Minor annoyances with Toyota tech (compared to wife's Honda)

It's apples and oranges. If it were the Ridgeline or Ranger or Gladiator then good and go at it. But a CRV? That's head scratching.

 

Eh, I have a lot of those features on my Jeep Renegade (and I disliked this vehicle with a passion, don't ask me why I bought it, I was warned against it, did it anyways...ANYWAY) and some were done better than the Taco. For example the remote start, it doesn't turn off when you open the door and that's simple and awesome but a feature my truck is lacking.

 

The good thing is that some of the issues you have can be fixed or modded to your liking. LED headlights and fog lights , plenty of options from oem to aftermarket.

USB port relocation, simple extension cable running under the console and into the inside of the armrest.

HD reverse cam, duct tape an old android phone to your tailgate and just do a video call to it.

Have fun with the Tacoma, see it as a perfect canvas to make it to your own liking and share with us what you have done!

 

Exactly. Another reason I went Tacoma was the aftermarket support.

 

The remote start thing bothers me a lot too. There is no valid reason for it at all; just seems like lazy engineering. For the lane assist we have hydraulic steering so the car can't correct for you.

 

I actually like that my 2017 tacoma didn't come with all that crap

 

I missed this part about the camera and wholeheartedly agree. When I bought my 2016 Tacoma there was an issue with the back up camera. They replaced it and I laughed at how crude it was. Although it was my first vehicle to even have a back up camera which I also do not reply on so not a bummer to me.

 

It seems the truck is always in eco mode and hitting ECT turns eco mode off
I wish it was the other way around

 

Sorry to hijack.

I had a 2007 Chevy cobalt (lol) with OEM remote start. When you open the door it stays running until you put the key in it. There was no way you could drive off while I had the keys.

I know it is a keyed ignition and different setup but I would think Toyota has the ability to do something similar. My only concern with the new Tacoma’s would be unnecessary wear on the starter. Since you’re essentially starting the vehicle twice once you open the door.

If this is not the case and toyota bypasses using the starter twice please inform me.

 

Rough crowd out here. For what it’s worth I knew what I was getting into when I got the truck, mediocry across the board

 

I understand where you are coming from. I currently have a Honda Accord with all the tech bells and whistles and plan on getting a Tacoma when my lease is up shortly. I know that I’m completely spoiled by it. I’m preparing myself for the mediocre tech in the Tacoma. Honda is on the forefront of tech performance when Toyota lags behind. To be honest I’m just surprised it has the tech it has for being a truck. When it comes down to it, it’s a truck, the last thing I’m thinking about is lane keep assist, etc. Maybe they will up their game in the next few years and integrate higher performance tech features on par with Honda. But...again, it’s a truck.

 

Still bought it just the same way that people marry ugly people, you looked at the flaws and said fuck it because buying a Chevy or Ford is like buying a mobile home

 

The remote start thing irritates the piss out of me. I had remote start in the 16 Avalon I had, and I didn't bother adding it to the Tacoma because of this.

 

I never understood the desire for remote start. If you're soft i kind of get it, but I don't think idling to build cabin comfort is good for the engine.

 

It may not be, but my soon to be newborn baby I bet will appreciate it

 

OP, buddy and Pal.

I think you probably bought the right truck.
But failed to realize what happens when you voice an opinion on the internet.
And of all places.....the 3r..... never mind.

I understand your frustration.
I can’t say I have experienced it. My truck is a bit old for this new tech.

 

OP, I get what your saying and agree that for the money Toyota lacks in a lot of design areas on the 3rd gens. There's a list of stuff that they did with these things that make me scratch my head sometimes and wonder what the fuck they were thinking lol.
But in the end we all still ended up buying the truck so why would Toyota invest more money into redesigning stuff that people are still buying like crazy. Sucks for us, but it's also kind our fault too.
In the long run I do think it's going to bite Toyota in the ass, as tech advances I think all vehicle manufacturers are going to be equally unreliable in their own stupid ways.

Idling for 10 minutes is not going to hurt your engine, if anything it's better than hoping in the truck and heading down the road when everything is still 5°. Around here remote start isn't so much for people who are "soft" it's more for getting the 1/4" layer of ice off your windows without getting a ticket for idling...

 

God help us save the next generation of snowflakes. Heated baby wipes, warmed towels, heated seats, and now heated cabins. I understand creature comforts, but far too many of us (myself included) get ourselves wrapped into the added options that spoil us rather than the vehicle's true functionality. The Tacoma is a truck. Get a 4-Runner or a minivan if that's what you really want.

 

The toyota remote start IS lame.

My ford will only kill the engine if the hood or a door is opened without the truck being unlocked and if you somehow shift into drive without turning the key to run.

 

Hah! the 3rd gen is far from a truck, more like an SUV with the back chopped off....