3rd Gen Tacoma.....brainstorm thread

I think you're on the mark with an estimate of Model-year 2014 with a fall 2013 release date.

Looking at Toyota's history...
2003 Tundra facelift, 2005 2nd Gen.
2004 Rav4 facelift, 2006 3rd Gen.
Tacoma was off from the usual pattern... 2001 facelift and 2005 2nd Gen.

Plus the 2nd Gen will be 8 years old with model year 2013... that's a long run. They went 9 years on the 1st Gen Tacoma.
HiLux went 4 years, 6 years, 5 years, 5 years, and 5 years.

It's time for a new Taco.

 

3.0L diesel engine used in the hilux.

Durable interior

More robust parts (ala gen 1)

Smaller width (ala gen 1)

Off road model, that is actually intended for off-road (like how jeeps are barebone and freaking utilitarian)

Better fuel economy. It should be obvious, but if your euro model is getting 35 mpg and your USA version is getting 20, that is fucking horse shit.

 

saw this....instantly thought of this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQh56geU0X8

 

I'd almost bet money that we'll see it updated to more of a 4-Runner with the 4.0 and possibly 4.7 options.

Maybe keep the 2.7 available for the RC-Base 5-lug only.

 

Engine put the 2gr engine in it, with turbo stock.

 

Booyah. Sell a shit ton MORE of them just by going from 20 to 35.

 

I recant part of my thinking above.

I'd like to compare Tacoma and Colorado sales over the last few years, but if Ford and Crysler are bugging out of the mid-sized market (and I always considered them also-rans to Toyota and GM anyways)... that means that Mazda may be bugging out too.

I'm almost thinking... with Toyota's tendency to "bigger is better"... I'm almost thinking that with the Tundra being almost a 2500-class truck, that they might go back to the T-100 class platform to fill the gap left by the original Tundra (which is currently Dakota territory) and completely dumping the smaller Tacoma platform.

Not that I want to see it... I'd hate to leave Chevy/GMC with the only small truck options... but at the same time I really do wish that they had kept the original Tundra platform for the 1/2 ton market.

 

Im not expectng any big changes. Im just reading tea leaves here. I expect about 4 different engine options. The 2.5 and 3.5 front wd engines found in the camry and rav4 will be adapted to RWD. A litte more power and a couple MPG's more. More than likely a hybrid will be thrown in the mix in extended cab models. A more aerodynamic front end, a little higher seat height, a little shorter OAL. 16 inch wheels will be standard.

Toyota concentrates on hybrids, i dont expect them to changes horses in mid stream. Fuel mileage of the camry is rather spectacular. They spent alot of r&d on the prius as the guinea pig before focusing on the camry. Fords ecoboost engine in their full sized trucks has such a mixed bag of reviews that im not sure toyota would really want to go more than knee deep in that direction. Secondly ford's patents are soo broad that its hard for the competition not to infringe.

I expect manual tranmissions to eventually phased out like ford/chevy have in their full sized trucks. 5-6 speed auto's will become standard.

Anywho, thats my best guess, no big evolutionary changes.

 

A diesel and plug in hybrid option would be sweet

and how bout some FUCKING HEATED MIRRORS TOYOTA !!

WTF it gets cold in Japan too

 

I am suprised nobody has said a full rear power window instead of that useless manual slider.... i doubt it will happen but thats what i want

 

I want a Tacoma with tracks instead of tires...utimate off road!

 

Get rid of the crappy electric brake booster and go back to vacuum assist. The brakes suck on the 2nd gen due to this!

 

I think most of you need to find a "small diesel engine" to test drive.

the big diesels are great for power and fuel economy, but every small diesel i've driven was painfully underpowered.

I also don't see the need for a V8 like others want, there are way too many complaints about mpg already, why make it worse?

of course better mpg out of the v6 while keeping the power we have would be great!

I really can't think of much that my 2012 doesn't have that is really that important though..

Edit:
OH and why would we want a solid axle? the IFS is in there because it rides smoother than a solid axle in general.

edit again:
Ford and toyota were apparently going to work together to develop a hybrid rear wheel drive vehicle, I'm sure there are plans to bring it to the tacoma at some point.

 

An option for leather, heated seats (factory, not dealer installed), a small V8 option with a transmission geared better for highway runs (the current 2nd Gen is geared too low in my opinion and gets shitty highway MPG, I think a small V8 with the right gearing would make the Tacoma actually get better MPG and a little more grunt), a vertical sliding rear window, get rid of those useless underseat storage compartments in the doublecab and have a flat floor under the seats that fold up, a rear suspension that's actually worth the steel it took to create it and a manual transfer case (I want 2lo).

A diesel would be nice but for the added cost, I most likely wouldn't actually purchase one.

 

Been able to get Toyota factory installed heated , leather seats in the Canadian Tacomas since 2007

I want heated mirrors

 

and put like thing that says NO TRANY OIL on the radiator over flow.

 

i agree! and have said it in a few other threads like it. also i think 2nd gen tundra was ’07. not sure, but our neighbor has a ’05 and it’s still the older body.

 

I know!

 

yea all of the manufacturers are going to longer time between model changes, and doing more upgrades/facelifts within the generation.

why is everyone so antsy for a gen 3 tacoma, that will just make the one you own worth less..

 

jeep style soft top option...