i4 2.7 manual vs auto

Test drove many of both recently. I will say the auto is very slow but better for traffic driving. My complaints with the manual are that 1rst gear is way too short.

 

I have the V6 with the six speed manual, and found it odd that the 6th gear wasn't really much of an overdrive gear. At 65mph I'm still at 2600 RPMs in the top gear. I've gotten used to it, but it still bothers me a bit. I'm somewhat surprised to hear the 5-speed manual with the I4 is so much better at highway speeds. My other pickup is a '91 K1500 Chevy with a 5-speed manual, and its top gear keeps the RPMs real low at cruising speed.

My Tacoma is an Off Road with 4x4, but my Chevy is also a 4x4, so that shouldn't make too much difference. I'm still unsure why Toyota made the 6-speed with such close gears for 5th and 6th.

 

I never understood why they just didn't use the 5 speed for both, seems more logical to me and would be much less production cost since they wouldn't have to produce 2 different manual trannies for the trucks. But that is just me.

 

My 5-speed manual is really nice. Great MPG on the freeway and in town. Good for towing too. I dont regret getting a 5-speed over an auto, I do regret not getting an AC because my back starts to hurt on longer traffic runs and it would be nice to recline more. And after 76k miles, it still shifts and clutches very nicely.

 

I prefer the manual. My only complaint is 1st gear is too high. Stopping on a steep hill takes all the power the engine can deliver to get going. With any kind of load it's asking too much.

 

My friend with a 5 speed gets maybe 1mpg better than I do in the city. No load, basicallythe same truck, just different preference in transmission. Having driven both ill say theres no huge diff in how quick they are.

 

Sounds like they got 1st gear just right then

 

I was averaging 24mpg on stock Dungflops on a hilly 70 mile round trip to & from work. 90% @ 75, 5% @ 70 & 5% @ 35.
Some hills you'll have to drop it in 4th to maintain speed but that only bumps the RPMs about 500.