2020 vs 2017 Shifting when using Cruise Control. First Impressions

Current: 2020 TRD Off Road 4X4 V6/Auto
Previous: 2017 SR5 4X4 V6/Auto (no TSBs)

When driving my 2017, the transmission seemed fine. Sometimes it would seem to be lugging, i.e. in too high of a gear, but I put up with that since I was getting good MPGs. However, if I was using cruise control on the highway, the constant downshifting and throttle revving was pretty annoying, so I just didn't use cruise control. Problem solved.

I was eager to see what the 2020 would do since Toyota has claimed to make improvements to address the constant downshifting. Here is what I noticed:

I tested on a 10 mile or so stretch of highway that I drive on a regular basis. It is pretty flat but has gentle inclines and declines. I wouldn't call it rolling, but this is a stretch of highway that I noticed the cruise control issues in my 2017.

The 2020 does not display the constant downshift and distinct throttle increases when going up inclines that the 2017 did. The 2017 seemed to always be trying to get me to 1100-1500 RPMS as quick as possible, but the 2020 seems to be OK at higher RPMs, and when it does downshift, I don't notice a drastic throttle increase. The 2020 was definitely holding the gears longer, and seemed to be OK at the higher RPMs for a longer period before upshifting to 6th.

The 2020 'tune' seems to be a noticeable improvement. Please note that I have only put approximately 1000 miles on the truck and this was the first time I tested cruise control on the highway.

Overall, it's nice to have the improvements to the cruise control issue, but I wouldn't upgrade just for this. As far as the other improvements (and I really like my 2020), they are nice, but overall it's a very similar truck

 

Good feedback. I'm not sure what calibration my 2018 is running, but after 18k miles it seems better when cruising than when it was new.

One thing I noticed - my shifting and cruise behavior improved drastically after having the K0B recall performed. That procedure involved a software update for the PCS system, but I wonder if Toyota applied an ECM/PCM update while they were at it...

 

Very happy with the way my 19 behaves as well. It definitely kicks out of overdrive (5 and 6) quite easily on slight inclines, but I don't mind that. I also like that it doesn't just immediately upshift after you've leveled out. It kinda holds on for a bit. This reduces the constant shifting over undulating terrain.