Looks like Toyota Finally Got the Tacoma Dialed In.

4 Banger MT was Access Cab 4x4 for 2016 - 2017. There also was an SR DC V6 4x4 with 6 Speed MT for 2016 - 2017 but it was extremely rare.

 

I think Tacoma has a specific wheelbase. If you have an access cab or just cab you can have a long bed(like myself) a crew cab with a long bed would just exceed the frame engineering specs plus Toyota likes to standardize things like wire harnesses. The tail lights harness would be a few feet short. Simple numbers. Decide your priorities more people more cargo. This might be off original topic……

 

FWIW, and maybe it's just because of time, but I feel like as it pertains to the transmission, my 2022 drives worse than my 2019 with the TSB applied and the same as my 2019 without the TSB. Honestly, I'm just trying to put some mileage on and I'll go KDMAX sooner than later.

 

I own a manual, but have had an auto Offroad as a rental. In my opinion, there is no dialing in that can overcome the gearing. I was driving interstate up grade at elevation and had to put it into S4. There is no way a tune would allow it to hold fifth, but maybe it would prevent it from bouncing between 4 and 5...

Toyota should have split the difference between gears 4 and 5 and made that the fifth gear ratio. The gap between 4 and 5 is just absurd and makes a downshift to fourth a little jarring. 5 on the auto is deeper than 6 on the manual. Or better yet, not cheap out and put an 8 speed in it.

 

I grew up with 4 speed autos, so six speeds still seems like a bonus to me.

Back before we all wanted everything to be done for us perfectly, it was standard practice to hit “OD off” via a button or lever selection, to lock-out 4th gear when going up a hill. Otherwise your 1981 Nova, or Chevy Celebrity, or Astrovan would bog down like no tomorrow. Now we have all these options, and when the system dances back and forth in confusion, we assume we shouldn’t have to do anything. I think it’s an incorrect assumption that Toyota put a modern AT in the 3G Tacoma, en par with what Ford etc is doing with their 10 speeds. It’s not like that at all in my observation (I also drive a newer F150 for my job.) The Tacoma seems more old-school to me than the F150, but not necessarily in a bad way if you accept it for what it is.

I hope that not cramming 10 tiny gears in the same space previously occupied by 4 gears in the good-old days, buys us some longevity with the 3G auto. Time will tell.

 

Wait, it took Toyota 6 years to fix the shifting in the truck?

Maybe with the expected 2024 redesign we'll back to square 1. Get the 2022's and 2023's while you can.

PS: Glad they got the shifting to work and you are happy with the truck.

 

I know its been said before in this thread, but tune tune tune! You wanna talk about dialed in? get the KDmax pro + XT tune on there.

 

I had a 2017 and now have a 2022. To me they are exactly the same, no difference in the way they shift.

 

If your auto isn't shifting well just bury the skinny pedal you'll be surprised....
These engines like to rev high...

 

It was years after I bought my Tacoma that I finally drove an auto 3G. I've read the complaints here ad nauseum like everyone else. When the transmission starting hunting between 4-5-6, I just laughed, slapped it into S4 and moved on with my life. So easy and a perfectly acceptable solution in my book.

No, there's nothing wrong with the 6AT in the Tacoma from a mechanical perspective. It compares favorably with the autos of yesteryear. Realistically 6 speeds is more than enough to do the job well, but it doesn't exist in a vacuum today. Other manufacturers and Toyota themselves produce reliable transmissions with superior gear spreads to what's in the Tacoma. Bottom line to me is Toyota could have and should have done better. Like I said before, a significantly higher ratio for 5th gear would cut down complaints significantly and would have cost Toyota nothing. A 4.10 or 4.30 diff wouldn't hurt either.

 

Good points.

 

Can't complain about my 2020 sr5, it runs great. I couldn't understand all the bitchin about these later 3rd gen trucks either.
I also think a 4.10 final ratio would have been perfect with the od these trucks have.

 

Except they DO make a crew cab with a long bed. I've had 2 TRD OffRoads that had it. Again, the SR can be had with a long bed in Canada, just not here in the states. Toyota does some weird stuff...

 

So, my brand new 2022 Limited 4WD Nightshade has about 250 miles on it but I haven't noticed any funny tranny issues as have been reported on earlier MY's and I sure hope they got the programming figured out because that would bug me. Anyway, I'm so glad. It does downshift quickly but it's all about how you manage your foot, and that doesn't bother me.

 

Seems as you accumulate more miles and the transmission learns your driving habits to the road conditions, your foot no longer factors into it. I just keep the same foot pressure on the go pedal and the transmission will automatically upshift if it needs to, and hold till you expect it to downshift when the road conditions are favorable. Imo, it operates normal like any other vehicle i've driven, and smoother then many.

 

My first Toyota truck was a 2019 sr tss edition. Beautiful truck! Absolutely loved the exterior..but it was a 4 cyl. I drove it for 3 months. Main complaint was I was always pushing the ETC when passing someone. Also the gear hunting was so bad I thought the transmission was bad. Last month I decided to trade for a 2021 SR5 v6. This one has plenty of power and I very rarely feel the gear hunt. This one I just have to get used to that Atkinson cycle engine noise. All in all these trucks are great quality vehicles.