My Opinion & Thoughts: 6AT vs 6MT

I previously owned a 2018 TRD-OR with the 3.5L 6AT. The only thing I didn’t like about that truck, was the insane shift points and patterns of the automatic transmission. I could not wrap my head around why the thing behaved as it did, even after the dealer “flashed” the truck for an update to correct my concerns.

Aftermarket “tunes” are not my thing, so that’s not in the thought processes for me. If you like them and swear by it, that’s great. Just want to discuss stock transmissions.

Skip ahead in time several years, and I’ve now owned my 2022 TRD-OR 6MT for a little less than a week. This truck and this engine and this transmission behave exactly how I would expect them to (mostly because I now control shift points, but I digress). I can hold 5th and 6th gears as I would expect to do, without lugging, and getting 22 to 23 mpg on a brand new engine.

I’ve watched several videos and read lots of comments regarding the 6MT as being “clunky”. I don’t totally disagree with that sentiment. However, the Tacoma is a truck, not a sports car. The current version 6MT isn’t any more or less clunky than any other manual transmission truck I’ve ever driven over the years. It’s not meant for speed shifting.

For years, we’ve heard that Toyota “tuned” the 6AT for economy, for efficiency, for optimization. In my opinion, that’s all bunk BS. As I see it, Toyota just really didn’t deliver on their 6AT shift maps, throughout the life of the Gen 3 tacos. That’s a lot to say, as I’m generally a devoted Toyota apologist. After driving a manual version of essentially an identical truck, it’s now obvious to me that Toyota has some serious work to do still on their 6AT’s for Tacoma.

 

I've never driven the AT but find the 6MT makes it a fun little truck to drive.

Other than the vague clutch feel and some gearing quirks I'm very happy with it.

 

The manual is clunky in the city and parking lots. I don't enjoy it personally until you're up to speed past 2nd gear.

But as you said, its a truck.

I hate the auto on the highway, and hate the manual in the city.

I NEED A CVT!

 

LOL, early this morning my son and I just finished a 3,000 mile road trip from Denver to New Hamster in his "new" 1995 Ford F-150 4X4 (Single Cab, 8' bed) 5MT with the venerable 4.9 liter I6 engine with just over 200,000 miles on the clock; you wanna talk about a clunky shifting manual truck transmission, my bet is Toyota has never equipped any vehicle with anything approaching the heavy-duty feeling of that transmission.

 

Sounds like you need a Ridge Line….I kee’d I kee’d!

 

Hmmm, with a CVT you'll hate both city and highway driving.

 

I first learned to drive a manual on my dads 1980 F-150. It had the 300 I6, a 4-speed manual with a non-hydraulically assisted clutch. Almost had to stand on that clutch pedal! Lol! Felt like about 2 feet of travel through gravel between each gear too!

 

Try a GM Muncie SM 420

 

I'm familiar with the old Muncie Rock Crushers; is it safe to assume the SM 420 is of a similar ilk?

 

A 1980 I6 was a cool truck, that same year my dad bought a 1980 F-250 with the 6.9 liter International Diesel V8 with one of their 4-Speed manual offerings (I think it was the New Process tranny).

My son, who's daily driver is a brand new GR86 6MT, is kind of an old Ford truck fan, he's had three F-150s, this "new" one is the second with the 4.9 liter I6, and we also jointly own a 1989 Eddie Bauer edition Bronco with the 5.0 liter V8 (302 to us old guys), and all four of his trucks have/had a 5-Speed transmission.

 

All you need to do is to drive any other truck with a ZF8 speed or a home grown 9/10 speed. That makes the yoda 6AT an abysmal proposition.

 

Those are great trucks and that I6 is a hell of a motor the trans is a Mazda M5OD a little on the light side for a truck but it’ll do.

 

Yeah, he toyed with putting in a heavier 5-Speed unit in either his old Lariat XLT F-150 but it got stolen before he got around to it. He's also considering it for the Bronco and the new F-150.

 

A ZF5 is the way to go, soon as I get ahold of one it’s going in my 95 Bronco. I know a couple guys that have I6/ZF5 combo and those trucks are beasts off road

 

My son probably already knows this, but I see there were two ZF 5-Speed manuals available back in that era; what is the difference between the ZF S5-42 and the S5-47?

 

They are basically the same, the -47 is the later version and is a little stronger so it’s torque rating is a little higher than the -42, can’t remember if the ratios changed

 

Been a while since I drove those, but I recall that being an M5OD which is the same used on a 302 V8 (no manual trans option on 351 1/2 ton- ZF was used on 3/4 ton 351). That was a unit made by Mazda during the Ford Mazda partnership. It was pretty nice! it had a synchro reverse.

I had a 1970 F250 with a NP 435. Drive one of those with no PS and no AC and the Tacoma 6MT feels like a Bentley in comparison.

 

I just bought a 2022 tacoma V6 Auto transmission 4WD. Agree with the comments about the shift points. When cruising down the highway the slightest attempt at acceleration will cause the truck to downshift 1-2 gears. It is annoying. I expected better based on the horsepower ratings. I could leave it in sport mod or hit the ECT button. But other than that has anyone figured out a way to improve this problem?

 

If you plan to run 285/70/17 or 285/75/16 the clutch will wear prematurely…. Ask me how I know

 

I am running 285/70r17’s