First Hwy drive, my thoughts

My 2018 Sport with just over 500 miles on it.
I had to pick up my daughter today from college which is about an hour drive one way. I brought my tablet and monitored some things with Torque Pro on Android. Running an average speed of 77 MPH, getting an average MPG of 20.7, Trans temp ran anywhere from 186 to 195. It mostly held steady at 190 to 192.
The road had a few small hills and everything went well for me. I didn't have any shifting issues or gear hunting problems. When I needed to pass I was able to without any complaints. Radar cruise control worked but I am not a fan of it. BSM and LDW were not a bother. The Lane depature warning went off a couple times when I moved over because a 18 wheeler was on the shoulder, but of course I knew I was crossing the line.
Voice controls worked O.k., I used it to tell it to navigate home, and to send a text to my wife I was on my way back. It has preset messages you can send and the one I used was, I am on my way.
Navigation was pointless but I wanted to use it anyway. I did like how it shows the exits or road changes on the screen in front of the steering wheel.
I did have some road noise but not so much that you couldn't have a regular conversation. I was expecting it to be a little quieter, but it was still reasonable. I am now wondering how putting on vent visors will affect that. We have in channel visors on the Rav4 and I think it's still quieter than the Tacoma.
Overall I am very happy with the truck and just thought I would share because not many people posts good experiences.

 

Thank you for the post. Your experience seems to match mine pretty closely.

 

Maybe it's something about the Sport.
Which I guess I should add, the skewp didnt really hurt front end visibility as I have seen others say it will. I did get some glare on the way there, so maybe some hood graphics may be on the list.

 

Average speed of 77mph my god

 

Them Firestone Destination LE2s are a little loud on the highway. My BFG TAKO2s and Toyo AT2s were both quieter then the stock Firestones.

I did get 60k out of the Firestones though, still had 4/32nds when I pulled them off too

 

Too slow?
My house is just a few miles from the interstate, and just 1.5 miles off the interstate is where she is staying. Speed limit is 70, LEO never stops anyone going 5 over, and if you see one sitting in the median if you slow down when you go past him they will usually not bother you. Every once in a while you get a State Trooper in a bad mood and he will nail you. But I was just keeping up with the traffic flow.

 

1. NO too fast
2. Who's Leo?

 

Took ours from Abq to Chandler Arizona ran like a champ no issues with gear hunting. Ran about 75 on interstate averaged 22 to 24 mpg. Very comfortable really like my truck. 2016 TRD Off Road.

 

1. Keeping up with traffic flow
2. Law Enforcement Officer

 

Makes Sense.

 

“Keeping up with traffic”

I said that to a judge once. He chuckled and asked me if I knew what lemmings were. He then asked me what happened to all the lemmings.

 

Maybe I missed it, what motor does your truck have?

I'm on this forum researching a new truck.

 

3.5 V6. I have a 2018 TRD Sport, 2wd, double cab short bed, with Technology package.

 

You're my hero

 

Good job OP!
My son literally jumped off a bridge. I didn't have anything to say...
True story.

 

Alright, enough b.s. about my average speed and keeping up with the traffic flow, this is not what the thread was supposed to be about. I swear, you make a positive comment on the 3rd gen and somehow, someone has to turn it around. This is why there are so many negative threads on this forum. I just simply wanted to share my thoughts and experience and the reason I posted the average speed was to give a comparison as to the average MPG and Transmission Temperature. I didn't know I was going to get called out on that.

So, can we get past this and let this thread either die because no one wants to see that somebody had a good experience in a 3rd Gen, or can we let it continue so that someone coming here thinking of buying can read some positive notes.

 

I thought the same.

I don't have a dog in this hunt. I have a 1st Gen 3.4 auto. I've never driven a 2nd or 3rd Gen . I often wonder if I will be amazed or dissapointed when I finally get to try out a new truck.

Thanks for the original review, OP.

 

2017 AC V6 4WD SR5. For me, the cabin noise is the same before and after in channel vent visors (which I love)

 

Thank you, good to hear. What brand visors did you go with? I have AVS on the Rav4 and they are good quality, so that is probably what I am going to look at for the Tacoma.

 

That wasn't my experience. My stock firestones were very quiet, extremely quiet. And had I kept them I was on pace to get mayyybe 25k out of them.