Most desirable year?

https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/auto-industry/the-unlikely-return-of-the-compact-pickup.html

 

The facelifted 1st gen are the best, the better grill, 4 doors, cool cluster, and plush interior. They get purchased quickly at most dealers still.

Worst is pre-facelift 2nd gen Pink tail lights and yellow headlights.

 

Size is relative. Park a 2nd Gen next to a Tundra or full size GM, Ford, or Dodge and then tell me which is the more compact; or of all those, tell me which one will actually fit in a standard one-car garage with room to walk around it or drop the door.

That said, I'd prefer a truck slightly larger than 1st Gen, not quite as big as 2nd Gen. And NOTHING shorter than a 6 foot bed, thankyewvarymuch.

 

Gotta be a year in the third gen

The axle roll mod can get you out of any tight spot

 

01+ 1st gens. Nothing changed much after 2001 except the option of vsc (dunno what it is) on some rare 2004's.

Cant really go wrong with a 2007+ 2nd gen either.

3rd gens, in my opinion are on a wait and see basis. Havent been out long enough to determine their longevity/reliability.

 

I'd say 2002 and below?

Something about the electrical/mechanical changes in 03 and 04 that made it difficult to swap certain parts.

 

FIFY

 

2004

 

Same here.

Plus, they should have kept the regular 6’ bed with the double cab. A 1st gen double cab long bed with a manual transmission would have been perfect for me.

 

Me to,,, what good is a pickup with a glove box for a bed. I love my 95.5 extended cab, 5spd.manual, w/ manual locking hubs, 4wd, 4cyl..... but the one you described would be even better, more room to carry my junk.

 

I was very satisfied by the 2019 my dad had while his frame was getting swapped. This forum is full of people looking for issues. People cant just enjoy the vehicle they dropped $40k on.

 

Yep, exactly!

 

You would have to pry my first generation Tacoma out of my dead, lifeless hands before I traded it in for anything else. Love my truck. But to be fair I've never driven the newer models and probably never will because this first gen won't quit. I had a really hard time trading in my toyota pick-up for a tacoma...almost regret it, but the first generation tacoma I have now has been invaluable.

 

This at the top of the 3rd gen page would be great.

 

2017. In right before the TSS bs.

 

I think 2003 was the last year for the cable throttle body, so ones younger than that are the good ones.

 

If I could find some sort of Hilux with an older style diesel engine Id be considering it as a daily driver instead of a Corolla. Yes, Im looking to switch to a car for DDing.

 

what are these creature comforts you speak of? tell me more! what has my tacoma been missing out on for 2+ decades

good article!

in a few words please describe your facelifted better grille!

2oo4 was a bad year
i almost died in my Tacoma that year

 

I would also jump on the 2004 bandwagon.

If you think about it, it's theoretically the most revised edition of the 1st gen. Toyota had almost 10 years on this model to see what worked and what didn't.

Though to echo previous comments, there is something to be said for the more mechanical versions of the Tacoma. 98'er here.

However, I'm not familiar with how far Toyota went with electronic components over mechanical by the end of 2004. I know throttle control was one notable area...

 

I would be interested to see each 1st gen year broken down by engineering changes that came throughout the years.

Just thinking about things like Phase I to Phase II injectors, EGR introduction, air-mix door motor, chip keys, exploding seat belt retractors, and changes outside of the obvious external grill or trim.