Indecisive about getting a manual or auto...

I enjoyed having a manual transmission in my last car, but driving in heavy stop and go traffic for an hour plus commute both ways every day gets old. In my 2019, I have only noticed it shifting odd once or twice in the couple of years I have had it. Couldn't be happier with the automatic. Like others said, test drive both.

 

Contrary to poster #2's opinion, my opinion is that the auto really is every bit as bad as has been elsewhere claimed.

I was also on the fence about auto vs manual and have regretted going auto nearly every day since.

 

I had both the SMG (technically still a manual but not) and the 6 speeds in my M3’s. After having both, I actually preferred the SMG for the exact reason you mentioned. Just shifted soooooo much faster than I could ever do

 

This matches my experience.

 

It was pos .

 

If you are asking then you probably will be fine with the auto. Driving an MT pick up truck smoothly takes a bit more attention then a CRV, thats if you care about driving smoothly. Thats my experience anyway and i had 3 MT pick ups and a bunch of MT shitboxes. I drove 2 different 2019 AT off roads and they drove just fine, this auto tranny hunting BS is overblown on here. Some earlier calibrations were pretty shitty, but thats fixed with the TSB ECU flash. I hate slushboxes and they honestly drove just fine to me, i wanted to see whats all this talk is about. Not much...

When i was buying my taco it was MT or no taco, i had to have that MT. It wouldve been in a frontier if taco did not offer the MT.

 

I'll share my outlook.
I have, for the most part, always had manuals, save for a '72 Monte Carlo (one of my best car experiences) and a '76 Chrysler Cordoba (my WORST car ever!). Having started driving on a farm at the age of 8 or so, having to shift was never a big deal. My current '06 Taco is a 6-speed manual which I settled on because it was to have a snow plow installed and I figured a M/T was better suited. Still driving it as I wait for my '21 Taco to get to my driveway. I kinda like being able to skip a gear or two as conditions permit, and the 4.0L V6 doesn't have a problem with that. Still the same clutch after 126K miles. Has a new frame though (not really relevant).
Now at the age of 70 and having done my time in rush hour and city traffic, I'm getting (and entitled to be) lazy. No longer need the snow plow (have other equipment for that) and, despite the endless whining one finds here, my '21 Taco has a 6-speed A/T. I'll have to judge it over time as I put some time and miles on the truck. I no longer commute to work, and most of my driving is either around town or on long trips (>75 miles). I figure that I can find someone to tinker with the ECU (or whatever it is) to tweak this thing to suit my driving style if it proves to be necessary.
I occasionally tow a landscape trailer with my Kubota BX-2380 (about 3500 lbs total) - usually to another property close by or to/from the Kubota dealer. I figure this truck (the '21) will manage it - maybe not as easily as the '06 does (w/o a brake controller), but adequate enough for my needs.
While I don't live for off-road driving, my properties still take me into the woods with my truck (firewood, property management, etc.), and I love winter driving, so a 4x4 is mandatory.
I'll no doubt have to update this post after I put a few K miles on the '21. But no one can tell me it won't be a comfortable and suitable ride for my needs.
You have to make the judgement call for yourself. I won't advocate A/T over M/T or vice versa - you gotta figure out how it'll suit your needs.

 

Some used to allow overnight test drives. But, maybe Avis would be a better bet. The problem is that the truck learns your driving and adapts. A quick test drive is nowhere near enough time for that.

 

I had an e46 M3 with SMG and a Z4 e89 with the DCT.

The M3 was faster but it was brute force...the Turbos in the 35i Z4 were lagless and spectacular.

Best trick I ever played is let my mom drive the M3 in low low mode, then dialed it up to fast throttle and she screamed after accidentally laying rubber at a red light.

 

Welcome to the forum. It’s really quite simple. A manual has three pedals, do you have three legs? I think not. Get the auto, problem solved!

 

Quite frankly, the only lust I have toward the manual is that I never test drove it. But it gets worse MPG and, as my dad says, "I have better things to do than just shift." I drive 90 miles a day for work and it isn't flat ground. MPG is important, but I need a truck and can't afford 2 vehicles at this point in my life.

 

I skip gears all the time in my taco, 5th is pretty much useless unless you are towing. 1-3, 2-4 happens a lot.

But Im sure you will be very happy with the 21 off road, that AT is just fine.

 

this happens when I don’t read the whole post haha

 

before you go manual, look into the issues people are having with the oem clutch wearing out early. maybe we all don't know how to drive manual, but mine went out around 50k and I switched to URD stage 2 + heavy flywheel. if I could go back, I would do double cab long bed auto transmission with a re-gear to 5.29. Currently have double cab short bed mt. It also sucks for longer road trips to not be able to swap drivers. Although that'd probably be a positive for many others .

e: note that I bought the truck used at 35k so I only had it for 15k before it was noticeably slipping in gears 3-6.

 

IMHO the AT and MT are two very different trucks. The AT is fine, and honestly better for rock crawling and all that. But personally I find the MT way more fun. The motor feels pretty lethargic with the AT, but with the MT, I can put the rippems and the power where I want it. Plus, the additional wheel torque you get with the MT makes the 3.5 feel plenty peppy and sprightly.

But at the end of the day it's your choice and my ultimate best advice is to listen to your heart. Don't be too practical. The Tacoma has a lot of fun engineered into it (unlike the Ridgeline) so go with the one you think will be more fun.

Again, personal experience, i let the sales guy talk me into an AT with my last Tacoma and it was the only thing I didn't like about it. I couldn't wait to get back into an MT. There is just something so gloriously satisfying about getting a perfect shift.

 

Does Toyota do the reflash to change the final drive?

 

Learn from my mistake

get the manual.

otherwise you’ll buy the auto, slowly got insane, then trade for a manual.

 

I have a 2019 DCSB TRD Off Road with 6speed manual and Love it!! I have driven both before deciding on the manual and haven’t looked back. I live in the country outside of nashville so I get a good share of city and highway/backroads to drive on. The clutch is so smooth and the ability to control the shift points versus the truck constantly searching for gears is why i did it. Plus there are very few Manuals out there so hopefully resale will be higher down the road. But don’t buy it to sell it! Buy it to drive the heck out of it and enjoy it while you do

 

One plus for the AT: You can get one today...
- I've had to wait for the MT.

I can think of no other advantages of the AT vs the MT.
(I am sure the ATs are fine - I just do not want one...)

 

people can extend driver their trucks??? I live in NJ, I dont think that's possible..