Are 4x4s pretty rare?

I’ve been looking at most Tacomas I pass on the road for the past couple of months. It seems like 1/10 or 1/20 are actually 4x4 and the rest are just prerunners. Thats not even counting obvious 2wd ones.

I live in a big truck city in California and most people here buy 4x4 when buying fullsize.

So in your experience, are 4x4 first gens a rare site or is this just an anomaly?

 

Southern California is mostly Prerunners, but if you head up north starting around central Cali, you start to see more and more 4x4's.

Most other states have more 4x4's than 2wds or Prerunners, especially on the east coast or Northern states.

I've met people in northern states who didn't even know know that Toyota made a 2wd version of the Tacoma.


On that note, living here in SoCal I am starting to see that most of the 3rd gens I find are 4x4. It's interesting to see that people are starting to buy more of them out here, even though the majority of them will probably never even turn 4wd on.

 

99% are 4x4 up here. Few people buy 2wd trucks for use in Canadian winters.

 

Come up to the Pac NW. Many more 4x4's than 2x4's here

 

It depends on where you live. I have a 2wd prerunner, and here in central and southern California its mostly prerunners. No real winter or snow, so no need for it. Most of the hills here you can get by with just a rear locker and good tires.
If you head over to Colorado or Montana, you would be out of your mind going with 2wd there.

 

Southeast is largely Prerunners. Maybe similar ratio 10:1 prerunner:4x4 or greater it seems

 

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Good mixture of both in GA ... probably more 4x2's though.

I have had 4x2's and 4x4's and you can't go wrong with either.
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Man idk. Bought my truck in Kennesaw and it was maybe 1 of 20 Tacoma’s on the lot. And a few other dealers ive been to sometimes won’t have a 4x4 on the lot in a long while, probably looks that way because they get snatched up real quick.

 

5 lugs are a rare sight here in Denver, I see one running around near my office pretty often, but can't think of any others I've seen. Prerunner is a bit more common, and I think the locker would be enough for general car camping type offroad use in the Rockies. I mean my old roommate and I made it to some great campsites in his Pontiac sedan. Anyone doing more technical trails obviously goes 4x4.

 

I live northern Cali, I have 2wd. Had two 4x4's prior to my Tacoma.. ratio up here is definitely 50-50.

 

In rural NorCal there are a shit load of 4x4s. So many that it made me start to feel insecure and inadequate. Now I plan to get a 4x4 in December. That should fill the giant emotional hole that I have inside of me. Right guys?

 

I am a licensed TacomaWorld psychiatrist and I say yes, a 4x4 will fill your emotional void and bring you the happiness you so longingly desire.

I also prescribe a minimum of one 4x4 trail and at least $500 in mods per month. As well as regular check up appointments.

That'll be $200 please. And no I don't take insurance.

 

Its mixed up here but I see more 4x4 around me.

 

I'm relieved to hear you say that Doc! My savings account is worried, but I am happy.

 

That's crazy. Every other 1st gen Tacoma I see is a 5 lug, it's a popular fleet work vehicle here. 4x4's are rare here in the SF Bay Area since there is no need for it here in Northern California. I actually drove a state over to Nevada to buy 4x4 parts for my PreRunner conversion since the yard was in Reno where it snows.

It really really depends on your region. You wouldn't need a 4x4 vehicle in a non-snowing region.

 

Here in the Catskills in NY I see mostly 4X4s. I would say 1-2 out of 10 are 2X4.

This is most likely for the winters, as there are not so many places to off-road. In fact, I don't know of any here. I off-road on my own property, and a bit more for my maple syrup business. My driveway requires it when icy/snowy. Counting the Subarus, I've had 4X4s since 1983.

 

I have seen very few 2wd Tacomas

Then I seldom go to the big cities

 

I'm surprised 4wd isnt illegal in CA

 

I'm not sure but I would be willing to bet that Toyota sells more prerunners than 4wd tacomas. Personally I prefer 4wd but that's just me.