Hard Choice To Make

After getting rid of my problematic 2019 TRD OR a few weeks ago I am back looking at Tacos. My local dealer is small and of course their inventory has been affected by COVID. Yet, they did get 11 new Tacos in on Friday. Only TWO are 4x4 TRD OR ... a barcelona red and one sandstone. I've read about all the changes to the 2020 model. I have also looked at older Taco's on Cars dot come, Autotrader and Toyota dealers in Tucson and Phoenix.

If I were to wait a few weeks, the local dealer has a special order that was canceled. A 2020, cement gray, access cab, 6-speed manual. The color and manual tranny has me looking past the access cab. I could work with an access cab 6' bed since I am single and can't remember the last time someone rode in the backseat of any vehicle I have owned, besides my bloodhound.

I go back on forth between these two. I've read a million posts on this forum concerning these two models as well as watched reviews on YouTube. Usually when it comes to buying trucks/cars I can make a pretty quick decision.

I'm not asking for help deciding but would like to see some opinions. Yes, I have read posts where they went from dbl to access or from fj to tacoma or tundra to tacoma. My 2019 had parts being replaced at 23,000 miles and less that should have lasted 80,000 ... dealer fixed it and i still heard engine clicking so I sold it to them.

Now ... looking at trucks. LOL

 

Personally I love my access cab. I came from a quad cab Ram and thought I would miss the space, but 3 years later I haven’t. I built a platform over the back seats for a more comfy ride for my German Shepherd. The longer bed has come in handy several times. And imho access cans are the best looking, although I may be a bit biased

 

Just buy a 2nd Gen...

 

4Runners are nice from what I read...

 

And that is 2015's and older??

 

05-15

 

They are nice and almost too nice for off-roading. You will not believe that in May 2019 I was on the forum asking the same questions. I bought a brand new 4-Runner TRD Off Road Premium ... drove it from Indiana to Arizona for my move and then traded it. LOL

 

Sounds like that Sport AC Manual coming in would fit your needs if just your dog will be back there.

 

I love my AC. My teenage daughters fit back there nicely, as do I. There is more available storage because of the way the DC seats fold. Zero regrets here. My only other option would have been a DCLB MT, which they don't make, as the 6ft bed was a must.

 

Why do you NEED a truck?
Serious question, no sarcasm.

 

Access cab manual is the truck I would look at, meh on the color, doesn’t matter. The bed length, manual trans gets a better final drive ratio, yeah.

 

I've heard and read that the access cab is too small for large pets but a german shepherd and bloodhound are large I believe . My thinking is to go with the access cab if your beloved pet can fit comfortably and get that extra foot in the bed .

 

The area where I live has a million miles of forest roads, high desert dirt/sand/riverbed roads, 22 miles of gravel rough rock road climbing over Montezuma pass ... as far as a truck bed, hauling landscape stuff on occasion, used furniture if found and helping out neighbors. Of course all of that hauling could be done by my '59 VW single cab with the 8' bed and fold down gates or the panel van I am having delivered today. The other option is don't buy a truck and just keep my FJ, which I would anyway if I were buying a Taco. Also with a truck I can tow more for those times I have an old VW bus on a trailer headed this direction. Im thinking of changing up my camping style from a tent or possibly towing a small off road trailer to a collapsible camper that fits inside a 5' or 6' bed.

 

Just whoring out this photo:


The passenger seat is about one notch forward of the drivers seat and on 1.5in shaped rear spacers, but . . .

There is also an easy way to create level floor in the back with a board and a couple cheap Dewalt tool boxes.

 

She was able to get in the Taco and my Pro with no problems and I am pretty sure the seats folded down would be higher then her getting in the back of the access cab. I know the Pro was an 1" so higher for even men. I loved the idea of manual and that extra foot in the bed.

 

thanks for the great visual of how much room there is with the access door open. Plenty of room back there.

 

To be honest, it doesn’t matter what you do since it appears you have the means to get whatever you want whenever you want- kudos.

Access cab is the ultimate pickup truck configuration in my opinion.

Happy hunting.

 

You're welcome.

There is. I have not been left wanting.

 

I had 2 AC Tacoma's prior to this one, you can definitely get quite a bit back there and the clamshell doors make it convenient.

 

My problem is I like cars and trucks, each has their own purpose but I have too many and at times I want to downsize plus I don't have enough parking space/garage spots. I agree with you that the Access Cab is the best pick up truck configuration. In the previous Tacos I had, those rear seats in a Dbl Cab were always folded down.