I apologize for calling my Tacoma underpowered

Early 2000s engineering of a midsize pick up. Toyota just keep their same design in production up to 2023. New engine in 2016, 3rd gen only really needed to compete with other 2005 midsizes.

 

Because the competition has been churning out small turbo charged 4 cylinder engines that make 100 more horses and torque and are mated to ridiculous gear boxes like a 10 speed so it is always in the right ring to make power.

So it is by comparison that Tacos are slow, clunky, lumbering, gas guzzling and inefficient.

But by that same comparison, if you looked at trucks in the 80's and 90's our Tacomas are very well powered and smooth. So it just depends what you hold it up next to.

For me, the 2023 Taco runs about as well as my 2000 Xterra did. But then the 2023 Tacoma is almost a Quarter Century Newer.

 

A Gen3 Tacoma is one of the easiest vehicles to daily drive: simple hydraulic steering, rear drums that work fine and almost never need servicing, and suspension geometry so well-done that there was really nowhere else to go on Gen4 besides throwing coils on the rear mostly so they could share a platform with SUV’s.

The powertrain follows an entire science of higher displacement/lower power that Toyota themselves long ago established…and recently tossed in the garbage can. The low-stress characteristics ensures the expected legendary reliability and was never intended to win stoplight drag races or close gaps on the highway. Unlike Nissan’s V6, which I think is very good, pairing port injection with direct will save your valves from carbon buildup over 100k mi.

Like the early Toyota pickups (aka Hilux) that intro’d the 3.0 V6 and went 0-60 in ten minutes, many people will complain about Gen3’s power and celebrate 2.3’s, 2.7’s & 2.4’s…..And like the 3.0, in 20-30 years, most will line up to pay ridiculous amounts of money to own a 3.5 with 200k+ mi.

 

For the record, I am comparing 4.0L to 3.5L, manual to manual. Not 3.8L to 3.5L auto to auto. I had an automatic 5-speed 4.0L Frontier before the manual one and it felt about the same as the 6-Speed auto Tacoma overall, although a bit more oomph down low. The manual Frontier was the fun one and in my opinion, way better than the manual Tacoma or either of the autos to drive. If I could have the Frontier drivetrain in the Tacoma truck, that would be perfect for me.

 

Lightnig....WOW, fast, bright, loud and GONE! Had an 81 Ford 4x4 once, biggest POS I ever owned, along witha couple other Ford junks. Got an 86 Toyota 4x4 4banger and drove it for 18 years 212K miles with minmal repairs. Drove straight with never a front end alighnment and original shocks and springs and towed a 20ft boat to the Keys and back twice from central FLorida with zero issues. Slow yes and 10 mpg but both times I wanted to borrow my brothers or friends V8 trucks. Nope, they were having issues with their BIG V8 rigs so the little "TOY" got the job done. Had an 05 4 banger 4x4 for 17 yrs (176k) and did a lot more repairs on it but still better than the top three USA made stuff. Neither were slugs nor speed demons but always knew I'd get back home.

Now I have a 2022 SR 4x4 since Dec 2021 and zero issues and the V6 auto is just fine with me since serious left ankle issues prevent me from a manual anymore (yes I do prefer manual) and the power is plenty for me and the ECT does kick it nicely. Point being...Toyota products have treated me well (72 Celica, 1999 Corolla, 2002 Camry) and lightning, well...I'll go hide.

My 85. brothers 2002, my 2005 and 2022. Really wish I'd kept the 86

 

x2 on the OTT tune- huge difference in driving dynamics and pleasure.

 

Ha!! Wrong Lightning, although man I do wish I had one of those old flare sides!

Mine is the new all electric Lightning, and for a daily driver it’s AMAZING!!!!

Idk if I’ve had as many Toyotas as you, a 2017 TRDOR, 2019 RAV4 Adventure, 2020 RAV4 Hybrid and a 2021 RAV4 Prime, all Excellent vehicles.

Sadly now while we still have the Adventure RAV4 that’s the only Toyota. I sold off my Tacoma and Camper and replaced it with an F350 Tremor and a bigger camper and the Lightning has taken the place of the Prime as my daily driver.

The sentiment has been beat to death but if Toyota made a HD truck most of the people I know would buy one. We actually had a deposit down on a Tundra Pro in Orange that was going to be our new camper platform, at a little over 71k (MSRP). The more I looked at it and talked to Offroad shops the more I started to look elsewhere. Ended up ordering the F350 Tremor exactly how we wanted it with a big block, and 11,499lb GVWR (payload over 4200lbs) for $66k. $5k less than the Tundra and a whole lot more truck…. Do I wish it was a Toyota? Yes every day I get into it but it’s hard to argue with a 7.3L engine 4.30 gears and 37’s with no suspension changes. In short, Toyota I know you NEVER will, but please make an HD truck….

 

I wish Subaru would make a truck, a real truck that is. Our 2019 Forrester has been great but a real truck by them might be awesome.

 

That ridgeline though

 

“a sign of weakness”
- Leroy Jethro Gibbs (NCIS)

 

Yesterday i dusted a taco while driving my gf’s shitbox

 

If Toyota built an HD how similar would it be to a Hino? Hino when compared to Ford and GM medium duty, I prefer the design of the Hino cab over the F-650, and GM 5500. I think I'd take a Ford or GM power plant over the Hino's I would also chose Navistar or Freightliner over the Hino.

What would an HD pickup from Toyota look like?

 

I don’t get it. Toyota does make trucks…. What’s wanting an HD truck have to do with Subarus. I was trying to have a real discussion. The Tundras are close. Nissan made the heavy half/ light 3/4 T not too long ago. Japanese quality but heavier duty seems like it would be perfect.

 

I'm gonna internet nerd on one thing.


I also owned a 2000 Nissan. This one.





In 2000 it had a 3.3 liter mill that pumped out a blistering 170 horsepower. This meant that on a paved 10% grade with one passenger, one tent, one cooler, and two bicycles, I was lucky if I could make the summit any faster than 45 mph. It was seriously embarrassing how slow that truck was. But it still mountain-goated in low range when you called on it.

My 2008 Dodge had the horrible little 3.7 liter with 215 HP, I couldn't reach the speed limit on hills when it was empty.

By comparison, my 2018 Taco with the 3.5L mill can pull a 3000 pound camper up some of those same hills doing 60-65 mph, and it can do it without pinning the pedal to the floor.


That's my metric: "can it hold the speed limit?" And yes, it can. Comfortably. It really wasn't long ago when not every vehicle was capable of doing that.

 

My eyes!!!

An utter design disaster in each case.
Each of those designs sucked when they were new!
Now, they are painful to look at...

- it is true.

 

To be fair, the 2005 Frontier was an admission that the 2004 Frontier had gone entirely off the reservation.






Even bulldogs would say "I still wouldn't after a thick pour of whisky."