Does anyone else feel like Toyota is slipping?

But the 4G is only a better truck compared to the 3G. The 4G is the same as a Canyon/Colorado or Ranger, some might argue you could configure a GM or Ranger to be a better truck than a Tacoma. All the fullsize trucks best the Tacoma in any comparative competition. The Tacoma might be considered a better option over the Frontier when it comes to tech and torque and I'd say the Frontier could be a better truck than the 3G, but people aren't buying the Frontier because it's the latest and greatest example in midsize gee wiz middle age adolescence rooster tailing high interest rate truckery.

 

I get 19.2 lifetime mpg in SoCal on 33s.

Nobody in a third gen gets that on 33s.

 

Going and driving the competition is what made me buy a Tacoma for a slight bit more money when similarly equipped. The internet specs only tell you so much

 

Agree. I drove the Tacoma Sport and SR5, Ranger and Ridgeline. I don't need to drive any GM after being screwed by them too many times and the Frontier's heavy steering is a deal killer. The Ridgeline had issues (push button shifter, vibrations, steering wheel off center, and was dangerously boring). The Ranger which I anticipated to be the winner had a boring claustrophobic interior, weird steering, not great suspension and the absolutely worst brakes I've ever driven. The Tacoma Sport's suspension was a no go for me but the Sr5 was good and the steering is 10/10. I found the interior far better than what the photos portray.

 

Including a gently used gen 3 with a lift and 33’s. I think my old 74 hilux was quicker? Put 33’s on a gen4 all you’re going to notice is the speedo is perfectly calibrated for 33’s.

 

Show me any actual test of a 24+ TRD OR where the curb weight came within 10% of that spec sheet, particularly one with the Upgrade Package to equal the '23 specs.

 

I prefer the Tacoma and haven't driven any current midsize from any manufacturer.

 

Show me any test where someone puts it on the scale and that number is wrong. What makes you think the published numbers are more than 10% off of reality?

 

+/-10% is a range of like 900lbs. You should probably shoot for a narrower gap than that.

 

https://www.edmunds.com/car-comparisons/?veh1=402062633&veh2=402053943


The Tacoma is only 2 inches narrower than a F-150. I was just looking at a 24 Sport next to a 23 F-150 and they looked almost the same width. Many of the other specs are pretty close.

 

4850 with driver. 24OR stock tires
24.8 mpg Crested Butte to Grand junction.

 

Welp, with this reviewer I would say +10% is about right

 

Seems to be right in the range listed by Toyota

 

you gotta read the specs again.

Let's see:
~400lbs heavier
7" longer bed, but...
wheel base is 13" longer
overall length is 19" longer

That extra length is a big deal when you're trying to park or to doing a U turn. But it will smooth things out on the road.

What the F150 really gives you is more rear seat room and a bit more bed on a significantly longer platform. But it's a fullsize vs. mid-sized truck, so that's the whole point. Recently took my 4G up to Yosemite (4hrs each way) and we had 4 adults. I was worried people in the back would complain, but nobody even said a word. I wouldn't want to be 6ft tall back there of course. There is no "best". Just "best for you".

 

I have nothing to add to this thread other than a Mega Cab Tacoma would be the absolute tits.

 

I agree there are advantages to the truck growing and those will translate into a better ride. I was surprised at the side by side comparison between the 4G and F-150. The Tacoma is obviously not as big or heavy as the F-150.

 

Another troll post? My 1999 and 2015 Toyotas had similar issues where there were TSBs and recalls where Toyota stood behind them. For the 1999 is was lists servers. For the 2015 forums. Those vehicles some thought were the downfall of Toyota were reliable, lasted long, and at high resale time all that early nonsense seemed forgotten.

Maybe people here are too young? Problems in the TSBs and recalls are things many vehicles had where the owner was just stuck with them.

Look elsewhere? The Nissan with a long bed was no way in same league. Full size models were 5.5 ft beds about as bad as 5 ft or far more bulk than I wanted to have to use a lot. My extensive and long-running shopping found the GM, Ford and Nissan interiors to be ass clown compared to the 4th gen Tacoma. The Tacoma is a top safety pick.

The extensive shopping found the same inflation matter applied to just about everything unless the particular product had incentives.

My 1999 and 2015 V6 Toyotas were overall great and against their same time peers but NO WAY did I want those drivetrains against the new one. Now that I've got near 9000 miles, mountain trips, full payload trips I'm even happier I didn't get an older model or V6 competitor. The gen 4 walks or flies by the others while they scream in pain. It is a turbo that's generally great with standard octane. An occasional high octane tank ups power and economy and is especially effective at altitude or if you have to do a lot of carry/pull in headwinds.

Some versions of an F150 seemed like a best alternative. Go look at their record of recalls and quality if you think a gen 4 Tacoma is bad. My troubling issues with the crap from Ford, GM and Stellantis were answered with "that's normal wear and tear". My very few issues with Toyotas were answered with a manufacturer who fixed it and cared.

 

Cars and trucks are getting bigger and heavier. A BMW 3 series today is as big as a 5 series of a few years ago. A current gen M2 with it's carbon fiber roof still weighs 500# heavier and a 1" longer wheelbase than my old 2004 330Ci. There's various reasons for that (what companies think customers want and added safety features), but it's an obvious trend to anyone paying attention.

People liked putting bigger tires on their taco's and hated cutting fenders. Now people are putting 35" tires without cutting on certain trims- something unheard of in the previous gen. Market spoke, Toyota listened. Now people complain on the internet that things changed... it's as American as apple pie really. If you want a narrower truck, I here there are a few million 3G's out there.

 

Toyota and Honda were among the early adopters to change or accommodate models as their owner demographics and ages changed. Now all the auto makers seem to do that.

IMO the whole 4G line did a wonderful job of accommodating change and tradition. First it was clear in all the shopping I did for Tacoma and competitors. A more recent reminder was seeing a fleet order at local dealer if simple SR models lined up on one side of the most common ones between halo models. The row of Tundras behind them.

I'm still standing firm on this point of slipping and Toyota still a leader. The whole industry slipped in recent years. Toyota came out of it with more models, higher sales than competition, and still standing behind customers. The earnings reports against others are sound data to show rank in the industry overall.

I don't have good answers for the behavior from some prior gen owners except maybe grow up and work on self-esteem or jealousy. We had earlier generation Toyotas and other brands while their platforms got significantly upgraded. They remained fine vehicles representing their times. Seeing newer ones did not trigger parochial behavior.

The market should be celebrated if anything. 2025 has more brands, choice and completion than I've seen in most of my life.