2020 TRD Pro M/T vs A/T differences

Got a 2020 TRD Pro m/t on order, arriving early Nov. Very excited, heard and read great things. Replacing a tired 2004 GMC Canyon, so it will be nice to have something new.

Wondering about some of the standard equip and option differences between the 2020 a/t vs m/t. These don’t bother me, but seem an odd thing for Toyota not to give m/t buyers in 2020. I understand crawl control, and prefer not having that - living in FL, don’t see any varsity 4-wheeling in the near future that I’ll need that for.

I’m talking more about, no JBL (speaker replace is in the future, as I read the stock paper speakers aren’t good), and no smart key functions (no pushbutton start, no touch door lock/unlock).

Is Toyota trying to discourage m/t new ownership in order to get rid of that option altogether some year soon? Or some other explanation?

Thoughts?

 

too expensive to make MT+push to start dummy proof and too much liability to not dummy proof someone push to starting their truck in gear into traffic

 

I believe the official reason MTs don’t have push button start is because we have clutch start cancel that allows us to start the truck in gear in a bad off road situation. This wouldn’t work with push button start as they are self cranking vs our key that we have to hold until the engine starts.

 

This makes sense. Too bad the SmartKey entry system have to go with it. But I am glad that the MT doesn't have the JBL because I think upgrading the JBL sound system is harder

 

Excellent choice with the MT. I have one "on Order" too but that doesn't mean anything to me. Dealer has no idea when they will get one. If they make 100 Tacomas only two of them are a MT. Then you have to ask yourself, do you feel lucky, will it be the PRO and color you want?

So frustrating.

 

Anyone looking for a '19 MT Pro, there are 2 at Toyota West in Columbus, Ohio. I tried to get one from them but they were no where close on my trade, so I ended up with a MT cement Off Road here in Cincy.

Sam

 

I’m with you there. My initial sit down with sales folks was very unnerving, and I ended up calling back and insisted they give me some hard data on the build. My main frustration was how can they know the build options included on the allocated truck, but not know build date or VIN, with them holding my deposit?!? They ended up sending me the form showing all that, plus options being included - which turns out they were wrong about when we talked (had what they stated, but didn’t include others). Factory initially assigns an interim VIN until a couple days after build date, when it should get a permanent one.

I recommend forcing them to provide you something tangible. If you made a deposit, you deserve something besides salesman buffoonery. Make them work for the money they will gouge you for, and never be afraid to ask someone to do their job! If they can’t be specific because they don’t have an allocation, get your deposit back and find another dealer that does, even if you have to go get it.

Only thing to dread then is the final negotiation with the finance manager! Always my favorite.

 

If Toyota was looking to discourage MT ownership they would just cancel it. It would be a much greater burden to them to produce a boutique transmission option in even smaller numbers than they do now. If Toyota cancels MT, it will be based on demand for that model dropping below the target number of sales they need to make a profit. Toyota is not obligated to provide an MT option, and only does so now because they can make a buck selling them.

 

Never gave it a second thought. I bought a 2017 SR AC with the 2.7 and 5 sp manual...25,881.00 OTD

 

I wouldnt mind a push button if you had to hold it down to crank for the MT, then you could retain all the offroad stuff. I doubt the ignition button would be direct connection to starter anyway, more like a software command so it wouldn't be hard to pass the signal through the starter and say, crank so long as button is held. In fact, Im sure most MT drivers on the forum would get it first time no problem...

The problem would be the other 99.99% of the US population that would somehow not know what to do, think something is wrong and/or do something to really do something wrong, if they happen to come across this situation. So keyed ignition it is for us

 

I went in today and asked him what was up. Said they have been searching to trade for one but the two they found had already been sold. I don't believe him though as I monitor toyota.com daily and there hasn't been a MT Army Green one in our area. I'm not sure how to know if they even have an allocation. I remember when I put money down my sales guy spoke with the guy that monitors inventory and that guy sighed and said they would have to downgrade one of their allocations for the MT. Business must be so good they thumb their nose at a $45,000 pre-sold truck.

I'm giving them until November 1st to come up with more information. Something solid. Then he's fired and I'll fly and buy if I have to. I'm doing more work for my truck than he is.

My guess is he's just hoping one falls into their lap.

 

I was very surprised to learn that the regions also have websites. For me, it’s Southeast Region Toyota, and it services all the dealers in my area. They actually have info on the allocations. Here is the one I’m looking at https://southeast.buyatoyota.com/

May be one for your area to investigate. The one I’m getting isn’t listed, but not sure why. Could be either that it’s already “sold” or that it’s too far out. Or that the salesman has an elaborate scheme and is lying to me.

Generally, too, I think the larger the dealer, the more likely they get an allocation for these more rare builds. The highly desired ones don’t usually get traded amongst dealers as they are the few that can bring full MSRP or more, depending on the market - they don’t want to let go of the potential profit. At least not until late in the model year around when a new model comes out.

 

Thanks man I'll check it out.

 

Using an old school ignition key to start the truck was a big turn off for me. I considered a 3-pedal Pro but the lack of push button start and the fact that it reduces the buyer pool when it comes time to sell down the road made me choose the automatic.

 

The way it was explained to me was they only build MT Tacoma's 4 times per year, so information on your build may take awhile. I had no info on my build till about a week before it went down the assembly line.

 

I ordered my 2020 OR M/T about 3 weeks ago, they gave me a delivery date range of 10-26 to 11-10. When do you think its reasonable for them to have an actual build date? I'm potentially less than 4 weeks out.

 

Interesting on the MT and no push button start. My 18 M3 is a manual and has push button start. But it doesn't have auto start since the germans apparently don't believe in that. Something about saving the environment... But doesn't make sense with the rest of the car...lol The auto start/stop only works when in N and the clutch disengaged. Which I never do but I keep that feature turned off.

 

Mine has an Allocation Date of 9/17, a Build Date of 10/18, a Port ETA Date of 10/31, and a Dealer ETA Date of 11/07. So I would think with the range your talking about, the build date should already be known.

 

I’ve heard this too. That’s why I was wondering if that was why Toyota might be disincentivizing potential future customers away from m/t - probably costs big-Toyota $$ to shift the production line. Thinking that the only reason they’ve kept it to now is that the sell rate hasn’t dipped below some internal threshold. I suspect it’s only a matter of time as fewer people learn m/t so demand decreases, and a/t gets more efficient, reliable, and with the introduction of more hybrid and electric drive in cars (hearing that Tundra may going away from V8 to hybrid in MY2021).

 

I hope you get some answers. Poking around on these boards is what made me nervous - saw many with the kind of info I now know about mine. The fact that I didn’t know had me worried that I was going to be waiting until 2020, which I have seen a few say. Plus I have an acute distrust of the average car salesman, esp after watching so many youtube vids of how stealerships rip you off (like https://youtu.be/1gtmij_uNuE).