Is Tacoma right for me? New model soon?

I'm looking for a new truck; Is Tacoma right for me? your input is appreciated. Also, is there a new model Tacoma coming soon to look like the new 4 runner?

I need a 4 door long/med. length bed, not the super short bed.
Auto
4x4

I need a truck for hauling mtb bikes, ski gear, camping gear and general household hauling. The back seat will be for my 6 y/o, still in a booster seat. I will put about 30k-36k miles per year on the truck and need a vehicle that will go 200k miles reliably. My current Lexus RX300has just over 200k trouble free miles(basically a Camry). 1-2 trips per year of 6+ hours will be taken, so I need to know if the Tacoma is suitable for comfortable long range travel. What mileage can I expect? Is the monocolor grille and bumper and the scoop hood available on the 4X; doesn't appear so, looking at Toyota's online order form. Can I expect a smooth and quiet ride from a Tacoma? I hate dealers and do not want to step foot on a lot until I am relatively certain the Tacoma will work for us. I may want to tow a tent trailer or small boat. what is the realistic towing capabilities?

Thanks in advance for your help.

John

 

John , welcome to TW ,

look at the TRD doublecab longbox Sport 4x4 with the tow package , it about covers everything you listed as the things you want ,

( long box , 4x4 , auto ,colour matched grille surround , bumper etc and hood scoop )

OZ

 

The Tacoma is perfect.
Will cover all your needs.
now smooth and quiet like a lexus ???
you may be too spoiled

 

Thanks gentlemen,

I have no disillusion about the Tacoma being comfortable like my 2000 Lexus RX300 with 204k miles. For the first ime in my life I have been without a truck for the past 18 months and I sure miss being able to haul stuff. Ski racks and bike racks are a pain and I have no way to haul away yard waste and large trash from my home. I will definately test drive a Tacoma.

Any must have options or aftermarket upgrades?

Thanks,

John

 

Slow down....slow down....

Do some research and learn about the truck first. Find out what you want, test drive them...... and if you're ready to buy one, research about prices and bargain with the dealers for the best price.

When you get one...you'll have plenty of time for upgrades/modifiations. There are tons of stuff available!!

 

If you can, maybe hold out a little to see what the new ones (if they ever come out) will be like. I say that because I friend has one of the new 4runners and her interior is so much nicer than mine. Just newer, more thought out, comfortable, an overall improvement that I would hope the new tacoma will get some of.

 

Test drive one and see for yourself! If it is uncomfortable during test drive, it will be uncomfortable during 6+ hour ride.

 

Check out the mods and tutorials on the top of the site on the right... that'll give you some further ideas on some of features that were neglected but easy to fix. Spend some time going through old threads on here too..

Ultimatly it fits your bill near perfectly. I drove mine up to Portland, OR via HWY 1 coastal and had a blast. (from Phoenix, AZ) Never got tired, in fact was more comfortable in it than my Infiniti G35 was. Handled like a pissed of cat and loved the highway. Does good on the freeway too though high winds will knock you around a bit.

Highway noise is pretty loud though. It's fixable with some time and a little work doing sound dampening work. The roof sounds like a tin can in the rain because there is zero dampening there (again easy fix).

In the end with some light mods here and there... it's a perfect little truck to do all but the hardest work you'd need a massive diesel truck for. It's also damn good look'n if I do say so myself

 

I do about 2000 km's round trip at least twice a year (in addition to various 200-400 km trips for camping), and I have never been more comfortable than in this truck. Mind you, I come from driving a '99 Neon before this, so I can't really compare it to a Lexus. I'm planning a 13,000 km (8000 mile) road trip this fall, and I have no doubts that the truck will handle beautifully.

Although I understand not wanting to go into a dealership until you're ready to buy, I still recommend taking one for a test drive to be sure it's what you want. I was fortunate enough to get a salesman with a lineup of people waiting to speak with him. He just photocopied my drivers license, and handed me the keys. One thing I can say about Toyota (in Canada, anyway) is there wasn't alot of pressure to buy. I shopped around at several dealers until I got a decent offer, and though they did call maybe once a week to keep in touch, it didn't feel pressured. I test drove a Ranger and a Colorado, and both the Chevy and the Ford salesmen called me every day for over a week, followed by 2-4 times/week for another month.

 

I like Janster's answer on this. Check out a couple of different rigs before you make any kind of jump. Determine whether you want a mid size, or larger rig. Drive the trucks you like the best. Yes, Tacoma's are pretty nice rigs. So are Tundra's Ford's and Chevy's. I'm not gonna sell you one so you pick.
I owned an 02 F150 Supercrew before my Tacoma. Size matters. I bought a smaller rig because I was looking for economy. However, I lost a more comfortable rig in the bargain. More leg room. More comfortable on long trips. More head room. More passenger room. Better seats. Better towing.

Ok, so that leads to the next question. Why am I driving a Tacoma? I have owned Toyota's in the past and I like them. Toyota builds a nice truck and it looks great. Great capability and fun to drive. Excellent fuel economy in a 4x4 rig. That about sums it up.

You will find die hard Toyota fans here. That is to be expected as this is a Tacoma site. If you want us all to say get the Tacoma--everything else sucks, you will find those that will tell you that as well. Check the GM and Ford sites if you want their opinions of Toyota's...

Good luck on your search. Ken

 

yeah, my dad has a new silverado. And has had silverado's for as long as I have been alive. His is the z71 LTZ, rides great, has an auto locker, check them out as well. Last I saw they had 0% APR for 60 something months. I like my tacoma better, for some reason it seems like the chevy is just disconected from me when I drive it. But you may like it, definitely has more of a "lexus" ride than the tacoma.

 

Tuckr2 said it best. This is a die hard Tacoma site. Having said that, I have landscaped for 10 years, have a 2 yo two dogs and a boat. Previously I had a f150 and a chevy 2500 with all the bells and whistles. The f150 was terrible. The silverado rode like a dream and had lots of room, but gas caused me to get rid of it. In the end, I have an 08 doublecab shorty and love every second of driving it. It's fun roomy fast and can haul more than the f150. (towing wise) IMO. Good luck though.