Just saw the tacoma

It only has 80,000 miles on it and it is as clean inside as it is out.

 

My wife has a hugely practical 2016 Mazda3 5-Door and my Tacoma is pretty darn practical as well. I have room in my life for a bit more "unpractical".

 

Ohh, it am still an enthusiast, just now with dirt bikes. Can’t get a Tacoma where I like to go, so what is the point of 465 ft/lbs of torque if I can’t physically fit it down the trails I like?

Yeah but you have to pay a shit ton to get that supposed 27 mpg, what is that thing going to cost, close to $60K with all the dealer add-on bullshit. Whole point of better fuel efficiency is to save money. You’ll save on fuel, but you won’t save any money. I drive 20K+ miles a year, would be nice if it got 30…a humble little diesel would achieve that.

AUS to USD this would be around $35K. Give me one of those.

You always kind of miss my point. Toyota used to make humble little trucks. Not much the case anymore. Don’t really see the point of a GR-Corolla either. Now if you’re gonna make it a full on rally car and race it, yeah for sure. But for the street, you really can’t use it to its full potential, dunno think racing stop light to stop light is kinda lame. Oh I like to go fast, but save it for the track.

 

The good news is there are more than enough "Track Days" for me to be able to take the little beastie out and give it a good flogging.

 

The way they are forced to advertise in Australia is the out the door cost, so that includes their ridiculous taxes so I’m guessing that vehicle would cost less in the US than your calculations.

If they brought the Hilux over into the US as a small affordable midsize truck alternative to the Tacoma instead of the Stout or whatever the hell they are planning, I wonder if they would sell.

 

If it isn’t a full on race car, not interested. Have been in Class 7, 1400 and Trophy Trucks, gobs of power in those makes total sense. A mid travel street 4-by-4, not so much, if it was pushed like a race truck, will break it real quick.

Street=something practical

Race=full tilt boogie

Yeah let’s see a Tacoma Pro Hybrid run at this pace…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rWyfYO8Y_M

 

Cool, that's your thing, however, that kind of racing isn't my bag; I'd much rather flog the GR-Corolla.

 

Oh are they? I didn’t know that, thanks. That would be even better.

I highly doubt they’ll sell here. Americans are mostly all about image and power pissing matches. I mean just look what cab figurations and trim levels that are popular. Surprised they don’t come with a va-jay-jay warmer…

If they have a commercial HiLuxes here, know they would at least sell one! ha!

That is the other issue I have with the Tacoma, it isn’t utility enough for me. Feel like I have to be super careful with it, the sheet metal feels paper thin to me. Would love one of those Ute beds, just isn’t cost effective. At least for my cheap ass. Rather spend money on dirt bike related stuff.

 

I would do rallying. Dunno just not into street racing. Well not at least anymore… had my license suspended for drag racing one of my Chevelles when I was young. Learned my lesson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC8IAJ03nZ8

 

Been there, done that, got the freakin' tee-shirt. Right after I got out of the Marines in the late 1970s I had some money burning a hole in my pocket; at the time I had a 1970 Challenger with an odd configuration, it was an SE model (small back window, gator-grain vinyl top...), with extra cost 4-pod instrument panel, leather seating surfaces, front disc brakes, but no power assist steering, no air conditioning, and a 318 2bbl engine coupled to a 3-Speed manual transmission. I was visiting my friendly neighborhood bone-yard down in Chula Vista one day and found destroyed 1971 AAR 'Cuda with the 340 "Six Barrel"; the car had been rear-ended so violently the tail shaft, rear of the main transmission case, and bellhousing of the 4-Speed manual had been effectively shattered, but the engine, shaker scoop and all, was untouched. It seemed nobody wanted just the motor (to this day I don't understand that), and I bought it for something like $300.

In a different bone-yard (probably also in "Chula-Vula"), I found a wrecked Super Bee which had a 440 mated to the big-block version of the 4-Speed New Process transmission. All I had to do to mate that beast to my Challenger was to have the bellhousing milled out for the larger diameter drive pinion retainer (the other obvious difference between the small block and big block transmissions was the tail shaft which was aluminum for the former and cast iron for the latter, and yeah, that was a bitch to press up into position). With everything put back together I managed to get four speeding tickets in less than a month, and with my license hanging in the balance, I pulled the 340 out and dropped the 318 back in (but with a standard 340 4bbl intake manifold); that kept me out of trouble.

These days I save my racing for track days at the local road course.

 

Niiiiiiice! Yeah why I need “practical” for street use…otherwise I get into trouble. Even my lowly underpowered 3rd Gen will get up and get down the road in a hurry if I want it to. But drive it like there is an egg under the pedal, why I rather have better fuel consumption than all out power. Obviously I am not Toyotas target market, cheap grumpy middle aged man… lol!

Don’t really see the point of the power numbers in the hybrid Tacoma since towing capacity is so low, what is it 6000 lbs? makes sense in a 3/4-1 ton though.

 

SRP is on Toyota’s build website. Maybe Toyota trying remove the “manufacturer” from blame.

GR Corolla like the TRD pro/TH is made to generate hype for the model and imply the lineup is innovative. Make a little money along the way.

I’m with you on missing simple vehicles sold at simple prices more amenable to self maintenance. But technology has huge margins and spenders are in a perpetual pissing match to have the latest and greatest. For example, the amount of people here who’ve owned multiple, talking 2-3 3rd gen Tacomas is batshit insane.

 

I know why they exist, but think halo vehicles are idiotic. The do nothing well at a premium price, just a bunch of nonsense ad-ons. The Pro doesn’t even have extended a-arms, got the extra track width with wheel offset, that is weaksauce. I need full on race or nothing at all. Most of my friends who do race Baja, the tow pig is a basic non-halo truck, while the machine that does the real getting down to business is trailered to the course.

As for a basic pick-em-up truck Toyota kinda got it ok with the Prerunner, but took away some utility away in the process. Still could use rubber floors and vinyl seats.

 

I have the similar situation- my 2nd gen Taco does the light hauling/ daily commuting, the '88 K2500 does the real 'truck stuff'. ( 5.7 TBI and the SM465 trans.) I would love to get down to 1 truck, I was thinking that maybe a 4th gen Taco might be the ticket but as soon as I read that the AC has no half doors and no manual trans on the SR/SR5 package, I was done with any hopes of wanting one.

 

I care where the power comes from because I have to buy and maintain it.
Gasoline and electric just for torque because the engine doesn't perform don't cut it with me.
I wouldn't own one of these after the warranty runs out for anything. Too costly.
I don't think you will see hardly any of these on the road come 20 years like the good ol days.

 

They say trimming your bush makes your deck look bigger

 

The new engine without the hybrid assist performs better than the engine of the truck you own.

 

Mine does everything it needs to do without all the extra bolt on expenses and maintenance costs.
Gone are the simple days of a Toyota truck. And only a 4 banger at that.
You will be biting nails once the warranty is up.

 

That may be true, I’m just refuting your comment that it doesn’t perform. If anything doesn’t, it’s your 3.5

 

The 3.5 is a dog, but its a predictable, dependable, and durable dog. Time will tell on the 2.4.