Thinking about going from a 2nd gen to a 3rd gen

The one complaint I have about my 3rd gen vs my 2nd gen is the 1-2 shift. My 3rd gen loves to upshift to second as soon as possible (like when turning from a stop sign), and then doesn’t like to downshift to first unless you floor it. Can be a little problematic when trying to jump out into traffic. Other then that, I love the 3rd gen. Can’t deny that it is a much more refined and comfortable truck.

 

According to my truck's computer, the mileage is hovering between 12 and 13 mpg (closer to 12 than 13). (That's stop-and-go suburban driving.) But I'm generally satisfied with it.

 

I envy the first and second genners that i see on the street. They call em turd gens for a reason. Unless you really want a more modern interior stick with the older toyota

 

It all depends on what you want. A lot of owners want a new truck. Not a frankentruck with 250k miles of swamp ass smell and dog hair.

 

Truck rusts in half, no big deal.

Truck shifts oddly compared to a 20 year old 4 speed truck, absolute garbage.

 

True but i honestly feel like im driving a beefed up Camry on 32 inch all terrains rather than a truck. I personally shoulda just bought an old 4x4 beater

 

Then sell it.

 

This. Went from a 2019 TRD OR to a 2014 TRD OR. 4.0L is a much more responsive engine down low. 3.5L gets better mileage and takes a sec to develop its torque. Probably has a lot to due with the weight difference between the two.

No shifting issues with the 2G, but that’s probably not an issue with the 2020+ 3G Tacos, or after getting a ECU flash. Just test drive a 3G first to see if the tranny is a problem for you.

1GR is a proven bulletproof motor designed for extreme use by Toyota trucks in remote parts of the world, whereas the 2GR, while plenty reliable, has only been used for cars and minivans up to this point.

1GR holds the title of being used in the Land Cruiser, Hilux, LC Prado and other flagships of Toyota off-road reliability for the last decade or more. The 2GR has yet to be dropped in any of those vehicles, but with TNGA right around the corner, that may change pretty soon here.

They’re both great rigs, just be sure you test drive a few to see if the 3G quirks (cough…giant hood…cough) bug you. I loved my 2019 and love my 2014. They both smoke the competition hands down.

 

I love my third gen. I'm up and down inclines around metro denver all the time, up and down i70 into the mountains a lot and havent had a single gear shifting issue others have complained about. It punches it when i need it too.

 

Ahh, yes. The old "car engine" comparison. Fact is that EVERY manufacturer uses engines across multiple platforms. The current Tacoma engine actually got its origins in a Lexus about 10 years prior. I had a Ford Mustang that had a 3.8L V6 that also powered the Ford Windstar and Ford Ranger/Mazda B3000. The 5.0L from the Mustang is also in the F150 with some minor changes. The Pentastar V6 powers the Jeep Wrangler but also powered the Dodge Grand Caravan.

While that old 4.0L may have more low end power, the 3.5L has 42 more HP and will run circles around the 4.0L at speed. My old I5 Canyon was faster off the line than my Tacoma (or our 4Runner), but my Tacoma is way quicker between 70 and 100 MPH.

I'm not knocking the 4.0L engine. I'm merely saying the 3.5L is nowhere near as bad as some people make it out to be.

 

This says it all. I didn’t like the 3.5 at 1st, but it moves when I jump on it.
People online like to complain a lot.

 

Yee im shoppin for an XJ

 

I think my biggest complaint would be the 1-2 shift when towing. If I don't wind 1st gear just about all the way out before shifting into 2nd the rpm drops right out of the power band and the truck just falls flat on its face.

 

Now is the time to sell. Let us know what you replace it with.

 

Very simple awnser. I wanted a Tacoma, didn’t know if I wanted a 2nd gen or 3rd gen. Test drove both of them multiple times and decided

 

Wow. Didn't expect to see so many people bitching about the 3.5. It's TacomaWorld, guess I shouldn't have expected different.

My take on it? Huge jump up from the 2nd gen. Hell, I've done some pretty great burnouts in this truck, and it moves when I want it to. I work the shit out of my truck (20k km in 3ish month, 5-6k of it on dirt) and it hasn't faltered. Test drive, test drive, test drive. I think you'll like it tho.

 

That’s because the truck isn’t good enough so everyone buys one and trades it in. They either get a newer model hoping it’ll be better or something completely different

 

The KDmax tune solves everything you’re describing.

Without the tune, I most likely would have sold the 21 OR I purchased this past Jan. With the tune, the truck behaves as you would have expected from the factory. One thing to note, I did request a custom tune so 5th and 6th gears shift at the ECT settings. I highly recommend this tune for anybody who feels their truck shifts poorly or lacks low end torque.

 

Not sure why people get so upset about the 3.5 having less low end grunt. It just doesn’t have the same torque as the 4.0 in the lower rpm range and that’s just a fact. Doesn’t mean it’s a bad engine. 4.0 is proven more reliable and has been rock steady for over 10 years. It’s just a great engine hands down.

Also, if your buying a Tacoma to go fast your buying the wrong truck. Sure some speed is nice on the highway but these trucks aren’t power houses no matter what engine you have. Drive a 2G and a 3G and decide what you really intend to use the truck for. Neither are bad trucks and I don’t think you can go wrong with any gen of Tacoma

 

I own a OR 06 Access 4.0L now with 181,000 miles on it running well, and am wanting a new rig, but I am waiting on the new and much improved Dynamic Force V6 in the 4gen Tacoma. The new Dynamic Force V6 has what most of you are needing, more low end torque, developed by using a longstroke engine. That is a huge improvement over the current 3.5L but there are several more improvements, increased valve angle, and more. I think its worth the wait.