bought a Subaru instead of a Tacoma

Occasionally these threads surface -- you've seen them before: "Why I bought a Raptor instead of a Tacoma" or "Why I bought a Minivan instead of a Tacoma". Why I bought Johnnie Walker instead of a Taco. Whatevs.

And so the poster goes on about why his/her Raptor/Minivan/Corolla/whatever is demonstrably superior to the Tacoma. For example, "well, my Corolla gets 32 mpg to the Taco's 19 mpg" or "my Raptor looks way more badass" ...

In my case, my needs were simple. This is what I needed: Tacoma Off-Road Access Cab, V6 engine, 4x4, manual transmission.

Let me say that again. I needed a: Tacoma Off-Road Access Cab, V6 engine, 4x4, manual transmission.

How hard is that?

Well, if you're Toyota Corp USA, it's evidently prohibitively hard, as this isn't available to citizens of the United States of America.

So, after weeks/months of fighting City Hall, trying to get a suitable Tacoma in Canada, dealing with red tape piled upon redder tape, I've said -- enough. Enough. I'm done. No mas.

I bought an under-powered Subaru Forester. It has all-wheel drive instead of 4WD. It has 8.7" of ground clearance instead of 9.4".

But it has a real-deal FUCKING MANUAL TRANSMISSION. And that is a FO-SHO DEALBREAKER YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES AT TOYOTA CORP USA, GO EAT SHIT.

[Please excuse that outburst -- that was a vent. I'm sure the executives at Toyota USA act in the best intentions, faithfully serving the customer.]

Bottom line is that the Tacoma has become a grotesque caricature of the very thing it once stood apart from. I guess you could say that's sad. And it is. But it's also liberating. None of us HAS to drive a Tacoma. Certainly I would LIKE to drive a Tacoma. But only on my terms, not Toyota's.

 

thats why I waited for 2017.
Canada didn't get the double cab off road in 2016.
Glad I waited and didn't settle for a sport.

But congrats on the new vehicle.
my parents have a forester. Great vehicle

 

That's a lot of red tape.

 

I have a Crosstrek and its bad ass too, that is the only other car I would own. My dumb ass did however buy a big ass powerstroke once. but I try to forget about that

 

Didn't 2nd gens come in that combo? Why not just get a 2015?

 

You clearly didn't need an access cab long bed.

 

Why not get the DCSB Offroad? Surely that is closer to an access cab truck than your new forester is...

 

@EatSleepTacos you belong here

 

My friend has a Suburu Forester, it's a badass mall crawler, so congrats on the new purchase. But it's not the same vehicle.

 

You could just get the TRD Sport and add your own off-road suspension and aftermarket locker.

 

I hear ya, it was like pulling teeth trying to get a '17 trd sport access cab in manual where I live.
Was about to give up.

 

Foresters are good on pavement. Off they feel like they're going to fall apart. Good cars though but nothing to even compare to a truck let alone tacoma.

 

Move

 

The difference is our Third Gens are falling apart on the pavement

 

Sure we did. When I was buying my truck, my salesperson's own vehicle was parked in the lot: 2016, double cab, short bed, M/T off-road in Inferno. We didn't get the double-cab long bed, but the short was available.

 

I disagree. My Forester is by no means as capable as 4wd vehicle, buts it's gone everywhere I've asked it to and only been stuck once... In a lake.

 

Had a 2011 Pro-4x. Good truck, but couldn't seem to do better than 16mpg

 

All you Bitches driving Subarus...turn in your Man cards! You're done.