HATE the 3.5 motor set up in my 2016

I hadn't even seen my truck when I bought it but I knew I was gonna buy Toyota, wanted a truck, needed DC and 4wd and couldn't afford to drive tundra every day again. But so far I'm happy with my little sr, it's not a power house, if that's what I was looking for I'd have bought a Tundra.

 

I have no complaints about mine, I’ve been thinking about the OV tune but I don’t think it’s worth over $700 when my Taco does what I expect it to do. I say if you are unhappy trade it in and make yourself happy.

 

There isn't one "right" way a vehicle should feel. A lot of what you expect probably stems from what you were driving before the 2016. I came from several years of commuting in a 2008 MT Yaris. My 2017 Tacoma doesn't feel like a dog, but it feels like how I expect a truck to feel. I do wish I had a MT, but my partner really struggles driving stick and we will both be driving the Taco. However, it does fine around town and on the highway, and it is a blast to drive offroad. I have the ECT always on mod and sometimes switch into S mode when I'm in the mountains. Big lesson here is not to buy a car based solely upon it's reputation. Test drive at least a few and get a feel for if it will meet your needs and whether you can at least live with it.

That said, your options are (in increasing cost):

Free - Live with it
$54 - ECT Mod
$185 - Shift Selse Pro
$250 - Pedal Commander
$800 - OVTune
$2-4k - Sell it

 

Everyone is entitled to my opinion

 

OP, are referring to the engine? Don't think the truck has a motor except for starter motor and power windows motors.

 

(For you millennials, it's a Jekyll and Hide reference)

 

Someone else who is bothered by this, I thought I was the only one. My co-workers always look at me funny when I correct them.

 

What's the difference? (Genuine question)

 

It's not technically incorrect to refer to an engine as a motor, because an engine is a specific type of motor. A motor converts other forms of energy into mechanical work (i.e. motion). An engine specifically uses thermal energy to produce mechanical work or motion.

 

I like the 3.5. I think it’s a great engine. Guess it’s just me and a few hundred thousand people who aren’t taking their truck back in a rage?

 

If I didn't like how it drives after numerous test drives I wouldn't have bought it.

I know it's weird for some here but that's just me.

 

It really is all semantics, but I was taught an engine is made up of pistons and cylinders, and a motor is made up of a rotor and stator.

 

The V6 AT is basically in Overdrive = on by default. ECT makes it drive much better for stop/go driving: more responsive, predictable and holds a gear longer. ECT plugin mod seems to be the way to go... then grandpa mode is just a button away, useful for flat hiway cruising, but in a much more responsive gear range by default.

 

Many of us with the same complaint, got the Shift Sense Pro and all is now well.

 

You're talking about an internal combustion engine and an AC motor. You are describing certain types of engines and motors, but not defining "engine" and "motor." Those aren't the only types of engines and motors (i.e. a steam turbine engine does not have pistons).
EDIT: @Stocklocker correctly pointed out that locomotive steam engines do indeed have pistons. I was thinking about a steam turbine engine as an example of a piston-less engine.

Also I'd like to point out that if we can't refer to the internal combustion engine as a type of "motor" we'll have to petition BMW to change its name to BEW.

Definitely semantics, and I find language to be fascinating. Also, we are definitely off topic (I'll stop now or gladly carry on this discussion elsewhere) .

 

Am I missing something in the 0-60 times here ? 2015 prior is not showing this.
https://www.zeroto60times.com/vehicle-make/toyota-0-60-mph-times/

Or the fact 2016 tows faster in the gauntlet tow uphill than 2015 by a whopping 45 seconds !

 

I've never been a beta tester. Never bought a vehicle the first year a manufacturer makes major changes to it. I understand the attraction of a new model of a classic truck. I thought Toyota had fixed the very problem OP mentions. Guess not. Any 2017 model year owners chime in. I want a new Tacoma.

 

Mines good . Could say I like it over the 4.0 i had- just some sloppy programming. I'm MT and I'll be getting the OVtune to wake it up though. Why did i get the MT over auto ? Or the Taco at all?
1-i knew they were going to fuck up the auto in 3rd gen. Wasnt surprised when the forum started to blow up with complaints. I hated the 2nd gen auto for the most part and realized Toyota just doesn't spend the budgets on the fine tuning. But makes a solid overall package.
2-the MT drove good enough to choose that over the auto. And I had to have a Taco- I couldn't have anything else lol.

 

Can I sneak in here and ask a few questions? I have a 2016 Lexus RX350 and did I read right that we share the same 3.5 v6 Atkinson v6? Mine supposedly has 20hp more but same torque, and dual-EFI, throttle body and direct and an 8-speed auto. I don't know what the Tacoma weighs but my RX weighs 4222lbs. and it's pretty quick. I'm thinking the Tacoma is a little lighter? If so we're about equal over the 20hp difference. Is your trans 6-speed or 8-speed? This can make a difference.

 

It’s 6 speed. Also I have read here on TW, but have no other proof, that Toyota de-tunes the Taco 3.5 HP to give the drivetrain greater reliability, similar to what they do with Landcruiser engines.