How do you like your Automatic?

Hi all,

Got a 2022 TRD OR Premium on order as pictured, (not my picture, nice truck if it is yours). Not a lot of good configuration options in Canada and the only way to get a manual in a DCSB is TRD Pro or TRD Sport. I don't like any of the colour options on the Sport and the Pro is too youthful looking for my line of work. Coming from a 2nd Gen 4.0 auto which is fine. I own manual summer cars and I enjoy them and really had planned to get a manual Tacoma this time, but it looks like the transmission is the compromise here. After reading a bit more it seems like the 3.5 auto isn't well liked but I see so few people posting their opinion on it that it begs the question, how is it to drive? It seems to me that if they are selling TRD Pros with that combo for that kind of money it can't be that bad. Newer YouTube reviews note much improved shifting function. My local dealer is cleaned out and nothing available to test drive. I drove a 3.5 manual years ago and it didn't exactly speak to me. Not as fun to drive as my manual VW R32.

Anyway, your $0.02 is appreciated on your automatic transmission!

Thanks!

(I know someone is going to mention the LED headlights in the picture and yes, I know they will not be on the truck but I'm going to order those separately and add them myself).

 

It sucks stock, but if you get a tune it's much better!

 

Super happy with mine and more impressed with a tune!
I feel that a lot of people that have "problems with the AT shifting", with this high revving V6 that has variable cam timing, are lugging around at low RPMs. If you git on the skinny pedal and let the engine get up in RPMs, where it makes more HP, the shifting is not "bad".

 

I had a 2018 TRD OR DCLB that I drove for 3 years and 30,000 miles before someone totaled it. The transmission would hang on to lower gears for too long--like downshifting going up a hill, revving to 4,000+ rpm--and then when back on level ground it would hang on to that lower gear for too long before shifting. That got better with time and eventually was fine.

I just picked up a 2022 TRD OR DCLB. I’ve driven the new truck 90 miles on a hilly interstate highway and did not notice that shifting lag compared to the 2018 truck. Both trucks are very happy at 2,000 rpm.

 

With the way I drive, it seemed like I'd keep giving it gas and it wouldn't really accelerate then it'd downshift 2 gears and launch like a rocket with the engine screaming.
With the kdmax pro, it drives very linear now.

 

WWWHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

2017 OR Auto was probably the worst/most frustrating shifting automatic I've ever driven. Did the Toyota TSB and it helped a bit. Didn't stop us from ordering another one. Will see if it's any better on 2022s and if not, will likely get one of the tunes.

 

I drove an ACLB automagic for 6 months and it was the worst automatic I've ever driven.

Completely unpredictable, gutless when attempting to pass, downshifting roughly ten minutes after it'd have been useful, etc.

The only worse AT I've encountered was an ex's 2004 Chevy Cavalier.

Test drove a manual 2021 Sport a random Saturday at a dealership and was amazed (even with the accumulator) how much more intuitively it drove. That day I started the hunt for my current truck.

A lot of people say the tunes are a major step up in drivability and I have no reason to doubt that, but can't speak on it having never gotten the AT tuned.

 

I don't hate the stock tune in my 2021 SR5. It seems to be getting better the more I drive, or maybe I'm just getting better at knowing when and how much gas pedal pressure I should be applying for each scenario.

I've certainly never had a problem accelerating into traffic. 3.5L V6 takes off onto highways like a rocket.

 

I found the first couple days with my auto was tough but once you find the pocket of where the rpm's want to be within your style of driving I settled into it and loved it. With that being said I did not purchase another auto I am picking up my new 6spd today which I'm very excited about, but if the auto is your only option you'll get used to it for sure!

 

Stock '18. This is my 5th Toyota truck (since '88) and my favorite.

 

I'm not picky and drive pretty evenly, I think. I'm coming from an (underpowered) 4 cylinder CVT, so I'm used to (a) seamless shifts and (b) dodgy acceleration. That said, I have no complaints.

My 2022 likes to find the 1500 RPM sweet spot where it's maximally efficient. I have plenty of power to merge when needed, though I'm not often trying to go from 60 to 80 MPH to pass on the freeway.

For someone who wants to weave through traffic at 75+ MPH, though, this might not be the right vehicle.

I have also found the transmission does a nice job engine braking on steep downhill grades. This is something I like in particular. I haven't needed to give it tons of gas to keep an appropriate speed, and I haven't needed to ride the brake heavily. Given the front disc/rear drum combo, logically applied engine braking is a plus.

 

The engine braking was a pleasant surprise for me, as I have some big hills around where I live, and I came from driving a 5 speed Impreza where I had more control, so I was worried about having to constantly over brake.

 

My 2022 TRD Sport Auto is my 3rd, 3rd Gen Tacoma. With each truck the transmission has improved but it's still not stellar. My 2016 was crap until I had the TSB transmission reflash at the dealer which improved it a lot. However, in the big picture the auto transmission is perfectly fine. It does what a transmission is supposed to do and I honestly don't think about it one bit. It seems that there are a lot of folks who over think minor issues with their trucks and if you follow this forum for long enough you'll convince yourself that the Tacoma is the worst POS on the road.

 

Mine with the kdmax pro is amazing. Zero complaints at all.

 

i like it. the 8spd auto trans on the rav4 is pretty smooth. on the tacoma, well...auto was never an option and i owned three of these badboys already.

 

Bone stock '18 and its perfect IMO. I always use ect and S4 or S5

 

LOL, I know this post will seriously date me, but apparently you've never driven a car with GM's old "Two-Speed Slip-and-Slide PowerGlide" transmission.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powerglide

 

I've got no issues with my 2019 OR shifting. I do live in north Texas, so pretty flat, and seldom do extended drives at highway speed. The times I have, the shifting seemed stable but there was the occasional unnecessary down shift when trying to get past and 18 wheeler doing 65-70.

Still I'm planning a turn in the next few months.

 

My wife bought a lunar rock rav last june. I drove the whole 13hr trip to TN for our honeymoon, and all I could think was how comfy it rode and drove, I love that little car