Those of you with the 4 cylinder...

How much gas mileage are you getting and did you think it was worth it?

How does your truck do going up hill? If you could go back in time would you stick with the same engine?

Also, if you have the 4 speed auto, how do you like the way it shifts?

I'm seriously debating on trading in my car for a 4 cylinder, regular cab, auto taco to go camping with and maybe even throw in a dirt bike in the back for a spell. I currently live in the Phoenix metro and not having a truck has been hurting my fun outdoors.

Thanks for the answers.
Rich

 

At what speed does your truck like to cruise on the highway?

 

I have the 4-cyl, access cab with the 4-speed auto, its really nice not haveing to use 4 body parts to drive with anymore.

Once the engine loosens up around 4k, it will start buidling more power and want to rev much more easliy. It has plenty of power for everyday driving and hauling. Highway cruising is very good too. I average 31.2 mpg on the highway at 70. That drops to 24-26 in city and around town. LOVE it!

The 4-cyl with auto is geared real nice and give plenty of power from stop through redline.

I'd buy it again!

 

If you can go for the prerunner model.

I have a 4-banger Access Cab PreRunner. If I could go back in time I would stick with the same. It's small light weight and plenty of torque. I can race a f-150 V8 0 to 65 and still be ahead. =) Then again I have manual. That's just sprinting tho. I would recommending getting a prerunner model at least. It's a bit more expensive but in the long run you have more option with it.
Like lift and it's a higher on the ground for your dirt bike and when you go off roading.

regular cab base goes around 4x2 14,280 and a prerunner is 15,150. ~ 800 difference and in the long run it's hella worth it. goin from 5 lug or 6 lug. More tire option / bigger tires. To me looks better and it would actually look like a realistic Truck. More stylish fenders all that =).

 

I bought my 2007 Reg Cab 4-cylinder basic automatic model less than a month agao and my reasons for purchasing the truck were roughly the same as yours. A truck to take on camping trips, to drive on occasional dirt/gravel roads for hiking trips, and to carry the occasional furniture, etc. Since my truck is a 4x2, I obviously can't do the more severe off-road stuff on rocky ground and such, but it's still a massive improvement over the Toyota Corolla that I traded in.

For the most part, I just enjoy being able to see over traffic during my work commute. I expect that, 99% of the time, I won't have any cargo in the bed of my truck and won't be towing much of anything. All the same, I like the increased versatility of the vehicle, especially since I might be buying a house in the next year or two and will want a truck bed for those inevitable Home Depot trips.

I'm really enjoying my Tacoma right now. I can tell that it's a 4-cylinder when I'm going up a very steep hill, but it still handles well on the hills with ease. Considering that the 2007 basic regular cab Tacoma is much bigger than older Tacomas, the 4-cylinder goes uphill easier than expected and I've never had that "trying to push an elephant up the stairs" effect.

My best gas mileage so far has been 24.2 mpg with regular city traffic mixed with interstate highway driving. Quite nice for a truck.

I like the way that the truck shifts on the automatic and I wouldn't go back for anything, as I have too much of a one-track mind to drive a manual transmission here in Atlanta traffic.

Most of the stuff (okay, junk) that I had in the trunk of my car now fits behind the seat of my regular cab, by the way. Just let the seat all the way up, put some stuff back there, then let the seat all the way back. You'll be surprised how much fits.

 

I just filled up this morning, my third tank, all local driving. I got 21mpg.
I really like this truck. The OEM cruse control mod is great. My local
driving is 55-60 and interstate is 75. Just hit the cruise and the I4 goes, its amazing really how much power it has.
Very happy Tacoma owner here!

 

Picked up my 4x4 Std cab with the manual tranny about 3 weeks ago. My commute is 110mi a day, mixed city and highway, and I'm getting 25-26mpg. Hills are no problem at all (my commute varies from 4800ft to 6700ft in elevation). While this four banger ain't got the grunt of my wife's V8 Dodge Ram, I can still spin the tires off a light and I'm getting double the mileage to boot! What really did surprise me is how well this 4cyl does at highway speeds. Turns about 2500 rpm at 75 and still has plenty of umph for passing.

Couldn't be happier with my choice thus far.

 

There are probably hundreds more just like these, get the I-4 and don't look back. Toyotas are the best trucks on the road. As I have said many times on this forum, I was going to get a four, but the six came my way and could pass on the deal. Even after driving the six I could still get the four and be happy.

 

I have had a 4 cyl Access cab for just over two months and love it. My mileage since purchase is 20.1 MPG and my mileage for the last 3 tanks is 21 MPG. That is about 90% in towen driving.

The 4 cyl is nice to drive. I junked my 4 cyl 1991 Ranger and traded in a 4 cyl Corolla for this truck. I have been driving 4 bangers for a long time. If you are used to a 6 cyl and have a heavy foot you would probably be happier with a 6.

The automatic transmission works fine, no noticeable difference from driving my Corolla - except that you can see better from higher position.

The access cab is great. There is a lot of room behind the seats and I use it a lot.

 

all you 4 banger junkies, what grade fuel do you use?

and does 91+ give you better mileage?

 

I have just been using 87 octane.

 

Went from a 4cyl to a 6cyl..............Will never ever go back!............Even w/gas prices

 

Cheap stuff. higher octane won't do anything for mileage. It's meant for higher compression engines to avoid knock. Taco doesn't need it.

 

Just filled up with 19 gals of 87 Oct.
476 miles with 2 gals to go or another 50 miles.

4-banger Tacos ROCK!

Best I could ever manage in my 99 Mazda B2500 was 325 miles per tank.

 

yeah. i am not very happy with the power. gas mileage is not that great especially compared to a 6 cyl. it has trouble starting on hills. i don't know. i want a 6 cyl. taco soo bad but i gotta wait now for a couple years.

 

usually 80-85 mph. no tickets or rides away in a dodge charger yet

 

I'll just add my opinion (I drove a 4cyl for a day before buying my truck): No matter which one you choose, make sure it's the one you can live with in the long run. What I mean is, if you buy the 4cyl to save on gas, you may not be happy with it when prices go down (they always do) and you might wish you had the V6. I personally never let gas prices determine what I drive but that's just me.

Also, DO NOT drive a V6 if you're set on the 4cyl. All that will do is make your choice more difficult.

I do, however, feel that Toyota makes the best 4cyl engines out there (yes, IMO better than Honda) so I don't think it would be a bad choice at all to get one over a V6.

 

I have an 06 access cab manual shift. My old '91 toyota pickup was about the same weight and had 116 hp so the 159 is a nice jump in performance for me. The truck has more than enough power to do anything you could reasonably ask of it. Normal hills havn't been an issue in any way and driving in the white mountians in NH only required a couple downshifts if there was slower traffic in my way. With 14231 miles on the odometer I have a total average of 24.75 mpg driving mostly congested rush hour highway and city with a best tank of 28.8 on a run home from the Canadian border at 72 MPH using the cruise control. For whe way I use the truck the 6 cylinder would have been a waste of money and fuel.

For a truck it's great on the highway, I try to keep it to 65 to 70 for mileage and ticket avoidance reasons. When I let my wife behind the wheel she ends up doing 80 to 85 without even thinking about it if I don't say anything.

 

I get 21mpg winter (Oregon has that ethanol crap) and 22-24mpg Summer.

I would get this engine again, it's a little weak up hill, 4th gear is great and very very rarely would I have to be in 3rd gear unless it's a big incline, but even then it flies up hills.

I love this engine, it does REALLY well offroad, and I only paid $19,500 for a FULLY loaded truck.

 

How much gas mileage are you getting and did you think it was worth it?

Yup, getting 20 to 25.5 consistently. It was worth it.



How does your truck do going up hill?

Like Butta, no problems at all. This assuming no towing...but even with my popup camper (1,500 lbs) it accelerates uphill nicely.




If you could go back in time would you stick with the same engine?

Hell yes. Especially since gas prices are going north & for my purposes awesome.


Also, if you have the 4 speed auto, how do you like the way it shifts?

Nope, 5 speed manual here.



I'm seriously debating on trading in my car for a 4 cylinder, regular cab, auto taco to go camping with and maybe even throw in a dirt bike in the back for a spell. I currently live in the Phoenix metro and not having a truck has been hurting my fun outdoors.

You will not go wrong with the Tacoma.