Thinking of stepping up to a Tundra. Input please from those that have done it...

I see you already made your decision...you'll be back. If the TTV6 30MPG 2022 Tundra is a reality...then I might look to Tundra again when I turn 40

^^^ This for sure


I had a 2012 Tacoma that I really liked. Rust started to show up and it had 120K miles. Which is not a lot for a Taco but it was still holding a lot of value on the market. That made the justification for trading it in on a 2016 Tundra SR5 Crewmax easy when I came across a really good deal on one. I paid $34k for the Tundra with 12K miles in 2017. I loved the Tundra. You feel much more separated from the people in their tiny vehicles and you have so much room in the Crewmax that you could fit 5 in comfortably. It's a superior truck to the Tacoma in terms of creature comforts, space and finishes. The Tundra is just a GIANT truck for someone like me. I'm not a big dude at 6' 200LBS and I don't have kids. I realized I only use my truck to commute and to tow my boat. My boat is a 17.5' fishing boat so the Tundra was overkill. The MPG alone was not enough to make the decision. I also took a trip to Hawaii where there are modded Tacomas everywhere. After I came to terms with the fact that I was really missing my 2012 I set out to find another one. Ended up with a 2018 and I can honestly say that there are things I miss about the Tundra but I really love my Tacoma and plan to stick with it for a while. I will say that I've had to stick a decent amount of cash and time into my 2018 for me to really love it. But in the end...Tacomas are just more fun.

I agree with TacoTime850, Maneuvering the Tundra got pretty annoying at times and it wouldn't even fit in my 2.5 car garage so it slept outside.

So...I went from a Tacoma to a Tundra and came back to a Tacoma.

2012



2016 Tundra



2018 Tacoma

 

Nice.

 

a more efficient v8 seems more plausible and easier. I think the other big 3’s V8’s are around the same HP and TQ numbers but rated around 16-17mpg city and 20-21 hwy for the 4x4 4 doors. The tundra is still rated 13city and 17hwy. So that’s a decent jump up. Maybe a 8 speed tranny and more efficient V8 and I’ll say bye bye to my taco lol

 

Very nice sir... Go Steelers

 

The V8 engine is going the way of the dodo bird as manufacturers slowly transition to more efficient combustion engines, hybrids and 100% electric vehicles. When you see conservative manufacturers such as Ford and GM going 100% electric you can see the writing on the wall.

 

Great looking truck! I think you'll appreciate the extra space and comfort of the Tundra. I just realized you had a long bed Tacoma, so there's not as much of a difference there. Congrats on the new ride!

 

Looks like a work truck

I went the Tundra route for about 3 years. I hated it. You give up a lot of tech and comfort for the extra space. Maybe the new Tundra will be better?

 

This will 100% happen. As soon as Toyota does it it will be the best thing since sliced bread. I'm coming from a 3.5 ecoboost 150 and have nothing but praise for that engine.

Why you in the 3rd gen forum?

 

You will soon be able drive a full size Tundra in Prius like silence thanks to the hybrid option that’s coming next year.

 

Congrats on the new rig, I had Tundra as loaner for a week and while the interior room was nice I did not like driving it the truck was just to big for my liking.

 

Dude, that murdered out 2018 is sick!
Nice post too. I also went from a full size crew cab to the Tacoma for the same reasons.

 

I've seen a couple other folks mention 'giving up tech'. What tech are you referring to? My 2018 Tundra SR5 has the TSS features. The entire rear window powers down like it's not even there. My Tundra has a brake controller that came standard, it even has a little dial down by the cargo light switch that allows you to adjust the aim of your headlights up and down! I had a '19 TRD OffRoad Tacoma with the tech pkg. Please tell me what tech you give up? And as far as giving up comfort? I loved driving my Tacoma. Was very comfortable. I am every bit as comfortable, maybe more, driving my new Tundra. It has a 8-way power driver's seat that my Tacoma did not offer. And I would wager any rear seat passengers will be much more comfortable than in the Tacoma.

 

Personally I love Tundras. I am on my 2nd one and it's a lowly SR5. I have had decked out tech heavy trucks before and hardly used most of it so maybe that is why. Whatever I do need that the truck is lacking, I add myself at a fraction of the cost with better results in most cases. That damn gas mileage is horrible, true, and coming from a gas savvy Tacoma it will definitely hurt the wallet but my 38 gal tank and short work commute makes for a tolerable experience in that department.

 

My god, if there was one tech feature of my TRD OR it would be TSS. I despise it. Stereo is the biggest tech difference for me. I went from an 03 4 Runner to my 15 Tundra. It was like stepping back in time. It isn't just interior. Under the hood is also a bit of a time warp with the 5.7. The big 3 have long since moved past that design. The Tundra just reminded me of a design that has long since past.

 

I think the 5.7 is one of the greatest motors of all time. Overhead cams, 4 valve, variable Valve timing, port injection. No direct injection, turbos, cylinder deactivation, stop/start, Atkinson. Simple, durable, powerful.

 

If it's just the back seats that are the main problem I say keep your truck and let the kids suck it up back there. A little adversity is good for the kids! If you really like the truck keep it.

 

Usually gas stations have a ~$75 limit on debit cards, credit cards usually have a $100+ limit. If you can run your debit as a credit card (most banks and credit unions allow this) it will let you get the higher limit with your debit card.

 

You'll love the Tundra. I've gone back a forth between Tundra and Tacoma a couple times. I love the space in the Tundra, but the size is also one of it's detractors. So when I no longer need to tow larger loads, I tend to sell mine. This is my Taco -> Tundra history:

I went from this
(2003 DC Taco)


To this (sorry, bad pic)
(2007 Crew Max Tundra)


To this
(2014 Tacoma)


To this
(2016 TRD Pro Tundra)


To this
(2018 Raptor)


Then finally to both of these
(2016 4Runner and 2020 Tacoma)



I will 100% checkout the Tundra again after the redesign and I have no doubt I'll end up owning another.

 

Damn that's a good looking taco

 

What setup were you running on the 2016 TRD Pro Tundra? (Tires, fox? etc)

its just my person opinion, but i feel like a lifted Tundra like that looks better than a Raptor