The Taco is going HYBRID!

No. If it was an all electric Tacoma I'd be interested, but I definitely don't want some hybrid with twice as many things to break.

 

Same here. I'm tempted to buy a Rav4 once the truck is paid off and keep both. I think I'm right outside the range of the PHEV for full electric for the daily commute. Probably stick with the hybrid. The redesign for 2019 makes it an option I'd look at. Hate the ones prior to that.

I'm also semi considering seeing what the new Tundras are like. If a hybrid Tundra is nearing 30 MPG and scoots like a V8, I might trade in the Tacoma. I have no reason for a fullsize though.

My honest opinion of hybrids, if I was sticking to the buy cheap older vehicles and maintain them myself (which includes fixing broken things), I would not look at one. I'd stick with what I'm good at fixing. But, since I decided I was tired of that life for a daily driver and am going to keep relatively new and reliable vehicles in the stable, I would buy a hybrid.

 

It would depend on what the alternative is on the 4th gen. I love the manual transmission, but the time will come when the pros of EV/hybrids will outweigh the cons to the point that I won’t be able to justify my love of MT

If the 4th gen offers a turbo charged ICE with a manual transmission that gets 25-30 mpg, and the hybrid gets 30-40, I’ll stick with the ICE, if it’s a larger disparity, the hybrid could be very tempting

 

toyota has an amazing track record with their hybrids.

 

The Volvo T8 has is FWD with a supercharger and a turbo, and RWD with a plug-in electric. It produces 400 HP and gets 27 mpg on average and 55 mpg on the 18-mile all-electric range.

The battery fits in where the transmission tunnel would normally be.

For a truck more RWD power might be preferable, but probably not essential.

 

You should see the taxis I work on. So many of those priuses well over 300k miles with next to no maintenance.


Hell the hybrids seem to be more reliable than the gassers in all the current cars

 

Amen!!!

 

Hell yes, if it was something like Ram's e-torque system. It's almost like an e-charger. Practically, I can't see Toyota having a system like that because it barely increases efficiency compared to a true hybrid. My wife has a Prius V and I love that thing. For my truck though, I require actual gears. I would not get a CVT in anything that would be under significant load.

 

biggest tire size no lift?

 

That doesn't surprise me, but it's still not for me. I want either all gas, all diesel, or all electric. No combinations between the 3.

 

This might be a good time to point out that most lithium reserves are in relatively unstable and/or antagonistic places such as Bolivia, Peru and China. In fact, China controls 50% of current lithium reserves and is rapidly expanding, especially in Bolivia, and they make 60% of the world's Li batteries right now.

So if the US moved toward a lot of EV's quickly we might be trading one cartel (OPEC) for another (China). Food for thought.

 

This is what happens when a bunch of prius people start buying Trucks. Then they tell Toyota it's too much truck for them and need to tone down the manliness. I would never ever buy a hybrid truck. After about 6 years the hybrid battery has to be serviced or replaced. That crap is expensive. What they need to do is put a twin turbo or a V8 in the Taco. But that's just not politically correct I guess.

 

Our 2012 Prius V has never had the hybrid batteries serviced. We are at 110k. Runs like a top. The only additional maintenance is a separate cooling system flush for the hybrid drive.

 

Toyota really likes to not have a gazzillion options to keep costs down, uniform production and of course reliability but I would doubt they’d force us into a hybrid only option. Probably keep the current v6 and offer the hybrid as an option. I do see them killing off the MT unfortunately.

 

Some people just are oblivious, agreed you see early Prius’ running around with 199k no issues.

 

Tundra time for you then, rumor has the new tundra getting a twin turbo v6 from the Lexus parts bin.

 

With a much shorter battery life. It gets worse and worse as time goes. Google prius battery failure, if you want to educate yourself instead of being oblivious.

 

Ho ho

So basically the engine that should be in the Tacoma. While we are at it why not a 4.0l v8...

 

I bought a 2013 and shortly after I got a Toyota survey about what was important to me about Toyota trucks. I just bought a 19 and I got the same type of survey again so I would think the 4th gen is closer then we think.

 

Lithium ion batteries are constantly getting better and better on this front. I do see your point if it goes or needs replaced due to decreased efficiency it’s gonna be a pretty penny not to mention I don’t know how to wrench on it and I’m sure very few due, kind of at the dealers mercy at that point. I still think it’s a great option for many and Toyota will sell a ton of them to the Home Depot/grocery getter crowd, but I’m sure they’ll keep a non hybrid option as they know a good chunk of us would need the later option.