Are you happy with your 3rd gen Tacoma?

Are you happy with your 3rd gen Tacoma?

I currently have a Tundra and am thinking about going back to the tacoma. I recently moved to Arizona and my commute has increased and the 11mpg is killing me. My truck is also black with black interior so its an oven in the AZ sun. Not to mention it doesn't fit in the garage so its parked on the street.

I've had quit a few tacomas before. The tundra mpg wasn't too far off with the 4.0 tacoma when I bought it, but that has since changed. I went and checked out the new tacoma and really like the new interior. The 18/23 mpg on the tacoma is also very appealing.

But I've been reading some of the problems the new tacoma has been having and don't know if now is a good time to get a tacoma or wait it out for issues to be resolved. Are these issues isolated or are most 3rd gen owners experiencing all the issues.

How has your 3rd gen been thus far?

 

Yes. Much love. Tranny fluid was a little low, but that's since been fixed and now the truck is awesome.

 

I'd wait for the 2017 model.

 

A better question would be: would you recommend this truck to your friends and family?

Most companies use the net promoter score as a measure of success. It makes the surveyed individual have some skin in the game.

Edit: and to answer that question. I would not be likely to recommend this truck to any of my friends and family as it stands now. Too many "characteristic of the vehicle" issues with no response from Toyota as of yet.

Serious issues out of the factory is something out of Chryslers handbook.

 

I've had my '16 AC 6spd for about 4 months now, I'm quite happy. I do wish my city mileage was better, 14.7mpg on average, highway I'm getting 21mpg, mixed, 16-17. All stock, I drive pretty casually, so I'm not entirely sure why my mileage is like that.

Other than that, I've towed with it, taken multiple 600 mile trips, runs like a champ. I've had a couple little things, but really nothing major. For me, interior noise is minimal, I have zero issues there, love the long bed AC, 6spd solves any tranny issues people complain about, but I do get a mileage hit due to the higher geared rear and the tranny not auto dropping into OD.

I'd buy my truck again in a heartbeat.

 

I have 12,000 miles on my TRD OR 4X4 AUTO. I drive 95% highway and I average around 17 mpg. No problems at all with the Taco EXCEPT if I drive over 70 mph the tranny constantly shifts between the gears when it is on cruise. The Auto gearing and the torque band of the 3.5L does not have enough power to maintain speeds above 70 mph without constant shifting.

I have learned to just travel below posted 75 mph and drive at 70 mph for extended 6 - 7 hour trips, and I am just fine.

The size of the Taco and the 4x4 are awesome. It's a truck not a race car. The 3.5L has a TON of power once you get the rpms up. Plenty to pass anything.

Also, I bought the Taco for dependability. So far everything is almost perfect. I had the sqeaking dash when it was cold outside, but a small piece of foam fixed that.

 

Thanks for starting this thread. I have a 2012 SR5 DC without a tow package and want a new Tacoma with the tow package so I've been reading this forum trying to make up my mind whether to buy another Tacoma or go another direction (I've had Tacomas since 1999). Maybe this poll will make my mind up.

 

I went from a '11 Tacoma DC LB to a '14 Tundra Platinum to a '16 Tacoma DC OR SB. Factory wheel/tire sizes on all of them except the '11 Taco, which I went +1 on tire size. No lifts on any of them. I'm 700 miles on the odometer so I've been behind the wheel long and short enough to remember my transition and have time to notice the small stuff. I love the shorter wheel base, much more nimble for short turning radius areas like trailheads and tight trails. I get 19 mpg at 80 mph, 21 at 70 mph and 21-ish around town with a light foot. The 5.7 in the Tundra got me 15.5 mpg at 80 mph, 17 at 70 and 16-ish around town so I gained about 4 mpg across the board.

Things you'll notice first coming from a Tundra - I'm 5'10" and if I have sunglasses tilted up on my head, they hit the root when I lean forward. I think it's the extra material around the sunroof that might not exist on packages without the sunroof. The "hunting for gears" that you hear complaints about, I've only experienced when I'm pushing 75+ mph on rolling hills. The cabin is quiet enough and the shifting is smooth enough that it's not too distracting, but it's a change coming from a Tundra. The Tundra had great low RPM power and the 3rd Gen Taco gets its higher power in the high RPM, so it down shifts to increase power to keep speed. It's super bad on cruise control when it takes forever to shift back up, but using your foot, it's not that bad. I got used to where the shift points were on rolling hills and I now let it back off about 5 mph on the uphill to keep it from shifting, then make up for it on the downhill.

All of the other issues that I hear complaints about I have yet to experience. Not that they won't come up later, it's just that they haven't happened to me in my first month of ownership, and I've been kinda paranoid that they'll pop up. I monitored these forums for a few months before getting my '16 and used it as a good way to have a list of things to be sensitive about when test driving. Overall, I'm super happy with it and don't regret it.

 

Unless you have something major that you want to change like bed size, stick with what you have. The changes are evolutionary, not revolutionary, between 2nd and 3rd gen. If I could have found a 2nd Gen DC SB with less than 75K miles for under $25K, I would have taken it.

 

Yes.

 

I drove a 2001 for 15 years before my 2016, loved the old one, still in the family, love the 2016, just today I stopped by toyota to schedule my 10k service, a salesman saw me drive in, came over and asked me how I like it, told him I love it!!!! My truck also has some shifting going on, but definitely not bothersome for me, I just step on the gas if I need it to move, I actually like it for going down hill, I find myself not riding the breaks that much. Next week when I bring it in I will have all that good stuff checked out, transmission fluid, U-joints, etc..... I think I will always own a tacoma, great truck!!!!!

 

Very happy with mine and would recommend it 100% to friends and family.

 

Wish I would have gone with something different. Can't stand the transmission /motor combo in this thing however I'm not going to take a $6K hit so I'll just hold out and hope somehow some way that Toyota comes out with an update to assist with the erratic shifting issues. Wish I would have test drove a manual

 

Very happy with mine at 8months and 14k of ownership. Drive it up to the mountains every weekend.

Is it perfect, nope. Is it pretty damn good for exactly what it is and is meant to be....you bet!

 

Ditto x2

 

There is nothing to compare with my Tacoma. It is everything I expected. The GM Twins don't come close. When the new Ranger arrives it will get interesting. Remember, in 1999, the Ranger outsold the Tacoma big time. We will see what happens. Until then Tacoma is the Standard to go by.

 

I have a 2016 Tacoma TRD Off Road 4x4 with just over 5K miles on it.

Yes, I would recommend it with a few caveats.

1) The AT takes time to "settle" down (over 3K ) I have a friend that has a loaded Chevrolet Colorado and he has experienced the same thing with his AT.
2) Get a full size truck if you're hauling mid size loads or towing / This truck could use more torque / power with hauling / towing in the mountains
3) The lack of seating adjustment could be an issue if you're over 6 foot tall
4) Don't expect significantly better mileage than gen 2. I averaged 18.5 for the first 3500 miles and, as the truck is breaking in, it's creeping up towards 20. Those numbers are nothing to write home about for a mid sized truck

So, why would I recommend this truck and buy another?

1) Toyota quality / reliability / dependability
2) resale
3) cab sound proofing very good
4) off road capabilities impressive! Yes, crawl control works!
5) adequate (but not outstanding) performance
6) rugged exterior appearance
7) EnTunes w / JBL

What do I think would make this truck a 9 or 10/10 versus a 7 or 8?

1) more power / torque lower in the rev range (It needs at least 30 more h.p. IMO)
2) better gas mileage both empty and loaded
3) less finicky AT

 

Just a matter of time before this becomes like all the others