Buying new, would like opinions

Wish I had gotten a photo of a second gen with a slide in camper and towing a huge fuckin’ boat pass me in the opposite direction, today. Epic

 

Yeah I only chose super cuz I found a deal on one. The farther I get into it the more subtle differences I find between it and a standard. This is how it sits right now I just shortened it and out a linkpin head on it. It's by no means gonna be a show car, More of an offroad toy/nice day around town driver

 

I always wanted a VW with a fiberglass 41 Willy’s body on it.

 

I pull 5k easily.
Fox suspension and airbags.

 

I have a TRD sport and have towed several times... mulch, tile, rocks, motorcyles, etc. It does fine, even when loaded up with > 5,000 lbs.

You'll see there are folks on here who have a TRD Sport or TRD Off Road and feel the other is pure garbage. Make your decision based on your preference, just ensure you buy a TRD to get the nicer head unit, keyless entry, and rims as those alone are worth the cost of the TRD packages.

 

Tows fine, but don’t expect it to move a 8-ton 5th wheel car hauler loaded with three cars on it though.

There’s a towing thread here with lots of us hauling 3 tons of trailer and gear with them just fine, and yes, you will be sucking gas and using higher RPM’s and all, but it’s also not a full-sized truck.

 

They have taller tires which contributes to the taller appearance.

 

Nope. The stock Sport and OR tires have the same diameter. All trims except the Pro have the same stance.
Sport - 265-65-17 vs OR - 265-70-16
https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc

EDIT: The OEM tire sizes on the Tacoma all have the same diameter. It doesn't matter if the factory wheel is 16, 17, or 18 inches. The diameter of the tires are the same.

 

The Limited had 18s

 

Yep...lots of threads on this. Still a problem after 4 model years. I was going to buy an Off Road until I looked under the hood of the one I was going to buy and saw the adhesive had separated. This truck was right off the transport. I watched it being unloaded. Bought a Sport, changed stock tires to all-terrains and never looked back. I have no need for a locker of crawl control.

 

Don't overthink this OP. A Sport Taco would do just fine. I'd go for a 2019 at the end of the model year to save some money.

 

Just two add my two-cents. So my truck is a Sport with a manual. Cannot emphasize this enough: Get one with a stick. It's a much better driving experience, and I've heard stories of people trying to pull trailers with auto trucks and having it scream at 5000RPMs on the slightest incline. The manual trucks have way better gearing and YOU decide what gear to be in. Either way you'll be shifting in S mode and doing the transmission's job for it.
The trucks are the same ride height. The Sport handles noticeably better on the pavement and gets better fuel economy, and I'm pretty sure as someone mentioned it has a bigger sway bar which is helpful for towing. The Off-Road comes with Bilsteins, but that setup is a dime a dozen since so many people buy the Off-Road and then lift it anyway. If you want the softer Off-Road setup it can be easily found. I've taken my Sport through the mountains on the OHV trails and it hasn't let me down. The only thing limiting it is the fact that it's still at stock height.
The Sport also comes with better looking wheels, tires that are more likely suited to your needs, and dat hoodscoop. Like the others said, take them on thorough test drives and find the one that's best for you. And stay away from the Ranger/Colorado/Canyon.

 

Is that a functional hood scoop? If not it might as well be a sticker.

 

It's more FUN than FUNctional, so nah it's not, but looks go a long way. These are very beautiful trucks. Toyota's been throwing non-functional hoodscoops on their stuff for years. Love it or hate it. I happen to love it. Reminds me of my Celicas..

 

I like the inside look of the scoop. Adds some interest driving down the road. I also like my crawl control and wheels.

 

A lot of the OR guys poopoo the scoop then turn around and buy rims with fake beadlocks.

 

The scoop is "functional" in that it prevents the hood from vibrating.

 

Sport, OR, doesn't matter. Just make sure to test drive them both and get one that feels good. Heck, don't count out the SR or SR5, either. They will pull just fine as well.

And I agree, you don't need a fullsize for your uses. Even if the Tacoma couldn't pull that weight, it would be cheaper to rent a truck twice a year than live with a fullsize all the time.

 

Towed this on 93 octane, with my 2016 SR5. Not the slightest issue...

 

I Bought my 2019 Tacoma end of June. Love it. Probably should have waited for 2020 since it has a some of the stuff I thought the truck would have already came with like the apple/ Android auto stuff, the seat adjustments and LED lights. Not a big deal. Maybe I'll trade it in come January 2020 lol. Side note, nice to see some aircooled owners on here as well. I've got 66 Bug.