Test Drive and Thoughts - Blazing Blue Pearl DCSB Sport 4x2 V6 Auto

that would add a lot of weight.

 

OP, great review and thanks for posting. I too also test drove on and posted it on this forum.

Question, did you notice a pronounced "engine braking" sound? Whenever I pushed the gas pedal hard and then immediately let go (not necessarily braking, just coasting) I could really hear and feel the engine revving down. It was louder and longer than expected. This was a surprise to me. Your thoughts?

 

Yea, when letting off the gas, the rpm does not drop accordingly. It lingers before dropping. Drive by wire at its finest. I wouldn't call it engine braking.

 

I don't know how to technically explain it... in another thread, others suggested "engine braking", so I played along. You seem to know what I am referring to... does this annoy you? what do you mean by "drive by wire"? To me, it makes the engine sound and feel like it's overworked. Makes it feel like a 4cyc, not V6.

 

never mind my "drive by wire" question, I'm reading about it now. thanks.

 

LOL. I noticed it, if that's what you are referring to. Not sure if it annoyed me. I've shared the experience in other vehicles and such and it is what it is! Some aircraft have this also!!!!

 

I'm not an engineer by any means. But adding the back electric window like the 4Runner would add that much more weight? Explain

 

well let me see, thicker glass, motors to move it, hardware to be able to move it, thicker cavity to hold that.

to do that in a Tacoma your going to have to make that rear wall thicker to hold all that. its going to add weight and change the whole dynamics for crash worthiness.

 

Are these step bars from Toyota? Never saw them before. I'm guessing they would fit on a 2014 model.

 

R6 option, predator tube steps. they had them on the FJ cruisers and was a option on older Tacoma's I think, just wasn't advertised.

but they are a blatant copy of the NFab steps.

 

Nice pics. I need some alone time.

 

If you have to run a front plate, I like the plate holder and the fact that it doesn't appear to restrict air flow, like a plate on a gen2 does.

I like the tailgate.

Thanks for the review/pics.

 

I'm kinda liking the '16's more & more. tint, better-looking wheels & tires, and an aftermarket grill would definitely help though....

 

This is certainly true in Drive-By-Wire cars. My 2006 Mustang has a similar phenomenon: while shifting from one gear to another, clutch in and gas out, the engine hangs at whatever RPM it was at prior to shifting. Once I come off the clutch and hit the gas again, the engine speed drops lower, despite my hitting the gas, until the two meet up nicely. It's just something that takes getting used to, but it doesn't really have an effect on the driving experience.

 

So I got a call today that my local dealer (not where I have my truck ordered from) got some 2016's in today.

I drove straight there and saw three DCSB 16's. 2 were headed for PDI so I drove an SR5.

The truck looks great inside and out. It did feel a little different climbing in from my 2010, but can't really explain the difference. (It's been 4 months since mine was totaled) The most evident thing I noticed while driving was the absolute quiet inside the cab. Road and wind noise has been cut dramatically.

The engine felt plenty peppy and I really didn't feel any significant engine braking that others are describing.

Here's where it gets sketchy.....

So after the test drive, the salesman said you should try a Tundra. There's not all that much difference in price.

I drove two Tundras. The first was a 2016 DCSB 4WD TRD model. Very comfortable ride and noticeably wider inside than the Tacoma. The Tundra was quieter yet, until you floor the pedal and the 5.7L engine roars. It sounds awesome! $43,000 sticker price. The next Tundra I drove was a Toyota Certified 2013 DCSB with 40K miles. Again, very quiet inside and that 5.7 V8 sounds like pure sex to me. This one was marked on special for $28,000 but the salesman said he had some "wiggle room" on it.
So now I'm torn. I probably put about 9-10,000 miles a year on my truck so the difference in gas mileage wouldn't be a huge hit.

I think I'll wait for my 2016 Tacoma to arrive before I make my final decision, but $hi+ just got real.

 

great thread. On the Blue Sport above with the Predators I am going to have to say I am not a huge fan of that specific implementation. I thought we'd be more tubed all the way around like these -- not sure i want those although they are part of what I have on order ... build date is delayed until next week so I may see if I can convince Toyota to keep them ... if not I will deal and if I don't like them someone here in Denver will get a good deal on them ... nothing to take away from your truck AMarkham40, these are super picky details and that is beautiful. The more blue ones I see pics of the more I think I made the right color choice.

 

OP knhorn - thanks for the review. I've been wondering when we'd see a review that wasn't a purchase but a side by side, get out of the old and into the new and back into the old back to back and then walk away and think about wether the poster would purchase a '16 or not. Thanks for taking the time to do it and share as well as address some of the other thoughts people have had to date. I'm sure we will se the counter comparison to yours where someone walks away and says no thanks I'm staying put.

I totaled my '14 Silverado 2 months ago and have been waiting for the '16 Taco as its replacement. I could have bought a '15 and almost did but decided to wait. I liked the '15 but figured why not wait - I like the way the '16 looks and am psyched on the upgraded interior options. I hope it turns out to be what I want. If not it'll be back the drawing board and I'll honestly probably end up in a Tundra again - had an '04 and loved that truck but was looking to downsize after the Silverado which I never loved.

Thanks again.

 

Someone mentioned wanting more input from 2nd Gen owners - that's me: 2011 Sport DCSB V6; 80,000 mile logged.

Today I drove a 2016 Sport DCSB V6, no tech package. The driving experience was very similar to the '11 - plenty of get-up-and-go, 70MPH on the freeway was silent (quieter than the '11, I noticed later), smooth application of power and brakes, corner handling nicely.

The vehicle had only 160 miles when I left the dealership for a 6 mile drive, so the ECU still has a lot to learn about driving habits, etc.

I did not try the ECT mode, but was pleased with how responsive the manual shift mode was - slap the shifter down from 5th to 3rd, and feel the power grow.

With the engine being so new, I didn't get too heavily on the throttle, but under low-medium application and allowing the RPM to hit about 4000, it got up to 45 MPH more quickly than it probably seemed, due to how quiet the cabin is.

After this drive, a similar version with the tech and JBL was available for review. I just listened to the sound and experienced the dual-zone climate control. Maybe the JBL sub is not the world's greatest, but it seems they did improve upon this feature from the 2011 - the bass is clearer, and whatever it is that rattles in the '11 doesn't in the '16. There is plenty of volume, even without adjusting any of the settings.

The push-button start, updated back-up camera, and information-rich instrument panel are certainly nice. The updated controls, dual-zone climate, and new infotainment system make the '11 seem archaic (that's the only bad thing I can say about the vehicle).

I'm surprised the tail lights went back to incandescent, but this just makes another project for Jumper.

Honestly, the drastic difference between the 2 was incredible. Now, we just need to settle in on a color.

 

Fanboy reviews mean nothing

 

Thank you for such a meaningful comment., NOT. Did you ever state the same in the second gen section?

Here is a solution for you. Ignore the 3gen threads. They are not for you.

The OP gave a personal review. Much like most of the reviews on this website.