Hello, new guy here

Hi all, first time poster here, been lurking around for a month or so.
I've been planning to buy a new truck for awhile and am finally getting to do it. I've never owned a brand new vehicle before and am sort of new to driving trucks besides occasionally for work.
I was dead set on getting a 2012 tacoma as I have buddies that own them and they seem like really great trucks from everything I've heard and read. So I went into a local dealership and met with the salesperson who is a friend of a wife and said he would get us a bit of a deal.
Took the tacoma for a test drive and definately liked it, but then he started explaining to me that right now Tundras are 0% financing this month, and that the payment on it would actually be cheaper than the tacoma. He convinced me to test drive the Tundra as well and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed driving it as well. It has a bit more room and a couple other nice features. The MPG from the toyota site shows the two as being quite close between the trucks as well. Both trucks are well within my budget (planning on getting a double cab 4x4 either way) but I have not read up as much on the Tundra and was feeling a bit underprepared to make a decision.
The salesperson encouraged me to take my time and I'll probably have an answer for him this week.

Sorry for the long background story but I was wondering what you guys thought of the Tundra as opposed to the Tacoma, here are my needs:

-Plenty of room (I'm 6'3 long legs) for myself, wife and kid (he's only 1 year old but he's already a giant for his age.
-Towing isn't really a concern, I know the Tundra has more capacity but I don't own a trailer or anything like that yet, maybe some day.
-4x4 is a must as we get some pretty serious snow up here
-I don't plan on doing much off roading, whatever I get is going to be like a second baby

What would you guys do? If you had the choice between Taco and Tundra at basically the same payments?
I'm really having a hard time deciding, although I must say I'm leaning towards the Tundra right now because I frickin love Radiant Red and sadly Tacoma doesn't have it this year

Well thanks for taking the time to read
TL;DR - Tacoma vs Tundra can't decide.

 

I've had a few full size trucks through the years when I needed the
interior room and hauling capability. However, I'm totally happy with and enjoy my Tacoma. If you're looking at towing a large trailer in the future, then the Tundra might be good for you. By the way, welcome from N.J.

 

I went with the Tacoma because it is a smaller truck,my family of four rides in it with no problem and it tows anything i need it to.You can't go wrong with either one but i sure do love my Tacoma.

 

either way is a win-win, the question is how big of a truck do you want? if i could do it over i would go tundra, but i love my tacoma and i don't regret buying it. at the time i bought it i didn't know i would buy a gas sipping commuter as a beater down the road, i didn't know i would have children, and i didn't know i would be hauling trailers.. the tacoma handles everything i throw at it just fine, but i think a tundra would be more fitting. nonetheless i'm going to keep my tacoma til she dies.. so i'll have her forever..

 

I have owned both currently driving a 2011 Tundra 4x4 DC 4.6L.
My last truck was a 2006 Tacoma DC 4x4 that I drove for 4+ yrs and it was a great truck.
A couple of things that made me move to the tundra were:
Pricing - I did not buy an expensive model but a nicely equipped truck. It was in the same ballpark price wise for each.
Incenitives were better due to the tacoma is much more popular.
I wanted some creature comforts that I missed heated mirrors, more cargo space & a bigger bed.
There are some downsides -
Parking - I did not park my tacoma in the garage anyway but its a big truck. I've gotten use to it in parking lots & added the factory backup camera.
There is a blind spot from the side airbags that takes getting use to.
The tacoma was much more nimble & a little more fun but the trade off for me was better towing which I do a lot and I love some of the creature comforts.
The bluetooth is awesome, heated mirrors especially if since you are in snow region.
It is very comfortable, planted and quiet. No more tick.
The truck moves out and is pretty refined almost boring I guess but I have made mine my own. I love it.
Yeah there has been a few times I missed my tacoma, but have had fun modding out the tundra and pretty much I find the mileage is the same. Towing it is better.
That is my experience with both trucks.
Welcome to TW there are a few of us here who changed but you will find many, many tacoma enthusiasts who love to wheel & mod & drive their trucks.
You cannot go wrong with either choice imo.