Any better driveability with the '20-'21s vs older 3rd Gens???

Agreed, I've noticed issues with ATs from multiple manufacturers. They're all trying to bump up their fleet MPG with their gearing and shift points. If you don't want to be in Prius mode with a modern AT, you have to either use S mode or a very heavy foot.

 

Actually, my F150 has the 2.7 Ecoboost with the 10-speed tranny. It is far and away the best engine/tranny combo I have ever owned in a vehicle. I never heard any complaints or had any with it searching for gears. It is also the fastest truck I have ever driven, and that includes the '18 Tundra(5.7 V8) I had for about 4 months. I just really like the look and all the ways you can make the Tacoma your own. When I stop at a light in town there are usually 2 or 3 F150s just like mine staring back at me, lol. If I get the Tacoma and after a while I decide it's not for me, I can always trade. The Tacoma does beat the F150, and all other trucks in re-sale value for sure!

 

Thanks for all the input. It seems the reviews are mixed on my initial question of whether or not the issue of the Tacoma's drivebility being improved. Some say it is just like the early 3rd Gens, with a couple saying it has been remedied, lol...

 

I havent driven any current F-150's but from what l have read matches your description, it mostly said it actually shifts less than the old 6 speed AT. If l am not mistaken the only time the truck goes sequentially from 1 thru 10 is under full throttle conditions, otherwise it was just going to skip over most of the gears.

 

where I live its all white tacomas. And yeah 2.7 is a fun little beast.

About 40 years’ worth until they came out with the 5.0 coyote and 6.2.

 

Didn’t you have a son you have to haul around? That’s why you went to a F150? Nothing besides some cosmetic things has really changed on the Tacoma. Same powertrain. Maybe refined a little due to programming since your last truck. Interior room is still going to be the same. IMO the F150 is a far supported truck unless you off-road in tight trails or live in a big city and parking is an issue. Seems like you just use it like an average person, and I feel in your situation the F150 is a better truck for your needs.

Why buy another Tacoma now when you’ve already had 2 and it’s going to be the same truck and a lot more money. If your truly looking to get another Tacoma I would wait. A couple more years and it’ll be time for an all new (unless they wait 10-15 years like years past, don’t see that happening as the segment is competitive now). The release of the Tundra will perhaps give some insight on the next gen Tacoma too. The next gen Tacoma I’m sure will be a much better truck with a better powertrain.

 

Yeah, we've been hearing about this new Tundra for almost 5 years now, truly a no go.



Hear that sound????

It's Toyota dropping the ball.

 

Go manual if your going to trade . I test drove the auto before I got my manual and could not stand the auto there was less gear hunting . But still had the throttle lag . Hit the gas pedal and no immediate response from the truck . Manual problem solved . But I would hold off on purchase right now prices are outrageous atm . Unless by some miracle u find a great deal .

 

I’ve posted this before. My buddies early 2016 Sport had the gear hunting issue. I would notice it from the passenger seat when I was out with him and thought it was just because the truck was seriously underpowered or something. I owned a 2008 Tundra with a 5.7 at the time. When it came time for me to buy a new truck in 2019, I wasn’t even considering buying a Tacoma because I thought they were all like that.

To make the proverbial long story short. I ended up test driving my present Quicksand 2019 OR DB SB at the urging of the salesman. Took it out on the highway and was amazed at how smoothly it shifted. Didn’t drive anything at all like my buddies ‘16. I ended up driving it home that same day.

Not a fan boy. But you can say there are plenty of “hate boys” on this site that think because they got stuck with one of the early ones with the shifting issues that they all do it. They don’t. Just test drive the hell out of it and make sure the one you’re looking at doesn’t.

The flip side of that is that there are some here who will tell you that there was never an issue and that’s bullshit too. Like I said, I experienced it secondhand through my friend’s truck and it was bad enough that I took notice from the passenger seat. But for some here to continually insist that “They all do it”, or to call you a “fanboy” if you say otherwise is a bunch of bullshit too.

As somebody with no emotional stake in the brand either way, trust me when I tell you you’ll be fine. For anyone out there considering buying a used older model, just make sure you test drive it to ensure the issue has been resolved.

By the way, my buddy had the TSB done on his ‘16 and now his shifts fine. My .02 cents...

 

got mine OCT2015, never had a shifting issue or a CC issue, not one.

 

George, sorry to stir up an emotional response, but I've driven 2 of them, 3rd gen, and the power sucked in everyday driving situations.

 

It’s a weird one. I’ve got another old friend in Arizona with a ‘17 and he was pulling his hair out because his had it. I hadn’t talked to him in years and when we reconnected right after I’d bought mine we discussed it. He was amazed when I told him how smooth mine was.

I’ve read on this site where early model owners swear up and down there trucks had no problems. Maybe that’s the real “problem”. Guys without it think the other guys are full of shit and vice versa.

 

Does anyone have some good reasoning why Toyota removed the aftercooler from the transmission cooling system on the new Tacoma,s with the towing package ? Apparently removed from the Tundra as well
I have been hearing it was a weight issue and the transmission is now built to handle 250 -270 degrees ?
Did Toyota upgrade their semi synthetic world standard fluid or are the 2020 trucks using a new fluid ?

I dont know about you guys , but I see some driveability issues with fluid that goes North of 220 . Maybe not when the transmission is new but when the warranty is up ...look out

 

No emotion. Just plain facts here.

If you’re talking to me, I don’t know what to tell you other than power is not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the gear hunting issue.

Power is relative. Compared to my 5.7 Tundra, my Tacoma is underpowered. The flip side of that is that I don’t need all that power because I no longer tow so I’m perfectly happy with what I have. I wanted a smaller truck with good off road capability. I got that. If you need a full sized truck and all that accompanying power you probably shouldn’t be looking at a mid sized truck to begin with.

 

Believe me there is a big improvement with the manual over the automatic. I had a 17 automatic that would shift all the time and just felt underpowered. The 19 manual I have now is a major improvement, the 4.30 gears are perfect. If the automatic had the option of the 4.30 gears it would be the perfect setup.

 

I had a 2019 for a few months and traded for a 2020. They both drive exactly the same. I recently started driving on the highway more and it is the worst driving vehicle I’ve ever had. It’s loud, bumpy, constant shifting, getting stuck in gear because the truck doesn’t know what to do at times and the TSS is ridiculous. But look at what else I have to choose from. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.

 

That's where it shifts, to speed up just a little, then it shifts back, then it shifts because the speed is not being held. It is the lack of torque doing this to the truck, but a lower gear ratio would help tremendously here.

 

Although not a 3rd gen owner I did test drive one at length back in '16. Also, I read a lot of threads on the 3rd gen as I like to stay on top of how things are going.(Also the Gen3 forum is more entertaining)
Here's my take... The 6th gear, which is a second over drive, is very tall and puts the engine at a very low RPM. The engine, due to the Atkinson cycle, doesn't produce much torque at low rpm. The transmission gets it's information, on when to shift, from the engine. So when cruising down a level highway with no head wind, the engine is just at the cusp of telling the transmission to down shift. Any incline or head wind and down she goes again. The transmission is always searching... and we all know that that's a bad thing. That's why when we tow, we don't put it in overdrive. For those of you that have not owned or driven a 2nd Gen, The 5spd auto has only one overdrive gear...5th, and it's about the same ratio as your 5th. Add that to extra stoke length and lack of stupid Atkinson and you get up and down hills into the wind without any consideration of downshifting. The cost of this however is 2 or 3 mpgs. If you are thinking of buying I would wait until 2024 when the gen 4 comes out. Toyota is working on new engines.

 

If you buy a new vehicle every few months, you'll always find something better. None are perfect.

 

I wish dealerships offered a way to drive the vehicle before you buy it...that would be very helpful to the OP....