Which transmission

I think the/his point is, if the combo totally sucked, the truck would not be selling gang-busters. Also, if it totally sucked, Toyota would not keep this combo for three years running. I have no skin in the game, if love my MT

 

The point of building trucks is for them to be sold, not loved. The sales numbers and that of the competition indicate Toyota is meeting that goal.

Sure there are better motor /transmission combinations out there but it doesnt seem to affect sales in the mid sized truck segment. Toyota is moving metal from the showroom better than the competition 3 years running, and that includes the reintroduction of the GM twins and the Ridgeline. Ridgeline is a better motor /transmission combo, better fit and finish but it's sales numbers are in the tank.

What's the point of Toyota screwing with a formula that is already working, to make a few more TW members happy too?

You said a shifty auto that requires S mode to reduce shifting is a bad transmission, it's not, a bad transmission would be an unreliable transmission. It doesnt handicap the Tacoma at all, just defines what you want it to do.

You want something with more grunt, step up to Tundra.

 

Agree to disagree, I guess. Trans could be a lot better IMO.

 

But would it sell for more than the investment required to make it better?

Maybe what YOU want is what a million others DON'T want.

BTW, what do you drive now?

 

Maybe! The idea that what sells is what people want may or may not be bullshit. I did NOT want an auto, but there were no manuals within 1,000 miles. So I am another statistic who “preferred” an automatic. Though if everyone walked in the dealer demanding a manual, they would be on lots. So it’s hard to tell.

2018 TRD OR, auto obviously. And 6-speed BMW 128i for when I feel like having fun. You?

 

Drum brakes don't turn people away, why would more manuals bring people to the table?

My daily is a 16 OR longbed so it's an auto transmission, only transmission available in that wheelbase.


My fun car is a 19 year old supercharged Miata, one of the best shifting manuals on the planet.



My daily commute of stop and go traffic keeps me from driving it daily. It's a lot of fun to drive when it can stretch it's legs, not so much when it's 1st and stop, 1st and stop, 1st and stop for 20 mins until I get to the work security checkpoint.
The AT Taco keeps the commute tolerable.

 

Ha, nice! I had a ‘91 5-speed that I planned to turn into a track car but sold it when I moved across the country. Had it on track a few times, it was a blast. Stick in traffic doesn’t bother me too much.

 

Stick bothers me when you can't get it out of 1st or 2nd for awhile, OP should consider the same thing about his commute.

 

Fair point. Enjoy your MX5, wish I still had mine!

 

Yep, ‘06 Miata 6 speed. Fun car. Drove from San Fransico, CA to Maryland 10 years ago in 3 days. Vroom