Do all new vehicles suck..?

Have they taken the 'fun to drive' out of all new vehicles?
I am an older member (70). Have been a 'gearhead' since going for a ride in my cousins' olds powered '32 ford roadster at 13.
I've owned 25+ vehicles in my life, from the first - a 55 Chevy Belair convertible to my present 2016 TRD-OR. Some sports cars, some pony cars, about a dozen 4x4's.
I'd trade my new Tacoma for my Scout V8 4x4. (or a dozen other vehicles I have owned).

Why? They were all more fun to drive, simpler, easier to work on, cheaper to purchase.
How do I define 'fun to drive'?

• 1. Instant throttle response
• 2. Lots of bottom end torque.
• 3. If stick-shift (solid clutch/throttle feel). If auto, no constant hunting for gears.
• 4. Quick revving, responsive engine.
• 5. Simplicity (not being bombarded by the new "technology).
• 6. And related to (5) MINIMAL or NO computer control. In my opinion the only good advances in technology are the changes from 'points' ignition to solid state, and switch from carbs to fuel-injection.

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Now, do I hate my new TRD-OR? No, its a pretty good vehicle. I am blessed with not having issues with:

• Hood vibrating (failing adhesive bonding)
• Vibration (at certain rpms)
• Transmission (slow to find gear, et)

It does have excess road noise in the cabin (rear vents seem to be a root cause).

Is it fun to drive.?-- Not so much.

Suspected Reasons..
Slow throttle response (drive by wire throttle)
Little low-end torque (3.5 not the best engine choice for a truck engine-- More than enough horsepower, but needs another 40-50 fps of torque 1500-2500 rpm)
Lousy transmission shift programming.

This next I am sure most of our younger members will disagree with, BUT TOO MUCH TECHNOLOGY gizmos.. I had fun playing with some tech like NAV when new, but most of it just gets in the way of daily driving. Do I really need to know what my gas mileage is for every single trip I take, or does it just get in the way (and cause excessive awareness/concern/FIXATION on gas mileage). OK, I know it get around 20 mpg around town and 22-23 on the highway. END OF STORY...!! And another 100 other functions that are more a distraction than a help. Simple is beautiful. I miss the old days, and I know I sound like an old fart (and I am) but its true.


Is this Toyotas' fault? Yes, to some extent, bit I fear its mostly a reaction to EPA mileage mandates (to which all new vehicle suffer), and the attempt to squeeze every single extra .1 MPG out of the vehicles, at the expense of performance and leaving users with a louse driving experience. The irony is that new vehicles are not all that much better at gas mileage.

What does the future hold for folks who love to drive?
God. I love most anything with a motor, but hate what new vehicles have become.

 

I don't really expect trucks to be "fun" in the traditional sense. They are fun to own as they provide freedom and utility (whatever you want cargo, capability to go most places).

That being said, I concur that there is something lost with the Tacoma. Hopefully Mike and his crew of engineers are learning something from the feedback here on TW and via the owner surveys. The Highlander appears to be next in the firing line.

 

Id imagine in general, increasing strictness of emissions requirements and such is proceeding faster than any tech aimed at increasing vehicle performance to such an extent as to basically mean current motor options are more eco friendly minded/prioritized than performance based. I'd imagine at some point tech would start to catch up and overcome that. I'm no engineer, that's just my off the cuff guess.

As for all the tech and such, if I really felt that way about new vehicles, I would not buy any and would invest in something like an older model (my dream would be a lower mileage 3rd gen 4Runner) and keep it up until it falls apart. The flip side is newer vehicles have better safety tech and at the end of the day I'd say my safety is higher priority than nostalgia enjoying myself going from point A to point B.

 

My first two Toyota pickups (before Tacoma brand name) 1981 and 1985 were fun to drive, as was a 1999 Jeep Comanche (stick - 4.0L). Even a 1988 GMC stepside (stick 5-speed V6) was a blast.
Granted most full sized work trucks are not noted for their fun to drive factor, but small/mid-sized trucks certainly can be..

Its all about driving experience. "Fun to drive" is just missing in most new cars.

 

I feel the same way as you do OP. Technology is actually being a distractor from a daily jump in drive and go. It usually is asking you a million questions, beeping and harassing you because you didn't put your seatbelt on and asking you if you would like to go to the nearest gas station because the computer is programmed to be so concerned with fuel economy.

The spirit of driving for thw fun of it has been lost and these auto manufacturers are really losing out on the big picture and the grand scheme of things. That being said they are also assembling them using 2 cent plastic clips which last just long enough sometimes to go over the warranty period. Pretty sad, which is why I think all new cars are junk.

 

I agree, except with the technology in a vehicle. I like a vehicle with cool technology and lateset gadgets. The EPA needs to keep their noses out of the car industry and keep it in factories.

 

Agreed, and hopefully so. Only reason manufacturers would listen is if sales plummet. If competition comes out with a real "sporty" sports truck that proves popular (New Ranger, Frontier for example). Toyota would have to keep up. I am curious if the many issues with the 2016 will hurt Tacoma's previous reputation for reliability, and thus sales, forcing it to rethink the current vehicle? In the past (gen 1 and 2) changes over the first year model seem to have been few during that model run.

 

Yes, I see this as a generational thing.. In the age of mobile phones (dont own or need one). Social media (hate it, hate it, hate it). I think young folks demand it, and old folks hate it. To me its a gimmick that distracts from the driving experience.

 

I think part of it is that you're looking at the cars you used to own through 20+ years of Nostalgia Filter, too, that glosses over the problems that the older vehicles had. Currently I've got a '69 Sweptline, an '84 Power Ram, and my '10 Tacoma. I've also owned a '73 Mercedes (the height of luxury in '73). The old stuff is more fun to drive in some ways (around town, back roads, etc). I love putting the throttle down on my '69 and listening to the 4bbl kick in, but the ride sucks and on the highway it's loud as hell, between engine, exhaust, and wind, and if I put my foot down to maintain highway speeds I can practically watch the fuel gauge drop.
I like driving my '84 because it's basic and simple, it'll plow anything Mother Nature can drop, and I can load 2000lbs in the bed before it touches the bumpstops. But it's slow, loud, and the ride sucks in that one too. It's a hell of a work truck, but I'd shoot myself before I drove it to visit family in Florida.
My '73 was fun to drive because it had a nice smooth ride and could fit 4 of my friends for trips to the local car show, but it got terrible gas mileage for only having 6 cylinders, had NO acceleration for passing, and the seats that were so luxurious in '73 were less comfortable for long trip than the ones on my girlfriend's Civic.

I mean, I definitely agree that old cars are charming and fun to drive in their own ways, but there's something to be said for the power and comfort of a new one, too. I love my antiques, but I don't think I'd want either of them for a year-round daily driver.

 

Believe it or not, despite my age (22) I whole-heartedly agree with you. There is way too much computer B.S. in a modern vehicle. Electronics means more stuff to break, more expensive, and more limits. I am not a fan, hence why the newest vehicle I own is a 20 year old 5 lug Tacoma with manual windows and doors. Far more simple than the vehicles of today. I can't stand all of the electronics and plastic mess everywhere.

 

Hi again....

Looking back over the last 50-55 years of owning cars I see I have been very fortunate trouble wise. Only one big repair expense, and that has been on an old Dakota with many hard miles and abuse, bought used. Auto trans replaced.

 

I'm in my mid 40's and I'm with the OP on this. I love my 2011 as it doesn't have that giant screen with everything on it. In this age of "distractions".....the last place I want to be "connected" is my truck. All this "technology" in cars is a huge contributing factor to all the distracted driving issues out there...people focused on the screen versus the road in front of them.

 

I agree with a lot of what you said
The car industry like everything else is changing. Is it changing for the better. That depends on who you ask. One thing that scares me is that car have become so computerized. For instance cars are recording if you are wearing your seat belt, how fast you are going, tracking your locations, and your overall driving habits. Where do think this information is going. You got it the insurance companies and maybe law enforcement. Yea technology is good in some sense but it can work against you in other ways. Big brother has hit the car industry

 

I dont think all new cars suck. My 12 Mustang GT I traded for this truck was very fun to drive and it really wasnt all that hard to work on. I wouldnt look at the truck as something that would be a blast to drive on the streets but when the roads got bad or rough terrain is where they get alot more fun.

 

Great vids, thanks...
Crawl-control is a hideous abomination. First time I tried it, I thought something had broken (all that NOISE). Just another 'gimmick'. Drop that and add a front locker. DONE.

 

Your problem is simple and can be summed up in two words,
"Underpowered Truck"

You have minivan engine in the truck so no way around it. Either you need to get different truck (non-Toyota) or suffer with this one.. If you ask me life is too short to drive underpowered vehicles..

 

That is fortunate. Especially when you consider that the build quality of US-built cars SUCKED during the late 70's. I think it was in '79, GM recalled more cars than they built. Crazy.

But, on the other side of the coin, in 2014 they recalled more cars than they'd sold in the previous five years.

 

There's plenty of fun new cars on the market. Some say we're living in the new muscle car era with vehicles like the Dodge hellcat charger/challenger and ford mustang GT350R. You can pick up a new "no bullshit" stripped down Ford Mustang GT for around 30k and run 12 second quarter mile times on street tires all day long. This was unheard of 15-20 years ago. In the compact car segment we've got cars like the Subaru WRX/STI, Ford Focus ST/RS, VW Golf GTI/Golf R, Mazda Miata, and Toyota/Scion FRS.

Hell a close friend of mine has a 3.5 ecoboost F-150 pushing 475+HP on a simple plug-in tuner and aftermarket exhaust.

 

You could buy a Chevy SS; it's basically a decade-old V8 6MT powertrain shoved into a modern car with all the bells and whistles/safety equipment. Once it dies in 2017, that'll be the end of the road for large sedans with port-injected V8s and a 6MT.

 

I considered a new 2016 RAM 1500 Express Hemi Regular cab short bed (I prefer smaller size). I should have road tested one. Didn't. About $38K. What threw me off was reading that they go into 4 cyl mode. Perhaps not an issue, but again tech I dont want. Just another complexity that can cause issues, and detract from driving.
Honestly I had an Xterra before the TRD-OR. It had a noticeably better drive train (engine and trans).