Moving from 2nd Gen to 3rd...what to know

Oh, it has the horsepower. You just have to be in sport mode and hold the gear in 3-4 and spinning at 5-6 k. In your 4.0, you can drive all day in less then 3k and not feel like driving at Le Mans. The 4.0 is no great shakes power wise, but it is a more appropriate truck motor.

 

Toyota will improve things......maybe with a hybrid version with the 3.5 being what it was intended to be when used in a truck......a generator motor.

 

I had a 2012 that I traded in for a 2017 and never looked back.

 

There are a lot of things to like in the newer Taco. Just not enough for me. I’ll pass till they do more.

 

You have a 2nd gen so your going to be partial. 2nd gens are great trucks. When modded I think they look better than 3 gens. However, this discussion is pointless. If you believe a massive entity like Toyota would roll out a new shit version of their top selling truck than I don’t know what to tell you. Sure improvements need to be made after the initial roll out but the truck is simply a better version than the older generation.

I bought my truck without reading any of back and forth on TW. Literally don’t have any issues described by most. I don’t really give a shit about mpg. I don’t need to use sport mode or ect to keep up with traffic whatsoever. More power than I need

 

I think I'll stick with my 07...I can work on it and it's long since paid for.

 

Just did it again 15 minutes ago driving here to work. Same exact 20 mile highway commute I've done for over 3 years in a 2nd gen. It's fine if you don't believe me and refuse to believe the 3g can be good. I'm not trying to convert or dissuade anybody from picking the truck they want. I, too, was worried about all the 'horror' stories regarding the 3g engine/transmission 'issues' when I started test driving the 19 in anticipation of the 20. None of that ever materialized.
I just want the casual reader to see a reasonable counter-argument for once.

 

With my 2012 mpg average was 16 with my 2017 mpg average is 22. More than happy with my third gen.

 

5th gear @ 70 MPH is 2100 RPM and 6th gear @ 70 is 1600 or so. In normal driving. Some people just refuse to acknowledge actual facts.

The 4.0 in a tacoma makes peak power @ 4000 RPM, the 3.5 is at 4600 RPM (4runner 4.0 is 4400 RPM), so everyone talking about driving around sub 2k RPM is kidding themselves anyways.

 

I went from a 2010 to a 2017. Overall I'm happy with the trade, but I do notice the difference in power and I despise how dirty the black interior always appears. The grey was way easier to keep clean.

The pros for me all involve convenience. The bluetooth and nav are good and easy to use. The rear camera is great.

Plus they look great.

 

You make excellent points....
The 3 g is a good truck when you consider everything. It has improved. A little more insulation, a new dash board, new sheet metal, and a motor based upon a corporate design that’s been around nearly as long as as the 4.0 itself. ( the block differs only by the stroke.) and you can see it’s not a revolutionary improvement over a good gen 2. Its better.....Still a compromise. Toyota could have easily done better, a lot better.

 

I’ll be blunt. I bought the holdover instead of the new model for three reasons. I got the OR for the same price as a 3g sr5. CR whom I trust, advised to seldom buy new models ( and they were right), and the dealership felt my towing needs of 4500 lbs would be better served by this known product with the larger engine. Nothing has changed.....

 

I think I’ve been real accurate.

 

Ok.

 

Sounds like a thorough test drive was needed instead of reading reviews. I always suggest for people to get extended or overnight test drives to see if they like it, if you are a serious buyer the dealership will accommodate you.

 

The reviews have been pretty consistent too. Everyone that I can see in head to head completion has shown the Tacoma to have lack luster engine performance among comparable mid size trucks. Even the Nissan, an old design beats it in acceleration. I have yet to see one that doesn’t place it last-in on road engine performance.

 

Until you drive it back to to back against a second gen. Ya the second gen feels like it has more down low, until ya push the gas pedals.

The 3rd gen is a lot more snappier and dare I say for a truck feels much faster. Both trucks and slow as shit but I prefer the never engine compared to the 4.0. The power down low is negligible to me, up high when they spin the 3rd gen wins every time. Guys ain’t used to pushing the skinny pedal is all. It’s not a sports car, push the fuckin gas pedal. Problem solved.

 

Ya know, if you hold the traction button for 5 seconds while stopped (I have MT so it might require park or something too for auto) it will turn off both VSC and traction control. Makes it great fun

 

I had a 1st Gen, and two 2nd Gens before my 3rd Gen. The shifter is butter smooth compared to my old ones, initially it felt a little weak on the low end but you just rev it out a bit before shifting gears plus it gets better MPG's.