Just my opinion after having driven an F150 (3.5 V6) and Ram 1500 (Hemi) vs. my 2.7 Taco

I've always realized I sacrificed power for reliability by buying the 4 cylinder Taco but after having a rental Dodge Ram 1500 hemi V8 and an F150 with the turbo 3.5 V6 for a while I honestly like the feel of my little Taco more...

I mean I thought having 300+ hp would have been great but both of those bigger pickups felt like I was driving mush, every throttle/brake/steering input was more of a suggestion and didn't feel like anything. Sure I could spin the tires on the hemi but I felt like it randomly happened later like a video game with lag.

My little 100+ hp Taco I can feel every input and when I blip the throttle the truck jumps and moves so it's fun to me.

Anyone else feel that way? I used to have a Ford Ranger and the 3.0 V6 was a dog but steering and everything else felt good. Is it just the size of those big guys that makes them so slow to react to your driving input?

Suddenly happier about my little powerless 2.7 that is peppier than I realized. She's like a little terrier ready to go.

 

The only time I've felt like my 2.7 Taco with 5 speed was sluggish is when towing. For normal driving it is fine. It's not going to run off and leave anyone from stoplight to stoplight, but that really isn't the point of this truck.

 

The F150 is such shit for engineering. Plastic drain plugs meant for one time use and they leak all the time. Plastic valve covers so that when you change the spark plugs that the brass insert pulls out of the cover for the coil and you have to melt the plastic to fix it, felt skid plates. Brakes are a little bit of a pain in the rear,

and a rubber belt on the oil pump on some years that costs $5k to replace and its smaller than my vacuum cleaner's belt and it shows wear after 100k.

I would never own one.

 

I to get the comparison day you day as my world truck is a 5L f150 and mine is an 18 3.5 tacoma. And even with my notes on the tacoma I will choose it everyday over thst f150. It may have more power and comparable economy but it drives miserably and it has had way to many dealer warranty visits for a truck with 30k on it

 

What about Toyota's engineering on the 3.5? Motor has been around for 15 years, and they still can't get the timing covers to not leak.

 

Still leaks less than any BMW product

 

That numb handling is what most people want. It's mindless and comfortable - it is literally a La-Z-Boy with pedals.

I am not most people either. I bought the tacoma because it had one of the twitchiest steering wheels available in a truck. It also had, up until the 4th gen, one of the most primitive suspensions available in a truck. I liked that too - I want to feel the road, not float above it. Cars and trucks that rough-riding tend to give you more warning when you are pushing up against their limits. My old Ram tended to not give any warning before the rear axle decided it wanted to overtake the front.

Its the same reason why I bought a 150 horsepower sports car. Its twitchy and I can use the entirety of all three pedals. I get overtaken by Dodge Challengers on the daily, because apparently they have a need to prove that their engine works. I don't care, my smile is still bigger than yours.

 

I almost wiped out in that Ram 1500 rental, went around a corner a bit faster and the rear floated out like a foot... darn near crapped my pants as I didn't opt for extra insurance... and every stoplight I'd light up one tire as I kept pressing the pedal harder, waiting for it to do something.

Yeah I used to own a Mercury Sable (AKA ford taurus) and it was a couch on wheels... I hate that numb feeling... I like the bounciness of the Tacoma as it feels like a truck. Was cross shopping the Ridgeline when I got the Taco and in spite of all the nice stuff on the Ridgeline (good mpg, nice interior, etc etc) it was just a boring non-truck like ride...

Love my Taco! I'm going to driver her till the doors fall off!

 

Def was more of an issue on the 16-18 models and seems to have tapered down a little for the 19-23 models. That and the plastic coolant pipe that needs the transmission dropped to access it.

I worked on a buddy's F150 and just came to the point of telling him that I wont work on it anymore because I think that its a horrible vehicle. He plans on getting rid of it before the warranty expires and plans to switch to Japanese engineering instead.

Toyota is def not as good as it used to be too though. But you have to pick the vehicle with less issues and that is easier to work on.

 

Where are you pulling the data from make a claim that it occurs less in 19-23 years?

 

https://youtube.com/@thecarcarenut?si=9Uga_OaNwWAZ7WL_

He has a video talking about the 3rd gens issues over the years. Very good channel to watch and learn about all kinds of things toyota related.

 

I like his channel but let's keep in mind that youtuber's opinions are not facts.

The 3.5 has been exactly the same from 2016-2023.

 

Don't forget the coolant crossover plastic pipe behind the engine!
Also that plastic flapper gizmo somewhere under the intake that breaks and parts end up the a cylinder!

 

And the Valve issue that causes the engine to need a new cylinder head.

 

Can't speak to the 4 cylinder, but if I'm being honest, my 6 cylinder Tacoma has always felt a little gutless. Love the truck, great truck, etc... but peppy is not a word I'd ever use to describe her

 

It hasn't been more than a month since the last time I heard someone quote him making another statement that was patently false.
I've enjoyed a few of his videos as well, although I've seen him cut one or two short when things get a little complex, or hard to film.

 

I have the 3.5L V6 in my Taco but I came from a Ram 1500 with the hemi and I completely agree, I enjoy driving this truck a lot more.

It’s also much easier to drive a smaller truck like this on narrow trails, parking lots and parking garages.

 

It doesn't help that rental cars have the worst tires. Usually no-name brands, well worn, and under-inflated.

 

In hindsight the 2.7 in an SX package would have suited me just fine. All the TRDOR goodies were really not needed in my situation.

 

I think that is caused by the PLASTIC flapper that brakes into pieces and makes its way thru the valve, IMO