Consumer reports on the Tacoma?

Before I read your comment I thought, am I the only one that likes a tough riding truck? Not tough as in it rides rough, but when Im in my lifted tacoma sometimes it reminds me of riding a horse and its badass, makes me wanna go vroom vroom over potholes...and I do

 

Yeah but its comical when a Ridgeline has equivalent payload and no rusty frame.

 

For a magazine that tests a lot of automobiles, the people at CR don't seem to know a lot about... automobiles.

Or snowblowers, but that's a different story.

 

I like Toyotas, but what if you want a truck you can mount a wheel lift to the frame? Toyota does not make a heavy duty pick up.

 

The first time my wife rode in it (she is the one that found it) and I asked her what she thought, her response was: "It's nice....it rides like a truck... just like my sisters'". I responded: "It handles like her truck too." Both meant as a compliment. The truck we were referring to? 2008 Sequoia Limited with with the Lexus 5.7L V8. What a monster. (in a good way) Handles like a truck (a little ponderous), rides like a truck (a little softer than the Tacoma, a LOT heavier) interior like a.... well.... Lexus. And it moves: Easily. I don't know if it hops around on washboard back roads..... but I doubt it.

Side note: Toyota replaced the frame on it under the campaign for them. I saw it before it went in: holes in the frame I could put my fist through. Other than that, it's a museum piece in and out.

 

I like CR for many things - like appliances - but yeah, their vehicle ratings seem to be based on things not grounded in reality. Tacomas, 4Runners, Fj's and the like have been some of the most reliable vehicles on the road. But CR downgrades them because they ride like trucks and have an "unrefined" feel.

I have an uncle who until the last few years refused to buy Japanese brands. He ended up having terrible trouble with a string of Dodges, Chevys, a foray into Range Rovers (that was a giant POS), and Jeeps. Each new vehicle seemed to last a shorter time than its predecessor...until he bought a '16 4Runner. He loves it, has all kinds of mods on it, and uses the heck out of it. Now my aunt is the happy owner of a Highlander. It has been fun to watch them see the light.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zquk_DExKo

 

Hey! Thats me!

 

This always gets a chuckle out of me. Want American-made? Get a Ridgeline
https://www.cars.com/american-made-index/

 

Reference to an American owned company, not a car made in America. I know most cars in North America are made in the US.

 

Yeah, that good ol' 70s & 80s "BUY AMERICAN" propaganda, since GM and Chrysler refused to compete with inexpensive, efficient, and reliable Japanese vehicles otherwise.

 

No propaganda, I just like living in the US and like to support US companies when I can, but by god our auto manufacturers make it impossible on that front. Theres nothing inexpensive about Toyotas nowadays. Inexpensive is gm's game.

 

I've not read it in some time, but long ago at least they used to publish data on reliability up to 7 years back based on reader's input.

Eh, if that's true then my Tacoma is Glenn Danzig...and I mean that in a good way.

Did you wire them up or buy a seatcover? Interested, thinking of doing something on my wife's SUV

I used to always buy American, particularly GM. Just had the best luck with them. My bought new 2006 Colorado was such a pit, not to mention the dealerships fibbing and the corporate office agreeing with me that I was wronged but refusing to help me is why I decided to go Toyota..since I'd already seen them hand my wife a windfall for her 13 year old Tacoma that rotted out.

 

Who are you people? I’m exactly 5’10 with chicken legs and I feel like my thighs would hit the steering wheel if the seats were any higher. And that’s with the steering wheel tilted up. I just don’t understand how people are having this issue. The seats seem plenty high to me.

 

Consumer Reports has always had a bug up there ass when it comes to the Tacoma. They critisize a truck for riding and driving like a truck. How to u consider a high step in height on a 4x4 truck as a negative? They expect pickups to be like a car. So thats why they like the Ridgeline.
Toyota pickups/Tacomas have always had lower seat heights from the beginning back in the late 70s. Ive owned one of each generation. If anything the seats have gotten a little higher. Ive sat in other midsize trucks like rangers,colorados, and frontiers and didnt see much of a difference once I moved the seat forward to where I was comfortable. I do have seat jackers under the from of my 2019 just to raise the thigh support. Since 2020 Tacomas have had a power seat where u can raise the height antil ur head is touching the headliner if you choose.

 

How in the world could low seats be worse for tall people? That makes no sense. Should their head be touching the ceiling?

 

I’m interested in what you have to say about the snow blowers.

 

The best consumer report on the Tacoma is to look at how many and how often they appear for sale in the classified ads. Since I'm quickly done with that exercise I look for any Toyota model, with the same result: once purchased, rarely released to the next owner. A contractor friend has a Gen1 and recently stepped outside the diner where he and his crew were rebuilding the kitchen to make a phone call when he watched a young man placing a note on his windshield. He told me the kid wanted to give him his phone number in the event he ever wanted to sell his Tacoma. I'm glad he didn't see mine! (My kids want it... I told them, "Not yet.")

 

No, it should not, but the longer the legs the more height you need from the seat base. Everyone has their preferences.

 

i've done some work for CR, they're kind of their own little cultural bubble.

having said that, Tacoma seats do suck. but not because they're too low.