4th Gen Tacoma (2024+)

Atleast show an off road lol

 

The problem with the 2nd and third gen is seating position, other than that I don’t mind the ergonomics. The fact is the seat is just way to low to the floor. It just feels awkward and offers way too little support if you have longer legs. All the other competitors had better ergonomics when it comes to seating position.

The flip side is that because of this low seat and high floor combo, the Tacoma has amazing running clearance, deceptively good because we feel like we are sitting on the ground. That and rear articulation are some of the reasons it was the most capable in its class (aside from the Frankenstein Jeep truck). To address that complaint Toyota raised the overall height cab and we lost a decent bit of running clearance on the 4th.

So less capable but most likely much more comfortable. Articulation on the 4th gen for the off-road with the sway bar disconnect activated seems to be about the same as the third gen based on that flex test video. I suspect they had to add it because we lost articulation in the rear. We’ll see how it does on the trail though, maybe it will actually perform better now with good front articulation. But it’s also makes it so you need to buy the off-road, trail hunter or Pro to get the equivalent flex that you used to be able to get from an Sr or SR5. I hope all the mall crawlers appreciate the more comfortable seating position while they wait in the Starbucks drive thru line, lord knows this new gen is getting too expensive off-road anyway.

 

Have you driven a 2020+ Tacoma with electric seats for any length of time?

 

How high is the seat in the 4th gen? The front edge of my seat is 11” above the floor. I don’t consider that sitting on the floor or really that low at all.

edit: height was wrong

 

Fix it for the majority I’d say. Your the only person i have ever heard say the current seating position is comfortable.

I keep trucks for at least 10 years and usually put over 250k on them, regularly taking them to remote backcountry destinations. If I didn’t do that I would get the raptor ranger. I tend stay away from ford and gm even though as a former tech I occasionally saw some high mileage f150s and rangers, not as common as high mileage Toyota’s but they are around. Hell, they all become a pain in the ass at some point, I’ve just had an easier time keeping the Toyotas I’ve owned on the road with less money and trusted them more in remote places. They still have issues with high mileage but they never left me stranded. 202k on my 16, 390k on my 2005, 420k on my third gen 4 runner. My used ls400 was approaching 470k before I sold it, bought it at 395k for scraps. Dads highlander has 420k, just replaced the engine. Not bad for gasoline engines. There’s a reason the majority of people taking their rigs into the backcountry around the world prefer Toyota, hard to beat that reputation even though other legacy OEMs have gotten substantially better in terms of longevity.

 

How high should the seat be? 18” like a chair at the kitchen table? Barstool height? Aren’t most sports car seats only around 8” above the floor?

 

I don’t know off the top of my head but it was redesigned specifically to increase vertical cabin height and accommodate taller passengers. I have long legs relative to my height so it is noticeable to me. Compare a 4Runner or tundra back to back with a Tacoma and you will feel very close to the floor. Don’t take my word, read any review written in the last decade plus haha. Reviewers familiar with both have said there is a noticeable difference. TFL has a good vid.

 

Toilet bowl height so we can shitpost from a familiar perspective.

 

No complaints from me on the 3rd gen or earlier seat height, but it is undeniable that it is a very common complaint from reviews and even owners.

 

Apples to oranges my friend. You want to be low to the ground in a gr86 or equivalent sports car. Lower center of gravity is optimum. In a truck with 10 inches of ground clearance, not so much. I will say however I appreciated the running clearance.

 

Before the addition of the power seats I could not get comfortable in the seat. In fact when I was truck shopping in 2017 I ruled out the Taco based on the seat.

Fast forward to 2021 and I was truck shopping again. This time I test drove a Taco with the power seats. Total game changer and I ended up buying the Tacoma.

 

I wish they had originally come with power seats. I probably wouldn’t be complaining if my 16 had them. It’s weird though, I know a tall guys who have no problems and then average height guys like me that find it uncomfortable. You probably notice it more if you a do lot of highway miles like me.

 

Ok. I just went outside and measured the drivers seat height in my Tacoma and the Wife’s 4Runner. The Tacoma is 11” and the 4Runner is 11.5”. I don’t think that’s much of a noticeable difference.

 

Regular or ADA height.

 

A half inch doesn’t sound like much but it makes a difference. Ever lifted the front end even an inch? it will feel way different. Why do you think seat jackers were so popular on this site? Also that’s not the only measurement that comes into play. Think about all differences that can be accounted for. For me my hips sit to low relative to where my legs are positioned, Just raising that height from the hips would help, I’m sure the power seats addressed that. People also complained about the roof being to close to their head, I’ve never had that issue but can recognize it wasn’t ideal for others. Regardless man it’s a very common complaint, it may not be a problem for you personally but it is for plenty of other owners and has been a major criticism in reviews for years.

 

Nah, Tacoma smokes it

 

https://youtu.be/kKANfSqjDCA?si=W6x1x1PIgAFE1_7W

TFL vid, probably already been posted but they address seating position immediately.

 

I’ve seen the videos and everyone says how great it is but not one person has put a tape measure on it to see how much taller it actually is. Hopefully someone here can do that.

 

I did not like the seats in my 2017. The 2021 solved that.

 

The full size trucks objectively offers better value in terms of capability and amenities for the price point, but the midsize category has always been like that. If you need the space or tow at all it is a no brainer though. I don’t tow often, and it’s just me and my wife so I feel like a poser driving a full size when I don’t need that capability. I don’t personally mind the decrease in towing capacity, anything over 5k was terrible anyway. I’m sure the equivalent loads will actually feel better with the 2.4l with the low end torque regardless of slight loss of hp in the SR. I’m interested what the range will be with the smaller tank. I get around 385 with my current lift, amor and tires. Content with the fuel economy on the new gen though TFl averaged 25 mpg in their test. Not bad IMO.