4x4 auto or m.t.?

Hey there.

I'm considering a TRD off road and would appreciate any opinions on Manual vs auto transmission. I had a 1995 4x4 with mt and loved it, but I also lived in the Rocky mountains. Now I'm considering an auto trans instead. Pro's/con's? I've not done any off roading but would like to start at some point. Living in L.A. I really have no need to a 4x4 But would like to have the option of going off road. anyone have any issues with the auto transmission on a 4x4. I also don't have much need for towing anything yet..

Thanks!

 

Welcome to TW.

I don't own a Taco currently and haven't owned a 2016. I've had more manual vehicles than auto but, I like most of the current crop of autos. That said, IMO, drive both under the conditions you normally drive & pick.

Lots of people complain about the auto transmission doing a lot of gear hunting and poor MPG. With that, for me, I'd strongly consider a manual if everything else was right with the truck.

Do some search on here...

 

Thanks Joe. I've been looking for a manual to test drive but they are hard to come by out here.

 

Its really up to you. You will get advise from manual owners to get manual and you will get advise from auto guys to get an auto. I personally used to be a manual guy who thought it wasn't a truck if it wasn't a manual. The last few trucks I have owned have been autos an doubt I will ever own a manual again. Not that I am against manuals but I just got used to not having to row my own gears and I like that. I know a lot of auto owners including my self have had some erratic shifting issues. A lot of the transmissions with tow package has been low on transmission fluid. I had to get the dealer to top mine off. It definitely helped with my shifting and the more I drive it the better it seems to be getting. Most of the autos not all seem to average a hair better MPGS. I have read that the manuals seem to have more pep then the autos and that probably is true being you determine when it shifts.

 

On the other end of the spectrum, I've only ever driven autos and the tacoma is my first manual. I'll probably never own another auto (assuming they don't die off in the industry). Definitely a lot of fun. The 2016 tacoma has its quirks, but the manual transmission is definitely not one of them.

Best MPG is close to 23 so far for an MPG reference. And that is normal highway driving with some slight hills, not some outlier scenario.

 

the AT has the crawl control, what do you get with the MT ?
I grew up driving MTs but I appreciate AT in L.A traffic.

 

Isn't 1st gear in 4-lo kind of like crawl control or am I missing something special? There is also clutch start cancel for emergency scenarios if you are stuck on a hill.

But most importantly with the manual we get the ability to stay in 6th gear

That and unleashing the 3500 RPM power on demand!

 

honestly, having driven cars with 6 speeds, I found myself keeping it in 5th gear.

 

I'm like you KerrDog, If I owned a sports cart I would only get a MT. Since I have not done any 4 wheeling, I wasn't sure if an auto would cut the mustard. I drove mt for years here in LA with my 95 Taco and I didn't mind the mt on hills even but when I switched to an auto I made my knees happy so I'm sith you on that as well TacoRat!

 

the auto transmission also has a tiptronic shift, so I would think that would be similar to having mt..

 

DO you have a spare auto trans vehicle to drive?? If not, go with the auto. You never know when you might break a leg!
Cheers!

 

That is very true, but if I break my right leg I'll be hosed anyway!

 

Hold out for the manual, order one if you must!

 

What if you broke your other leg? Both legs? What if you lost both your arms? What if my mom had a penis, would she be my dad?

I always thought that was a silly reason to avoid driving manual...I broke my left foot years ago and had a manual coupe. I just had to get used to driving it with the giant astronaut boot/cast I wore for 6 weeks, but I was fine.

edit: I should also add, in my 10+ years of driving a manual exclusively that was the only time I ever had to suffer through driving it.

 

Well then you have a 50-50 chance of lucking out, but if that was me, I would spread like a whore and drive the auto with my good leg. Just hope you don't sprain an ankle on the left and break a right cause then you'd B $hit outtta luck!
Cheers!

 

I-10 goes down to one lane across the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge..... I deal with some awful traffic most days of the week. Auto was my only choice. I'd have a manual in a rural place.... Not here as a DD.

I've found the auto shift happy, but I knew that going in thanks to TW. I'm fine with it. I'm happy with the truck so far.... It ain't a sports car, it's a truck.

 

The manual 16 taco is a sports car

 

A faux hood scoop does not a sports car make.

 

No scoop here, if there was ever a taco that was sports car, it's the 16' v6 manual 1st/2nd gen crusher.

 

Unless the first gen in question is supercharged


also, on a related note this is a fun watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbmOYTMirrw

The first gen (manual) beats the 3rd gen (auto) in a drag race. Both stock.