The Tacoma beat the GMC Sierra...

not really smarter but it does take some understanding, especially if all you know is typical automatics with a single OD.

 

Back on topic....

I guess now that the current gen Tacoma is out of it's initial release stages people are buying them more, it seems I'm even starting to see more 3rd gen trucks on the road than 2nd gen trucks. I have four 3rd gens now on my block, only one 2nd gen and two 1st gen truck.

Work parking lot now has 6 or 7 trucks now, it seems to be a new one in the lot every month. Saw my 1st cement OR a few weeks ago, sales seem to be growing.

 

Oh without question I see more 3rd gens on the road now than 2nd gens.

 

What issues, because an enthusiast web forum has some complaints about shift points doesnt mean the masses care. We are the very small few and I mean few who complain......its not like they are failing transmissions. Face it they are selling well because overall they are good trucks, not perfect but pretty good.

 

I tested the Honda (dealer a mile from house) they wanted a 30k before taxes for the fwd version! I didnt bother talking more,but it drove pretty comfy.the Colorado access was just as much in 4x4(no test drive ). the utility tacoma 26400 in auto 4x4 I was smiling so much driving it I knew it was over.TOYOTA knows what they are doing.

 

Same here. It seems I live in a 4Runner and Tacoma town lol. I had to cross breed my Tacoma with 4Runner wheels to make mine a bit different.

It seems Toyota hit a home run with this truck. If we would have seen sales numbers increase in 2016 and then decline a bit in 17 and 18 then it would have been "meh" and not a big deal. But to see the numbers continue to grow means the majority really like the truck.
GMC and Colorado are doing OK. I think the Ranger will perform like the GM twins as far as sales. The Ridgeline will always be a niche vehicle because it's just too different and not many want to go that route. I drove one and it reminded me of the old El Camino lol.

One thing that the introduction of the GM twins and the Ranger upcoming will do is make Toyota speed up their mid cycle refresh a bit. Because as we all know and like them or not, Ford and GM refresh their models frequently with the latest and greatest. Toyota will have to do this or take a chance of being left behind in the mid size truck market. The 4Runner has no real competition so they can take their time with it but the Tacoma? Better speed things up lol.

Just a note for those that are curious:
When Toyota introduced the 3rd gen in 2016, the mid cycle refresh (whenever than might be) design was already done. Also, the design for the 4th gen Tacoma was already started. I know it may come as a shock to some of you but it takes a LONG time to design and build a new model, even with just a few changes. The testing, supply chain management and production changes are staggering in their complexity. Typically for a vehicle, it's five to seven years from start to finish. The fastest, and definitely atypical, has been two years and Honda did that awhile back. Mid cycle refresh takes about three years or so depending on the changes.

Why so long? Just think about changing something simple, like the front bumper cover design on our trucks. Here are a few of the steps:
1. Design it
2. Design the tooling that will form it
3. Design the mold that will produce the plastic
4. Call up a vendor and ask for enough raw material for 200K of them... a year
5. Prototype it for fit and finish
6. Test it to determine durability.
7. Schedule changeover
8. Shut down for retrofit of tooling and machinery.

That's just a few of the items on the list! Just for a new front cover!

Think about this:
Toyota builds about 550 tacomas a DAY.
That's about 35 an hour in a 16 hour two shift day.
That's a new truck every TWO MINUTES.

Food for thought and just putting it into perspective.

 

Can we just take a moment to give props to the Frontier? Eleven thousand years old, and up 70% in sales numbers over last year.

 

It still blows my mind that the current frontier came out the year I graduated high school...I'm going to be 33 this year.

 

I know right? King Tut drove a Frontier and the Frontier actually helped build the pyramids. True story...

 

Yeah, the good old days.......when the only people driving pickup trucks were people who actually needed them for work related activities.....lol

 

Just curious, did you do a test drive?

 

I honestly think the Frontier is coming back unaltered for the 2019 year. If they were looking to introduce the Navara they would have announced something or at least teased it by now.

 

Yeah, and I actually think they are selling ok too as it is.

 

Yeah I was seriously considering one (kinda still am? Don't think I'm going to get a deal for my trade that I can accept though) and it's a truck that just checks off the boxes. It's not sexy but if you have a fully equipped Prox-4X for SR5 money...hard to argue with that.

 

The Frontier is a pretty solid truck, definitely has the lowest price, they certainly do not have to recoup any R&D at this point.

 

Orkin needed some trucks and the SR wasn't cheap enough

 

I see several Tacoma's with that Orkin diamond on the side, in fact paving companies and even the power companies around here also have some Tacoma's too.

 

That's because Leonardo DaVinci did the R&D for them. True story...

 

He was in the mob so I'm sure his heirs are still collecting the tax