The 4 cylinder?

Have thought of that, rather spend the extra $3K, when it comes down to personal compromise. You also get 6500# towing capacity compared to the 4's 3500#.

 

starving college students like me love the four banger. 21 mpgs with the 4x4 and i can go 80 mph on the freeway. It also reduces speeding tickets on my record. I'm not trying to win races in an economy pickup. Yes sometimes i wish i had a v6 or even a v8 like in my dads sierra but the i4 cheap and works well for me. I bought a toyota for the reliability and mpgs instead of a sierra and it is way better and faster than my 95 4runner with the 3.slow ever was. I probably will buy another i4 if this truck breaks. It a good motor for my needs and I am happy with it along with others I know. Its all relative to the users' needs

 

To pick nits, the I4 is #3800

 

You know they do offer the 4.0 as a $1k option right? It was listed at like $1,100 or something

 

I hear what some say but it is nothing more then the like difference between a four cylinder Venza we bought for my wife vs the six cylinder we didn't buy. The difference is, I had experience with ownership of seven of these trucks, three with sixes and four with the fours, before I bought my last truck. I also had the $$$$. I have a real good idea of their capabilities.the biggest factors are whether 4 wd and initial cost between the models are factors for you. They are all important in making decisions. No one hates the four, and I never did. I had four of these things with that great motor. What I did hate was making a poor decision on a truck based upon not knowing it's capabilities then living with it for ten years.

My wife has already hinted she might have wanted the six in the Venza with mileage only 1 mpg difference. I remind her of the actual difference in price and what use we give it....she then agrees on the four. Cost is a big factor though less in these trucks then in many cars. But, for guilty pleasure, even if you don't need 4 wd and like the pre runner, I still would advise people to go with the six if they can afford it. I had a 2 wd with the six and it drove and handled more car like, did everything you could ask of a 2 wd truck.......and the fun factor was through the roof. The six in 2 wd is an on road sports car with a huge trunk for all your sports. Of course, I lowered mine and put on" rediculous low profile rims and tires" . It wasn't real practical off road....but it was a hoot to drive.

In our state too, as in many others, speed limits are on the rise. Our state has moved to seventy for many areas and seventy five for others. Some states are unlimited. Big factor for me. We just got back from " delivering" a truck bed load of stuff to my son and his family. Keeping up with traffic and semis at 80 mph was not a problem. It wasn't a problem for a fellow traveler in A second gen Tacoma in the same style cab with a four. But, he had 2wd to my 4wd and the bed wasn't packed to the gills either.

The most practical vehicle made IMho, is a four cylinder toyota truck with a manual transmission and either 2wd or 4 wd. Hands down. But, I still recomend a six.....if you can afford it. So didn't consumer reports and every other testing publication that

 

You just described in a very long way every reason why I don't want a 4 cylinder ever again. It's a truck, and I plan to tow things with it. I'll certainly be pushing the limit with some of the covered utility trailers, boats and snowmobiles even on the 6cyl. The 4 on the other hand wouldn't hardly get it out of the driveway.

 

That's because today I have way too much free timeon my hands. I can't argue with many who prefer the four. For what ever reason. They are still toyota trucks. But they can't argue with me when I say the six is " freek'n" fun.

 

It's dog slow and has very little horsepower and torque for one reason. It's low cost of ownership. It's built stout and very de-tuned for a reason. I have one in a 2004 RC 4X4 and it is a slug but they are stone reliable, require very little maintenance and last a long time. I have been surprised at what it will climb in stock condition with no lockers or posi-traction and lowly Michelin MS2's. I can only imagine where a tricked out one will go. The 2.7 does just fine for it's intended purpose.

 

The 2.7 is so "survival-able" it's been through both generations of the Tacoma, the pick up before and is now slated to be in the third gen Tacoma. The only 4 cylinder pick up gas engine to last longer....could be the Pinto based Ford Ranger engine. Me thinks Toyota is after a new record of sorts which is more mportant to them then a more powerful motor. Heck, these things last so long, they probably take them out of rusted hulks in the junk yard and put them into new ones after a good steam cleaning. The only thing that has changed is the conversion to a new digital date counter to measure 0 to 60 times.

 

The 1st and 2nd gen 2.7s are completely different though.

 

Different enough to have a different designation, sure. "Completely different", I doubt it. Toyota doesn't reinvent the wheel with every "different" motor. If you believe that stuff, I have some wet lands to sell you for your next house. 2.7 first vs 2.7 second....Same basic design, maybe different breathing with latter having vvt, not completly different any more then the 4.0 taco vs 4.0 4Runner

 

You're right, Toyota didn't reinvent the wheel since the internal combustion engine has been pretty much the same for 100+ years. They both have pistons, valves, timing chains and run on gasoline. By that logic all 2.7L engines ever made by any manufacturer are the same.
That being said the 3RZ-FE and 2TR-FE have different hp and tq numbers, delivered at different RPM and have no compatible parts. The 2TR heads are VVTi with screw-type rocker arms vs shim & bucket in the 3RZ and no VVTi. The bottom end of the 3RZ are forged whereas the 2TR are P/M.
Both 2.7L displacement with the same square 95mm bore and stroke but entirely different engines.

The 4.0 in the Tacoma and the 4.0 in the 4 Runner are actually the same 1GR-FE engine with the newer 4 Runner offering dual VVTi vs single VVTi in the older 4 Runner/Tacoma. So that comparison doesn't hold weight.

 

Take a hint..... Dont be a cheapo. Rule #1 of car buying in Marriage, If its Her car stay out of the buying process, let her buy what she likes not what you like, women know there is no replacement for a displacement. To them size does matter even if they claim otherwise.
If she hinted already you are on slippery slope brother.

 

Yeah but Toyota could have made version with Turbo. they have Turbo for 2.7 and it would not make 4 cylinder last any shorter. Instead of spending fortune on 3.5 they could have make 2.7 Turbo version and either get updated 1GR or drop 5.7 L in Tacoma.
3.5L i like in between. Even according to Toyota docs direct injection does only 7% HP improvement over the same 3.5 L.
2.7 Turbo would have blown 3.5 out of the water. And last much longer with out being overly complicated to maintain.

 

Our method works well. I get to pick out the manufacturer, (toyota, Honda, Subaru) she gets to pick out the model and the color. Women that I know are much more concerned about the color. Still have the same wife after more then three decades. If she wants to trade it in for a six, that's fine with me......she knows it. I aquit her of all the added expense though. Then the decision is hers. We have an agreement. If after talking about an expensive purchase, one or the other still wants it, then the other says no more. But, giving one partner total control with no input in what to buy especially when dealing with an expensive item like an auto when you both live on the same budget, is not wise. There is give and take in everything.

 

I had two four cylinder 4x4 and found them BETTER for off road in the standard cab, short wheel base. They could go places the longer trucks couldn't and the four was plenty powerful enough with the lighter chassis and standard for off roading and around town. In the extended cab with 4 wheel drive, I felt the added weight was too much and got the six. Still, the ultimate off road toyota trucks were these, well balanced 4 cylinder animals even though they had no extra traction aids...they didn't seem to need them. They are the cheapest way to get a great go anywhere, reliable vehicle.

 

Try 20 years, the 2.7 came out in 1995 to replace the 22RE in 4x4 trucks. It has changed a lot since then and VVT-i was added in 2005, but other than that, it's pretty much the same as it was in 1995.

 

Shoot...mine is keeping me grounded. I have been looking at everything...she tells me just to buy another Tacoma...heck she wants one for herself. She hates cars as she sees them as useless. I even thought of getting a Subaru Forester...she says to me "have you lost your mind!?"

Oh...there is a reason I married that girl.

 

I need to have her speak to my wife when the 2016 Tacos come in. She did buy the 04 4Runner ten years ago...a surprise to me at the time and talked me into the Off Road model when we replced it. We live on a mile and a half dirt road on the side of a mountain in snow country.....we got 130 inches this year. My wife has grown accustomed to nothing but 4 wd, nothing less then 8 inches of clearance and cars and trucks getting barely 22 mpg. If you are ready to buy, I would wait till the 2016 comes out and take her for a spin...maybe a his and her deal for two...