Why I bought a 2013 and not a 2016

Per fuelly.com, the 2015 4.0 is averaging 17.8 MPG with 2.3M miles reported and the 2016 is averaging 18.9 MPG with 2.2M miles reported. I do not see a 1.1 MPG increase much of a savings.

 

It boggles my mind why Toyota went this route with the gen 3. It's their best-selling truck and best-selling overall vehicle next to the Camry. Basically all they did was give it a new interior, slightly different body panels, and parts bin Lexus motor that has no earthly business being in a pickup truck.

 

I've already basically decided that the day I hear they're doing away with the 5.7 in favor of a smaller higher-revving engine is the day I go and look for a double cab TRD Off Road Limited Tundra.

 

Did the 3rd gen 2.7 get a different tranny or is it the same as it was with the 2nd gen? I have a '15 DCSB with the 4.0 and love it. I also have a '16 SR with the 2.7 auto that I bought for work and that thing is a pig. The auto is a 6 speed and the 2.7 just doesn't have the ponies to pull top gear on anything above 75 mph. With even the slightest headwind it downshifts and at that point the mileage is nearly the same as my 4.0. It hunts for gears constantly but I think the biggest problem is how tall the gearing is in 6th gear.

 

I don't believe the new trans is stronger than the gen 2 5 spd. When I drove it, the tranny sounded like a tin can. Sweers bosted that it was smaller, lighter and stronger. I have a hard time with that statement.
I agree that the 5vz-fe from the gen 1 had more torque down low. It also had almost the identical bore and stroke as the 2gr. I think it's the Atkinson cycle taking away the bottom end. Like I said before, my wife's Sienna with the 2gr-fe has better bottom end torque.

 

lol It's hard to take anything Sweers says seriously. I kinda feel bad for him because I know he thinks the same as the rest of us but his job (apart from the actual engineering) is to hype up their products. He is known as Mike "Seatbelt" Sweers on the gen 3 forum for saying everything thing is new on the gen 3 except for the seatbelt brackets.

 

It feels like this topic has been beat to death but this discussion has been more civilized so far. Time will tell if the high strength steel and other engineering improvements increase the longevity of the frame or introduce other unintended consequences. I think it is very likely there will be electronics issues later in the life cycle but that is true with every vehicle.

I am not bothered by the engine or transmission but I understand why many of you are. At the end of the day I don't think we should blame Sweers. This is all being driven by CAFE standards and the climate change cult. Until we stand up to that boondoggle and stop it I fear these types of engineering compromises will continue.

 

Sorry but no. Its the #1 selling truck because its riding on the coat tails of the 2nd gen which was the one to earn the title #1 selling truck. The general theme seems to be people do NOT love the changes. Quite the opposite.

 

I got one of those, they said they'd give me up to $21k for my 2013 sport! WHOA!! Except I got $25k for it when I traded it in.

 

3rd gen 2.7 auto is the same as the 3.5L Just different axle ratios.

Either way. I dont mind driving my dads 2016 tacoma its a nice truck.... WAY quieter than my 2013 in the cab. It doesnt feel as quick off the line but it does scoot along pretty good and gets better mpgs.

 

I will admit my '16 does drive nicer and is a lot quieter in the cab than my '15. The auto tranny in the '16 is a joke in my opinion. I travel from AZ to CA for work every week and need my truck with me so that's why I got the '16 SR with the 2.7 in hopes I would get better mileage. There really isn't any major climbs of any kind on that drive and I spend probably half the trip in 5th gear and some 4th. If there's any headwind, forget it, all 4th and 5th for 350 miles.

 

Test drove the 3rd gen at the auto show. It's true what everyone says, the 3.5 needs to be revved a bit to get it going. It also looks weird from the side. Like it's been stretched out to match the size of the Colorado. I also saw the Frontier there and even though it looks bit dated now, to me, it's the last true midsize truck left.

 

I'm having hard time to believe about regulations. What about Nissan Frontier-gas sucker? No regulations for Nissan?

 

Have you been living in a cave? lol. Are you seriously not aware of all the new regulations put on auto makers?!

 

I'm not in a cave. What about Nissan Frontier?

 

The 2.7 has always been a dog... The only tacos it was good in was the smaller 5 luggers, RC and ac ones... Even the dcsb 5 luggers started to get too heavy with them as a powerplant ...I can't imagine a 6 lugger ac or dcsb with one.

 

This is good...

Check minute 4:15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbmOYTMirrw

I stay with my 2nd gen...

 

What about Nissan? Mpgs aren't the only factor with new regulations. Emmisions output are the big regs. Remember the recent VW debacle over cheating their vehicle programming? They changed it so their mileage would be getting 50 mpgs, but in doing so that puts out way too much noxious emissions. With the legal programming their mpgs drop to around 35, or whatever they are now. Like I said, mpgs dont aren't the only factor.

The 3rd gen motor from Toyota doesn't squeeze a ton more of mpgs than the 2nd gen, but it is more efficient in terms of releasing noxious gases. That's why they have so many crazy tech advances in them now, to make them more efficient and clean burning. This is what the govt mandates to all newer vehicles.

Nissans newer frontier claims the same mpgs as the new Tacoma. Perhaps 1 mpg difference. So, I'm not exactly sure what your saying about it. Their new motor will have the same regulations in terms of noxious gas output.

Also, regulations are different when it comes to the type of vehicle. So, a truck engine will have different regulations than a small commuter car engine, like a Toyota Corolla compared to a Toyota Tundra. Depending on what the vehicles use is.

Another example is my wife's car. She has a Subaru STi, and it only gets about 22-23 mpgs. Just because it has low gas mileage doesn't mean the noxious gas output isn't regulated by the govt.

 

Oh snap!

 

This. GM has taken a massive bite out of the mid size market share. I get that Toyota wanted to go for an evolution rather than a revolution with the gen 3 but all in all, it's just not that much of an improvement from a 10 year-old design.