1st vs 2nd vs 3rd Gen Size Comparison

Yes. I agree. I was ready to buy new last year and was just turned off by the options. Size was a large part of that. Good post.

 

I hope to not own a 2rd or 3rd gen. I hope the 4th gen is more like the 1st gen or hilux or t100 or early model land cruiser. Or even a early hiace... anything but the direction Toyota is heading in the USA market. (can i blame CAFE standards?).

I am sure you are correct. but having looked at hundreds of tacos of all generations on the used market for several years, I always had a hard time climbing under Gen2s compared to the gen1s. I would often measure clearance at the banjo, transfercase and frame. The gen 1s always had a couple inches on the gen 2s. More than one would assume from the specs. It made me wonder if the gen 2 suspension just fatigued quick (all were used) or if they were selective as to how they measured clearance after 2004. And the gen 3s.. well i only drove one... that was all i needed to know i wanted nothing to do with that plastic overly stylized hulk of proprietary circuitry.

 

I still can't get past the front end on the third gen. It's a damn hot mess, maybe it will grow on me, like a fungus.

 

If given the option to buy a brand new 1st Gen vs a 3rd I would definitely go that route. As far as the specs I have no idea where the official measurement is taken from. This is just what I found from the sources I searched.

 

You guys are all obviously short with stubby legs.

 

6'2"
trucks are not for comfort. Small ones are for going over rough shit and big ones are for towing things. Plenty of comfortable grocery getter SUVs on the market and large comfy cars. And MANY big trucks with low effective clearance that are too fat to fit on old jeep trails (or mule trails). Not enough small trucks left on the market now a days because consumericans put comfort first.

 

Trucks are for comfort. They are daily drivers that also go Offroad and tow stuff.

See what I did there?

 

I am happy to compromise comfort for performance. Toyota "pickup," t100, hilux, tacoma... these filled that little truck niche as a small worker or a nimble off road truck. The taco no longer fills that niche... nothing does now. It is as if all trucks are competing for the commuter market.

Sadly the one tool that does everything at a mediocre quality and helps the manufacturers meet cafe standards might be what is killing the off road worthiness of vehicles in the USA.

(EDIT: I also ponder if the american consumers are a little too "big boned" and demand big seats. OR if illogical male showboating, wanting bigger bigger vehicles to show off, drives this. either way it has markedly limited the options for those of us in the mountains)

No, I missed it... what?

 

6'3" and my 1st gen fits me like a glove. Slide the seat back and I've driven 13 hours straight before in complete comfort.

 

Same thing here in Canada. Lots of people love the pissing contest that is the truck segment. When I seen a double cab third gen I just see a raised up limousine. No offense to those owners but it appears to be a success by form in the form vs. function argument. I'll stick with my first gen extended cab....until the frame fails of course

 

Yeah but the tundra has a v8 and dosent look like something my cat would puke up...

 

I here you there! I have a 2nd Gen now and while it is probably too pretty for me to enjoy it off-road and cost 3X what I paid for my first gen, I honestly have looked and looked for the same 1st gen (97 Tacoma extra cab, Black, 3.4L purchased in 2003). I had the TRD supercharger installed by the dealer with 7 lbs. boost it had a standard trans which produced another 60 or so horses bringing it to 250 horsepower and went from 20 mpg to 19 post supercharger but you had to take it to red line before shifting unless you ran 100 octane, otherwise it would ping as they did not make the 7th fi for it, unless you drove normal??? What is normal? I loved that truck but got in a tight spot and did a title loan which I will never do again! The funny thing is that truck still sells for what I paid for it (8,500) except with 300,000 in lieu of 90,000. The early first gen models were in my opinion far better than any of the second Gen, 3rd Gen or the ugliest 2003 like the red one in the pic above, the front end looked like a wussy! Neine danke!!! my truck now is a 2014 4x4 2.7L with the access cab which are extremely hard to find as mentioned later in this discussion everyone wants comfort 4X4s are built for off-road not for in town driving to which I blued several sets of rotors, as the speed limiter was set to 110 not 95! My first toy was a hilux 88' which was sold to me after having been totaled at least twice by my work, prior to that I thought the Nissan Hardbody was a good truck then I bought that just the little 22R which I sold to a mechanic in trade for changing all fluids and timing belt, water pump plus he gave me $500, I miss that truck...

 

Truth.

 

Right necromancer up there

 

Yeah, I resurrected an old thread...but at least it's less than a year from the last comment and only 34 replies. (2016 start year)

I was wondering if there were length difference between Access Cab & Dual Cab both long and short bed.

Seems they are all roughly the same length: 212.3 in.

My garage is roughly 222 in but I'm guessing it would be a tight fit.

 

Now compare the size difference in price

The trend I see is “Bigger and lower to the ground”

 

I waited a long time to choose a vehicle of my own liking...A Long Time!

After we refinanced our mortgage in 2021, the stars aligned.

I estimated my threshold for a new truck at $40K and got what I wanted at $38,803.

It's actually not a bad estimate...my 2003 Honda Pilot EX purchased in 2002 was $32K.

 

I’ve owned several gens the 3rd gen is my favorite

 

I'm pretty sure the Access Cab Long Bed is the same size as the Double Cab Short Bed. The only shorter ones would be when they made the Reg Cab Tacomas and the only longer ones would be the current Double Cab Long Bed with the frame being lengthened.

 

Yeah a combination of inflation, supply chain issues and more "creature comforts" that auto manufacturers insist on adding have driven the prices to crazy amounts. I've oftened wondered where does it stop or if a simple car company would do well in this market manufacturing basic cars/trucks for a lower price. Although emissions and safety regulations would probably make even the simplest of vehicles pricey still. Wondering what the 4th gen Tacoma will look like in terms of price point and ground clearance/size!