Could Toyota Phase Out Tacomas ??

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I find it very hard to believe that Toyota would ever phase out the Tacoma ... especially being on top in quality and with rising gas prices.

But here is what the industry, in general, is doing with mid-size pickups --> http://autos.aol.com/gallery/future-midsize-trucks/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl8|sec1_lnk3&pLid=194590

Article below:

Does The Midsize Truck Have A Future?

Does the small or midsize truck make sense anymore?

Long a favorite of small-business tradesmen and young sportsman who like them to haul bicycles, dirt bikes and kayaks, the future of this kind of truck is a tough one to predict while nearly every automaker studies what to do.

Since the mid-1990s, midsize trucks have been declining in popularity for a variety of reasons. As automakers continue to make their larger pickups more and more fuel efficient, a major selling point for smaller trucks has become obsolete. And as consumers have demanded more features in midsize trucks, they are no longer a cheap alternative.

Chrysler has let its Dodge Dakota truck die off, and Ford has let the Ranger pickup disappear from U.S. showrooms, though it still sells it abroad in developing countries. Chrysler plans to try and recapture some buyers--who tend to be tradespeople like carpenters and painters--with a future pickup based on the Jeep Wrangler. And Ford has been trying to get Ranger buyers to trade up to a Ford F150 or its Transit Connect small panel van.
Traditionally, an automaker only keeps about 40% of the previous buyer of a discontinued model, reports the The Detroit News. The paper also reports that a canvassing of shopper sites like AOL Autos, Edmunds.com and from TrueCar.com that Ranger owners are looking at F150 trucks, the new Ford Escape, as well as as the small truck offerings left, like the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma.
Indeed, those who relish the small and mid-sized truck do have some choices left, and even a few new ones on the way.
Click through to get a glimpse of the current state of midsize trucks and decide for yourself if you think there is still a place for them.
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If anything, they'd phase out the Tundra and start making the Taco more competitive with the F-150.

 

The big three's full size trucks have always been there bread and butter so they sell more of those than the little trucks. I would never buy a ranger,Dakota or Colorado. You couldn't give me one of those dam things.

 

I think it still has a strong future. Full size trucks have gotten even bigger. A lot of people dont want a truck that big, even if it gets ok gas mileage. I think companies like ford have pulled out of the segment because they know they cant compete at all with the Tacoma. The taco just dominates the segment.

 

great post man. I cant say for overall markets but i can speak from experience around northern VA area. Mid size trucks (specifically tacomas) are becoming more visual. I see 2 tacomas for every full size i see. People in this area tend to work in DC or in other office building areas and like having the utility of a truck without having to worry about finding somewhere to park. Me personlly, I can barely fit my taco in my apartments garage. i have 2 inches till i hit the door.

Toyota IMHO wont get out of the small truck market. They may re brand their trucks in the future. But they conquer the market. Guys i work with love their S10s and hate that Chevy doesn't produce them anymore. their talking about switching to toyota now.

I think there is still a market for them.

 

That would suck...

 

I guess they could.

But I don't see that happening any time soon. There is no one left to compete with them. Toyota owns a large portion of the market, US and abroad. I think the the world market will keep Tacomas around. What ever they decide to call it in the future.

I don't see the Colorado lasting more than a few more years. Soon it will be just the Frontier and the Tacoma.

I do think the next version of the Tacoma will be some what larger. along the lines of the T-100. a cross between the Tundra and the Tacoma. It seems like the Tacoma will get fater as the US gets fater,

 

I can barely get my DCSB in my standard garage space, so there is no way a Tundra sized truck will fit. If anything, I would prefer a slightly smaller 1st Gen sized Taco. Our cars are like our fast food (and our population)- they get bigger all the time. I have an F150 for farm use, but for play time or daily driving it's too damn big.

 

Reason I drive my tacoma is that it is the only decent truck that fits in my garage with 4 doors.

The colorado is a joke but nice they offer the V8 now. The ranger was way outdated 5 years ago.

If they make it bigger I would not buy it and go get a left over new truck.

 

I just got rid of a v8 F150 for my Tacoma. I like that the Tacoma is thinner, so I can actually cut into parking spaces that I would have previously passed up. And this is the only crew cab truck that fits in my garage. I think the Tacoma will always have a strong interest from buyers because of the reputation and few competitors.

I have friends who bought F250's or Dodge Diesel pickups just for the size and power, and they don't even haul anything or pull a trailer. I don't need to prove myself by having the biggest truck, so the Tacoma is perfect for my needs.

 

those are fighting words..........

 

replace it with the Hilux!!

 

If toyota got rid of the tacoma, it would be like shooting themselves in the foot. I see WAYYY to many tacomas on the road for them to not produce them anymore.

I'd like to see them make them a bit simpler tho..A throttle cable would be nice again.

 

I'm trying to sell my Ram 1500 for a Tacoma right now simply because of size. Before I had 2006 Colorado with the Z71 package. I liked it and never had any mechanical problems after 90k miles. Then got this and just want something that is 4wd and I've realized I don't need a full size. The most I'll ever haul at this point was handled by Colorado so I know it will be good to go with a V6 Tacoma that has more power.

I think it would be dumb to get rid of the Tacoma.

 

Toyota would have to come way down on Tundra $$ if they wanted to drop the Tacoma, otherwise they would lose a lot of customers not ready to drop 30% more on a fullsize. Ford has sculped their F150 line to attract customers willing to spend from low $20K to high $40K. Bringing in the new Ranger in the mid 20's would just muddy the waters.

 

Bahh....

They did that already.

They turned the sexy Tundra into a fugly beast that looks like the progeny of an elephant and a RAM1500 in an attempt to make the Tundra competitive with the F series.

At the same time they upsized the Tacoma so it is now nearly the same size as the 1st Gen Tundra.


They need to go back to their roots and dump the whole "mid sized truck" philosophy as an entire line, and follow what Ford was doing when they actually did something that made sense.....

1/2 Ton Tundra based on the 1st Gen size and styling. More compact, but comfortable for 4 adults and a decent sized bed for hauling "homeowner" items.

3/4 and 1 ton, or simply a "HD" Tundra based on the current Tundra design for those who have a need to actually work their trucks.
Power it with a Hino oil burner and give it an honest 12,000lb towing capacity and 20,000lb GCVWR and blow Powerjoke and Duramax out of the market for "toy hauling"

Dump the doublecab Tacoma. Scale the line back to the 1st Gen dimensions in RC and AC.
Prerunner and 4x4 only... no need for both Prerunner and 5-lug.

 

I kinda agree...

make the Tundra smaller or the Tacoma larger...offer one Toyota truck IMO

stop trying to compete w/ Ford.

 

They need both.

I have no need for a full size, but I prefer a pickup over an SUV.

But....

Ford's #1

 

am I the only one that thinks they need to make the tacoma a tiny bit smaller?

 

That's exactly what I said.

3 models.

Tacoma, comparable to 1st Gen (which was the same size as the late 80s/early 90s P/U), T-100/Tundra sized Access Cab 1/2 ton.
Some as yet unnamed HD model with a REAL towing capacity and 3/4 to 1-ton capacity to compete against the Duramax.


Personally, I feel that 2000 to 2003 was Toyota's "golden years" for trucks, other than the fact that they did not offer anything that could tow a basic 16ft Weekend Warrior toy hauler (7,000lb).
The 4.7 was an AWESOME engine for the 1/2 ton Tundra. The 1st Gen Tacoma had a decent 2.7 and V6 that both offered solid power in a light truck, and decent economy (for a truck).

Only real problem in those years was rust.