Thinking of Leaving Chevy For A 2021 Tacoma. Convince me?

@Sammo219 - why don't you just go to a tranmission shop and have them install a shift kit for you to solve your problem? You won't have shudder, but you will also lose some efficiency and see a drop in MPGs...
PWM talk and how they bump line pressure without blowing up things... https://www.sonnax.com/tech_resources/214-20-years-later-what-s-new-with-4l60-e-pwm-modifications

Parts available for your 8-speed 8L45 transmission.
https://www.sonnax.com/units/617-8l45

 

The Tacoma is not going to be your first choice for comfort.

Sound system lacks as well.

 

Chevy's blow up, a new Tacoma will run over 500K or more if you take care of it. Welcome to TW and good luck with your search.

 

Can't comment on the Colorado - I'm coming from a Ridgeline. With that said, the Tacoma is not as quiet, smooth, quick, settled in its ride, or have as good a sound system as the Honda, but I like my Tacoma much more! There's an underlying quality and solidness that is difficult to put into words. That's my best attempt to explain why the Taco has such a strong following - including me!

 

If those 2 were my choices, gimme a Ridgeline all day over a GM anything

 

Don't worry about the sound system. After market speakers, amps and subs etc can be added later.

Clazzio makes leather covers for the tacoma. Once installed it looks like the leather seats were purchased from the factory.

Comfort = This is not a truck for comfort. Tundra was way more comfortable. These seats are a little odd. Definitely test drive the car as much as you can before you decide you want this truck. I should have bought another tundra. Taco is light and gets blown around in high winds if driving through mountain pass areas. The tundra was planted solid.

 

I guess to each their own. Some have a need for it. Personally my off-roading days have ended when it got too expensive for a 4wd truck, and too expensive fixing broken bones in the hospital with the bikes. The stereo part is harder to figure. I much rather have a good sound system in my house, rather then piss it away in a truck i may not own very long.

 

you know thats a possibility with even the best designed engines.

 

It’s all about tuning if it’s bass your after. If you want a rock concert or theater sound few if any stock systems cover that. But as far a some good bass these are tuned as open air so if you roll down rear at least if not all 4 windows down half to full the bass response will increase tremendously. Been a bass head my whole life since the 90’s 18” fosgate pro series. Stock set up is average with windows up (sealed enclosure) but if you want to go cruising bust the windows down an pretty good for stock. I also have Anytune pro for my iPhone so I can have a lot more control over my music volume and quailty that exceeds stock limits.
Reliability is another huge factor and resale value but mpg sucks and ride quality and interior is average. If you want to get the best ride get the limited after that I would say get the sport. the off-road package is going to be a little stiffer daily commuting of that size. You can always get your leather seats called catzkins later

 

If you need convincing that a Toyota is better than a GM, well...

 

Well...I put my Son in a new 2018 OR Tacoma when he graduated college and I am a career Mechanic if that tells you anything. His only failure since was the front differential ADD...which was a very easy fix. Your qualifiers of commute and reliability however place you in a rear wheel drive Sport of the choices you gave...so even that variable would not effect you. As for price, I paid just under $37,000 for his OR...FULLY loaded. I suggest you deal directly with the Fleet Department at a reputable Dealership and bypass the regular sales folks altogether for best price. Give your location and you can get help with that here too.

 

Like others have noted, every vehicle, much less trucks, has their issues. Both Chevy and Toyota trucks are capable. When I wanted a pickup truck I did my homework to decide what I wanted in a truck. I bought my first Toyota which happened to be a Tacoma. Since 2007 my Tacoma has made me a Toyota believer. I'm on my second Tacoma and forth Toyota.

At this point I would take my Tacoma over a Colorado any day. Not because there is anything wrong with a Colorado but because I had a number of reasons for wanting a Tacoma. I'm on my second Tacoma and between the two, I'm pushing 300K miles. They have delivered on, and in most every case exceeded, each of my expectations. If you need to be convinced, I'd say you're not ready to make a move.

You'll know when the time is right when you come to a place like this with your list of expectations and ask Tacoma owners how the Tacoma stacks up in those areas. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

Audio is not underwhelming, mine doesn’t effectively work. It can’t hold a lock on FM stations, the Bluetooth drops and I threw away my XM receiver. Get no radio and then hook yourself up at Crutchfield when your budget improves.

Test drive on a highway so you see how the dual overdrives behave. So drivers are particularly sensitive to it, most don’t give a fuck and just hit the gas hard.

Leather is not needed. Get some Clazzios when your budget allows.

Other than that, sucks about the Colorado. I think I’d ream the dealer for lemon laws.

 

why would you compare a Truck to a car?

 

I had a '15 Colorado Z71 that I traded because of the horrendous transmission shifting issues. I can't believe they still haven't addressed that issue.
The '20/'21 Tacoma autos shift much better than previous generations. If you still have issues, there are tunes, and tuning software available for the Tacoma.
Or... you can always buy the manual tranny version.


At the very least, you'll want to upgrade the speakers in the Tacoma.

I replaced the suspension on my Sport with the Off Road. The Sport is stiffer, but handles better in the corners. The Off Road soaks up bumps a bit better.

IMHO, the Colorado had a more roomy and quieter interior, the seats were much more comfortable for me, and I still find myself missing that bed corner step.

 

True, I have a decent enough stereo in my house too but it rarely gets used to potential unless my wife isn't home. Thing is 26 years old and it ain't the most costly or current, but does what I need.

I do agree about a vehicle system for some..I just keep my stock stuff and swap back if I go to sell the vehicle, then bring it over to the new one.

 

With out a doubt. But, I was paying to driving a pickup with a certified recall. Never was told anything about it till ask about it. That was enough for me to switch.

 

One shouldn't have to lower their windows to get decent safe for mom bass. I'm amazed that the 3rd gen audio system made it out of a focus group in testing. I spent hundreds of dollars upgrading the speakers and the results point to the head unit being what it is, a piece of shit that only grandpa would be happy listening to AM talk radio with.

 

I have the '20 TRD Pro, and the transmission works well all the time, the JBL sound system is really great with enough solid bass for me, and it is a really solid off road vehicle (I actually wheel mine pretty hard). Just for kicks I checked my KBB value after a year and a half and over 20k miles; it's still worth what I paid for it. It's reliable, dependable. and it holds it's value... what more do you want from a truck? The only complaint I had for my truck is that the power band doesn't kick in until about 2800 RPMs, but I added a bypass switch that automatically keeps it in ETC mode and now it has plenty of power. YMMV

 

So you got 12k off msrp? thats quite a solid deal