2nd gen vs 3rd gen pro's and con's

I'm starting to look for a newer Tacoma for my son (he's currently driving my 2001 Tacoma PreRunner stepside) and I'm undecided between the 2nd and 3rd gen models.

I don't need 4WD, so I'll be sticking with the 6-cylinder prerunner but with a double cab. Found a couple of lower milage 2012 and 2015 models, as well as 2016.

I generally stay away from vehicles during their first model year, so I'm a little hesitant about the 2016's that I'm looking at online. My budget is around $21k which probably puts me in the 2nd gen category unless it's got higher miles for the gen 3.

Who can share their own pro's and con's between the 2nd and 3rd gen editions?

 

Believe it or not, this is a common question: https://www.google.com/search?q=tacomaworld.com+2nd+gen+vs+3rd+gen+site:www.tacomaworld.com

 

2nd gen best gen! Much better trans and motor compared to the 3rd gen. 3rd gen is still a reliable option but the transmission shifts goofy and the engines like to rev a little more. 2015s are the best of the 2nd gens

 

Just fall in love with a 2nd gen at that price point and don't look back. It's a good truck.

 

You probably cant go wrong with either.
I would shy away from the 2012 V6 just because they tended to have more issues with the SAIS, 13+ models can still have issues but not as many due to the updates to the system. 05-11 V6 models don't have SAIS.

Both generations have a pretty solid drivetrain, 3rd gens have a more complex engine which is thus not nearly as easy to work on as the 4.0 in the 2nd gens.

3rd gens tend to get slightly better fuel economy.

2nd gens have less tech which can be a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it although early 3rd gens and late 2nd gens are not much different technology wise.

People complain about the behavior of the automatic transmission in both generations but they are both pretty reliable if they are maintained.

Both generations can have issues with the paint, white seems to have the most issues but all colors are prone to the clearcoat peeling/flaking when the get older.

One big con on the 3rd gens which if you don't tow a trailer probably doesn't matter is all the circuitry for the turn signals and trailer turn/brake lights is in the Combination Meter (Instrument Cluster) so short circuits in trailer wiring tend to fry the turn signal drivers in the cluster. If you do buy one I would recommend changing the TOWING Fuse from a 25A to a 10A to hopefully prevent that from happening.

I'd argue that 14 is, 14s still get a legit clock

 

True true but if I saw a nice 2015 come up I'd snatch it up even if it didn't have the old style clock

 

Yea, wouldn't be hard to swap in a clock from a 12-14 just kinda silly that they took it out for the last year of the 2nd gen.

 

2013-2015 are the best years.
A 2015 Pro would be the best to own. Just because it was the end of generation. And it's kind of rare.

An argument can be made for the early 2005-2008 truck.
Super simple. Not a lot of electrical "features". They were kind of like a 1st gen......Just BETTER.

 

3.5 v6 in the third gen vs 4.0 v6 in the 3rd gen are likely equal in reliability, 4.0 feels more powerful, but the 3.5 has towed just fine and gets better fuel economy.
I find the third gen has a quieter cab and more comfortable ride.
Other than that, comes down to preference on looks and price. At 21k I agree that you'd be better off finding a nice second gen. Can't go wrong with either.

 

3rd gen has a mechanically stronger transmission with a 6th gear to keep revs lower and save fuel (14% better highway fuel economy), though the factory tune shifts too often. Aftermarket tunes from OTT, Yotawerx, et al largely address this issue. 3rd gen has convenience features not found on 2nd gen, like damped tailgate, night vision in the backup camera, cargo light for the bed (built into aforementioned 3rd brake light), electric element to provide cabin heat before the engine warms up, etc. Upper trims have pushbutton start, which means no keys jabbing into your knee.

When shopping, you'll need to examine each individual vehicle for common problems. Both gens have their common problems:

Both the 2012-2015 and 2016 are known to have timing cover leaks near the power steering pump. 2012-2015 is more likely to have the leak (like 8 out of 10 vehicles you examine).

Both the 2012-2015 and 2016 are known to have steering rack leaks. Toyota didn't "solve" this problem until 2024.

2012-2015 has an afterthought secondary air injection system that's far less reliable than the engine itself. You can delete the system with a $500 Hewitt kit, or wait for the pump and switching valves to randomly fail and cost you a couple of hundred bucks in parts each time. In principle, this is akin to doing EGR delete on '90s vehicles or DPF delete on diesels.

2016 (except TRD Off Road) has a vacuum pump on the back of the engine that needs replacement every 100k miles per Toyota's maintenance booklet. Replacement involves unbolting the transmission mount and tilting the engine forward for access. Expect the previous owner to have neglected this.

2016 has a plastic coolant bypass pipe connecting the two heads that is known to leak coolant. Carefully check the area between the engine and firewall for coolant leaks. Use a mirror, flashlight and/or borescope. If you find a leak, replacing the pipe is difficult due to access. Equivalent part on 2012-2015 is aluminum, and is less likely to leak.

2016 double cab 3rd brake light is known to leak. Toyota had a service campaign to install an improved seal. Check the campaigned work was done on the particular vehicle. Check the headliner for water damage near the 3rd brake light.