Tested a 2016...My $.02.

Hey guys,
Finally got a call from my local dealer here in Cheyenne, Wyoming. "The Eagle has landed!" is what the salesman said to me on the phone. Drove down to the local dealer and they pulled out a beautiful 2016 DCSB TRD OR with ALL the bells and whistles. Moon roof, tech package, tow package etc. $39k in total. Wowza!


I know styling is subjective, and I have been a big time critic of the styling, but personally I think the 2016 looked much better in person. After months of seeing images of the 2016 on the internet, the long snout is beginning to look normal to me. I thought the wheels and rear end looked especially good too.


The interior I think looked great and felt great too. The salesman showed me around the head unit. Was able to see our location on the navigation screen as well as cloud cover around us. I thought that was pretty neat. Materials all seemed top notch and seats seemed plenty supportive. As others have mentioned, the long hood does obscure some view, but I think this is something that someone would get used to pretty fast.

I made sure to hop in back seat. I thought the rear seats felt roomier than most people say they are. Sure, they are not going to feel like the back of a Ford Super Duty, but it felt as roomy or more so than some mid-size cars on the market.
I had often wondered if the door skins around the windows of the 2016 were different than the gen 2, so I took a photo of the door of the 2016 as well as a 2015. What do you think? Same or different?
Driving Impressions:
Full disclosure: I have a 2002 4x4 TRD Offroad with a manual transmission. Old school Taco here. So I was not quite sure what to compare it with. I had never even driven a gen 2. At any rate, I did feel that 2016 felt lethargic in stop and go traffic. The salesperson almost immediately threw the ECT button on to show me the power difference. I could tell that he also could tell it felt a bit gutless without the button engaged. There is a significant different in power with the button turned on.
Still though, it felt slower than my 2002 from a dead stop. Of course, I have a manual and I can coax a bit more power out of it with some clutch trickery and letting it rev more. I was able to hop on the interstate for a bit and that is where I was more impressed with the motor. Felt very smooth, even in high revs, and I felt like I had plenty of passing power once up to speed. When the engine did need to rev, it did not feel harsh and buzzy like other high-revving engines. It felt smooth, quiet, and the increase in RPM's was not really that noticeable.
As others have said, it is very quiet. VERY quiet. In fact when I hopped back into my 2002 after the test drive, I realized how unrefined my cabin was and how loud it was. Getting back to the 2016, I wonder how an engine like this with less low-end torque will pull a trailer. That is my primary concern with the new 3.5 liter. My 3.4 liter seemed like the opposite of the 3.5 liter. My 2002 feels relatively torquey off the line (I emphasize the word "relatively") but has trouble keeping up at higher speeds where the 3.5 liter feel plenty powerful for highway driving.
A funny thing happened after I finished the test drive. A friend of mine honked at me as I was walking away from the 2016. He had just bought a used 2011 AC TRD OR 4x4 Auto from the same dealership. Only 18k on the clock! Since I had just finished driving the 2016 and never had driven the gen 2, I asked him if I could drive it. So I hopped in the gen 2 and was able to compare the two.
The 4.0 felt a bit more powerful but not much. I don't know if my 2002 is throttle by wire but the newer Tacomas felt like I had to push the throttle down and wait a second to get some power. My 2002 just gives instant power. Anyway, I don't think the average Joe could feel much of a difference between the gen 2 and gen 3 but I felt a subtle difference for in town driving. I admit I never fully opened the throttle on either truck because they weren't mine.
At any rate, this is just my take. I am a regular on the forum and thought I would share my perspective. I liked the gen 3 for it's refinement but I think a gen 2 might fit better for me because, well, I can't afford a $40k truck now and I don't need the latest tech. I thin it is a great truck, however and I finally conceded to the styling. I am excited to the TFL truck guys take it up the Ike Gauntlet because I am not far from I-70 and I plan to pull my 3,000 lb Casita camper over that pass soon, so I need to be able to tow that and feel secure while doing it.
Here are a few more pics...

 

Thanks for the comparison. There is a huge difference between gen1 and gen2 Tacomas interms of refinement. I agree the 3.4L feels torquey off the line but lacks highway power. $39k though... I have less than that into my 2015 Supercharged TRD PROed Tacoma.

 

Thanks for that...In the craziness around here it's sometimes hard to get solid opinions before the thread goes to crap..

 

So its like driving a Honda?

 

In before the thread goes to crap in 1... 2...

Crap.

Oh well. Thanks for the nicely done and balanced review OP. [Edit: question removed to mask my lack of attention to detail/reading comprehension.]

 

Beautiful truck, beautiful color. Your test drive matched my impressions exactly.

 

To be honest, power at higher speeds is what I care about more. It seemed to offer that up pretty well. In town driving seemed a bit slower but nothing drastic. I walked away overall impressed, but maybe my standards are low? lol. Like I said, the revs are surprisingly quiet. Did not feel like a Honda or a 4 banger under full throttle. Felt incredibly smooth.

 

Do you guys think the uptick on the 2016 window looks more pronounced than the 2015?

 

Great review.. Love the picks..

 

@TacoJonn, hmmmm. Excellent thoughts, thanks. I think you really should drive an MT before making a decision. I personally find almost all ATs (many makes/models) to feel gutless down low, even in comparison to our anemic 3.4L with an old 5spd. I still need to drive a '16.

 

Lethargic in stop and go just sounds like a torqueless Honda to me...... Has pep at highway speeds, sounds like Honda to me....Trucks should get off the line with a purpose

 

Welcome to 2015! This is the new norm for mid-size trucks.

 

Didn't read the reviews...too overwhelmed by the tan glory.
Just like my Coors Banquet right now.
So much hate and shit talking. This forum is going to crap.
Thanks for the pics, I'll read the review later.

 

Perfect write up. Thank you sir.

 

Great write up!

 

Great write up!

When I eventually pull the trigger on a 3rd Gen (in 4-6 yrs I'm guessing)......this is the color/model I'm going with (sans the OEM Roof Rack). I think it looks really sharp!

 

I pulled the same amount of weight (2000 pds often and 4000 pds a few times) with my v6 2003 and my v6 2012 on the highway and local streets. The 03 had a lot of torque and the truck felt like it was standing up when driving off the line and did just fine on the highway when driven conservatively. The 12 feels nothing like the 03 (lacks the torque feeling) but pulls just as good off the line as the 03. Obviously the 4.0 has more power at highway speeds but they are pretty similar and I think the the 3rd generation will be similar to both of them and not like a Honda... If you are looking to tow a 4000 pound trailer at 80 miles an hour with you kids and wife in the truck one should look to get a full-size (80 seems crazy but most idiots here in the northeast NY NJ CT PA MA all do it all the time...trully amazing more people don't die each year). Any generation of Tacoma will have enough power to do what it is rated for including towing if driven on a safer more conservative side. But these trucks will never have the grunt of a V8 and to be honest if that is what one is looking for don't even waste your time with a Tacoma.

thanks for the writeup...very detailed

 

Glad you got to test one. Yes the first 1/4 to 1/2 of the throttle pedal seems gutless.

Yes the door skins look different.

 

Thanks for the review and the pics

 

With the new toyota engines, you have to press the pedal to make it go. trust me, if you floored it off the line, it would annihalate your 3.4. a s/c'd 3.4 would have trouble keeping up.