Toyota Needs to Step Up!

In the last 36 months I've seen other brands step up their game in the Off Road/4x4 industry.

Jeep joined the truck market with the Gladiator. They've also been offering 33in tires from the factory with front and rear lockers on their highest trims for several years now. Jeep has also offered a turbo diesel in higher trim levels for 2020 and 2021.

Ford is introducing the Bronco and all that it entails in 2021. They've also re-launched their midsize truck in the Ranger and just recently have revealed that they will be offering an off road Tremor package in 2021. This is all in addition to the already existing F150 Raptor.

GM has greatly improved the Colorado and Canyon midsize trucks offering the ZR2 package with Off Road tires and Off Road bumpers. Very aggressive looking little trucks, that oh btw... have a DIESEL option. Is it expensive? Yes. But would I buy a diesel Tacoma for that price tomorrow? Probably.

Last but not least, I recently just saw RAM trucks are offering a TRX version with big power upgrades, lifted Off Road suspension, 35in tires from the factory, and wide Trophy Truck fenders. Looks like their version of the Ford Raptor.

Now with all this being said, I am a die hard Toyota guy. I love my Toyota and its the second one I've owned. I've only ever had two vehicles in my life - 2002 Tacoma and now a 2018. Couldn't be happier with it. Also, I will say the TRD Pro is a very nice version of our trucks. I love the Pro colors every year, the badging, the leather, etc. However, I think many are like me in the fact that I'd rather buy an Off Road and spend the 10-12K I save on the Pro and use it on a lift, wheels, tires, etc.

What I'm getting at is Toyota IMO is going to have to do something in the near future to keep up with all these other manufactures releasing new things that appeal to the off road enthusiast. Some ideas:

- TRD Pro Ultimate Edition Tacoma (33in tires, wider stance, soft suspension, front trail camera, cut bumpers, fenders, etc.)

- TRD Pro Heritage Edition 4Runner (Go back to original body lines and removable top like the original 4Runner. 33 or 35in tires. Would be very similar to Jeep and Bronco Platforms for 2022.)

- Diesel Powertrain Option (I think this would be the easiest and most effective thing for them to do. Dropping a turbo diesel in what they already have available would be a smash hit and we all know it.)

- More options from the factory as far as off road accessories. There's plenty of aftermarket accessories out there for Tacoma, but I'd like to see Toyota come up with some of their own like Jeep and Ford do. Lighting, bumpers, skid plates, rock rails, winches, etc.

- Removable doors. I don't think this is a great idea by any stretch. I think most people who buy Tacoma's aren't interested in taking their doors off, if they were they'd buy a Jeep or a Bronco. But, if we're talking a higher level trim like the made up "TRD Pro Ultimate" that is geared toward that off road enthusiast, it could be a cool thing.

I'll end with this. I'm an off road guy, and I love what I'm seeing in the off road market. Everywhere I look it's taking off. It's like the muscle car era for trucks and SxS's. Everywhere I look I see things getting bigger and better. I see SxS's with 30 and 32in tires from the factory with turbo kits and 180+hp. I see Ford going all out with the Bronco. I see Chevrolet offering a baby Duramax specifically for the mid-size truck. I love my Toyota. I'm a huge TRD fan. But I want to see Toyota stay in the front as far as 4x4 world goes. I'm not saying they need to change what they have going on because I know they have a strong foothold in the everyday driver, dependability, comfort and utility market. These are great trucks for that lifestyle. But give me something more available to guys that drool over lift kits and tires. Give me something that takes that dependability and practicality of a Tacoma and merges it with the "Big Boy Toy" vibes we get from Jeeps and Broncos. Hell we all do it already anyway with mods, that's essentially the lifeline of this forum. Just please Toyota, give me something new and exciting for 2022 and beyond!

P.S. - Yes I've seen the 2021 Tacomas. At first look, they seem very similar to the previous years. I have heard rumors of "Trail Edition" Tacomas later this year for 2021, but nothing I've read about those mentions anything more than the following

• Dark Gray 18-inch TRD Off-Road wheels
• Kevlar All-Terrain tires
• grille from the Tacoma Limited
• A 115-volt power outlet in the bed
• lockable bed storage includes insulation on the driver side to double as a cooler

Not what I'm looking for... Article here

 

You can have all your fancy factory options from Fard, Chebby, and Doge, but they all come at a hefty price.

You can mod a regular taco to be more capable for less money.

The only thing that you mentioned that is even worth consideration is a small diesel or more engine power in general. Everything else is better served by the aftermarket.

 

I didn't buy my truck for any of those reasons you listed. I'm probably a bit of an outlier because I bought a 4 cylinder automatic DCSB that I converted to 4WD and am now converting to 5-speed manual. However, I got the truck because it was priced right and was a solid reliable platform that had a lot of aftermarket support. Also, the huge amount of common parts among the generations and other Toyota vehicles made large projects like the 4WD conversion both reasonably cheap and easy. I don't need something fast with a lot of power. I don't need/want leather and a bunch of tech in my truck. I don't need/want it to drive for me. What I need/want is a truck that doesn't have a high risk of leaving me stranded after 50k miles.

 

You don’t think it would be cool for Toyota to offer our trucks but with better suspension and fenders that more comfortably support 33 and 35 in tires like we’re seeing other manufacturers do instead of having to CMC or CM relocate all together?

 

I agree, but most of people don’t need front and rear lockers, 33 inchs tires and all that stuff to simply haul sled and trail to get to their shacks, offroad vehicules warranty must be hard to honor depending on the driver abuse of it, and all that stuff is expensive to repair in 20 years, cause we all know our trucks still shine in 20years with that being said, id rather upgrade my truck as a wish then buy one upgraded, but its only my point of view, nice thread by the way

 

It usually takes between two to five years to react to the market demand, so all the brand new offerings here are a reaction to the midsize truck explosion four to five years ago.

Toyota will make small changes to anticipate the future market, but won't make any major changes unless it feels like it is under threat of loosing share. It isnt under threat, yet. Actually, we are seeing the opposite: demand is higher than supply this year.

We probably wont see anything spectacularly different until at least 2025-2026, after the companies have had a good chance at analyzing (and reacting to) the "post-uncertainty" market trends.

 

There are aftermarket fenders and suspension kits that will do everything the factory packages do and more for less than half the price. The gladiator start at 36k with manual everything and HAND CRANK WINDOWS. The cheapest tacoma has a large center screen and android auto. Just because the magazines throw up the 60k versions of chebby and fards don't mean thats the trucks everyone is buying. The V8 jeep they just touted will be 70+ thousand when it drives out of the dealership. Tacos start at 26k and you don't have to worry about the engine surviving to 100k.

Why would you want a 60k tacoma? Anyone who bought one would be the laughing stock of this forum.

 

I would 100% buy a $60K Tacoma if it was my exact truck with 33's and beadlocks, a Toyota Turbo Diesel mounted to a 6 speed manual, and all the things we've come to expect from a modern vehicle as far as luxuries go.

 

Yea, personally I wish they would stop adding stuff to them. They just keep adding stuff and increasing the price. I don't want adaptive CC or BSM or cameras. I think power windows and locks on a double cab is nice, but I don't want anything else. The shit just costs a bunch of money and breaks.

 

100% there is no threat rn. Dealerships cannot keep them on the lots. And I think the number 1 reason for that is they appeal to a lot of different type of people. I think they're great trucks man and agree they are reasonably priced. I just see all these super cool things being released by other people and would like to see Toyota do something similar.

 

Wait...explain again how adding a turbo diesel would be easy to do...

 

Or you could buy one for 30k spend 15k on all that shit you mentioned and still have money left over for hookers and blow.

Or whatever a guy with a turbo diesel would spend his money on.

 

And very last, Tacoma, 4Runner and Tacoma have the highest reliability and durability and resale in their classes. IMO Toyota just needs to keep doing what they are doing. They had to build a new plant they are selling them so fast. My Tundra is basically the same as it was 15 years ago. They sold over a 100K of them last year. The 4Runner is 11 years old. The Tacoma is the new kid at five years old.
No, let the other guys do their thing. Let Toyota keep making reliable vehicles that are affordable.

 

Why would it be hard for them to build the same trucks they've been building since 2016 with a diesel option? Toyota is not new to the diesel industry all together, they make diesel motors in vehicles all across the globe. Would they have to do some work to make them meet US standards and emissions, probably. But it's not like they'd be starting from scratch. Diesel Toys in Texas have been putting Toyota Diesels in Tacoma's for 15 years in the aftermarket world.

 

Toyota doesn't really have to do that when its midsize offering remains the best-selling in its class, not to mention the fact the Tacoma's resale value remains amongst the highest. What Toyota is doing is clearly working; at the end of the day, it's about moving volumes.

And besides, there's a huge aftermarket with which to modify these trucks to one's heart's content.

 

Yay it’s Fri...no wait it’s not.

 

You missing
2020 Honda Ridgeline Adds 3 Gears to Its Transmission, 9-speed

 

seems to be doing fine

 

And air conditioning. As an older guy, I remember when power windows, brakes steering and door locks were luxury items lol.