Two toyota trucks parked side by side. Look at the size difference both regular cab four cylinders

A friend has an older Tundra, it is about the same size as my Tacoma

 

The 3rd gen is actually very close in size to my first gen tundra. My reg cab 8ft bed truck is very close to the 3rd gen double cab long bed.

 

Yes, always been told the newer vehicles were safer. But if a 1956 Pontiac was heading head on into a 2019 Tacoma, which would I want to be in? I'd have to pick the Pontiac. Not that I don't believe what I've been told, I just would.

 

Maybe safer but that's about it. The only thing making a Tacoma capable is parts availability and a rear locker from the factory. It doesn't get any better fuel economy then older models. Better built...have you seen the frame in a Taco? It looks like it came off an S-10. I literally can grab my bullbar and watch the gap on the fender move considerably when pushing by hand. An older fully boxed truck would never do that if you jacked it up on a corner with a floor jack. Older trucks were built spared no expense. New 05 and up are built for maximized profit.

 

you should go on the youtubes and search old car vs new car crash tests. its pretty amazing the difference.

 

From what i've heard, its not necessarily how beefy the vehicle is, more about how the vehicle "crumples" when hit, yeah?

 

thats my understanding. deflect the force and absorb vs try and resist damage altogether.

 

Trucks are bigger because that’s what the buying public wants. If demand for the tiny trucks was great, then the manufacturers would be making little trucks. It’s marketing and $$$$. And let’s face it, the smaller the truck the less functional as a truck it is.

 

everything gets bigger with age, including women. Btw my first truck was 86 and my gen 2 trucks run circles around it.

 

Well...I know of at least one thing that has yet to get bigger with age... if only

 

For pure off road fun without considering any utility service it’s hard to beat a Sammy.

 

my 2010 regular cab 4x4 manual transmission and 2.7 it's a great truck it is easy to park and the smaller size makes it more efficient as far as acceleration and mileage it turns very sharp and looks great I really believe Toyota is missing the boat when it comes to the regular cab. Many people are now looking for the regular cab because they are hard to find.

 

They do hold up well. But all the shock from the lack of crumple zones gets put into your body. That’s what’ll kill ya

 

I enjoy being able to fit in a Tacoma now(6'5") and not dying in an accident.

 

This is an old video but you can see the point

https://youtu.be/fPF4fBGNK0U

 

And if you roll it, you just get a couple of buddies and give it a push.

 

I would never have expected these results.

 

Yes! A coworker used to have a first gen Tundra and I'd park my Tacoma next to his and the Tacoma is only slightly smaller.

 

When I was growing up, I lived one house down from a stop sign on a residential street. One nite me and a friend were home and heard tires screech and an impact noise. We went outside and there was a 4X4 Toyota on its side at the stop sign. No idea how the idiot did this, no other cars around, but we flipped it back over and he drove off!

 

The smallest pickup truck you can buy nowadays is a midsize. That's what the Tacoma is. Back in the day, compact pickups were actually compact, like the pre-Tacoma Toyota pickups. They don't even call them compact anymore because they aren't.