Four years in a Tacoma, a frustrating experience

Valid points. It isn't for everyone, in fact it shouldn't be the first choice for anyone that is buying a pickup truck for conventional pickup truck activities, a full size pickup is better all around for towing campers, big boats, etc.

The Tacoma sucks ass and kicks ass at the same time, the people that enjoy it's better attributes (and ignore it's faults) tend to speak glowingly of it and other potential buyers hear them and believe the hyperbole...I gotta get one of then Tacomas! EVERYBODY says how awesome they are. The oversell by fanbois is responsible for most of the disappointment.

Buying vehicles is a compromise, choosing wisely can be difficult especially if swayed by impulsive emotional decisions. For example some of the reasons you dislike the Tacoma are reasons I like it. I would rather have an F150 based on how it performs, except I hate how big and awkward the damn thing is. The power of the 3.5 is nothing to get exited about, but it works fine for me, because I never tow anything with it.

The amount of money people spend on gearing, ECU tunes, expensive suspensions, on and on is eye-watering to make it "better" with "better" being highly subjective. Everything goes into the shitter when someone says "it's not worth it to me" and the fanbois lose their minds. The simple truth is both are right, it's the unwillingness to see someone else's view that makes some of today's enthusiasts (of anything) hard to defend.

 

My time in this truck has been, quite honestly, the best experience I’ve had owning a vehicle, and I have owned and driven many pickup trucks in my many decades on planet earth. Reliable and no-nonsense, and fun. I never have had any of the major issues people complain about, so maybe I’m lucky, or maybe I have a different perspective, who knows?. The truck opened so many doors for me, and my family, due to its many great attributes, that I have literally zero regrets.

Seating position also sucked for me, so I got the 1” spacers for the rear legs only and never thought about it again.

Any other things that cropped up over time were self-inflicted as I changed the truck to “improve” it.

Oh yeah…I had a recall for my brake-light gasket, though it never started leaking.

It is incredible how different people’s experiences can be with the same vehicle. I’d like to think everyone complaining is a millennial Karen, and I’m the cool Gen-X guy, but maybe I just got one of the good ones, along with the other million owners who aren’t complaining on TW

 

Yup and we live in such a beautiful Province. Your photo encapsulates why I purchased and find myself very happy with my truck too. I find that this thing, and myself are the happiest off the beaten path. That’s also what I appreciated about my 1992 as well. Perspective I’d say Or maybe just a fellow Gen-Xer

 

I have the auto 3.5 with the 3.90 axle, and its perfectly fine, I don't need higher rpm to make the truck run fast enough, it already has more hp than my 4.7 tundra v8 did, and my tacoma is a lighter truck being an access cab. I think too many here are trying to make these tacomas into something they are not, or bought them thinking they were some sort of rocket.

 

The cruise control does absolutely suck. It is somehow worse than just regular cruise.

However, the rest of the issues were already "well documented" by plenty of owners years before OP even purchased his truck.

 

I wonder if the OP has the premium package with the sunroof? That destroys any hope for headroom for anyone over ~5'9" with any build/proportions.

 

That aspect kinda made me scratch my head, because I'm 6'3" and I fit just fine. I'm no bean pole, either at 230lbs.

I did experience some discomfort with the ergonomics at first, but I seem to have adjusted because I dont have any issues now.

I didn't realize the sunroof would reduce head space, however, so that could be a cause. I'm just a lowly SR5 owner. HAHAHAHAHA

 

I'm going on almost 6 years in my 17 and what's wrong with you

 

It's fine Tacomas aren't for you so move on and get something else and be done with tw .

 

I don't share all your complaints, but power for sure. I occasionally drive my dads 19 hemi Ram, and it's hard to get back in the tacoma afterwards. The icing on the cake is that MPGs are no better than that truck either, and actually it's probably worse. I'm getting around 16-17 since i'm constantly running the RPMs higher and I probably dont use 6th as much as the AT does.

 

I'm in the same boat... I thought I wanted one, but after getting it, I just hate it. Its not that its a bad truck, clearly its not. What you can do to these things is great (and I've already put 12k into it, but its yet to be taken off road) However, even with the mods, and how much I like the "look," of the truck, I simply hate driving it. I guess I'll end up holding on to it and giving it to my son, then buying me another full size 3/4 ton truck. I may even just trade it and say screw the loss. I should have rented one for a week to be sure... but hell, I guess you learn by your mistake,s even if they are costly ones.

If anyone is out there that has a 2019+ 3/4 ton diesel who's itching for 2021 Tacoma (manual), I'd consider a trade!

 

Honestly this review is pretty spot on. I have a '19 I've driven for 55k miles and most of what you said is absolutely true.

The low oil warning issue has occurred multiple times on my truck. It makes no sense and is not acceptable from an off-road vehicle. Really chaps my ass when it happens because it's usually on a steep incline, and the truck just shuts off. It's extremely dangerous when it happens.
The cruise control is completely useless. Sucks because I sometimes do long road trips in this thing and I can't use the cruise control because it doesn't work. It just stays pegged at 4500 rpms and doesn't downshift when it should. As soon as you turn cruise off, it downshifts where it's supposed to.

The only thing I can't agree with is the seat. I'm 6'2" and have never once felt uncomfortable in these seats. I see all these people buying seat jackers and things and never really understood it. I've done 10hr days in this thing and never once felt uncomfortable. Has to be something with torso vs leg length or something because I find it plenty comfortable. I actually tried the seat jackers and didn't like them at all so I took them out.

 

I’m 6’4 and have absolutely no issues with the seating position and I have the seat jackers with plenty of head room. I have the 2020 OR so not sure if the 2019 doesn’t have the power seats or not but with the power seats you can easily adjust the seat to a very comfortable seating position.
As for the rest the tunes you did are not that great. The best one you want to get is the OTT9. I have none of the issues you mentioned.
Don’t have any whine or wind noise either on the highway ‍♂️
I’m not in high altitude so can’t comment on that and the oil warning I have not experienced so far but I don’t do extreme off roading either.

 

Right on OP but you didn’t mention the constant shifting and hunting for the wrong gear. Absolutely hated my 2018 however the KD Max tune was a huge improvement. I’ll be going back to the ford f150 when it’s time. Too bad as the Tacoma is the perfect size.

 

Have you changed the tire size or done any modifications like that? I've towed a ~3500lb trailer/load for a few thousand miles through mountains at points and had no issues. In fact it pulled far better than I expected it to even at high speeds. You have to leave it in S and definitely need to hit the ECT button. You can tell the trailer is back there of course but definitely didn't have any issues with power.

Never had Diff whine and I also don't have any noticeable wind noise unless you're over 65 or if the wind is strong and hitting just right and even then you can hear it like you could in any car with the radio off but its not bad and definitely far less than several other trucks I've had. That said this is different on each truck in my experience, often depending on how good the door gaskets are installed.

I completely agree on hating how the truck floors it when you are using adaptive cruise control and you go to pass someone.

 

My Grandfather had noticeable "Wind Noise" well into his 80's.

 

Wow to think, I picked and purchased a Tacoma all by myself. And I really like it. How did that happen ?

 

No sunroof in mine either. I wouldn't want one, and I prefer cloth seats anyway, so win win for me. Believe me, if they left the manual as an option for SR5 I'd have gotten one of those over the TRD!

 

I don't get it why so many say the cc sucks. My cc in this 2020 access cab sr5 works excellent, just as my 2001 tundra did.