Not sure if getting the sport instead of the off-road was a bad idea. Opinions

I just bought a 2016 trd sport last month and live currently in hawaii but being military will have to move eventually possibly somewhere with snow, was it a big mistake not getting the off-road 4x4? Thoughts on if it was a bad idea? My truck now is a 4x2.

 

Is your sport 4x4? If so I wouldn't worry much.

 

Love my sport. Does fine in the snow. I've driven across Canada and thru the northern states in the dead of winter with no problems on stock tires as well

 

Only real difference is the dif locker. If you actually need it you can always get an aftermarket one, which are better anyways.

 

I've only been in two situations where having a locker may have helped and neither of those was in the course of anything related to normal driving conditions or weather related.

 

Ditto! Love my sport and am confident driving in the snow.

 

Wouldn't trade my sport for love or money! It runs great and is definitely the best looking Tacoma model in the market right now!

 

nah man. If your sport has 4X4, then you'll be fine, if it isn't then maybe you'll regret it if you move to snowy area. But at the end of the day dont sweat it now as you are still in Hawaii!

 

I have a 2015 Sport 4x4 and it does just fine in the snow. Love It

 

Driving in the snow is 90% good tires, 5% AWD, and 5% not following the person in front of you too closely.

 

And shocks, and tires, mts and crawl control. The first two can of course be added later (not that the or comes with good tires, but they're a little less slick than the sports), and the latter two can be replaced with practice and skill to some extent.

Here nor there, if op already has the truck...
"what difference, at this point, does it make?"

 

no doubt on all those... Only real difference with the offroad is the standard locking diff, but with the traction control systems these trucks have the benefits of a locking diff are VASTLY overrated nowadays... pretty much just redundant if you get right down to it as the auto LSD function and ATRAC, crawl control, etc are all more than capable of putting most of the power to any ground you find under your truck, be it rocks, snow, sand, or just roads.
Only other thing is that the offroad comes with beefier shocks, but they still aren't as good of a ride as a set of 5100s are so thats kinda pointless...
Plus, with the money you save not buying the offroad, you can spend whatever is left on getting the aftermarket parts to make your setup the best! If you wanna offroad then big tires, shocks, lift kits, etc
Or if you're like me, then a detroit truetrac LSD, some street tires, sway bars, and lots of extra fuel for cruising and finding nice driving roads!

 

I love my sport, I live in Washington sate and have driving is snow and ice with no problems. I haven't really every been in a situation where I needed the locker. You will be fine.

 

Over-thinking it, enjoy your truck.

 

I live in Ohio and can't wait to try out my 16 Sport 4x4 in the snow. I love snowboarding too so I really can't wait.

 

I love driving in the snow, I have to take it out of 4x4 turn off trac control and the LSD to have an issue, or screw around in the snow for fun.

 

SO TRUE! during the first snow Ive experienced with my TRD sport, I actually forgot to put it in 4WD and was driving around with just the auto LSD on and traction control off and had no problems at all, barely even noticed until i pulled up to a stoplight that was iced over on a hill, even then i just did a burn out for a few seconds before i started moving but no moonwalk like lots of other cars out that day

 

If you don't need Crawl Control and the extra stuff in the OR then you shouldn't worry. Most of the people who will make a fuss about the OR probably wont ever even need it. Don't lose sleep over it.

 

Heck. Most people that have 4x4 will never need it, either.