Why people complaint about 2.7 power ???

The 3rz is good on flat roads. It struggles on hills, when loaded with a lot of weight, and with top end speed accelerations (think trying to go from 55 to 70 mph quickly). Otherwise it's more than enough for hauling 1 or 2 people with light cargo.

It's actually pretty fun in city streets to be honest (where the limit is 35-45). I like how it has room for you to push it and go up the rpms. With something like a ford f150 5.0, you would push it and it will pick up speed too soon before you're braking to not go too much over the speed limit or because the stop sign is coming soon and you have to have enough braking distance to stop.

 

I’ve had mine loaded to max curb weight and gone up steep hills with that load in the lower gears with no problem. Where I find it struggling is on freeway grades, loaded or not it can’t hold speed unless you downshift one or even 2 gears so I just go with it and back off. Fortunately for me it’s an uncommon situation or I might have bought something else. As it is the 4 cyl does everything I need it to do including giving me 50% more range on a tank than I used to get which these days is far more important.

 

I think most of such complains are for 3RZ with A/T combo. With 5-speed manual transmission you have a freedom to use any gear within the rpm range between 1700rpm and 5500rpm depending on the power and torque need. You are limited to 150hp but with MT all of them can be put to good use.

 

New to the Tacoma so forgive my ignorance. When you say 3RZ is that the 2.7 L 4 cyl engine and is it in the 3rd gen Taco's?

 

1st gen 2.7 is the 3RZ
2nd and 3rd gen get the 2tr-fe, newer and related, but not the same as the 3rz.

 

Thanks

 

I have this exact truck, same color even. Only 280K on it though.

Also have a 2002 extended cab, same engine & trans w/only 76K on it.

Both are 4WD but the '96 has manual hubs, '02 automatic hubs.

The '96 is a much more-sprightly performer.

I am chasing P0171 on the '02, hopefully I'll see a difference once that's addressed.

 

All lies.

 

Personal experience both on grades, loads, and mileage. You be wrong on every count.

 

I sure as hell don’t. 4wd it climbs like a monkey.

 

27 mpg is ambitious. fuelly has been pretty spot on with my realized MPG as well, in the V6.

I would be in a 4 banger for sure - only reason I am not right now, is because I wanted the off road and know I would have traded for one quickly if I didn’t get it.

Now that I set up my sleeping setup in the cab, I am definitely happy I have the space of the full cab. I am tempted to see if I can make something like this work in a 4 banger, though.

Other than the sleeping setup, I’d be in the 4 banger in a heartbeat. Great little engine. Not like the V6 changes it into a dragster…

 

yeah I mean people don't drive trucks to go fast, also going way beyond speed limit in a truck is foolish - poor handling and poor braking. People buy trucks for recreation and payload and the 2.7 is adequate. Compared to almost anything modern with ~3.5 liters displacement the 3.4L is a dog also. Typical modern 3.5L performance engines averages about 300 hp now - yes I know truck engines are optimized for torque.

Just as an example, I was in Utah in my 3.4L cruising on a highway at about 6000 ft altitude and I can only easily maintain about 70 mph in those conditions. I got passed by a guy in full size diesel truck towing a 20 ft trailer! Does it bother me? Not really, different vehicles for different purposes.

At the next light/town I was right behind him anyhow.

 

I expect that graph is skewed since much is done to them that significantly reduces mileage and little can be done to make it better. 27 mpg for a tank is only ambitious if you want to have your cake and eat it too with mods or it came stock with those. I can’t do it around town but 24 is normal for combined City/highway mileage.

 

What rpm are you 2.7 guys at at 70mph? About 2600 for me. Best mpg was 23.5 going at 70ish in texas hill country

 

I can only assume he's talking about a 5 lug. Totally reasonable numbers for a 5 lug (even a bit lower than what I got in my '97 5 lug).

But in a 4x4? Yeah, no.

 

That’s one of the things that skews mileage lower. Prerunner is another of the stock versions that does so. Needless to say, some of the aftermarket combinations done can cut it in half.

Sounds right for 5th but shifting is more likely in hills. I’ve yet to have a totally flat run like I5 or I80 through Nevada so I don’t think I’ve hit he max yet. It’s nice but it’s the consistent daily mileage that I rely on.

 

A first gen with a 5VZ is actually quicker than a second gen with the 4.0 or a 3.5-equipped 3rd gen, but that's mostly since the first gen doesn't have all the fluff on the later trucks.

They have their flaws and quirks, but the 1G Tacoma really is the last of the Toyota minitrucks, unless you count the later model Hiluxes.

 

1st gen taco was the last small pickup Toyota made for US sales. 2nd gen is about the size of the 1st gen tundra.

 

The 2.7 is just fine for me. Hauls over a ton of scrap metal and every thing else I can fit in it. Good little engines and so much room for activities in the engine bay!

 

Part of the big reason I sold my 2004 3rz 4wd ext cab was because it was so gutless. It’s hilly where I live. On contrast my lowered 5 lug single cab with the 2rz is insanely peppy and strong.

replaced my 4wd 3rz with a supercharged 3.4 with no regrets