Taco comes in fourth....WTF

Sales numbers say youre wrong.

Tacos don't need to be numerically best in everything (that's the typical flawed thinking of domestic truck makers), they need to offer what buyers are looking for, and right now thats a truck that hauls enough payload to satisfy buyers, has a bed that does the job perfectly fine, and has a drivetrain that may not be the most powerful or fuel efficient but is proven durable and reliable.

Youre falling into the trap that auto journalists, Ford, Chevy, and Jeep want you to fall into, and that is that you're supposed to buy your truck based on which one is the best on paper. They want you the buyer to prioritize payload, towing, HP, MPG over reliability, proven track record, build quality, etc.

 

Just push the button on the end of the cruise control stalk on the steering wheel. Don’t turn on adaptive cruise on the steering wheel.

 

Anyone who's looked at used Taco's know something must be right about them.

I found I could get the exact truck I wanted new for a couple grand more than a used one from a non dealership.

When I was at the dealership getting my 5K service, I was checking out their used Taco's. They had a 2017 non 4x4 SR5 with a price $5K over what I paid for my brand new one.

 

You won't see "resale value" printed on the options list on the big 3 window stickers..

 

That’s because the used Tacoma has all the TSBs already done

 

That's insane...

 

Bashes the visibility, seat position, "meh" engine, and low headroom.

Praises the reliability, build quality, resale, and aftermarket.

I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment of it.

 

But putting Taco in last place suggests that they believe visibility, seat position, satisfactory power, and headroom (ALL of which are subjective by the way) are more important than reliability, build quality, resale value, and aftermarket support.

It's complete BS. Their priorities are all out of whack.

 

True but as mentioned before they don't get advertising from Toyota for their shitty blogs, they probably do get it from what's left of the Big 3. Too bad they spend more on advertising than engineering.

 

That's your opinion. To you and me, build quality, reliability, and aftermarket support may be important. To many, they want a truck with a powerful engine and tons of goodies. Most people buying cars are not looking at resale, a car is a depreciating asset so people don't worry about it. This is literally the only vehicle I've ever considered it on, and only because I saw how much used ones cost. On that same note, most aren't concerned with aftermarket since the vast majority of trucks will go untouched.

Also, consider most people only keep a car for something like 5-7 years. They're not worried about if the Tacoma will last to 300k, they'll replace their car before it hits 100k.

So to many, the uncomfortable seating position and low power of the Tacoma is a deal breaker. To others, the cheap Chevy interiors are a deal breaker, or the short bed only options of the Ranger is a deal breaker, etc etc. It's really to each their own. When you put a Tacoma against cars that come with a lot of newer goodies, combined with more comfort and more power, in a comparison designed to help the average ho-hum car buyer, the Tacoma is going to lose.

Now if they were trying to appeal to people who want a decent priced, LONG term vehicle that won't crap out, Tacoma wins.

 

I'm not seeing this visibility problem...

 

Personally me either, but I guess when compared to the others maybe it's just not as good? I can see their point about struggling to see stop lights without kind of ducking down sometimes, I do on select intersections (or have to look at a light on the sidewalk instead), but I'm 6'3".

 

Complains about lack of headroom in truck. Uses model with sunroof. If only something could have been done about this.

 

They also said that the FJ cruiser was in the top 10 worse vehicle categories when they came out. Resale value today says otherwise.

 

I personally trust the feedback and input of actual owners of the trucks before any of these morons.

 

Whoa... Wait one a minute

I kind of like it

 

Completed "off road testing" at a Michigan "off road park".

How cute.

 

This is perfect!

 

4 banger MT Taco, last of the greats.

 

I believe the Gladiator is only around 6" longer than a Tacoma DCSB and about the same length as a DCLB.