2023 Tacoma Manual Transmission...likes and dislikes?

I test drove a manual when i was Tacoma shopping and chose to go with the auto because any MT vehicle i drive i find i am always comparing it to my old Ferrari 599 GTB.

 

You're not a true MT psychopath until you're heel-toe'ing a Westfalia campervan around, complete with about 46 HP and roughly 3-1/4 feet of shifter throw...you can drive anything like a sports car if you're motivated, but your lap times may vary...

 

you poor thing

 

What happen to this "old Ferrari 599 GTB? Tacoma not race car, not designed for "Fast and The Furious" crap.

 

I've owned lots of manuals. I'd say my 21 Pro 6 spd is about right in the middle. It's not awesome, it doesn't suck. I do think the gearing is pretty appropriate for what most Taco guys use it for.

I do find it odd that 5th and 6th feel clunky if I don't finesse the shift. My last manual Toyota you didn't even need to use the clutch to get into 4th and 5th.

 

I completely agree. The truck has plenty of power , maybe I’m stupid or too old, but when I first started driving , a lesson could only wish a v6 had this much power . Hell the v 8’s in the 80’s could barely muster 200 HP . I had a v6 thunderbird that had 142 hp and on a long hill would almost come to a full stop . It was terrible. Not to mention all the stuff that went wrong with it . Total junk . So when I hear some of the stuff I hear on this forum and I see how people drive daily , I understood how spoiled people have become

 

Yeah the B&M shifter along with the accumulator delete made it so much better.

 

Yeah n/s.
A stock 81 California 4 speed Camaro Z28 175hp …and that’s with a real air induction hood. Funny thing, still fun to drive.
79 Jaguar XJS V12 …wait for it - 225hp, and was considered the fastest in production automatic sold Cali. This car was also fun to drive.

 

I had a new mustang as a rental a while back. I couldn’t believe the power produced by that little eco booster 4 banger.

 

Funny thing …that 79 Jag had a 3 speed GM turbo 400 tranny …a $5k 5 speed manual 79 Honda civic could give the $30k (1979 dollars) Jag a run for its money up until about 100 mph.

 

My ‘84 gti would hang off the line vs a 5.0 mustang, and then we’d hit 60, I’d be like so that’s what the back end of that car looks like.

 

LOL

 

I tried to get an old Ferrari to drag me one day in my taco, he didn’t even apply throttle it was lame. I really wanted a fair fight. I remember seeing the road and track cover with the 911 that was 0-60 in 5.9 sec. That was in the early 90’s.

 

Those were the days.

 

Buying a bag of cool ranch Doritos, clear Pepsi, or Mountain Dew, some skittles and a road and track magazine. They even had a Monterey Jack flavor of Doritos for a second there.

 

Almost all likes.

The only dislike is when you roll your ankle at 10,000 ft on a trail and you're 2.5 miles from the trailhead and then you have to drive to the ER.

 

2018 to 2023 TRD OR access cab was available in Canada in a manual. Might have been in 2016/17 too, but can't remember.

 

Right l was going to list that but figured the guy wasn't in Canada.

 

It’s why I have a double cab. I would've chosen an aclb if they offered it in the or. Guess it’s good I’ve got the passenger room though.
My gripe is the gearing seems too high, I have been “pushing through” the throttle lately and it seems to pickup much quicker. Don’t know how else to describe it but I guess I’ve just been stepping on it more, just after it gets up and going an into each gear.

 

In answer to the OP: we launch our boat once a year in late April or early May, pulling it out in October, with a short stop at home each way to winterize/summerize between the lake and the storage barn.
So, only 4 tows per year, but they weren't huge fun in the Tacomas. Rest of the year: love the MT.

My wife got a 2024 4Runner last year and I will never tow with my Tacoma on a steep BC boat ramp again.