2020 Tacoma, an unexpected improvement

Strange my experience is opposite. I hated the second gen on the freeway. Any slight wind or elevation change required significant throttle input to account for. My third gen isn't like that.

 

@reconstyle

So there's a guy who's been on a forum long enough to know that some people are not satisfied with the performance of the AUTOMATIC transmission in the 3rd generation Tacomas.

Yet this guy, apparently without test driving it first, buys a new Tacoma. Then he complains about how his new truck, with the AUTOMATIC transmission, shifts AUTOMATICALLY.

Like it is supposed to.

He must be one of those Nattering Nabobs of Negativism.

Seriously.

 

Well, there you go gentleman... 2020 and another guy complaining.

no due diligence? No problem, just blame it on Toyota!

 

We have a 3.5 taco and a 4.0 4runner. 4runner feels a bit more torqy down low, but once the rpms climb, the 3.5 comes in stronger than the 4.0.

it’s two vehicles with different driving characteristics. Both are just fine. They aren’t gonna win you any races, but very reliable and a TON of fun.

 

How are you determining what gear it's in? Not the two overdrives, that's pretty easy, but you say it's jumping 2nd gear but I'm not so sure you can accurately determine that by sound unless you've got the the gas peddle mashed. Do you have an OBD II giving you a read on that? No matter how I accelerate in my 2019, my OBD II reader always shows second gear is active for at least a 3 or 4 seconds.

 

It's just a guess since second comes after first....

Regardless of what it's doing or not doing - it just flat sucks.

It baffles me how any auto manufacturer, let alone Toyota, would put this out to the market and think it's acceptable.

 

Yasssss!! We have a winner. Let the 2020 transmission complaining begin in earnest.

 

Well they could have gone with that POS CVT deal. At least they have actual gears not a bunch of belts tightening and loosening.

Fact is, and we all acknowledge it, the engine in the 3G is not a power house without much low end torque. Stock tires and such, it will pull the truck around adequately but towing sucks and if you put bigger tires on which change the torque at the wheel significantly (without regear) performance will be even worse. What baffles ,me is that none of this is a secret, yet people test drive, buy the truck and then bitch.

 

Perceived quality, Toyota reputation for reliability, resale value and will go 300,000 miles with regular maintenance.

 

Bitching seems to be a hobby for some people.

 

Depending on how it's driven, I don't think that's out of the question. You see plenty of 250,000 Tacomas. And the resale value is not a myth.

 

My favourite is when fellas get the dealer-installed lift and 33” 10ply tires before they even drive it off the lot and then start complaining. Those guys are a special bunch.

There’s been a couple dudes on here with the “can’t believe Toyota released this truck” type statements that never even drove the truck in stock configuration more than maybe 1 day.

Way back in the day, you’d buy a gutless 22RE Toyota pickup, that never had any power to begin with, and you would know before you fit 33” tires that there would be certain stretches of highway that you’d have to shift down to 2nd gear to make it over. It was a trade off.

These days, guys want to cruise over mountain passes, with 2000lbs of bro-bling overland crap, 34” mudders, at 75MPH, and if the truck downshifts, they complain bitterly.

Hopefully that asteroid I ordered arrives soon. The social reset is needed more each day.

 

Or maybe just a normal transmission that doesn’t shift like garbage like pretty much every other vehicle on the road?

Perceived quality?

You mean I should be ok with the garbage trans since it might last 300k miles?

Nope, I want my stock truck to drive like a normal vehicle on normal roads. Don’t think that’s too much to ask on a $40k vehicle.

 

You shouldn’t have cheaped-out on the budget mid-size. Spend the extra $8000 and get yourself a Ranger. You’ll be much happier. You pay less for a Toyota because you get less. Plain and simple. It’s for fellas on a budget.

 

Lol, you mean pay less and get a 10-speed transmission?

 

No. You won’t be happy with the base model ranger. Buy in at the same trim. Stop being so cheap and you’ll find happiness. It’s only money. Get a lease on the Lariat, and don’t look back.

 

You’re being facetious, but the 4x4 lariat still comes in cheaper than a limited or trd 4x4

 

Not where I live. They are ripping you off on the TRD is it’s more expensive than the FX4 Lariat 4WD.

 

The Ranger seems to be several thousand more in similar trim.