Does anyone else feel like Toyota is slipping?

I can’t help but wonder. Is it just me or does anyone else here think that Toyota is losing its edge with the Tacoma? I have owned 11 Tacoma’s since 1999. I bought every one of them brand new. With the 2024 refresh it seems like one snafu after another. A terrible slow rollout, which continued right into the 2025 model year. Lots of complaints of tech issues, the wonderful idea to put a Bluetooth speaker in the dashboard and now the brake line issue and a no sale order with no remedy in sight. I balked at the 24’s and have had a deposit on a 2025 TRD Sport Premium since September. I’m beginning to think that I’m going to regret spending over 50K for a truck if I ever even get it in the first place. Are there any other Toyota loyalists that are thinking about looking elsewhere?

 

Why have you had 11 Tacomas? What was your favorite one?

 

Go look up posts from 2016-2017 loads of complaints. This is just par for the course.

So far I havent personally seen many 4th gen complaints, lots of 3rd gen tundra issues (Beyond the engine)

Toyota takes care of customers under warranty, I wouldnt balk on it because of perceived quality.

 

I have had so many primarily due to low mileage and ridiculously high resale value. At one point I actually traded every 2 years but those days are gone with today’s prices. As for favorites, I would have to say I’ve obviously enjoyed them all or I would not have kept buying them but my 2005 TRD Sport in silver and my current white 2020 TRD Sport are at the top of my list.

 

With 3rd gens nearly everything was fixed with time, even the frame rust was addressed. Off the top of my head.

-leaf spring noise -fuel pump noise -lower control arm noise -shifting (they tried 5 times, it got better but not perfect)

The only issue they didnt stand behind was the 3rd brake light, lots were found broken, which could attribute to the leak in the campaign, but were not fixed as they were no covered. It was odd. So the campaign would seal the 3rd brake light, not replace it.

4th gens will be fine with age, but gotta be patient.

 

Nope.

 

I think the 4g is the most capable, comfortable, powerful, and best driving Tacoma yet. So no

 

I think that is an objective, true statement. Toyota listened to everyone's input and we got what we asked for. Adjusted for inflation, the price is appropriate. They're all good trucks.

 

My 2020 currently sits at 9275 original miles. I own other vehicles and cater to my Tacoma in an effort to maximize resale.

 

Just get the 2025 if you can afford it. I'll get one someday, but I bet you get one or three first. 360 camera and fitting 33's on a stock Tacoma would be pretty sweet. Maybe Toyota will give you a buy 11 get 1 discounted offer. Or not...

 

Lol, I won’t hold my breath on that one, truth be told I will be 60 in March. Can’t help but feel my truck buying days are coming to an end.

 

60 is the new 40! Buy a 2025!

I think the "one snafu after another" we see is a product of people's constant need to create negativity. People love to watch bad things happen to other people on the internet. I heard a podcast of one of these influencer guys saying his "top 3 worst.." style of videos get 10x more play than his "top 3 best.." no matter what the subject is.

 

Look up the issues with the 3rd gen version 1.0: the 2016s. They had their share of problems. I remember people saying exactly the same thing on this forum circa 2016-2017. Fast forward to the 2020-23s and they are largely bullet proof and they know it to the point they are getting I’ve seen $34-38k with over 50k miles on them.

The issues with the first ones off the line are nothing new, every car is like this. Toyota however tends to fix these problems as they come up unlike other manufacturers. They’ll get them figured out.

 

I feel like, in general, the quality and longevity of all products has declined in the last 10 or so years. Built in obsolescence.

That said. I chose Toyota for a reason. My 3rd Gen has been solid thus far.

 

I want to upgrade my 2025 SR later on to a vanilla Tundra with 4 wheel drive, or a 4x4 SR5. either would be great as my forever truck.

 

I've owned three since 1982. Why don't you buy one and stick with it??

 

You don’t need another truck.

 

As a man who has had 11 different vehicles, including 6 different Jeeps, everything from a 44 MB all the way up to a 2013 JKRU, been to 7 different EJSs, and who now has his first (2020 DCLB) and second (2024 Rav4) Toyotas respectively, I can 100% not answer that question due to only ever owning 2 Toyotas since 2022...........

But what I can say is 100% true, is that so far Toyota has absolutely blown GM, FCA and even Honda away in anything to do with servicing the vehicle, outright quality, and most of all dependability.

The grass is always greener and all, but sometimes it only looks that way from a distance.

 

Ford sold 46,000 Rangers and Toyota sold 193,000 Tacomas even with a slow roll out. I'm sure none of those buyers cross shopped and decided the Tacoma was the better truck.

 

If it's needs vs wants, then you are good to go with your 2020 in my opinion. Everyone's opinion is going to be different, and while some are ok with spending the money currently being asked for by manufacturers and dealers, I am not one of them. There are some valid points about the negatives on gen 4's being blown out of proportion, but concerns are also valid on any new model. Government regulations keep getting more and more strict forcing manufacturers to cut corners to meet these requirements and I believe it does affect Toyota (Tundra) quality in the long run just as it has every manufacturer. I am over 60 as well, having owned an 81, 86 and now my 17 I feel quality has gone down in regard to reliability, but not technology. Crawl control as an example is pretty amazing. One of the biggest problems with new cars, even with good customer service, is not standing by the warranty, but parts availability. Brand new vehicles sitting at dealers for weeks or more waiting for parts to come in.

In the end I like guys like you who keep their trucks for a few years and sell them, those are trucks I would buy if I were in the market right now.