Concumer Reports - 5 New Cars to Avoid - Toyota Tacoma

Haha of all the trucks why pick on the taco? I've ridden in newer Frontiers and they ride no better. The majority of trucks still have leaf springs in the rear and have rigid frames, not to mention off-road suspension is stiff. If I wanted a nice riding vehicle I wouldn't have bought a truck. I needed the truck for the bed and for taking in the dirt, not to mention I could give a shit about ride quality. Spend 3 years in a 14 year old Ranger with sacked springs and you will grow to appreciate the ride in just about anything lol. I really dont get this article. The taco does what it was designed for and is a more quality vehicle than the other trucks in it's class.

 

What I love about Toyota is that they DON'T redesign every year. We now have 10 years of almost completely unchanged 2nd gen Tacos on the road. That has led to a massive market of aftermarket and inexpensive used parts. For guys like me who keep their vehicles for 15-20 years, the Taco (1st or 2nd gen) is the perfect vehicle. I could care less about latest & greatest. I want longevity.

 

Consumer reports be like "we tested 4 compact cars and one truck. The truck had rough handling, we don't recommend the truck".

Yuppies be like "Oh I'm so glad I subscribed to thiiiiiiiis!"

 

FANBOYS UNITE!

 

I will take how my 2013 DCSB 4x4 drives...It drives like a truck, as it should..since it is a truck... Sayin'

 

When I am driving my Tacoma I forget I am in a truck and try to drive it like a sports coupe I used to have.

Dated? Compared to itself yes. I have no cabin noise, good suspension, great ride, power when I need it, and avg about 19 a gallon. Room for the kids and wife. A/C is wonderful.

I drive an F150 at work and am super joyful everytime I get back into my Tacoma.

CR is a bunch of nuts!

 

Every time they write something like that, they prove what little credibility they have.

 

I agree with consumer reports for once, normally they are completely wrong.

The Tacoma does ride poorly, with poor rear leaf springs. It is loud and the interior is dated.

I agree that it would be terrible if the Tacoma suffered the same fate as the Pathfinder, but there are other ways to keep a great off-roading truck and still have a smooth ride.

Check out the new Ram for example, using coils on the rear. I would love to see Toyota go this route. A better ride, and as the T4R have taught us, can have INSANE articulation. Add in a little more sound deadening and a better engine and I am sure it would come right back to the top of the truck segment.

 

I guess Consumer Reports never jumped a curb.

 

I'd say the handling is more dated, but it's a truck not a car; also the SR5 has less harshness to it (which is why I bought it) then the stiffer TRD packages.

The interior on the 14's is very good imo, much better then older 2nd gens that I looked at.

 

+1

 

Saying that the Tacoma is a vehicle that should be avoided is literally the dumbest thing I've ever read.

If there's a better mid size truck out there, I'd like to see it.

 

I quit reading consumer reports long ago.they list the Nissan pickup above the Tacoma cause it rides better.its a truck not a lexus.

 

Consumer reports is often byest I noticed . I'm willing to bet they get " incentives " from some manufactures to pursuade reports a certain direction .

The way I see it , haters gona hate lol

 

The interior could use a redesign. The inside of my trd sport looks the exact same as a 5 lug base except for the steering wheel controls and "sport seats". They could have done a little better in the higher end models considering you're giving them almost 12k more.

 

CR is like a news channel on TV. They have opinions and can take whatever side they choose on any particular subject or product.

For a long time, Toyota could do no wrong by CR. Times change. They just have a new fav. now, that's all.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion I guess. Last year the Tundra was their top rated truck with a score of 68. This year it's second last above the Titan. They even knocked it back behind the Ford by giving the F150 an additional two points even though neither truck has been re-tested, and the only F150 that didn't show abysmal reliability in the survey was was the 3.7L base engine.

Heck they gave the new Silverado a score of what, 81? Sure, it's a nice truck, but it feels more cheaply made than the Tacoma to me.

Outside of trucks, they're really going biased against Toyota cars too. They hated the new Corolla and Scion tC. If you look in the latest auto issue, in the chart where they are supposed to list all the cars they test for score, owner satisfaction, reliability, etc, they decided to omit the Corolla and Camry from the list completely, as if they're not sold here anymore or something.

Needless to say the subscription has been cancelled.

 

Not that I want to crap on their parade, but half of the people repalced their "weak" car like leaf springs and got Blienstein to replace soft "car like rides" judging by sheer numbers and TSB issued manyu people do not prefer car like ride and there is no point making truck to be car like.

 

The Tacoma is a bit dated, As it's design and drivetrain is 9 years old now (Older for the 1GRFE)... There's no other way around it.

Technology has improved drastically to get a comfortable smooth ride and retain great off road capabilities and get more power and better gas mileage out of engines... But it's lack of technology and modern equipment is why it's more reliable.

CR's favorite "truck" is the Ridgeline... So, I would take their judgement on anything thats not hybrid with a grain of salt.

With that said... 27 months with my truck and I am tired of it. There are currently 3 open recalls (gas pedal, steering wheel ring thing and access cab door mounted front seat belts) and I don't need a truck anymore since we have a 07 F150 in the family now... It's an X-Runner so it's a bit different than all of your guys'. I like my bells and whistles and I like fantastic handling capabilities... The X-Runner does everything mediocre and nothing phenominally well. I'm not a big truck person I found out...

 

Yea crazy consumer reports!!! Who wouldn't want a truck that's frame rusts out completely in less then 10 years. Or that gets worse mpg than a v8. Orr that can't haul 200# of cargo without hitting the bump stops. Just plain crazy