Consumer Reports 2016 Tacoma Review

I've been waiting for the 2016 to get off the test track to help inform my decision. It seems like they really panned it this year, so I'm wondering if some 2016 owners could chime in on whether the criticisms are fair. I've been lurking in the forums for a few months now so some of the things in the article do sound familiar.

 

Criticisms are fair. Although they didn't mention the buzzing vibration in the floor / steering wheel that a lot seem to have. I'm still confused on the item. Some people say they test drive tons and they have the buzzing steering wheel, other owners say theirs doesn't do it at all.

Still a good truck overall so far though. But then again, the other options in the class aren't that great to begin with....

 

Sounds like to me they are "full sized" truck fan's. You cannot compare a Taco with a full size, doesn't work. As for saying the Chevy had better interior, thats laughable. Road manners/handling...its a truck not a car. Consumer reports needs to stick with "their other things" and not grade cars or trucks.

 

Drama drives revenue.

The truck isn't noisy. Maybe they left the windows down. I'm on 33's and it's pretty damn quiet interior wise at any speed except pedal to floor.

Braking? It stops plenty good. I have on a couple occasional a locked rear up on pavement in panic'd stops.

Yes the engine is small-ish. But it does its job. I bought a truck not a 911. Ect off and sport and it's fine off the line. Wanna miser gas it's gonna be sluggish.

Is it better than previous gens? Don't know. The older motor felt snappier. But again. Not a 911. It hauls my dirt bikes and bikes up mountains with ease.

And the interior is light years better than previous gens or any other available truck. The Colorado looks like it was made from dolphin dick. The frontier is 436 years old and made entirely from melted old gi joes. What's the other option, that Honda car thing? If your wife gave birth to that you'd actually consider a partial birth abortion.

I exhibit none of the quirks other owners have aside from an occasional hard decel clunk and that's not unique to this gen.

 

Ouch the truth hurts. Typical Fanboy response's. Any publication that says anything negative about the beloved Tacoma doesn't know what they are talking about.

 

Its obvious the lady that reviewed the Tacoma for consumer report doesn't have a clue.
Cons"handling, braking, noise". seriously? This is a truck lady, but for a truck the handling
is far better than you make it to be, the braking is linier and very predictable, noise?
what noise? remember people, in the end it is just her opinion and it shouldn't be taken seriously
as she doesn't know what she's talking about.

 

I love how you dildo's are trolling the other forums.

90% of the review is opinion. shitty braking? opinion. Brakes are more than ample drum rear or not, noisy? sheot. its pretty quiet. uncomfortable seats? Theyre onpoint with most other seats ive sat in and just a little behind my Audi A6's seat (sans the billion adjustable features of the A6)

This is op ed and should be treated as such. Unlike you I actually own of of these fucking things and can comment on driving one day in and day out. Whereas you are just making sounds with your mouth for the sake of it.

 

While the engine is noisy, the cab in pretty damn quiet.

Personally, I find the seats to be super comfy.

 

She probably has a real little dick.

 

Thats interesting, I've noticed this cab seems to be noisier than my old (early 2000's) truck but only for certain "events". It is odd, only certain sounds come through loud and clear. It took me a while to realize that the suspension squeaking and rattling I would hear sometimes wasn't MY truck, but a truck up in front of me or to my left/right. Also, when a car passes by me on the freeway, the sounds is so loud and clear it is like I have my window down (minus the wind).

Otherwise, it is quiet. Sometimes I get wind howling through the seals, but that is about it. By far, cabin noise is one of my smallest complaints.

 

I think the driving position sucks...Hit my knees on the bottom of the steering wheel every time I get in the truck...Slide the seat back and I have to stretch way out to reach the steering wheel which is terribly uncomfortable.

Auto transmission gears up constantly only to gear back down constantly because the 3.5L doesn't have the torque to pull the higher gear unless you mash the gas hard enough and watch the fuel needle drop...You'd think the "adaptive learning" transmission would figure that out but it hasn't....Worst engine/transmission configuration I've ever seen.

Quite cab, smooth ride and the brakes are decent I think.

This is my 6th Toyota truck.

 

Ignore that DB. He hasn't posted in the 2nd gen forums since the beginning of Nov. All he does is talk crap about the 3 gen and Toyota. Seems to have a hard on with GM and the twins.

 

I dont believe anyone that says they don't experience the common issues. I spent 2 hours driving almost every truck on the lot (SR5s, TRDOR, Sports, Limiteds). They all have these issues: they howl at ~55-60 edit: get the truck to 55-60 then feather the throttle. You'll hear a howl from the rear diff). They all have a rumble strip feeling when braking starting @~20-25mph and downward. The brakes also pulsate (pump the brakes when you are stopped and you will feel something actuate and pulsate). They all have a noticeable vibration difference @~2100-2500RPMs-. And all of the transmissions are shift happy turds.

I'm convinced people are just oblivious, dont care, or have been driving Tacomas for so lon they forgot what a new vehicle is supposed to feel like.

 

cool you're convinced. I cant comment on the howl as I have a lightbar. I get no brake pulse what-so-ever nor vibration at the 2K RPM. I said earlier I get random hard decel clunk. I'd say maybe 4 or 5 times in the 5 months I've had the truck and all come off hard acceleration to fast decel/braking.

Im coming off a Audi A6, Passat TDI and a boring as hell to drive pathfinder.

 

But still, they're supposedly flying off the lots. Can't keep them in stock. 2015 owners trading in for them. Dealers demanding a premium. No rebates. What the hell. Go figure.

 

I have put 3000 miles on mine. First Tacoma, fourth 4wd pickup, umpteenth car in 40+ years of car ownership. I've owned an 80 Series Cruiser, 5 series BMW, a 2nd Gen Prius, turbo Subarus and VWs. Newest previous car was an '08 and newest pickup was a '97. I'd say this 2016 TRD OR is one of the most comfortable highway cruisers I've owned, and equally good on washboard. Power is awesome, when you rev it, and the AT is OK, not great but OK, once you learn when to use ECT and/or "manual" shifting.

Complaints? The Entune system will seem really bad if you previously managed music and nav with an iPhone, and I don't like the scattered controls and indicators. Tailgate should lock with remote, and mirrors should power fold. If crawl control can use brakes to control low speeds, why not also use brakes with cruise control at highway speeds, on mountain descents? MPG is ok, but should be better. Road noise and wind noise are fine, except for the kazoo sound in heavy crosswinds. Brakes are fine. I am pretty happy with it. Test drive one and make up your own mind.

 

until you've driven a mk2 jetta diesel slushbox im going to discount your opinion entirely. The taco 6speed and engine feel like a lmp1 car compared to that lump of cast shit.

 

Its odd. Its a very smooth ride. It's also really quiet...except for when it isn't. For whatever reason the only place that seems to have a lot of road noise IS RIGHT NEXT TO MY LEFT EAR. When it rains or someone is driving right next to me it sounds like the window is rolled down-- I can hear everything so clearly. The door seal or dampening is shitty right there.

 

It is what is... But I'll be keeping mine!

 

The thing is it's an automatic. I own a DSG car as well and that is a damn good gearbox. Would it be nice if it had 50 more lbs.-ft of torque. sure. Would I pay for it if it were an option, probably not as I dont hate driving the truck now.