Car & Driver review is out! 278hp/265tq

If you think Tacomaworld is bad for posters, read some of the douchebags in that articles comments. Including a couple of GM ganboys saying DOHC engines don't belong in trucks . ALL ABOARD THE CAR AND DRIVER DOUCHE CANOE!

Lots of guys saying "I'm a mechanical engineer, and wow I'm a mechanical engineer to" going back and forth. At least on here no one tries to claim shit like that. If you're a mechanical engineer and you spend all day on Car and Driver, I don't want anything designed by you.

 

You need to go to the Colorado/Canyon forums (Forum Link) and start reading on the issues. I was on the same boat... trying to decide between a Tacoma, Canyon, and a Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock.... After seen these videos and reading the reviews then comparing to what I have read on the Canyon forums; the 2016 Tacoma seems to be the better of the two. True, we have to wait for the first owners to start reporting experiences and issues... but, as much as I like the looks, I just can't see myself now buying the GMC... steering rack issues, transmission issues, throttle problems, etc. Even if I wait for the diesel, what good is it if the rest of the truck will give me a considerable amount of issues...

So my decision is back to what I have on my signature... and the Tacoma is more versatile than the Jeep in so many ways, while still providing off-road capabilities. I will wait until I get to drive one, I have time... before I finally decide.

 

I'm a land surveyor.... And we shot in the 2016, and the consensus was keep your truck. It'll be weak

 

You don't count I would say 1% of this forum drives like you .. lol

 

FWIW, my '69 has drums on all four corners. No power assist, either. Doing a panic stop in that thing is like leg-pressing a Kraken. And it takes a lot longer to stop than anything I've ever driven with discs. The fact that people replace the entire front suspension on old trucks just to get disc brakes says a lot about their effectiveness vs drums.
The advantage drums have over discs is longevity and low maintenance requirements, not stopping power.

 

Found this on the pickuptrucks.com review and thought it was interesting:

"Driving Impressions
As for actually driving, we found the throttle response impressive, especially when in Sport mode and manually shifting through the gears. With 3.91:1 axle gears and a 1st gear (automatic) of 3.60:1, the new engine does an amazing job of jumping off the line. The traction control feels much smarter as the engine winds up quickly, and the transmission shifts quickly through the gears. With the exception of a slight dead spot around 2,500 rpm in certain conditions, the power ramp-up is smooth and fluid all the way up to 6,000 rpms. Make no mistake, even if this new engine has 1 less pound-feet of torque, it feels much stronger than the bigger 4.0-liter V-6 it's replacing.

We didn't get a chance to track many fuel economy miles — we were having too much fun carving in and out of traffic on two-lane mountain highways — but we consistently saw our average hover around the 20 mpg mark during our excursions through the Seattle countryside. If we were disappointed with anything, it was that we didn't get a chance to see how the new engine would handle a load or pull a 4,000-pound trailer. All we can say is while driving empty we found the throttle feel impressive."

 

More power, better styling, a nicer interior… and no GoPro mount.

I owned a ’99 Toyota and I currently have a 2007. Believe me, I love my Tacomas but I can’t help look at the other offerings out there. The Colorado looks good to me. The 2016 Tacoma looks just okay. If I were going to do more off-road then it’s a no brainer – Tacoma wins. I still have plenty of time to think about it.

 

A few counterpoints (not arguing). A few posters have commented the fit/finish and materials are better in the Tacoma than the Colorado, so I would suggest making sure to sit in both and get handsy before making the interior call.

Also, I suspect the power difference may not be as large as the 27 max hp difference suggests. Meaning, those extra horses are all up at the top end, and the simple power numbers don't compare the grunt down low. I did a quick calculation at 6000rpm (max for the Taco) and using ratios/comparative numbers for the Chevy 3.6L LFX I came out with approximately an ~8hp difference at that RPM.

By eye, the LFX dyno plot doesn't look strong below the upper mid range...with VVT-iW and D4-S, I suspect the 2GR may produce more power down low. Anyhow, just a suspicion pending some detailed comparisons and data, 0-60mph times, hauling tests, etc. Something to watch for before you make a decision based on vague "max power" numbers.

 

You are correct sir. HP is a show number, not a go number, when it comes to trucks. Anyone who thinks the 300 HP on the Colorado makes it more powerful should look into how the 2nd generation Tacoma compared with the Frontier. The Frontier had over 30 more HP and yet was a slower less powerful truck. The gearing and engine design Toyota has put out seems better than the V6 GM put in the Colorado. If you want power in the GM then without the engine screaming to stay in it's powerband you should look into the Diesel, but wait a couple of years on that Diesel because no one knows how reliable it will be.