I fear for our beloved tacomas.

Is the fall of the tacoma near ? I think so. Look at how Toyota has butchered it's vehicles. The once great 4runner is now a oversized soccer mom grocery getter! Gen 1-3 were highly capable offroad. And got the job done in town. Even gen 4 was respectable. But the 5th! What's this Toyota. You took our 4runner away and replaced it with a uglier sequoia that can't even fit on trails! And the rav 4! My family has a 99 and its a adorable little bunny car. Just enough room for passengers. Good mpg. And can keep up on the highway. A good little car for a small family that needs AWD and cargo space. Now the thing is a dang minivan! Don't even get me started on the tundra. That new behemoth of a truck makes me gag. I'd much rather own a ford then one of them. Traitor you say!? Maybe. But I think Toyota has betrayed us. Given up on there once great roots to apese the grocery getters. Soon our beloved tacomas will be full independent suspension with minivan like handling. Hybrid 4cyls and a bed the size of a ridgelines. With full time AWD and no 4low. And Climate controlled seats for our progressively fatter tushies. By a real truck while you can lads! Hoard them. Protect them! For the end is near! The end of our beloved tacomas!! Ok rant over. But seriously Toyota. Just stop, give us a v8 and turbo diesel option. Up the Mpgs and box that frame. I'll even live with the polymer bed. I kinda like it now. But leave our beloved trucks alone! If we wanted a ridgeline we would have bought one!

 

so i'm guessing you've never seen the new 4-runner wheel? once the ground clearance issues are taken care of, it's a fantastic wheeler. i've seen a bone stock new runner walk all over obstacles that modified tacomas had to try two or three times.

 

Hit enter a couple times

 

The word Tacoma is a selling point on it's own, even if it has 4 wheel IS and a hybrid engine. I think as long as the market demands increased size or decreased engines, they will build what sells to the masses.

2014 Tacoma is going to be a hybrid with vegan friendly materials, and a frozen yogurt squirter for all 8 passengers.

 

that suprizes me. I just don't see the point of Toyota turning the 4runner into a car they already had "sequoia".

 

Climate controlled seats? It's like 97 degrees outside, I could definitely use some A/C on the way home to curb the horrible case of swamp ass I'm going to have by the time I get home

 

Sorry to tell you, but we as Tacoma enthusiasts are in the minority, Mr Everyman and Everywoman in America is more interested in crossover, street/family friendly vehicles.

That being said, Tacoma owners are a niche that Toyota has cornered, they aren't going to turn their backs on us because their truck won't sell anymore. Same reason the Wrangler with never get rid of their solid axles.

 

One of those mods sounds pretty good.

 

Probably enough people saying "I love my 4Runner but it's getting too small, and I don't like the Sequoia."

Kind of like enough people saying "I love my Tacoma but it's getting too small, and I don't need a fullsize truck."

Insert larger dimensions and whatever else changes you want, and 4Runner and Tacoma loyalists will buy because it's still branded 4Runner or a Tacoma.

 

even though they are still getting the vehicles they didn't "want". Just with a familiar name. That's sad that no matter what changes are made. The name will still sell the vehicle.

 

I love my Tacoma just the way it is. Big enough to haul 4 peeps comfortably, small enough to fit in the garage. As far as off-road capability, all the OF peeps in my area seem to have no complaints with the 2nd gen models.

In general, car manufacturers manufacture based on information they get in the feedback loop. If enough of the owners of a particular vehicle say "x" then it will be considered on the next model redesign. Also taken into consideration are governmental standards that are imposed (EPA), and the companies general brand placement and direction.

I doubt they're going to do anything crazy w/ the Tacoma. But then again, Ford got rid of the Ranger altogether. Probably because of the Tacoma. LOL

 

I get what you are saying, but that's the thing... Cars and trucks have to change over time. I love the '95-'02 4Runner, definitely my favourite, but then the next gen, not so much. I think they made it a lot better on current gen but still like the 95-2002 way more. Great to see so many still on the road. A reason why "Toyota" is so popular, regardless of how the evolve.

As for Tacoma, well they have a money maker and a huge loyalty. I wouldn't expect them to mess with success too much. SUV market is crowded, and competitive, but mid-size pick ups, well.... We know that story.

I'd expect things like frame improvements, increased MPG and aerodynamics but I wouldn't expect a radical change. We all worried in 2004, but then that redesign worked out pretty good .

 

Isn't the 4runner the only actual truck in its class currently? Cause the Pathfinder and Explorer are now both crossovers.

 

I just placed a special order at the dealer for vanilla. FINALLY a yogurt squirter.

 

Xterra. OP I do not understand what your talking about! My mom has owned a 90, 96 and 05 4Runner and all were great cars that could go anywhere and never left you stranded. The new model is just as capable as my moms 90 model was.

 

I'm holding out until TRD releases the new dual flavor model.

Can you say direct injection, choco-nilla swirl?

 

This is a member "Ride" of T4R.org.
Sure do look nice and trail capable to me.

 

Hybrid Tacoma would be sweet

 

That looks awesome!!!

And I'm actually a fan of the current gen Tundra if it's outfitted just right...different strokes, I suppose

 

that's a 4runner