Thinking of buying a 2023

@rmorse It sounds like you have your heart set already. I have a 2022 TRD Off Road Double Cab Long Bed. A few nuances that you should be aware of: To keep the same bed length you have on your Access Cab you need a long bed Double Cab. This makes the truck stupidly long and just be prepared if you're in the DC/NoVA area for things like parallel parking. I got the OTT tune since about 3000 miles and I've got nothing but good things to say about it. Completely changed the dynamic to what you'd expect. So much so that I test drove a 2023 Colorado the other day with the 310/390 HP/TQ motor and I really didn't get the "whoosh" you'd expect from having that much more power and torque. Finally, the non-JBL stereo is absolute hot garbage. Like my police package Durango I drive at work is 10x better sounding. If you want to stay Toyota and you want Tacoma (and not 4Runner); I think the TRD Off Road is where you wanna be. You can get all the bells and whistles you want (I have the LED Headlights are phenomenal) except for the hood scoop. That's something rectifiable on the hood swap thread.

 

Oh and in regards to the baby...best thing I can tell you is, if the baby is crying, it's upset for some reason. Or it's just crying for attention. I'm not sure, I'm not great with kids lmfao. Good luck regardless brother!

 

Toyota Crown

 

I had a pro too and plenty advantage over my sport. Better suspension. Better clearance. Better headlights. Better seats.

Nothing the aftermarket can't fix.

That TRD Pro badge on the side is hideous though.

But i hear what your saying. At the end of the day you are still in a tacoma.

I just received my vin on a 23 pro. probably one of the last of this gen being built.

 

hey Man
Congrats on your baby.
Get a Limited and change the hood.
My 2023 Limited has everything you want but the sport hood.
And it rides more smooth than all the rest.
Good Luck.

 

Same here after test driving a new tundra back in 2020. I was use to my gen1 tundra at the time....the gen3 tacoma felt more natural, and not so massive.

 

I was also thinking 4Runner instead of a double cab Taco, until you mentioned the dirt bikes. I made that switch myself, and it has been great. The only thing I can't do is get a load of gravel (although 1000 lbs of gravel in a Taco isn't much). Drywall, plywood, siding, mulch, etc. has been no issue. I personally would not be happy going back to a Tacoma, but that's why they sell different vehicles.

I suggest at least test driving the 4R, since you'll be at the Toyota dealership anyway. They are significantly nicer than Tacomas, and I think they're better for dogs (with the enclosed back and fancy window). Do you carry more than one bike? If not, you could always get a hitch carrier.

Just noticed you have a Palisade already; probably don't need the Runner in that case.

 

I think you'd be nuts not to get a 2024. The improvements are everything I wish my 2019 pro had.

I have had first year Toyota trucks of each model except 3rd gen. No major problems except head gasket failure at 250k miles on the 2005 (2nd gen known issue until 2006).

 

Im still trying to figure out ..Who got wife Pregnant?

 

People who suggest “SUV” to a fella looking for a truck have two fundamental problems with their thought process:

1- they have never needed a truck for anything more than a fashion statement. Their truck bed was never needed as a truck bed.

2 - I’m gonna show my age, but FFS…..I raised a family of 5 with a 4-door Camry as that’s all I could afford when my wife was a stay-at-home mom. We even went on camping trips in that car with a roof-pod. A 4-door Tacoma would have been a major upgrade, but it wasn’t in the cards for me at the time. People in The West these days are soft and deluded as to what is actually required to travel with a family and have fun. You might have more fun in a Tercel, all things considered.

 

That’s fine but I’m not hitching up a trailer to run to the Home Depot that’s 2 miles from my house to load up two sheets of drywall real quick. Or grab a cabinet. Or mulch. Or do a dump run. Or the time I threw a snowplow in the back for my buddy. Or whatever.

I did the enclosed trailer route for a bit too. It was awesome for races and I’d do it again in a heartbeat but I can’t have a trailer at my current house. Even if I could, I. Still. Need. A. Truck.

I understand an SUV works for some people. Why am I defending needing a truck? I do truck shit with my truck.

 

I don’t know, it all happened so fast

 

I need a truck either way so I either keep the access cab or I get a four door. I can physically fit my dogs plus a baby and my wife in the access cab but the passenger seat is all the way forward. I have other vehicles; I’m just looking for a truck solution.

 

Let me simplify your situation . You"re about to become a Dad for the first. You already have a truck. You already have a dirt bike and you camp etc. Thats great, but your life is going to change. And it will change big time. You will have a little person who depends on Dad. So maybe put the little person first and get yourself a safe family vehicle. Unfortunately you won't be number one anymore. Congrats on the future child, and welcome to the club.

 

I don’t always but I have. I have a softopper on my truck with a mountain bike setup on the outside. I’ve got a hitch carrier too. Usually I run the hitchcarrier. I love having the softopper because it’s covered when I need it and I can fold down in a pinch. I also buy motorcycles and dirt bikes that are blown up and fix them and flip them. I’ve been on travel before and bought a bike and thrown it into the truck bed.

I know I need a truck. Shit, I was just doing tiling the other night and realized I didn’t have enough mortar and had to do a Home Depot run real quick right before they closed. I wouldn’t want to throw that shit in my SUV

 

I don’t get the comments of people telling you that you need an SUV, the man knows what he wants and needs.

 

I literally sold the wife’s C70 and bought a 2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy…..

This is why I left the forums. It’s so frustrating. I was asking about options available on the 2023 Tacomas and how to spec one out and I’m getting all these responses about how I don’t need a truck, I need a full sized, I need a 2024, blah blah blah.