TRD Sport 4x4 Test Drive Impression

OK, at lunch I went to AutoNation on Arapahoe in Denver and took their white DCSB TRD Sport 4x4 automatic for a spin. Options were tonneau, towing, tube steps, mats and the FUGliest hood decal ever. Just have a look at the pictures. Blech on that.

Looks. Better in person than in pics but by now there are enough pics you pretty much know what it looks like. This truck screams Toyota at you. It is clearly from the same family and design heritage. The front bumper is a change from the past versions for sure. Driving around I have been looking and to me it just seems like we went from a flat profile to a profile with a bumper. Odd on a Taco for sure but in person it is not near as bad as some pictures make it out to be. Not a huge fan of the bumper but I won't be looking at it from where I sit

The rest of the truck looks sharp. I will note that the hood scoop on this taco is sort of "2 step" It bumps up and then again right at the scoop. From the inside it seems kind of big to me and I am glad my OT won't have it. Didn't grab a pic but maybe someone else can from the drivers seat.

I've been apprehensive about the motor and the transmission. I test drove several versions os the '15 - SR5, TRD Sport, TRD OR, Limited about the beginning of August. My impression was that the motor had plenty of get up and go; however, you do need to use the gas pedal. Pressing the gas gently off the line it is a little underwhelming feeling but as soon as you actually give it some gas and tell it you want to move it has plenty giddyup IMHO. I can see why some people might not like it. I tend to be a bit more assertive than some people off of the line so it didn't bother me. I tried a few different stop/starts and can see what people were complaining about - it is tame in the first 1/4 stroke of the gas pedal. But, put your foot into it and the motor wakes right up no problem there is plenty of HP and the power curve seems very smooth. ECT button also helps for sure.

Transmissions shifts were very smooth. I played with "S" mode and as discussed elsewhere when you go into "S" it effectively sets your initial upper gear limit and lets you play. Worked great - I was surprised to learn how this works and impressed by it in person. Explanation of how this works is perfectly clear in post 6 of this thread: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/commnets-on-the-auto-trans-manual-mode.391325/

"My wife's Venza has it. The good thing about it is, you don't have to travel through a lot of
indents in the old taco gate shifter to go from Reverse to first . You can shift vertically to D from park, which automatically uses all six gears. Once in D you have the option to shift a notch to the left into S ( the sport mode) when you do go to S, the trans automatically shifts into 4 th gear, eliminating the two OD gears. When in S, the lever us spring loaded and you can flick it up and down, going up to use 5 and 6 and down to go to 3,2 and 1 . When the trans is in any if these numbers, it becomes the upper limit of the auto which will still down shift as need. For general driving, we just shift to S mode and leave it for speeds less the 45 mph and put it in D for highway speeds. It's great for down and up shifting for engine braking. Once I got used to it, I hated my 5 speed Taco shifter and I will never go back to a manual if I had a vehicle with it...,works great, very quick and responsive. They have had it since 2009 in the Venza and I think Highlander so it is nothing new." ​

Interior is really really quiet. My co-worker that went with me even noticed how quiet it was even when I was smashing the gas. Interior fit and finish were solid. I agree with other posters that it is annoying that the rear seats need the headrest removed to fold properly. Rear under seat storage is exactly like the '15 as far as I remember. Stock non upgraded radio (whatever comes with Sport is what it had - no P&T package or JBL on this one) sounded decent enough to me - I could have lived with it even though I ordered the JBL option - I do spend a lot of time in my car so it was an upgrade I wanted but I definitely could live with this stereo. One thing I did notice was that the center drivers LED display was showing me the speed limit - that is a nice touch I always wish cars with navigation options would do. It was accurate on the state highway/Arapahoe Rd as well as a couple of larger side streets - not sure how deep the database goes. Sorry, no pic - I was driving. Visibility out of the truck is good but the rear head rests are sort of annoying - definitely need them down low if possible.

Comfort. I am 6'2" and tip in at 170lbs. 34" inseam. My driving position felt fine. Plenty of headroom in this truck. I think I will still be OK with the sunroof eating up a couple of inches. Again, this did not have it but I played around and think it will be fine for me. If you like to sit super straight up it might be an issue if you are my height or taller but if like me you sit slightly inclined I think no problem. YMMV. Seats were charcoal cloth and I think they were more comfortable than the '15 but it has been a while. I'll say, the person that brought the car around was about 5'6" and had the seat pretty much in the steering wheel when I got in. I didn't even notice that the seats were not electric, my hand just grabbed the slider bar instinctively and about a nano second later it was right where I wanted it - I always think electric slides are too damn slow. Otherwise the seat seemed comfortable enough to me. All the interior controls were within easy reach - see the many pics on the forum - they are pretty easy to reach and quality in this specimen was fine. Doors all seemed fine and closed with a bit more authority than the '15 - seemed to thud more than clang. The center console is a bit smaller than the '15 and more square. The glove box lowers slowly when you open it - kind of the same idea as the tailgate.

The tailgate was nice. Just like the '14 Silverado I used to have. Feature seems dumb on paper but is nice in the real world. Tonneau ... doesnt seem to be fully waterproof - this truck came right out of the dealership car wash and the inside of the bed was wet. Not sure what the exact cause of that was. I'm not getting one so didn't really examine it too closely or operate fully.

Conclusion - my worries about the motor are gone - this is a V6 I can live with and I think has plenty of guts for my needs and my driving style. Interior is IMO much better than the '15s and I am glad I waited (am waiting ...).

Cheers.

 

Love the truck, but what in the world is the point of the hood graphics? Looks ridiculous.

 

Cuts down on glare I think

 

No idea. I think it is heinous.

 

I Agree

 

Bought the same truck in the pics. Thanks for your review.

 

I keep seeing people comment on this, but let me ask, is it somehow different than a 2nd gen? Because I was under the impression the back seat is nearly identical to the 2nd gen.

That and complaints on having to remove the headrests to fold the seats down....isn't that also the case with 2nd gens? lol I can't remember cause I haven't folded my seats down in a while.

 

Nice write-up, thanks OP.

 

Here are my thoughts on the hood graphics.


https://youtu.be/hoXORtIibwQ

 

I like it. No more ridiculous than that tonneau.

 

What is going on with the last section of the toneau cover? On every picture of it I have seen so far, it doesn't sit flat with the tailgate.

 

Maybe you just figured out what this "stop sell" gossip is about.

Edit: or maybe its a fin to increase performance.

 

I can't recall which thread I read it on, but I seem to recall somebody posting that you need to close the cover first, then the tailgate to get a proper seal. if you close the tailgate first then lower the cover, it doesn't close all the way and sits slightly raised like in the pics. I have no firsthand knowledge to say if that is correct or not, but based on the pictures I have seen of the latch mechanism and all, I could see that being the case.

 

Mine sticks up just like the one in the pics. It's not enough to lose the seal but enough to look wrong. I think it had to be this way due to their inferior seal design. If it was lower, the tailgate would tear it off after multiple uses with the cover down.

 

Good write up/review. I like how you explained the power in relation to the pedal. My current car is similar in that its not aggressive at the first tap of the throttle (like some of my other vehicles have been). Its tame at first touch which makes pulling away from a stop less "jerky", and its easy to modulate partial throttle inputs. But if you want to really go, you just jump on it and it will go. Again, i fully get what your saying as my current vehicle is the same way. I was getting a bit uneasy about the power based on some reviews, but im less concerned now.

I dont think anyone expects it to be a rocketship, but it would suck if it was a dog.

 

The rear headrests an fold down so you don't look at the in the mirror. The center headrest has to be removed.

 

thanks for the write up, well done.

 

I drive a civic hybrid, I know what it is to have no guts. A rig this nice at this price will be no problem if it doesn't squeal the tires off the line. At 26 my days of racing the thing are long gone. YMMV but I want as many miles out of this thing as possible.

 

You are all welcome, glad it helps. Some replies:

I think so but it was more of a note - seems goofy to have to remove them.

I didn't try it. It was very very slight and only obvious to me once I looked for it. I don't want a tonneau so didn't spend much time on it but grabbed the pic b/c others have mentioned it. On the truck standing there it was not something that would bother me day to day as long as the thing seals. I can't say for sure if does or doesn't just that there was moisture in the bed right after it had been washed. Who knows - might have been opened or not fastened correctly yet by the dealer. I'd take my observations on the tonneau with a grain of salt.

Glad it helps. I'll admit was getting pretty nervous especially since so much time has been passing since I ordered. There is another post on here by a guy that owns a '15 and took a '16 for a test drive and he had no reservations at all but there is nothing like driving one yourself to be sure. Happened to see these guys had some in stock and am often at lunch in the area so went for it today. Glad I did.

Coming from a '04 Tundra and '14 Silverado I have been on V8's a long time. I had been contemplating a downsize when the Silverado was totaled. This is not a V8 but it has plenty of giddyup for me and my purposes which are DD, weekend hauling all sorts of crap, MTB trail access in Colorado, UT, etc. camping, skiing, light to moderate wheeling on crappy dirt roads and towing small trailers a couple times a year for yard projects and such. I'll overload my trucks from time to time and treat them like trucks not cars. Shit is going to get scratched and they are going to crunch things on dirt roads.

Good to know - thanks.

 

It is a little goofy to have to remove them, especially when other Toyota offerings like the current 4Runner allow them to slide in little notches when folded down. Also the fact that 2nd gen headrests are a pain in the ass to remove!