4th Gen Tacoma (2024+)

What exactly is so sexy about a manual transmission truck, anyway? My '97 SR had a MT. It didn't make me feel like a badass. And I felt the need to brag about it. To anybody.

 

I don't mean to be an alarmist but, Huston, we have a problem. And we may have to call on the endangered species act

"What percentage of cars sold in US have manual transmission?

Just 41 out of the 327 new car models sold in the United States in 2020, or 13%, are offered with a manual transmission, according to data from Edmunds. That is a tremendous drop from less than a decade ago. In 2011, 37% percent came with manuals.
Apr 15, 2020"

 

Manufacturers don’t spend any money developing new better manual transmissions. Then they only offer them in the bare bones entry level model. Then they say, well no one buys them so we will stop selling them. It’s set up to fail. Obviously today’s automatics are much better than the ones that were out when I started driving my 1990 Honda Accord Coupe with a five speed manual. At the time the manual was cheaper, faster, and got better gas mileage. But now automatics are better, faster, and get better mileage. So only a few dinosaurs like me buy vehicles with a manual transmission.

 

the good news is that of the MTs still being made, most of them are on great vehicles. It doesn't bother me that the base trims of bad cheap sedans don't exist any more - I'm not gonna buy that anyway.

 

Sexy it ain't but most of us that have one simply like driving a manual better - and the Taco is the last option available. The automatic is probably better in every 'measurable' way -- MPG, acceleration and more. Those benefits, at least for me, were not enough to go for one over the simple joy I find in rowing my own.

 

I'm at the other end of the spectrum, I want all of my cars to be fully tarted up with options AND a manual transmission.

 

Technically the Gladiator is also available with a manual, but for those of us who don't drive off the pavement, the Jeep is a very poor second choice.

 

My bad, yes of course that's available. I love the look of the Gladiator. At one time, before I bought the Taco, I was often configuring an Overland with the 6MT. That was right around $55k ($18k more than I paid for the Taco).

 

Acura makes you get the highest trim to get the manual on the new Integra; seems like a strange thing to do.

my nephew’s 2019 Accord manual is pretty fun to drive; it’s a shame that the Civic is the only Honda with a manual now.

The GR Corolla looks like a great car.

it’s interesting that Toyota, the maker of boring sedans for so long, seems to be introducing more exciting vehicles lately including some with manual transmissions.

 

I thought the Bronco was as well?

 

Meh, yes the Bronco is available with a manual gearbox, but the last time I checked it didn't have a bed out back of the cab.

 

Yes, all that you wrote is spot on. The only reason I stopped buying standard transmissions is to share vehicles with others in the family who could not drive standard and I didn’t have the time or feel up replacing a clutch, as sometimes a newbie would burn one.

The old A/T were constantly failing, and there were numerous shops specializing on their R&R, that’s another reason I liked standard, a clutch lasted longer than an auto for me.
Moreover, Fleets bought standard transmissions back then too vs A/T and operators had to know or learn if they wanted a job.

But now, the standard is a hindrance for fleets and even all the heavy equipment went to all auto transmissions, so there’s that too.

 

No truck bed, no care

 

Do you Manual Bros prefer manual windows with you manual transmissions? Row your own gears and roll your own windows?

 

My windows are still manual. I have to manually press the button for them to go up and down.

I'd be pretty mad if my windows were automatically controlled by a computer based on speed and conditions.

On my single-cab Ranger I still very much like my crank windows.

You trolly dudes really like talking about manuals.

 

Drivers side manual passenger side is automatic

 

I want power/automatic everything except the transmission and the cruise control.

 

lol!
I don't miss manual roll-up windows at all!

 

Agreed; over the years about 25% of our 30 something cars have had crank windows; at this point I've only had one regulator in a power window equipped car fail, I've had 3 where the mechanism failed on the crank window cars. As far as I'm concerned, never again with crank windows.

 

Pulled this off Tacoma 4g

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/02/02/2024-toyota-tacoma-next-gen-interior-spy-photos/