Honest Discussion: Do You Regret Moving to The 4th Gen?

Bingo .. same with Tundra, owned two 2nd gens (14, 16) and this 3rd gen is better in just about every way. Still like 'em all though.

 

Promise!?

 

You are exactly right! Malcontents will always be Malcontents.

You are exactly right! Malcontents will always be Malcontents regardless of Gen.

 

No insight as I haven't driven one yet, but I'm following all of this closely. The bottom line is that someday my 2021 Pro will be old news and I'm really hoping the gen 4s seem worth the price. Right now, to me, they do not - but I think part of it is me being naturally resistant to change.

The other part of it is the horror stories I've read about reliability. Probably the worst rebuttal that I keep seeing is "well that's why you get the Platinum Plan"... In reality we, as consumers, should be demanding reliability and accountability for a premium product. Otherwise, why not just buy a GM?

 

I'm coming from a built turbo 3.4L 1st gen (sold it about 4 years ago). I didn't love the 2nd gen seats (6'5") or the 3rd gen seats for that matter. Didn't love the 3rd gen transmission. I'll let you know how I feel about the 4th gen but initial test drive impressions are "color me impressed."

I've followed this engine from the Lexus. Direct Injection can be noisey but this engine is one of the best, if not the best 4 cylinder Toyota has ever made (except for maybe the 4A).

 

2024 Tacoma OR Short bed crew cab turbo 4 auto--not a hybrid. This is my 6th Tacoma (1998, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2018, 2024) and is by FAR the best of the lot--power, drivability, ride, stopping, mpg, towing ability, etc. The 2018 (3rd gen) was the worst and it also was an Off Road, crew, short bed V6 auto. Big improvement with the 4th gen.
Cheers,
db

 

Drove the 4th gen non hybrid this weekend with a FWC Swift in the back, Don't mind the jacks, I was unloading the camper. Way faster than 2nd gen. 2nd gen at 3000RPM feels like it's definitely putting in the work. 4th gen at 3000RPM feels like nothing, engine just feels like isn't work as hard as the old 1GR at the same RPM. Quieter in the cabin. stock for stock rides smoother. new transmission shifts smoother as well. A bit of bounce probably because I got 1000lbs in the bed. Of course people are still worried about the reliability. If it holds up to older gen engine/trans reliability. It is definitely a huge upgrade and a great truck.

One complain is low speed when I am moving the truck with the door open to line up the camper, some sort of safety thing will just apply the parking brake and stop. Kind of annoying but not sure if it can be disabled or not.

The FWC is for sale too. It will be listed by end of the week if anyone is interested.

 

Got a TRD OR (upgraded) cloth seats ---6'5" doesn't fit well with sunroof---

Very impressed. I'm a sunday driver but the power is always there when needed, shifts are smooth, acceleration is effortless. Day 1 has brought a big smile to my face.

I still miss the 1st gen but I think by the end of this week, I'll have mostly moved on

 

Surprised this thread still has legs.

I love and owned Gen3, but its reputation is always going to live at the corner of Rock Avenue and Hard Place Drive: It’s a Gen2 underneath that somehow threw out the very best part of a Gen2, the beloved 4.0. So naturally Gen2 owners hated on it for years. Then along comes Gen4, which despite having its own unique flaws, is profoundly better than Gen3 in every way. Gen3 is nice, but it’s also the Rodney Dangerfield of Toyota trucks.

 

The 2024 Toyota Tacoma has an automatic emergency braking system, part of the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite, which can automatically apply the brakes to avoid or mitigate collisions. This system uses cameras and radar to detect potential hazards like vehicles or pedestrians. If a collision is deemed imminent, the system can automatically initiate braking. Additionally, the Tacoma offers Parking Support Brake (PSB), which can also apply brakes when sensors detect an obstacle while parking.

This video explains how to adjust the Parking Sonar and Automated Brake in the 2024 Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFuxANxjd-o

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

• Pre-Collision System (PCS): The PCS is a core component of Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 and uses radar and cameras to detect potential collisions. If the system determines a collision is likely, it can automatically apply the brakes to help avoid or lessen the impact.
• Parking Support Brake (PSB): This feature assists with parking by using sensors to detect obstacles and automatically braking if a collision is anticipated while parking. It can be particularly helpful in tight spaces or when backing up.
• Proactive Driving Assist: This feature uses camera and radar to help with braking when entering curves and maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles or pedestrians. [9, 9]
• Turning off the system: While the automatic braking features are designed to enhance safety, they can be turned off in certain situations. For example, the Parking Support Brake can be disabled through the vehicle's settings. The Proactive Driving Assist can also be turned off. Some users on forums have reported disabling the pre-collision system, but it may revert to default settings after the vehicle is turned off.

 

From a first time Tacoma owner…. Very happy with my ‘25 SR5, 2WD. Comfortable, rides and handles well, quiet, good mpg and meets any needs I might have. I don’t tow anything and just haul fishing gear and lawn/garden supplies. Other than some farm roads that I drive to get to stock pond fishing holes, it will see no “off” roading. Took it on said road last week with a little through the cow pasture driving… it did just fine. We get snow, maybe, once a year. Wife has an Outback, so we can get out and about if needed. I had zero buyers remorse with this truck… I have completed all my customization with LASFIT floor mats, LM Bass sticker on the back window (they are good luck!) and a set of Tacoma mud guards. I enjoy driving this truck every time I get in it.

 

Owner of a new 2025 TRD Sport with most of the available option packages. I've been a proud Toyota owner since 2001. Tundra Limited first, owned the same one for 19 years and really, really loved that truck. Never knew a full-size truck could handle that nicely, and that sweet 4.7 engine ran at 90 mph all day on the interstates in heavy Montana and Dakotas winds. It cut through those winds like a knife through hot butter. Toyota was way ahead of most of the field in fit, finish and overall truck quality back then. They forced other brands to get up to speed, in my opinion.

Bought a new 2019 gen 3 Tacoma TRD, also loaded, and also really loved that truck overall. But it definitely had shortcomings, and they are more glaringly obvious in retrospect, now that I went ahead and traded for the new Gen 4. This truck hits all the marks and has none of the shortcomings of my gen 3. Here are some of the features where the gen 4 hits out of the park for me:

--Power plant. I was hinky about going to a turbo set up. But this 4 cylinder with turbo is incredibly torquey, with great fast pull-away and powerful acceleration. If you set it to sport mode, it gets off the dime *right now*. Even in normal mode, this engine outperforms the gen 3 6 cylinder in every way. The gen 3 was laggy, slower and sometimes hunted gears- no sign of any of that with the turbo 4. I've been hearing that people are able to trailer serious loads with the new set up. (Mine has the trailer break system installed, I may get around to using it, to haul lumber for my cabinet shop operations...)
--Navigation screen: a WORLD better with the 14" display. No complaints and the graphics on navigation are great. The puny gen 3 navigation screen was crude in graphics, hard to see and harder to adjust on the fly. I really hated that gen 3 nav screen.
--Interior overall, Controls, switches, door latches, dash and console layouts, ergonomics, all with a cleaner look and larger, sharper looking knobs and dials, all score high with gen 4 compared to 3. More comfortable seats, by FAR. More powerful and responsive feeling temperature control system. Of course I'll give it the real test come our Minnesota winters.
--Steering wheel controls, especially cruise control switches- totally improved in the gen 4. All switches including all dynamic cruise control options are on top of the steering wheel and easier to operate than reaching behind and adjusting on the post on the gen 3.
--Dash screen, 12 inch version on the gen 4, again, a WORLD better, easier to read, more options by far to set it up the way you want.
--Dynamic cruise control operates way more smoothly and predictably on the gen 4. None of the jerky breaking I often experienced on my gen 3.
--Backup camera system. WAY better, the gen 3 backup camera was sub-par. Really. Sharper focus, clearer image, wider field of view, alignment bars that really work on the gen 4.
--Sound system. I know the audio purists are not pleased with any of the JBL OEM setups, but I think the JBL premium package w 10 speakers including subwoofer puts out a great full, clear sound. Granted, I'm a boomer with really effed-up hearing...but if a system can make me feel like I'm hearing music again like a young man, that scores big for me.
--Cab is much quieter on my gen 4 compared to the gen 3, speaking of sound- so the sound system is all the better because of that.
--Moon roof. This didn't get a lot of play, but at least in my case if there was heavy rain, there would be moisture infiltration that got in below the moon window seals, and allowed moisture into the door columns between front and back... I would pull out my seat belt and feel the moisture on it. So far, it looks like Toyota quietly fixed that issue on gen 4-- we had monsoon hard rains here last week, my truck was out in them, and no sign of water infiltration.
--Stance. Just the way this truck sits up higher as a Sports model, beefier frame (I'm told) 18" wheels and larger OEM tires on the TRD Sport packages now, it just seems like a slightly larger truck (maybe the numbers don't back that up, just my impression.) In any case, the gen 4 is just as nimble around town and parking as was my gen 3, which was quite nice.
--Paint finish. The gen 3 was excellent, but the deep metallic Supersonic paint on my gen 4 is absolutely superb.
--LED adjustable headlamps and fog lamps. Definitely better on the gen 4.

The way I'm carrying on makes it sound like I hated my gen 3, but I actually loved it. Super reliable, excellent fit, fish, ride, and more... but the gen 4 beats it in every way. I've never been happier with a truck, and I've had some mighty good ones in the last 45 years. (I also paid my dues driving some hard-run beaters as a kid, mostly Fords but those old suckers would start on a bitter Minnesota January morning, even without an engine heater!!)

 

This thread needs a poll

 

Won’t work. All the haters that don’t own one and have never driven one will skew it.

 

Your 3rd gen had an issue with the moon roof drain system. Mine's parked outdoors nearly nine years and no issues.

Any seepage around the seal goes into a tray and then should go down one of the A-column drain hoses.

One a year or so I test the drains on my 3rd gen, running a length of weed whacker line down the drain to ensure it's clear.

 

Glad you had no problems. I could never find or have explained to me another way that the seat belts would trap moisture after some --not all-- rains. [EDIT] gpb, now that you mention the roof rack, which I did have, I should have considered that possibility- especially seeing as mine was dealer installed after I purchased the truck. After awhile I never noticed the seat belt strap moisture.

 

Couple potential causes - one of course being the moonroof drain tray overflowing due to stopped drain or parking on a sufficient incline. Roof rack mounts being the other, particularly if a rack was installed and the sealing of one or more bolts has failed. As for sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't, that can be dependent on various factors of the rain or other water source such as car wash.

 

Wow some of you guys writing a book must have all the time in the world lol.

 

New house, new truck! Congrats!