3rd Gen Still King

My 2018 is a daily commuter to and from work and spends a lot of weekends in woods, mud and swamp lands. Close to 110,000 on the odometer and the only issues were the 3 under warranty recalls (high pressure fuel pump, TSS reseal and the 3rd brake light gasket (mine never leaked). I've been very pleased with the reliability so far.

 

Mileage is one beast, time is yet another. Both play a role in the "aging" of a car. When the second gens came out they looked pretty good. You seldom see one that looks amazing today. And yet you see 1st Gen tacomas or even dare I say Toyota Trucks or Helux that look absolutely amazing.... maybe even better then a g3.

 

I'm in the "the best one is in your driveway" crowd. They're all great trucks with their own quirks, shortcomings, and things they do great.

 

2nd Gen has way more electronic BS than the 3rd. With the 3rd Toyota reduced the number of electronic modules, simplified the emissions, and got rid of 2nd-gen failure points like the motor-actuated locker, in favour of solid state devices.

All vehicles are generally becoming more reliable with modern technology. A new Kia is more reliable than a 1980s Buick, and will last longer without maintenance.

 

As long as it doesn't have that Atkinson cycle 3.5 that leaks from every orifice and starves for oil on inclines

 

Is it a contest of sorts? "One of the best Tacomas?"

 

Let me stir this pot.

The 3rd gen is hardly an upgrade from the 2nd gen, and you shouldn’t take offense to that.
The 4.0 is more proven and has better power delivery than the 3.5. Objectively speaking, they are both great and reliable engines.
The late 2nd gens epitomize everything that makes the Tacoma a great jack of all trades vehicle. The 3rd gen maintains that legacy.. I’m Curious to see if anyone has anything major that the 3rd gen does significantly better than the 2nd gen.
okay go ahead fire away

 

Sounds like you have things backwards...

What electronic modules does the 2nd gen have that the 3rd gen doesn't?

How are the emissions simpler on a 3rd gen?

 

Call me in 20 years...

 

there can be NO awesome with the absence of the single regular cab option that was done away with for whatever reason
there ARE people out there that WANT those with or without 4wd

 

no it’s because everyone and their moms only buy trucks and suvs, the first gen Tacoma was the best built ever since it went down hill. Back during the 1st gen era most people drove passenger cars, the first gen Tacoma built the Tacoma reputation and name.

 

I had a 1st gen single cab in maroon. I hated it because I couldn’t nap in the parking structure in college between classes. But now I wish I still had it.

 

shame the 3rd gen toyo tires were crap... and the trans often shipped low. and all the electric BS.
2nd Gen is the GOAT

 

Each generation is different and cool in their own way. I saw a 4th Gen and it’s growing on me too. It reminds me how I hated the “new” 4Runner when it came out, and now I think it’s a classic. I love my ‘23 SR though!

 

Everyone knows the goat is the 1st gen bud

 

goat

 

Wish the 3rd gen got the 4.0.

 

My 2022 Taco is my first Toyota, so I think it is the best, lol. It replaced a 1991 Isuzu truck with 467,000 miles on it. I gave the Isuzu to a retired mechanic/pastor that fixes up vehicles and gives them to needy folks. When and or if this Taco gets 400,000 on it I’ll give it away too.

 

They’re all great trucks, just tough to keep from rotting away in the snow belt.
I plowed snow with my 88 SR5, 97 3.4 and the 01 TRD OR and all three trucks took everything I could throw at them……all with the OE clutch with never a problem. All three took some serious abuse and never let me down.
Regardless of what gen, the mechanical reliability is nothing short of stellar in my experience.

 

Love third gen, but second gen is the one that had that 1.6 million mile truck that Toyota bought back.

https://youtu.be/frDF0FOf0oY?si=m6a73tMazdU_nchJ