DeMello's review of the 2016 Tacoma.

Don't mean to be argumentative, but being the Optimist I am, I'd really try not to be anticipatory of "issues without resolve". Yes, yes, yes, I understand the concept of reality, but I'm also a believer in self fullfilling prophecy; generally speaking, I get MUCH better results if I go into a challenge PLANNING positive results.
Hang in there! Try NOT to take 'no' for an answer.

 

No worries, I just don't like dealing with dealerships. I can picture it going a few different ways. They drive the truck and say there was no rattle, they open some panels but don't find anything, or they open some panels and find something. I Googled it just to see what came up and it seems there's been some kind of rattle with previous gens too. My buddy with a '14 said it'll settle.

 

Just a suggestion....I get a rattle same spot as yours but it's the seat belt hitting against the plastic pillar. Maybe try reaching over and grabbing the seat belt when you hear it and see if it stops. Had a 2013 before, did the same thing when it was sitting in the right spot.

 

Thanks for the suggestion; that used to happen with my Frontier every now and then.

I looked at it when I heard the rattle but it wasn't touching the pillar.

 

Ya, it doesn't take too much to cause the rattle. I can't notice the movement at all, but it is certainly irritating. My '13 had a little holder for the metal clip to sit in, haven't checked the '16 for one yet.

 

It still rattles when the seatbelt is in use so that rules that out.

 

That's too bad. Good luck with getting it fixed, hope it's something simple and easy to find by the dealer?

 

That seems crazy you have to go full limited to get a garage door opener.

I'm disappointed they don't off the power seats on even the limited? It's weird to me that this mid sized truck has mirror heaters, sonar detection yet no power seats or door opener. We have 4 newer toyotas in the family and they carry very little from each one, but even our sr5 tundra has a power driver seat and they all have garage door openers.

On the ride, they frames are nearly identical as is the suspension, the truck is a hair heavier so that could help but minimal. But here at the shop we diagnose customers random noises, ride qualities and or gripes about things. The ride thing is a fairly common question. 9 times out of 10 it's tire pressure or tires that are causing the bad ride if the suspension hasn't been modified. We've had people come in with E rated tires (heavy tires meant for heavier vehicles) they wonder why it's so stiff. We also get a lot who go to aftermarket coil overs and bigger tires and the tire shop puts 65lbs of PSI in their tires. We simply drop the pressure in the tires and they love us.

On the seat coolers, toyota doesn't offer that(as far as I know) till you go to a limited Avolon (my better half drives one) I think the sequoia may offer it too.

I will agree on the milage and the transmission, it shifts constantly and with no real effect on mileage IMO over the previous generation.

One thing I noticed is this is the first tacoma I've driven where I didn't hate the seats. They could use more positions but they are comfortable.

 

Just a follow up to the review. We've lifted and put some big meats on our new rig.

The truck actually does feel better on the power than when we first got it. It still has that wind up car engine feel that I think later I will wish it didn't have. But the day to day of the truck still feels super comfortable. And the interior options are still far Superior to previous models and in some aspects even better than the 2015 4runner we have.

I was shocked to put 35in tall tires on it and the power loss was no where near what I thought it would be. It actually does decent, but with that said we will still re-gear it to match the tires and gain some low end power back.

I'll do a write up soon for the build and parts used.

Here is a teaser pic till then.

 

^ That's a really good pic, nice job.

May I ask why you've chosen those wheels? I'm not sure who makes those, but they obviously have fake bolts around the lip. I don't know of any quality wheels that would feel the need to fake being a two or three piece wheel. I can't help but ask, if they're faking bolts, what else are they skimping on? You obviously have a heavy reputation around here, and you're putting serious offroad steel on your $35k+ Taco..... why put cheap, heavy, bro wheels on your showpiece?

 

HAHA, we couldn't agree more with cheap and I wish the truck was only 35k!!! These are Icon's new wheels. THOSE ARE NOT BOLTS. IT's just a machined relief. But we've already working on getting these bead locked or the next version that Icon comes out with.

 

http://www.wheelsbymbmotoring.com/gallery.php?category=truck

Icon?! Jeez it's worse than I thought.

You're working towards buying functional bead-lock wheels? I'm pretty ignorant to your role around here, or the point of this truck's prevalence on the sticky section, but you're obviously a heavy hitter.... why are you buying Icon wheels that you yourself are calling cheap? Why do you need to work towards turning them into something they're not, instead of just buying quality wheels off the bat? Are they a partner of yours or something? I think you're doing your truck and company a disservice by putting Icons on when companies like FN exist, let alone OE TRD beadlocks.

Love the rest of your truck though, thank you for the review and good luck with your vending!

 

No No sorry I meant I wish the truck was cheaper. Sorry Miss understood your responses. The wheels are made by Icon, they are working on getting into the wheel market. They released these at sema. They are coming out with a couple different versions. This was the first one available. I was saying I might bead lock these wheels to get a different look. We usually bead lock TRD wheels. Not because the wheels aren't already a good wheel but to make it different than everything else out there. To stand out.

We are a Toyota manufacture that also resells and installs off road equipment such as Icon and other reputable companies.

We see a lot of wheels and we like to go with things that are a little different. Anyone can order a wheel off a website and be happy with it. We like the Icon's because they are new and different, plus we like their other products.

As far as the sticky thread, I have no idea. I'm not a moderator nor do I have power to do that.

 

Are those the new Falken Wildpeak A/T3Ws? If so how are you liking them? Based off current reviews they look like they'll be nice tires but its hard to tell without them being released yet. Thanks in advance.

 

Let me add my 2 cents in here.....

Got the 2016 Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4 Auto V6 in Inferno last month.

Overall love the truck. Really like the keyless entry and keyless go. That used to be a very expensive option for Mercedes not to long ago.

In normal driving the V6 and 6 speed auto is pretty peppy and you all know I like POWER.

It is all good, but what I do not like is highway cruising in this truck. It is quiet, comfortable (very nice seats for me) stock radio is nice for long trips and the GPS only ran me in circles once so far. What I hate is the Atkinson Cycle in cruise on the highway. It pulls to much torque out of the engine. If you keep speeds below 70, 65 MPH seems the sweat spot, it drives nice and gets great MPG. It is just not real world. You are blocking traffic at that speed. A more realistic traveling speed is 75-80 MPH. At that speed it is impossible to use cruise because it is constantly shifting in and out of 6th and drive's me nuts. Without cruise you I can keep it from shifting most of the time. MPG really takes a hit at that speed.

I just did a road trip from Southern Maryland to of all places Detroit and took the new Tacoma. Leaving PA I got gas and got right on the highway and set the cruise at 75 MPH and just let it do its thing. It was pretty flat ground and it what shifting in and out of OD constantly. Got to my hotel and got an awesome 17 MPG on flat ground at 75 MPH. On the reverse course in that same place I ran without cruise and got 19.5 MPG. So, running cruise on the highway costs MPG and I get 21 in my 400 RWHP 4Runner at the same speed with cruise. I get better than 17 in my 2015 Tundra CrewMax Pro at the same speed. That is my only complaint, is that in real world highway cruising this truck sucks. In all other ways I love it.

What it feels like to me is I put way to big tires on it without regearing and it just lugs on the highway at normal speeds. I can't imagine what is going to happen when you put larger off road tires on it without regearing.

Anyway, love the truck, but the next long road trip going to take the 4Runner or Tundra if I have passengers.

G

 

Gotcha, I see where you're coming from now. Good luck with your build and hopefully one day i'll have something to buy from you. You seem like a really good dude! Have fun!

 

Damn. Good job on the bumper

 

That's a really nice bumper

 

when is the bumper going to be available ?

 

bumper looks great, really breaks up the largemouth.....if you dont come up with an availability date and price soon, the masses and I will hunt you down, jk. Really nice