Feedback on the 6-MT

Looking for feedback from members who row their own and opted for the 6-MT. The availability of a manual transmission was a major consideration in my purchase of a (G3) Tacoma, and I'd likely stay with that configuration moving forward into G4.

Some questions:
-Are the gear ratios improved?
-Is the clutch still sticky in cold temperatures?
-Do changes in the engine's torque curve from the auto (max at 2800 RPM vs 1900RPM) affect the overall drivability?

And the big one ...drumroll...Would you buy the MT again?

 

1) Dunno. Haven't driven a third gen manual, but first gear is too short and second is too tall. The rest are pretty much spot-on.
2) Dunno. Hasn't been cold here yet, but I have not experienced any clutch "stickiness".
3) Dunno. Haven't driven the auto, but I think you'll miss the extra 800rpm up top more than you'll miss the extra torque down low.

Before answering your final question, and JMHO, I've owned many, many manuals over the years and this is my least favorite. First and second gear are just wrong, the redline is too low, there's too much rev-hang and driveline lash to pull off quick and smooth shifts when you need them (I'm looking at you, 1 -> 2 shift), but...

Yep, yep I would. Only because there are no other options though.

 

I just hit 16k km on my manual

 

I agree with justanothersquid on most of his points. I haven't driven a 3rd gen at all, and I haven't driven mine in the cold. First gear is too short, and the rev limit is too low. However I actually think its pretty good compared to other modern manuals. The clutch pedal actually has some feel, and while the shifter throw is long it feels good. I feel like the general experience could be improved with slightly stiffer trans mounts, and stiffer shocks. Being smooth becomes more difficult as you try to get around quickly, but if you are chill I think it is very nice. I have not done any towing yet, so I can't comment there. Also if you heel toe, the pedal spacing is pretty good. The gas pedal is a little too far from the brake for my taste, but it's doable. It also revs up nice when rev match downshifting.

 

Yeah that is very true. I think I said this in another thread, but the slower and more deliberate your shifts are the happier the truck is.

 

So I did find at first that it is a different manual then I have ever driven. After a couple weeks I got the hang of it. 1st is super short even now shifting to 2nd can be clunky. When you shift I do it as slow as possible. I can only down shift into first under 5km hr

 

Installing a STS on my 2012 2nd Gen back in the day made driving that thing a dream compared to stock. Miss that truck all the time. I’d buy it again twice on Sunday.

 

I don’t own one but I can answer the first question:

1 - 20.1% lower
2 - 20.1% lower
3 - 9.2% lower
4 - Same
5 - 9.1% taller
6 - 10.8% taller
R - 20.1% lower

R/1/2 are a cluster that is the same in both transmissions. The rear gears that connect the countershaft to the output gear are lower by 20.1%, so that makes all 3 of them proportionally lower than a 3rd gen, but the same percent spread between each. All the other gears besides 4th (1:1), are different actual gears.

 

I can't compare to a G3, but I test drove a G4/MT a couple days ago.

It took a couple miles to get used to it, but I had no real complaints. 1st and 2nd were pretty short, but not enough to be annoying.

I was pretty pleased with it, actually. I put my "order" in, we'll see how long it'll take Toyota to actually build one with the options I want (if they ever do).

Another note, I intentionally wore hunting boots (11s) when I did my test drive. I don't have huge feet, but boots are sometimes not workable.

 

I got my OR 6spd a little over a month ago now, definitely took some getting used to from only owning 80s/90s manuals previously.
1st is incredibly short and I find that once I've got even a bit of momentum I'm gearing up to 2nd already.

iMT is weird and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Most of the time I've been leaving it off though, rev matching is pretty easy in this truck anyway.
Clutch feels good after learning the grab point, no complaints there.

Overall, I'd buy it again without question. Although I will admit the turbo noise does introduce some bias to my opinion

 

We've been manual transmission obsessed and now it is funny that my wife more so. I did lots of testing several trims before buying my TRD OR in July. For what they are I thought each powertrain including the engine and transmission are really good. To my surprise and others I chose the 8 speed automatic.

One thing in my choice is we still have a German car with 6 speed manual, but 4 months in I have to say the automatic has been superior for being work oriented as I suspected. I do work stuff shuttles in metro area and two loops that are 176 and 380 miles. I also do MTB trail building and ski area crew. For being work oriented that narrow 7th and 8th split is fantastic for highway carry or pulling. Off road for trail work it's more like the hydrostatic heavy equipment powertrains than other manual transmissions still in my life.

Having the late model European car with manual but also similar safety electronics I obviously have the in traffic advantage with adaptive cruise the manual cannot have.

I could not say there are good/right or bad/wrong choices here as much as with a manual still in the family I love the gen 4 powertrain for the work oriented stuff I do and my wife's car is a more enjoyable place for the manual. 4 months later no regrets for at age 65 buying my first new automatic.

Both are great choices. I'm really just pointing out that for my types of use I have no regrets having always bought manual for my personal vehicles before now.

 

Just for the record, my truck has adaptive cruise control.

 

That's a great idea. Some foot wells are crowded for just your left foot hanging out, let alone working a clutch.

 

What I meant is our thoroughly modern car with the 6 speed manual can operate cruise with all the electronics in a fixed gear but it cannot shift in stop and go traffic. When I tested other Tacomas did I miss the manual can somehow be automatic in a traffic jam?

Adaptive is a nice feature no matter what but with modern versions of turbo engine with each type of transmission I've got no regrets with my first time choosing the auto. I was really just trying to point out that 8 speed auto is working out better than I expected and especially for my work use. Every one of several '24 Tacoma flavors I tested were really good.

 

No, what you did was make your first post vague and unclear such that it could easily be interpreted to mean "manuals can't have adaptive cruise control". But now we know what you actually meant.

 

I doubt if Toyota is keeping the manual around long for the 4G. I'm guessing this 6spd will be used globally? Toyota also wants to sell hybrid trucks. The manual is all ready limited to SR, SR5, and TRD Sport/OR I don't think you can get the manual on any long bed.

 

Coming from an 6AT 3rd gen to a 6MT 4th I’d say the ratios are much improved, and match the torque profile quite well. I haven’t had it bog. It has enough low end to be able to utilize adaptive cruise just fine. You can still shift and stay in cruise. 1st is really tall, and great for creeping in 4-lo especially. It is not a sports shift by any means but if you drive it deliberately and calmly it’s fine. The clutch came perfectly balanced and never had a problem missing a shift.

My only problem that took getting used to is telling the difference between 1st and R since they are so close. Almost backed into someone at a stop sign before I got used to it. But now I can feel the difference between them. (More pressure to the left is how you know it’s R)

 

I think you meant to say 1st is really *short*

 

Need to come up the great white north we have a longbed manual, I

 

Not sure tall or short, but 1st is geared low, so you can't go fast before shifting, but 2nd is high. So the gap between 1 and 2 is high.

Nissan's MT in Xterra/Frontier had better forward ratios. Both are geared too high in Reverse, so need to use 4 low to back up uphill especially if need to feather the clutch.