Is this normal? Paint on a 2022

My 22 LR off-road has the same issue. Noticed it the night after I got it home. After seeing all these posts and random pics on Tacoma world it seems to just be the normal poor texture of bumper showing which makes it look way different. My 2011 4Runner in MGM doesn’t have it all. If it was only my truck I was gonna go complain to dealer but this seems to be within spec in the Tacoma world.

 

I mean the 4Runner has a slight difference too. Slight different texture it looks like and maybe a slight color difference. It’s definitely normal though. As I’ve payed more attention to it I’ve noticed pretty much all newer Toyotas have it slightly.

 

My 18 MGM and old 12 MGM had the same thing. I have only seen this in Toyotas. Both vehicles never hit in the front end.

 

One surface is metal...one plastic. The paint formula is slightly different as a result.

 

That's true, but my Chrysler which had a plastic bumper cover looked just like the rest of the van. My Ford Sport Trac which had metal, fiberglass, and plastic parts all looked the same. The bottom line is we are paying top dollar for crappy workmanship.

 

I don't see that.

 

The plastic bumper to my metal fender look no different.

 

I work at a rental company and every Tacoma we have has the front bumper color dull like OP's. My MGM truck has it, too. Do we know exactly why they're like that? I know plastic panels won't be a 100% match with metal panels but pretty much every other car's metal panels and plastic bumper paint matches pretty closely compared to our trucks. Is it actually textured plastic on the bumper? Toyota cheaping out? No clear coat? overcooked taco?

 

I’d be willing to bet that due to supply issues, Toyota is taking the textured black SR bumpers and painting them. You could always pull the bumper cover off and check it for a part number. This would 100% confirm this theory.

 

Hey man, I have a 2022 Toyota Tacoma Sport that I just bought 2 weeks ago. I also noticed the mismatch on the color texture on mine. Being a “Certified Used Vehicle” of Toyota and spending 39k on the truck, I was pretty upset. Now I see a lot of people have the same issue. I think I’m going to take the loss but I’m still tempted to call the dealership and try to get mine corrected.

 

^Notice the bumper matches the flare? I suspect Toyota switched from paint to molded-in-color at some point, maybe after 2020. If that's the case, your bumper cover will stand up to rock chips a bit better than painted bumper covers of yore.

 

Is this "molded-in-color" a more expensive process than just painting a plastic bumper? Because if so, there's no chance in hell Toyota switched to that. Tacomas are built as cheaply as Toyota can make it, lmaoo.

 

^Yes, once they get the process dialed in, molded-in-color can be done almost as cheaply as the basic black bumper cover on SR models, so cheaper than painting.

I'm reading this thread with amusement, as plastic bumper covers are parts that get ripped off on the way to real obstacles.