Test drove a '16 today (own a '15)

Here's my take, if anyone gives a rat's ass. It was a short test drive, as time was limited. Comparing a TRD Sport with a TRD Sport (both auto), and it's all just for curiosity's sake.

Background: I hemmed and hawed, and bought one of the last of the '15s, as I'm a tried and true type guy. Not a 3rd gen. hater at all.

Engine: I think the engine is fine, to the point that I think the complaints about performance are exaggerated. It's the transmission that I thought was a bit off. It seems to shift way too quickly into the higher gears, but I assume that's just for the MPG goals. I threw it into ECT, which was better from a driving stand point, but that actually felt like it held the gear too long. In the end, neither was a deal breaker, but I would have liked some middle ground. But the engine is more than capable to me, and it didn't feel like a "minivan engine". I'd love to have this 3.5L in my '15 with that transmission to see what that would be like. With the 4.0L, I keep the revs under 2500rpm in 1st and 2nd, and if driving on roads that are 50mph and over, I work 3rd and 4th gears pretty good, up to 3200rpm or so (hilly here), so the quick shifting '16 would work against that I think. Could it learn? No idea.

Driver's seat: No problem here from a comfort standpoint, but maybe could use some slight rearward decline in the seat base. Is it parallel to the ground? Felt like it. I wondered what that would be like if I braked hard...would I tend to slide forward into the seat belt too much? Again, not a deal breaker. Seat warmer is awesome... perfect for my ailing lower back from carrying an infant around all the time :/

Ride: Not much to tell here. Rides stiff like a truck, which I like. My '15 feels a touch squishier, so if I could choose, I'd go with the 3rd gen. in this case.

Didn't have time to play with the radio/nav. I'm not picky in this department anyways.

Dash/display: Really hated looking at my '15 after seeing the gauge layout on the '16. That 1980s calculator style numeral font on the odometer should have been disposed of a long time ago. I'd rather have analog than what is in the '15 for the odometer display. I look at the dash/display/gauge layout as like a bathroom in a house. Functional, but the whole house looks and feels a lot better if you have great looking bathroom. Give me the '16 for sure, here.

Looks: Pleasantly surprised up close. Pictures don't do the truck justice, and the grill that everyone hates isn't bad at all. Looks tough. I like it, and I think I like it better than the 2nd gen.

All in all? It's a pretty good truck, but I think I fall in line with a lot of comments seen in this section. Not blown away by the '16, but I would have zero trouble buying one for myself.

Anything else you want to know, just ask. Unfortunately, this was only about a 12-15 minute test drive.

 

Not unlike my test drive experience. Good calls. I am confused about one thing though. Which TRD Sport did you like better? The Auto or the auto?

 

Sorry... guess I wasn't clear. I was comparing my '15 TRD Sport with the '16 TRD Sport... just for a frame of reference. And which do I like better between the two? Toss up. I'd go with the '15 that had a sticker price $6000 less, but I now have the joy of driving around wondering if I really did like the 3rd gen. better.

 

Gotcha. Maybe if I was paying more attention I could have figured that out.

Don't worry too much about the 6 grand. You'll make that up again in resale of the '16 next year when the TDI Hilux is released in the states.

 

I like the grill too, only took a auto trannie for a test drive, did not care for its power, hope my manual is better if it ever gets a build date.
Duane