old and new. But my trailer outgrew it.

I just want to point out some facts to get rid of some of the argument.

The 22r 22re engine family was around for a long time. But not forever. . And there were major changes. 81-84 and 85-95 have about the same amount in common as the 95-2004 and 2005 plus engines.

20r-22r-22re engines ran 20 years with 5 or more changes not including cars or the turbo model

2rz-3rz-2tr engines have hit 20 years and only went through 3 or more major changes including the change from 3rz to 2tr with new head and tech.

Both are proven and very reliable engine families. As much as I love the 22r and re engines the 3rz and 2tr are just better. They now have an equal run for production and just like ever other aspect of toyota the generation is going longer each time

 

It's all about expectation and what you need from a truck. My four cylinders were excellent work vehicles around town. They all had to be 4 wd because we live in the woods and there was never a thought to having an auto with them. They just could not hack it. The trailer hitch would be an ornament with the boats I had. It Toyota makes a four cylinder with well over 200 hp, and 250 ft lbs of torque, I would buy one. They don't and my needs as I grow older does not include fighting semis on the interstate for lane room while climbing slight grades. Safey is a real issue and having more grunt then the four can provide is a safety issue here with all the steep hills and work load we ask it to do. Parts delivery and teen trucks.....fours are great for that and trash haulers and occasional towing of light loads.

Otherwise, for me, they are what they are..great off road where loads are incidental. Like I said, if Toyota wants to build a more powerful one, 'I'm in. I wasn't ready for a car engine, so I bought the last model 2015 when I sold my 4 Runner and wanted to get back into trucks. No way after driving a six 4 Runner for ten years did I want a wheezing four. My right arm would develope tendinitis using it around here and the dreadful 4 speed auto was a complete turn off.

I don't doubt that some get mid twenties with there four. But you couldn't be carrying much, driving very fast or driving up many steep grades. Otherwise, like all Toyotas, used as intended, even the Toyota four is a great truck. If a four is a " joy to drive". You would have a mind blowing experience driving a six.

 

Bah, you guys! My base 2.7 reg cab with 215/75-15 donuts and 4.10 gear was returning 24 MPG on a 75 MPH highway trip across several states. It had no trouble power wise with anything I'd throw at it. The boat that required a down shift to oull up highway hills now needed nothing to breeze over them. Cruise control at 70 and it just pulled it.

Now I can't really check until I recalculate the odo and speedo but with 4.88 and 30" of rubber it's again a powerhouse imo. It doesn't lack power at all.

These are geared for the fed MPG test, not the real World. A good wide ratio 6 speed would be a treat. Granny first so you start in second in traffic, 2-4 close ratio, OD fifth, a really tall sixth for flat cruise. My JK 6 speed wasn't great but I'd welcome it in the Tacoma! Against the 200 hp 3.8 Jeep minivan engine, I'd choose the 2.7 now. With 3.31 gears I really believed it was a POS. Not anymore. With tall gears it felt like it was dead and pushing it past 3k it felt like it would blow up. Ragged, unrefined, more noise than acceleration. Now it zings thru 4k like a proper 4 should.

Guys having clutch issues with them doesn't surprise me.

 

I'd trade my 3.31 diff for a 4.10 in a heartbeat, were a reasonably priced one drop into my lap.

Really that's the only thing needed. The motor and tranny are fine as-is.

 

It is one of a long line of bullet proof 4 cylinder Toyota engines that last far longer than the rest of the truck. But if you think it's turd then it must be.

 

East Coast Gear was a painful purchase as the 3.31 is junk. No value as a core but I'll be perfectly honest, it was worth doing without hesitation. If your going to do bigger tires, go even lower. It transformed the vehicle and I shared that turd engine opinion. Second time around I sold my 4.10 right here and added a limited slip to the 4.88 and it is now a great snow vehicle too. It was just about useless stock in more than 4" of snow.

The engine is fine, no longer thrashy or rough. It was strangled by the gearing. I can't imagine trying to tow a full 3500 lbs geared stock on any of them, its a crime to deliver them this handicapped.

The 4x4 guys with 4.10 stock aren't any better off with bigger tires than my base 2wd had.

 

I had a couple of earlier Toyota Four cylinder trucks with a short bed, manual, 2 wd and cookie cutter tires....no problem and your point is well taken. Please read though, in trucks that Toyota still offers with 4 wd, larger tires, only on 127 inch wheel base, the manual is marginal, the 4 speed auto is atrocious. Good only as a parts truck. Apples to apples....yes, the 2.7 is excellent without the goodies. Otherwise, it sucks gas like six for most use and no reason to have one other then great reliability and saving initial investment.

 

I don't need to go fast, do want something that will get out of its' own way though. Empty the 4 slug is fine. It is when it is loaded it feels underpowered to me. Pulling mountain grades in 2nd or 3rd gear isn't fun. Would like to at least do the speed limit without much effort. Might be ok in the OK state , but here in Idaho, or in the mountains of the Pacific North West...the 4 suffers.

It is the torque where the 4 looses it for me, 180 compared to the V6's 266...which the 6 could use a little more IMO.

Since mpg is so close in the configuration that I like, the V6 is a no brainer. If the mileage was stellar in the 4, above 25 hwy...I wuld put up with less power. I used to drive a VW bus with 70 horsepower...sooo.


That new 3.5 might get some better numbers I am hoping. Will just have to get used to that ugly front end.

 

Have you driven one with lower than 4.1 gearing? The few hundred lbs of 4wd wouldn't be an issue with mine with true 30" tires and 4.88. With the 4.10 it left a lot to be desired again. Not as bad as the 3.31/26" tire stock, but not much better.

You can't just drive around in higher RPM in lower gears to get a feel for it. The only thing stopping me from gearing mine even lower was the fifth gear ratio. Driving around with 400 lbs of motorcycle in it the thing doesn't feel it now.

Stock gearing is too tall, even at 4.10 as delivered with bigger tires.