2016 Tacoma ride quality?

From: http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/toyota_tacoma_2016

"But ride quality has indeed improved significantly"

Does anyone know what changes Toyota has made to improve ride quality significantly?

 

There are essentially three tunes of the Tacoma’s suspension. The SR, SR5, and Limited models have the standard suspension, while TRD Sport models get a more road-oriented sport suspension and TRD Off-Road models get a suspension that’s oriented toward wheel articulation and off-road control.

 

I believe that your statement applies to models prior to 2016. The article states that the 2016 ride quality has improved significantly (by implication over the 2015 models). So my question is, "What has changed in the suspension from 2015 to 2016 that results in the ride quality improving significantly?"

 

Ride quality?

That's a pretty WIDE OPEN topic with a gazillion interpretations. Reading and believing all the 'reviews' about ride quality makes me laugh. First off..... a lot of those reviews are sponsored and/or paid. They get paid to tell you what Toyota thinks you want hear. Ride Quality is subjective to whatever you're driving now. If you drive a $100,000 Mercedes Benz and your job involves critiquing Trucks? They're all gonna ride like shit (to you). If you're a normal dude off the street who's used to driving a 20 year old minivan..... they'll probably LOVE the ride.

Don't make a judgement on a truck based on online reviews of 'Ride Quality'. Go to the dealership and drive it yourself!!

 

Suspension


1. Front: Double-Wishbone

Changes made to:

- Coil spring (spring rate change)

Wheel hubs (strengthened)

Shock absorbers (retuned w/ rebound spring)

Stabilizer bar brackets (reinforced)

Lower A-arm (strengthened)

2. Rear: Leaf Spring

Changes made to:

Leaf springs (optimized leaf thickness and camber)

Shock absorbers (optimized valving for enhanced ride comfort)

 

There you go.

 

I don't think they managed to reduce the unsprung weight of the suspension by anything meaningful so it can't really be any more responsive. The shocks may be better tuned and they probably picked tires that were more compliant They made the cabin a lot quieter which goes a long way in improving perceived ride quality even if the in-cabin accelerations felt by the driver are unchanged. If bumps in the road have no sound associated with them the perception is a smoother ride, up to a certain point at least.

 

Proof for all of us is when we get to take one for a spin. One reason I don't purchase a vehicle without test driving it first.

 

Thicker windshield, better door seals, and more cabin insulation. Much quieter cabin, as a result apparently. All also attribute to a "better ride quality" to me.

 

Thanks! Good advice, which I plan to follow when they start arriving on the lots. Sweers also commented in his video that they had "tuned" the suspension for a better ride quality on and off the road.
Again as you correctly pointed out, I may have a different take.

 

Sweet, I've been waiting for a rebound spring! I'm definitely getting one now... haha...

No but, that you know all those details... that's impressive...

 

This is turning into a "I'm positive the world is flat" thread. Toyota made changes to improve both the Cab NVH's and to the suspension for a softer ride. Both changes are documented and reviewers agree that it's a better ride. Obviously everyone's opinion after driving one will be no one's but their own, but arguing that it's just smoke and mirrors and no changes were made, or that it's definitely not going to be any better without driving one is pretty ignorant and dumb..

 

Yeah the big deal is a quieter cabin. I bet when people finally get to test drive it they'll be saying this thing is a smooooooooth truck. When I saw in the reviews Toyota put the triple door seals in I think people will be very happy with that for reduced cabin noise, long overdue for the Tacoma.

 

I think there can be a noticeable difference between ride quality and in-cabin noise. If you watch the F-150 test videos all of the reviewers say that it's pretty much silent when driving on paved roads. As soon as they hit a dirt road they immediately switch to "The ride is jarring and the back end hops." The Tacoma being a smaller truck will only exacerbate this issue (if there is one). When driving the Tacoma I should be able to hear the guy next to me talking better than ever, but once we're hitting bumps will the ride be compliant or will my passenger develop a stutter?

 

Is there a list somewhere that shows the changes/improvements made year over year for the tacomas? I have an 08 TRD sport and would like to see what has changed over the years.

 

I don't think there is document with multiple years on it, but they have the new spec sheet with all of the changes for that model year.
http://www.tfltruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/2016-toyota-Tacoma-Technical-specs.pdf

 

Your passenger will develop a stutter. It's still a truck. You'll have to load the bed up to get the rear end to quiet down. For me, the big deal is the quieter cabin, the effort to reduce cabin noise. I put a lot of highway miles on and I like a quiet cabin, long overdue for the Tacoma. Offroad it will still be stiff and jouncy, that's fine. Better rear leafs would be nice to handle loads but Toyota wants to keep the stock articulation thing going and it has sold well.

 

I don't disagree with you at all, I'm just pointing out that cabin noise and changing the suspension setup for a more compliant ride are in fact two different things. I'm guessing the cabin noise will be significantly improved, and at the same time the ride will likely be at least a little more compliant because that was Toyota's goal when changing the setup. I doubt they set out to make the ride smoother/more compliant, changed the setup to accomplish this, reviewers say it's more compliant, and then it turns out to be exactly the same as before.

 

The sales man told me and he was right...the Taco I bought will ride as well as a 4 Runner.....up front. After that it's all about the rear springs and the shocks.
My guess is that's where the ride effort went into.

 

http://www.thecarconnection.com/review/1099659_2016-toyota-tacoma_performance_3