2016/2017 Navigation and other questions

Thanks for that information. I am learning a lot from this forum.

Good point on the 6/5 ft bed. I have a short bed in my current truck (2008 Duramax), but then that short one is 6+ feet. I didn't think I would need a 6 ft bed in a smaller truck but then I remembered I often put my kayaks in the bed, and mine is 12 ft long. So even with the tailgate down I'd have about 5 feet hanging off the back end. I would prefer a shorter bed just for parking lot issues, but I can't have everything now, can I?

 

I probably won't need anything for my towing needs except a receiver and a plug in. My trailer is a motorcycle trailer, weighs less than 2000 lbs loaded. Thanks for that link; it is a great source for the specs.

 

Now that is embarrassing! You didn't know until you read it? You sound like some of the same stuff I have done.....duh!

My wife's car has that. I thought it was a "who cares" thing until we actually tried it out. Now it's one of the major selling points of the Tacoma over the GM twins!

 

Thanks for all the helpful replies, ya'll. Oh, and Happy New Year - BE SAFE!

 

With the Tow Package you get the receiver hitch, plugins, transmission cooler, oil cooler and a bigger alternator. Nice to have even if you rarely tow.

 

Yep, you probably want the Premium with Navigation, with the knobs at the bottom....Probably also right about the "Entune Selective Service Internet Access" being the basic radio.

Also do a search for the thread" I made some better radio knobs"....You will want them!

If I had to do it all over I would opt for the JBL upgrade also if possible. The Premium is nice but............for those times when you gotta crank it!

 

Correct. Your phone connects via blutooth. So you download the entune app on your phone and when the truck connects the entune app automatically starts in the background and streams data from your phone to your entune so you can do a lot of useful things like pandora and a lot of useless things like buy movie tickets all from your head unit

 

Just for everyone's information the Entune Premium with navigation comes standard on TRD, Limited, and Pro models. JBL is an added option.

*EDIT: The limited actually has JBL standard

 

Yes, you are correct. But sometimes that $650 sounds like partial payment for a cruise out of NOLA, which my wife and I do each spring! I think I read somewhere that Tacoma owners rarely tow, which struck me as odd. Why would they not, but Colorado/Canyon owners do? I heard that regarding the drum rear brakes on the Tacoma....something about drums were just fine since most Tacoma owners rarely towed anything. I know Tacomas are used far more for off road activities than are the GM twins, but I think that might be brand loyalty and the fact that Toyota has has an excellent off road small truck much longer than GM.

 

You're not saying the stand alone Tacoma GPS isn't standard in the TRD models without Premium Entune, are you?

I believe the basic Entune would suit me fine. And the standard radio also. I think it would be occasionally nice to connect my phone to the truck, but ordinarily I'd only need that connection for dialing/receiving a phone call without trying to fumble with the phone itself. I doubt I'd use the other connectivity, like Pandora, Google Maps, etc. But I would use a stand alone, built in GPS system nearly all the time......at least I do with the vehicles I've owned the last several years. I have used a Garmin GPS in my trucks from travelling with RVs since about 2000! Wow, have they ever improved since then!

 

That's even with the basic Entune I assume. I use Mercedes' ap, called MBrace which does very little....through the phone ap I can lock the doors, start the engine (that's nice sometimes), send addresses to its built in navigation system....and not much else. Our phones connect to the car for making/receiving calls, but if that connection does anything else we cannot figure it out....and neither could the sales person we had! Toyota and even Chevy are SO much better with their technology....and our Mercedes is a 2016 model! I probably ought to bring my grandson over to see what he can decipher.......

Heh heh, you and I agree there are a lot of useless things to do with a connected phone!

 

All Canadian TRD Off Roads come with Homelink standard. We also get the colour coded bumper caps, and the tow package, and Premium (non JBL) radio standard. You can actually only order a TRD Off Road DC in one configuration - no options. Of course Toyota Canada charges a pretty penny. The Sport Automatic only comes with a 6 ft bed. The Sport Manual only comes with a 5 ft bed.

 

Thanks, I think I was getting confused. I found from a link someone above provided:
HERE - page 25

Which now of course raises MORE questions! I have an Android phone, so I think some functions may not work well....the Siri Eyes Free sounds like an iPhone thing only. Anyone know? Sirius is nice but I would not keep it after the trail period....if we were to get a subscription it'd be for our family car which we use 90% of the time. The HD Traffic and Doppler weather overlay; what is that? Sounds like either a trial thing or part of Sirius radio? Also, I thought every Tacoma had the backup camera displayed on the center monitor?

I would not need the JBL radio, although I'm sure it's a good system. We have a terrific audio system in our family car, but in the truck I can get by with something more pedestrian.

In any event, sounds like the TRD Sport trim is what I want.....and probably the long bed, double cab, 2wd options. Although, I am seeing only about a 2k USD price difference between the 2wd and 4wd models.....

 

I screwed up something in my post above and cannot edit it. I think the link is no good.
Here is what it should be, look under the Audio page. I think that's 25:
http://www.tfltruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/2016-toyota-Tacoma-Technical-specs.pdf

Some kind soul provided that link earlier in this thread.

 

So on the navigation maps. The routes will be highlighted green, orange, or red and this is to signify good or bad traffic. It can come in handy as it can auto reroute you to avoid traffic however forewarning it has been known to be inaccurate information. It will tell me there's slow traffic ahead and there won't be a single car. But it's pretty rare that it's wrong. Don't know much about a dappled overlay. I know there's a weather app but I don't use it. I can just look outside to see what the weather is. I know both services use the HD Radio to get data so you don't have to pay for these services

 

I have an Android too and everything works well we even get the qi wireless charging pad. The IPhone guys don't get that. But ya if you do have an iPhone and you hold down the hands free button on the steering wheel (someone correct me if I'm wrong) Siri will ask you what you want. It wouldve been nice to incorporate Google Now the same way for us Android people but no such luck.

Yes the backup camera is displayed on the central infotainment system and automatically comes up as you shift into reverse

 

Yep, and the useless weather map...

 

Having owned both a 2015 Colorado Z71 and now my 2017 TRD OR I find the Taco to be the overall better truck. I've also noticed at least three other members who I recognize as previous Colorado owners. YMMV, so agree with the previous suggestion that you test drive both. Although I didn't need the additional off road capability I ended up in the OR because I found the on road ride preferable to the Sport. Putting ECT in Pwr mode and trans in S4 works fine for towing. Although most Taco owners don't tow extensively, I do with fairly light (under 3k lb) trailers. Good luck either way.

 

That's nice that it's not an additional fee thing. I don't think I'd really need either. If I were driving a lot I might, but I don't, so I don't. <g>

 

T or C,
From what you describe, the TRD sport or limited are probably your best options for your needs/wants. The OR package has several off road goodies (crawl control, locking rear diff, etc...) that you will likely never use due to your limited off road needs. I always opt for the 4wd model, but I like to wheel every now and then. On the towing, i read somewhere on these forums that Toyota surveyed Taco owners to get an idea of what they use their truck for, towing ranked in the 20's on that priority list. Most of the tacoma's I see towing trailers are landscapers hauling equipment. Generally speaking if towing is a priority, you should start with a half ton like the Tundra.
I have had my 2017 DC TRD OR for 4 days now, and absolutely love the keyless entry and entune system. The navigation is easy to use and I like that it pulls traffic and weather from the HD radio system (with cell data via bluetooth as a backup). The entune app is simple to use, and once you link your accounts, works seamlessly with the truck via my galaxy s7 phone. The audio system auto connects every time you fire up the truck, and in my case launches the most recently played pandora station in the truck. It appears to be a set it and forget it type of system, so you should be good to go before your leave your dealer taking delivery. I came from a 05 DC TRD OR 4x4 MT and absolutely love the upgrades and updates. I drove a Colorado a year ago and was generally underwhelmed, but it is nice to see some competition in the marketplace to hopefully keep Toyota updating more than every decade.

You really cannot go wrong with a Tacoma in my humble opinion.