The FC or FB Toyota Tacoma interior color scheme is a two-tone color scheme available on certain models, consisting of a dark color on the bottom half and a lighter color on the top half. The first code is your factory paint, while the TR is your trim/interior code. For example, the 2022 Toyota Tacoma has five available colors: Cement Gray, Black With Red Accents, and Cement, Quicksand, and Barcelona.
The 2024 Toyota Tacoma offers a variety of interior color options, from classic Black Fabric to upscale options. The first-generation Tacoma had four different blues, so this guide helps identify the correct color for your Tacoma yar and trim level.
To find the correct color for your Tacoma yar and trim level, refer to your VIN and ask the dealer for the color code. For example, if your truck is black, you should have Oak interior. The 2023 Toyota Tacoma Interior color is Gray with Fabric Seat Trim (FB).
Additional codes like 3P1 and FA09 can cause confusion but are actually interior options. The exterior color is Celestial Silver Metallic, and the interior color is Cement Gray. The vehicle comes with a 4-speed automatic, 2.7L I-4 DOHC, VVT-i variable valve control, and regular unleaded gasoline.
📹 Tacoma Models Explained: What One Is Right For You!
Tacomas come in many models. As of 2022 there are 7 Tacoma models. I go over each Tacoma model in this video to help you …
Where do I find the interior paint code?
General Motors (GM) trucks, SUVs, and cars have a sticker on the glove box, underside of the carpet cover of a spare tire, or trunk. Some Camaros Corvettes and Astro Vans have the sticker on the driver’s front door or passenger’s front door. Minivans have the opt. sticker in one of the compartment doors in the rear interior quarter panel trim or trunk area. The paint and trim codes are included in these letters and numbers.
To match your code to the listing, call your dealer with your VIN number and they can provide the paint and trim codes. Hondas typically have the VIN and Production sticker inside the driver’s front door, while older 4-door Accords have the VIN and Production sticker in the driver’s side rear door.
What does the 3 colors for Toyota mean?
The tri-colors, also referred to as “Livery,” were utilized by Ivan Stewart during the Ironman competition in the 1980s and 1990s. They are currently employed on Toyota 4x4s to commemorate the Toyota heritage.
What is the rarest color for a Toyota Tacoma?
The speaker is presenting a building on a ramp, yet they are unable to provide detailed information regarding the structure. It is recommended that visitors take a walk around the building and observe the underside for their own edification.
What is Toyota’s primary color?
The color red, as represented by the hue designated as “Toyota Red,” is a vibrant chromatic option that can be employed to convey a sense of energy and excitement, thereby emphasizing pivotal design elements. The strategic use of red in typography, backgrounds, or as a design accent allows the color to stand out without overwhelming the overall design.
What are Toyota’s colors?
Toyota, a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer, utilizes a brand palette comprising red, black, white, and dark gray. The most conspicuous indicator of the brand is the bright red, which creates a striking contrast with the black and dark gray colors.
What is the Toyota color code?
The paint codes utilized by Toyota are three-digit alphanumeric sequences, which can be located on the door jamb. ScratchWizard provides an efficacious and convenient solution for the repair of scratches and chips.
What color is FB20?
The Toyota Prius, launched in 1997, offers various exterior and interior color options to suit different tastes. Knowing your car’s exact color codes is crucial for matching paint for touch-ups or selecting new seat covers. Seat Cover Solutions, the top online seat cover provider in the USA, has compiled a comprehensive table of all available colors and their codes for your reference. This guide will help you find the right match for your Prius and ensure you find the right paint for touch-ups.
How do I know what color my Toyota Tacoma is?
AutomotiveTouchup offers a custom-mixed paint product for the 2022 Toyota Tacoma, ensuring a perfect match to the vehicle’s color code. To find the color code, locate it in the driver’s side door jamb, with a C/TR in front. For example, 1D4 would be the color code in this example. If you don’t see your color listed, call 1-888-710-5192. If you’ve chosen the wrong vehicle model, check out the All 2022 Toyota Models page or visit the Toyota Touch Up Paint page dedicated to Toyota Touch Up Paint. The paint products are designed to match the factory specs, and if you’re unsure, check out the All 2022 Toyota Models page or the Toyota Touch Up Paint page.
Where to find interior color code on car?
General Motors (GM) trucks, SUVs, and cars have a sticker on the glove box, underside of the carpet cover of a spare tire, or trunk. Some Camaros Corvettes and Astro Vans have the sticker on the driver’s front door or passenger’s front door. Minivans have the opt. sticker in one of the compartment doors in the rear interior quarter panel trim or trunk area. The paint and trim codes are included in these letters and numbers.
To match your code to the listing, call your dealer with your VIN number and they can provide the paint and trim codes. Hondas typically have the VIN and Production sticker inside the driver’s front door, while older 4-door Accords have the VIN and Production sticker in the driver’s side rear door.
Can a VIN tell you the interior color?
The interior color code on a car can be determined by searching online and identifying the number on the label or tag. Some manufacturers encode color information within the VIN, so searching an online VIN decoding site can help you extract the interior color code. If you’re unsure, a dealership’s parts department should be able to decode the VIN. This site is for educational purposes only, and third parties listed are not affiliated with Capital One and are responsible for their opinions, products, and services.
Capital One does not provide, endorse, or guarantee any third-party products, services, information, or recommendations. The information presented is believed to be accurate at the time of publication but is subject to change. The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of the product. The material provided on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice or indicate the availability or suitability of any Capital One product or service to your unique circumstances.
How much horsepower does the fb20 have?
The FB20D e-Boxer has a combined system output of 107 kW at 6, 000 rpm and 188 N·m at 4, 000 rpm. The capacity of the engine is 1. 6 L, 2. 0 L, and 2. The dimensions of the engine are as follows: 78. 8 mm (3. 10 in) (FB16), 84 mm (3. 31 in) (FB20), 94 mm (3. 7 in) (FB25), and 82 mm (3. 23 in) (FB16).
📹 Top 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Buying a Tacoma – Why People Regret Their Tacoma
Just wanted to put a quick video together talking about the main things I see people complain about when they purchase their …
I went with the TRD Sport 4×4 Premium XP in Army Green, Ill be adding ARB front and rear lockers in a year or so. I like my color matched fenders as well. The crawl features, No one really uses. Good info! Almost pulled the trigger on a OR premium in Blue metallic crush but when i saw both in person that Army green it was over for the OR lol.
I went with the off-road for the MTS and more capable trim, because I know I will use it. If your someone who off-roads on weekends, or needs to get some traction in snow, the sport is a no brainer. If your someone like me who off-roads to job sites or all the time after work, or even to camp every weekend like I do. The off-road is probably the better choice but you can get away with the sport.
I put an order in on an SR 4 door in 4×4 because of what I use a truck for. Vehicles have never been a status symbol for me, but rather a utility. I live in rural Canada where the winters are harsh, so 4×4 is essential. I already own a 2009 Tacoma (same model), but it’s just getting old. I thought I’d deal it before expensive things start to need repair/replacement. Essentially I’m replacing it with the same thing, just newer and fewer kilometres on the odometer. If I get anywhere the same service out of this 2023 Tacoma, I will be a very happy man.
I bought the SR5 4×4 V6 with nav/sonar. It’s a beast with upgraded A/T tires, Bilstein shocks and TRD springs. A light off-roader and daily driver hybrid in the PNW. Some days I wish I got the OR to have the best, but I did save about 7k. I’ve kept up in the mountains in all conditions short of needing Matt’s offroad recovery gear. Remember the after market scene is huge. The SR5 is a comfortable upgraded “work truck” that I don’t mind beating up with a dirty dog, mountain biking and camping.
I bought a limited because I wanted automatic, 4×4, 4 door, tech upgrade. the chrome does bug me, specifically just the mirrors and handles, ive been slowly changing it to all black. its the 2016 3rd gen version and I was able to get it for $31k. with 92k miles upgraded tires and rims. (roughly $280 per tire, and $200 per rim) which at the time (in may 2022) it was $6.5k less than everywhere i could find for anything even close to it. sure a trd pro would’ve been my all time choice but everything was $45k+ i bought a 2005 Tacoma in 2018 for $9500, it was totaled and i was paid $14500 for it in march of 2022. so i just put that whole amount down on the $30k 2016, and it was $1k to ship from Texas to CA.
Truthfully was looking for a sport or sr5 but wasn’t very impressed with what was included with the vehicles coming in from the dealership I went with for a very small difference in price (talking like 500-1000 dollars) so I got a TRD Off-Road and use it as a daily driver, take it camping with a cheap tent that goes on the bed, and very very light off roading/overlanding. Very happy with the truck, and is a nice peace of mind to have crawl control and locking diff. But all models are very capable! Love Tacomas!
I bought a 2022 TRD Sport Acess Cab manual trans. I will be using mine to haul around a slide in truck camper, a 2012 Travel Lite 690 FD. I bought the camper new and used to haul it around with a 2008 Regular Cab 4×4 manual trans Tacoma, did great. I gave the 2008 to my daughter and upgraded while the manual trans is still available. I do like the hood scoop, will be adding a hood scoop LED light bar just because I think its cool. No one truck model for everyone, people have unique wants and needs.
I’ve used my locker!!!! Of course this was after i was already stuck and it didn’t help because the stock tires suck. I can’t disagree with your mentality on this, having good traction with good tires to a limited slip is better than having shitty traction with junk tires on a locker. All about priorities and keeping them in check.
I just bought my 2018 sr5 rwd v6 and I love it. I wanna be able to off-road but not very often more of just a good daily. I noticed my sound system and bass in the car is super good. Idk if previous owner upgraded them or not. SR5 is all I need. 4wd would be very nice but I don’t think rwd is that bad
I use my e-locker frequently, enough to the point where having a front locker is necessary (there have been some sketchy situations). I’ll be upgrading to 488 gearing and ARB air lockers front and rear in the near future. I’ve got a completely loaded TRD Offroad 4 door, 6ft bed (for my truck bed tent and motorcycle towing).
Got the manual pro 2022 in electric lime and it gets compliments all the time. Love the truck but getting a 23 pro in black need the remote start up here in the far north. Should have it by end of the month 🎉. Only mod will be 4runner 17″ older style pro rims and my goodyear duratrac and should be good to go
This is a great article! I’ve recently been in the market to purchase a mid-sized truck, and have been looking at everything, including the Ranger, the Colorado, Jeep, the Frontier, and also the Tacoma, which seems to have nearly as many choices as the full-sized Bronco (lol). Anyway, thanks for breaking down all of these versions and comparing them !
hello everyone, can someone tell me i have a 2023 toyota tacoma trd off road premium, i have for 5 months so when im driving feet on the gas sound like the truck dont want go, 5 times happen the truck stop in the in a busy road engine light comes on and stops, i turn off then i turn back and starts to work again, but now the engine light is on with track off, can you tell me if this is a big problem?
I have a 17 TRD Sport 4×4 in inferno red. Double cab long bed. I had an 08 Colorado Z71 for 12 years before wrecking it. I did use that locker quite a bit as I went off reading quite a bit. I am older and not in as good of health so my hard off road days are done. I have only own the Tacoma since August so I’m ready to try it in bad weather and some light off road later down the road.
I have to admit that when I bought my Tacoma I was very ignorant of the different trim levels. I traded my 2017 Rav4 XLE that I bought in 2019, drove for two years and recovered all but $1K of the purchase price for my 2021 VooDoo Blue TRD Off Road in January 22 with 16K original miles on it. I had to do it knowing that the interest rate hikes were coming. Now that I follow a few ‘tubers and belong to several user groups I have to say that I lucked out on my purchase. I have only engaged my locker once and that was just to make sure that it worked. That’s not to say that it won’t come in handy later. I told the dealership that I wanted a bed cover and a full tank of gas when I picked it up, which they did.
The Tacoma is not for everyone. If you’re looking for the latest tech, gizmos, big engine you will be severely disappointed. We buy them because we like old school form, reliability, ruggedness, simplicity. They are ancient but that is what we love about them. I get 25 mpg on the highway and 20 in town. Not bad. This is not a long distance runner. It’s a trucks truck. A real truck. I’ve hauled all kinds of things and it handles it like a champ. It’s a little beast.
My 2nd Gen 2013 Taco is a truck owners dream. Not only does it hold it’s value but the truck runs like it never will die! Most reliable truck as long as you do basic maintneace (oil change/etc.) Not desinged to haul heavy tow loads or race other trucks. It is an unkillable & reliable motor. Starts up every day and runs! WTF more do you need?
The hardest thing for me to deal with is the driver seat. It’s either slightly uncomfortable or totally uncomfortable. But I love the truck overall for what it is. The size of the truck is a perk for me, the power is not mind blowing but is acceptable and the transmission is really something to experience but again it’s totally fine to me for a working vehicle/truck. The paint seems thin on all the models to me. I use it for work and running around town. No long road trips for me in this thing tho! (SR5 v6 4×4)
I have owned several Tacomas and drive one today. It’s a V6 automatic. i have zero issues. The truck is fast and getting onto and merging with speeding traffic is no problem. I have no problems passing others. I cruise around 75 MPH and can pass others easily. The gas milage is not great but the Tacoma was never known for great gas milage. I’d buy another one tomorrow if I needed a truck. I tow and haul all the time with not issues. Look it’s a medium sized truck and has limits but it will perform to what the manual says it will do. If you overload it or any other truck you are the problem not the truck. Why is the resale value so high for such a poor truck. This guy should not own a truck. A truck is a truck is a truck and you need to know that before you buy it. It’s noisy and not that comfortable but it’s a freaking truck. In my experience after owning other trucks the same size I’ll be buying these trucks. So, here’s what I would tell this clown. If you want a snappy transmission, gas milage and a fast vehicle don’t buy a truck. As far as having to gun it to pass vehicles that’s true for any vehicle you drive. You go into passing gear even in my Corvette or any truck that I have owned.
Well i just totaled mine, and one thing i will give it credit for, it kept me safe. Just bruises, seemingly from air bags. But, i never enjoyed the truck. MPG was good for a truck, maybe even great. However, it was the most annoying and frustrating driving experience ever! The transmission software, absolutely sucks!!!!! Even with the OTT tune it still wasn’t that great. You need to do an extensive test drive, freeway, hills, curvy roads, do it all. I wish i had, hope the newer ones are much imporoved, because i did not enjoy this truck. Too expensive to not have fun and enjoy driving it.
I own a Tac and it all comes down to this…who s behind the wheel and how they drive the truck. You can make things right with a Tac if you understand it. They are excellent trucks all in for what it is. I see so many guys aiming for something the the truck ain t!…let a tacoma be a tacoma or just go and buy a tank or 350 ford or something
I just picked up my new 2023 Taco Sport in Lunar Rock with EVERYTHING on it. I absolutely love it. I bought it for camping and carrying sea-kayaks over 17ft long…yes I needed a Yakima version roof rack to do that. The only downside is the continuous looks from other drivers and compliments even when buying gas…I’m sort of a loner who appreciates his privacy and space, however, I think I can get over all the attention it gets.
So many people buy these truck for the wrong things they arent tow rigs. Theyre trail trucks and smaller work truck. Yeah u can tow a couple scags and a light trailer behind them. No you cant tow a giant boat or another truck behind it. It’s not meant for it. Although it will do what u ask of it and not break…if you put regular fuel in it yes it’s going to suck on gas. I’ve owned my 16 since New and always run 93. It’s got the compression for it… get 22-28mpg depending on how I drive and it’s not slow at all even with out ect pwr. ( electronic controled Transmission pwr being extra horses and turns up the fuel. These trucks are also port injected. So running 93 is best) if I use the ect pwr button, things not slow at fn all and barely press the throttle to do 90 95… at that point I’m getting 19mpg. it does have a true sealed cold air s&b and an 3 inch bolt on. I’ve been a toyota pickup owner for years. I love these trucks I’ll always buy them. But idk how I feel about a 4cyl turbo. They should make the v6 a twin turbo or single 40mm.
LoL – I just bought that EXACT same truck (minus the wheels, grill, step, and California license plate). It’s the 5th Toyota truck 87,97, 02, 12 and 13 4-Runner) I also have a 22 F-450. This 23 Taco is bar far the best out of the bunch – even the ride quality is better than the 13 Limited 4-Runner. You may want to trade in your Tacoma in on a Nissan Versa – it would match your track suit.
Just got to 2K on my taco. Average 20 MPG around town. Can pull 22 if I try. Found it very zippy compared to my 09 Pontiac vibe and 05 Silverado. Transmission drives a lot like an automatic semi. If you think it gear hunts or is underpowered your to used to driving a zippy little car. Very easy to distinguish this during a test drive before purchase. But I’ve found it basically idles @ 1850 RPM in 6th doing 75mph on the highway. The unfortunate part is MPG falls to like 18 at that speed. Taco does not have the high tech lane keep but I find it very tech advanced compared to my wife’s 2014 VW Jetta. Plenty of tech to confuse the fuck outa me.
If your selling your Tacoma because of poor gas miliage and want to move up to a Tundra, then be prepared for even worse miliage. I averaged 15 mpg and that includes a lot of highway driving. In our business we have Tacomas and Ford F150. The Full size Ford gets 3 mpg better than the Tacoma and they have given us zero issues also. Toyoya has a fan base that ignores its faults and will pay and price because they still believe that other vehicles have all kinds of service issues.
I purchased a 2023 Taco Trail Edition, Never experienced GEAR hunting, has very good take off and passing speed. IDK what this guy was talking about, yes the MPG isn’t great, but very reliable, take a Taco to the beech, mud and rock climbing, you will be very satisfied. Never feel Vibrations, I put a 3in lift with 285/16/70’s, Did not have to use spacers, fit just right!!!
My RAV4 has problems and the Toyota dealership forgot to put the Oil lid back after changing the Oil. 😅so after long drive in far far away from my home, I saw smoke and stopped In the street for Long time and called Toyota,finally Toyota dealership guy came and took my RAV4 and gave me a Toyota Tacoma to drive until my car get fixed. So after that unexpected test drive with Tacoma,I decided to never buy Tacoma if I wanted to buy a truck. It’s very slow uncomfortable truck. It was at 2021. now I have Nissan frontier 2023 pro 4x!when for the first time I drove test Nissan frontier, I find driving Nissan frontier is very different by Toyota Tacoma, Frontier feel like a cool Truck much better than Tacoma! Thanks for Tacoma to show me how cool is frontier 😂 and make good decisions.
Bruh I didn’t like my taco for a year until recently, it’s a manual transmission too. As a matter a fact I’m in love with it now. It was so weird, but dammmm it’s such a beautiful truck. Gas sucks and they’re a little small inside but it’s my taco. People are gonna be paying top dollar for these in the future
I had the 2021 SR5 and had no issues towing a 6×12 uhaul trailer from Florida to NY. It did feel sluggish because of the weak v6 but I never really needed extra power for anything. It did it’s job for merging onto the highway and passing cars. It’s a great daily driver. I ended up trading it in for a TRD camry because I had no need for a truck in NYC but I really regret it. My next vehicle is definitely going to be a Tacoma again (because of the MT) but I’m going to get the TRD pro this time.
I just bought a 2023 Tacoma TRD offroad and I agree with your pyramid. However I wanted the last model year with the old naturally aspirated v6 and the old 6 speed transmission. I am the type of person that drives a car 12-14 years. My wife and I drive a car so long when we traded her van in, the car salesman actually said we dont want your van just keep it lol. I just had a sportage that the engine blew at 135k just after I paid it off. I am determined to not have that happen again. People say this truck will last as long as I take care of it. I can put up with its shortcoming in the power/mpg dept as long as it lasts 14 years.
manual, 4×4 22 sport. have a pedal commander and cool air intake and bed stiffeners for mods. the pedal commander helps with throttle response and give you extra push. i to haul a small horse trailer when necessary with 0 issues. gas mileage isn’t great, but I knew that when i purchased it. ive taken mine to an off-road park (yesterday in fact) and have been in areas where i only see atvs and dirtbikes. I’m sure jeeps could make it to those areas too, but they tend to stick with their jeep people. overall I’m extremely happy with my purchase with just over a year owned. Its kind of a swiss army knife of vehicles. It may not be the best at anyone thing but its really versatile.
When I went looking for a replacement for my 05 Chev Colorado 5cyl manual in 2017, I tested the Tacoma automatic, and it was a dog. I hate automatics anyway, and I was looking at the Tacoma because it was the only manual available in Canada. I was assured by reviews and the sales lady that I would not be unhappy waiting three months for a manual. This I did, it was delivered and in the first year I put on 36,000 kms what a pleasure to drive. Yes, the engine seems sluggish at low revs, that’s a feature of the Atkinson cycle engines. But kick that throttle just a little, in the right gear, and it’s a jackrabbit. Tll do 100 kph in 4th gear at about 5000 rpm, and it’ll pass just about anything on the highway with ease. It’s now six years old with 74,000 on it. Zero problems other than a roof strip came off in a carwash right at warrantee end. No questions, both were replaced. One call back by Toyota for, I think, a brake switch. Done during a service under their recall programs. I also. On occasion, tow a small camper, about 2000 lbs, all the way from Ontario to PEI, about 10,000 km’s round trip. Most of it in 6th gear at about 100 kph. Fuel consumption went up by about 25% but I regularly average 8.2 L/100 km’s without the trailer. It’s my work truck, so has a cap and tools that probably weigh an extra 1000 lbs or 500 kg. They seldom leave the cap. Would I buy another make? I looked at Nissan, crap, gm mid sized, crap, along came Ford with their new ranger. Haven’t looked at it because I didn’t like the company one I had before.
Greetings from a Canadian neighbour! Great article but what difference would all of this have made in YOUR decision of purchasing a Taco? Would you have really gone with something else? My main decision for going with this truck was reliability and longevity. I keep my vehicles long term, 10-15yrs at least. Toyota has really been the only brand that can acheive this IMHO. I have a brand new 23′ TRD Sport Premium 4×4 long bed in Lunar Rock(great colour btw) on the way, arriving in three weeks. It will be my daily driver and used to pull my ATV, on a utility trailer, to and from the cottage. Looking forward to it! Cheers!
MPG is actually in par with other trucks in the same class, better than the Nissans fo sho…. My 2021 Ranger with a turbo 4 cylinder got the same city MPG 12 to 14 as my Taco now, they both do better on the Hwy at around 18 to 22. As far as the trans, there nothing wrong with the design or gearing, its ALL about the factory software. You can very easily change this with a new trans tune and problem is gone. (sucks that the factory gave us crap to start off with but its all about meeting emissions standards now days). Power is actually there but its hindered by the shit throttle response and trans shift points. Both are rectified with an aftermarket tune. But here is something else to think about. It may not be a race truck in stock form, but it will outlast every other truck 10 times over. I for one, rather have a slug that moves slowly, than a dead rabbit…. LOL…
I’m 39 years old I don’t need precision fine tuned power but that isn’t to say I don’t appreciate it. If I want power in the Tacoma I stomp on it…. boom, more than enough power! It shifts so unbelievably smooth when you stomp on it and let the RPM’s fly. Does it hunt for gears when I’m in cruise control? Yes. Is that annoying, sure a little. You know what’s more annoying? having to take a vehicle to the dealership because some stupid electronic system is malfunctioning or something broke or if you went big and got a diesel…. adding DEF. Am I disappointed with the fuel economy? Yes I am. I thought with a 3.5L V-6 in 2023 I’d get a little better but I’m only about $30 more per week than I was with my car which was a 2009 Ford 3.5L V-6. To put it into perspective from my point of view for a whopping $30 extra fuel cost per week I went from a car to a truck, I now have ridiculous off road capabilities, a few extra features and I probably will never have to visit a dealership for the rest of my time on this earth for some stupid computer controlled garbage problem. The cherry ontop is that my Tacoma TRD Pro in Super White looks stunning and months later I still peek out at it on the driveway and smile. God is good and therefore my life is good!
Bought a 2023 Sport 4×4 MT last year. I don’t get the uncomfortable seat comments, I’m over six feet tall and have no issues. I think some folks just need to do better research before they buy something. Don’t let a salesperson answer your questions and take your time during the test drive and sit in every seat.
Forgot about the frame breaking in half due to rust. The Tacoma is all hype- that’s what sells it. That’s also what makes owners sell it. When they realize it’s essentially a Camry with a bed, a plastic one at that. Car engine, tiny drivetrain parts, horrible transmission, downright dated and horrible interior. The sheeple keep buying a truck that dates back to 2005. Lastly, it’s not a safe vehicle. Fanboys rejoice!
Bought a new 2023 Taco 4X4 Off Road and absolutely LOVE IT! Compared to Ranger, Frontier, Ridgeline, Colorado or Canyon, TOYOTA IS KING when it comes to Quality, Durability, Reliability, Longevity and overall customer loyalty. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and choice, but I’d rather go with something proven. My deepest regrets whenever you trade it in down the road. Misery loves Company.
Hey! I have a question, so I want to trade in my car and buy a tacoma trd off road. This would be my first time having a pick up truck and I will be using the truck every day. My question is, how do you put your groceries? Do you put it inside or in the trunk? Sorry I really don’t have an idea. Thanks
Toyota buyers are blinded by their perceptions and expectations. But anyone with an open mind can research these issues in minutes online. I went to the dealer in 2019 to test drive. In fact I test drove it twice because I could not believe how bad it was on the first. So I thought maybe just a bad truck and drove it a second time. Same result. The transmission is truly dreadful. It does in fact shift hard, search gears, and likes to shift early which kills torque. The motor was never developed for truck applications. This in fact is true. It was something they had on the shelve that was readily available. The other issue which would be the forth problem area is seating position. Because of Toyota’s design language they like to keep that “chopped” look by keeping the roofline low, higher floor which means you sit on the floor with legs straight out. Also the chicken tax is gone. They are all made in Mexico now. I know toyota heads used to like to boast it was made in Texas. Not anymore. However having said all that the next one has my eye. It will use the 2.4 Turbo with hybrid motors. Likely their 8 speed that is used in the highlander. Its a good setup. Plus rear coil suspension standard which is HUGE. Based on TNGA-K platform it will be a truly modern truck. And likely will have a modern interior for a taco. A first. For all the reasons I don’t care for the tacoma I feel Toyota will address all the issues and even add more features on top of an already popular truck. The only bad thing about the 2024 taco is it will likely be so popular that dealers will price gouge.
I have owned several Tacomas since 1987. In 2008 I bought a Tundra 5.7 because I bought a larger boat. Well, in 2019 I went back to Tacoma. After owning for several months, I did not like the 3.5 V6, nor did I like the transmission. Previous Tacomas had the 4.0 V6 which I recieved better mpg’s than the 3.5. The transmission never could find the right gear ascending hill. I got tired of both item so I ended up go back to a 2021 Tundra 5.7 V8.
Not sure what you mean about towing. I towed my trailer with family of 5 with TOTAL weight being 6100lbs and towed no problem. Was very impressed as I got closer to camp site there was hair pin turns and all loose gravel. Even at speed of 25 km an hour and towing up hill my Taco was unbelievable and impressive in getting up this hill. Again about speed its a truck. I care about longevity and resale. Competition still cant compare. Same model of Ranger that I was thinking sells for 10k less now after 4 years!
Hey Rob sounds like this is your first truck, I’ve drove a truck since 1977, toyota & chevy I now drive 2023 tacoma & I love it am a bit overwhelmed by the gadgets & electronics in it but thats progress. I feel people today think a truck will do all the things they see on YouTube but its still a basic compromise that is built to appeal a wide variety of consumers, the engineers at toyota are not idiots but they must satisfy a wide array of people. Some people expect great mpg but its a truck, great gas mileage is not a high priority accept it, there aftermarket parts to deal with that. I t irretates me when people buy a truck then complain of poor mpg, next time get a prius. Sorry got carried awayway.gettting off my soapbox
Motor may have less power. But great reliability especially off road! Pedal commander fixes transmission gear searching. Buy a vehicle for what you need and want. Don’t buy this for around town.🤦🏼♂️ fantastic off road. With a bed cover and kn&n standard airfilter I average 22 mpg. 2023 TRD off road.
I have a 2020 Tacoma 4×4 V6 Off Road with a manual transmission. Just got back from and adventure in the mountains of Colorado and averaged 22.8 mpg over 350 miles. This is my 3rd Tacoma and they have all had the manual transmission. I would never get an automatic. If I wanted 30+ mpg, I wouldn’t have purchased a truck. The electric drivers seat solved a lot of the issues from my 2016. The big change was the LED headlights that became an option in 2020. Don’t buy a 2020+ Tacoma without the LED headlights. It make a world of difference. They are bright and really help when driving in the mountains of Colorado.
Ive had a 2020 sr5 4×4 with v6 and automatic transmission. I find the power acceptable. The engine does make power at higher rpm. I only tow a pop-up camper, mostly use it to daily drive and haul home improvement supplies. For me its been an outstanding truck. Its been very dependable. The mpg could be better but it does do as well as my old turbo diesel jeep Liberty CRD. I kept mine mostly stock. I think if i wanted to tow more an eco boost f150 would be a better truck. That said for where i live the size of the Tacoma is a better fit.
Thinking about buying one of the remaining 3rd gen Tacomas at the end of the year. Driving it for 3-4 years, then making a decision on whether to continue driving it or buying the 4 production year of the 4th generation Tacoma. Let first adopters be the ones to discover and deal with all the new issues as Toyota works through solutions. Thoughts?
The Tacoma feels great in 4 or 5 sports mode stock, especially if you use the over power mode button. If you’re in standard D mode and are talking about power and transmission your off base imo. It has nothing to do with the trans and everything to do with the controller which is also replaceable for even higher performance. If you are putting your Tacoma in standard D and not Sport mode I would agree, but your just doing it wrong at that point
Test drove a 2021 Tacoma for a weekend while attending a friend’s wedding. Nice looking truck but I agree the transmission and power is underwhelming. Cabin space is pretty cramped in the back seats – not great for normal sized adults or car seats. Basic truck for a modern era that is overrated and overpriced. Unfortunately, Toyota’s quality and reliability was not what it was 10-15 years ago. Too many people are willing to buy them and overpay just because they are “Toyota” You see this with the problems in the new Tundra. While many years were really good and reliable, the 3rd generation has been a disappointment overall from what I have seen and read. Hopefully the 4th generation is a lot better. My Honda Ridgeline was a much better choice for what I needed the truck to do on a day to day basis.
TLDR: buy a manual Tacoma and two of these problems won’t exist. You won’t regret your Tacoma and will have a better overall experience with it. Full length: I’ll agree partially with the bad MPG. Came from a tuned FA20 WRX getting 30mph highway. However, smaller tank higher gas price vs bigger tank lower gas price equaled out. I’m paying the same amount of money for gas on my Tacoma as I did on my WRX which is was genuinely surprised to find out. I’ve got a soft topper on my Tacoma now and that gained me 2mpg which was awesome. As far as the other two points go they’re irrelevant if you have a manual! I have a 19 TRD-OR 6MT. The manuals have better gearing with 4.30s vs the auto’s 3.93s. The lower gearing helps with mechanical torque and “quicker” acceleration which adds to the “slouch” of an engine they have in it. I’ve test driven the automatic as well as driven a friends and they do feel like absolute turds. My truck is still faster on 33MTs than my friends stock auto of the same trim and one year newer. Driving my Tacoma just feels like I’m driving a truck, not too fast and not too slow. The best part about the Tacoma is that Toyota still offers a manual. People like me didn’t even consider the competition for that simple reason. I’d never buy a Ranger, Colorado, or Frontier. I’d definitely regret buying any of those or an auto Tacoma for sure though.
Mine is the 6-speed manual transmission TRD off-road. Not perfect but for me it’s perfect. Garaged kept so hopefully it’ll stay nice over the years. & Yes ⛽ mileage sucks! My buddy’s 5.3 Sierra lifted 6″ only 2-3mpg difference between his truck & mine mine is stock! I think I’m going to tune the ECU better mileage & better power
Thank You for your honesty about the truck. I have heard of everything you described as some of the regrets after some of my friends have bought theirs. I’m currently in the market for one but I’m not sure if I can deal with the transmission hunting for a gear. I can deal with just about everything else. However, I do feel later down the road the 2021-2023 will be sought after due to the new 2024. With the 2024 having a brand new turbo engine in it I feel they will have some major issues with it for quite some time. That’s the only reason I’m looking at at 2023. Thanks again for the great article.
2:20 I was about to say… Why do you care for speed or anything on a truck… but you beat me to it… HAHA… It’s like complaining about buying a Tracktor and saying “Man this engin sucks so sluggish and slow”… with 15-120 hp… I am actually wanting to buy Taco and i don’t care for speed, i actually drive speed limit and don’t react to any aggressive drives… that’s how things go from bad to worse…! Just let them speed thru… I will see them on the next red light and usually smile to them and nod. ! You can’t go anywhere on streets… I will catch up to you going 40 on 35, then you going 50, the next red light 😉 SEE YA then! Be careful driving! P.S: bunch of regular joes wanna be F1 or Rally drivers… tsk tsk tsk…
My Tacoma was a little bit on the sluggish side but more so was very uncomfortable for long road trips. The seating position is pretty bad for most people especially if you have any kind of back issues your back will be hurting you on a long road trips headroom in poor too. I also experienced a lot of interior rattle with my Tacoma, took it in several times but they could never quite figure out where all this rattling was coming from under the dash and headliner areas so I could never drive with the radio off the interior noise was to bothersome. I sold my tacoma and have a ridgeline now the ground clearance isn’t good but way better in all other areas.
Love my Tacoma and when I enter the highway I hit the gas and my Tacoma takes off like a rocket, when I pass some one I just slide shifter over to standard shift and it drops back to 4th and make it peppy to pass with ease, gas mileage isn’t the greatest around town but on the highway I get around 9L per 100km, it really depend how heavy a foot driver you are and I baby it to get good mileage, they really hold their value because there a great dependable truck
I’ve got a 2016 and this review is spot on! Except- I don’t have any issues with my white paint yet. One thing he failed to mention is the minimally adjustable drivers seat in the older Tacoma’s. There is minimal headroom, especially if your truck has a sun roof, and since you can’t lower the seat it makes getting in and out “interesting” so you don’t knock your head. I’m only 5′ 10″ and still find my short hair rubbing against the headliner and side bolster. VERY annoying. Also, think long and hard about having only a 5′ long bed.
I am happy and relieved to report that I have not experienced any of these issues with my new-to-me 2021 TRD Pro. Coming from 13 years driving my 2000 Ford F150 Triton V8 that still has LOTS of get-up-&-git-r-done power, I am quite impressed with the power in this V6. I spent 6 hours on the road yesterday driving from Atl to Jackson, MS and 3 hours the day before from Knoxville to Atl, and the gas mileage has been better than expected at 17.9 mpg. Acceleration has been great! I even chirped the tires when I merged into traffic at one exit!! 🤭 Didn’t expect that!! Plus, there are no issues with transmission selecting gears. It rode smooth as silk, gear changes were barely noticeable, and pick up is great!! I’m pleased as punch and lovin’ this Tacoma! I will say, though, that going from a zero technology truck to this technological overload has been quite an overwhelming transition. 🤯😵💫😬🤪😭 ha!
I purchased a ’22 OR MT in Lunar Rock. MT takes care of the transmission issues. I don’t like a computer shifting gears; I like to drive my truck. AND to think you pay extra for that automatic garbage. Traded in my ’07 OR MT with 102K miles for 18K. I paid 31K for it January 2007. Basically I paid 13K to use my Tacoma for 15 years. Not one issue. My first car was a 5-speed 1984 corolla with the flip up headlights. Here I am 40 years later, and I have never had a Toyota in the shop. . .EVER.
You are dead on your observations. I currently have a 2019 TRD Pro Tacoma in white (no paint issues). I would add two additional items: headlights and seats. The headlights are absolutely scary at night and the drivers seat is good for about a two hour maximum trip before your back is screaming. These are the items having me looking to trade for a full size truck.
I’m 6 feet, 2 inches tall and I’ve been driving a 2008 Tacoma access cab for five years and I have no real difficulty with it, except it’s two-wheel-drive and I have moved to an area with snowy winters. I just ordered a 2023 Tacoma TRD Off-road quad cab with a long bed and I plan to drive it for the next 15 to 20 years. I did a lot of research and the dependability and reliability of the Toyota brand outweighed other considerations. I know going in that it isn’t great on gas mileage and it’s not a hot rod, but it should fit my needs perfectly, and that’s the key.
Owner of a 2023 SR5 Tacoma V6 (SX Package) 1. Don’t Reget it at all 2. Maybe the last generation with a NA engine 3. Since it not a 4X4 (Extra Weight) MPG are decent getting 20 to 22 mpg (Freeway) 4. Only flaws the truck come with, the front bumpers are not painted right. I had to call Corporate Toyota because the dealer didn’t want to help me, only when Daddy Toyota step in that when the dealer fixed my front bumper. 5. True about MPG this is a truck is not electric or Hybrid don’t expect Corolla mpg’s. 6. Reliability is a major factor in buying a Tacoma. F-150 and Silverado’s actually have reliability issues and Ram is expensive (Debatable Topic).
I’m 59 years old. I bought a piece of crap 2015 Chevy Silverado brand new off the showroom floor. At 100 thousand miles the engine blew due to lifter failure because of the active fuel management system. After getting the new engine installed I drove it straight to the Toyota dealer and bought a 2023 tacoma. I will put that Tacoma up against any american-made piece of crap on the market. The 6 cylinder engine in the Tacoma is one of the most reliable engines ever built. The majority of the complaints you are getting and hearing about are from people that are very young and realized they should have went out and bought a sports car instead of a pickup truck. Show me another vehicle that can go 4 to 500,000 me with regular maintenance and I will kiss your ass in front of the Walmart of your choice, and give you a half an hour to draw a crowd.
I don’t understand what you are doing with your truck anymore? it seems you are just pushing free merchandise now. Why new wheels if still 16″? they aren’t any better looking and you don’t seem to take it off road. Now that you tuned it you kinda blew it for testing out actual benefits of some things I was hoping you would try: ignition coil pack, cold air intake and pedal commander. Might have helped with all the crying here about its performance? otherwise had been enjoying your website, got same truck.
Nailed it.. I had a 19 TRD Sport with 33s, 3″ lift and factory performance exhaust. Driving in town was no big deal. Hwy driving with cruise control was a nightmare. Even on flat grades the transmission was constantly hunting gears. With the performance exhaust, the noise level in the interior was ridiculous. Gas mileage varied between 14/15 tops. Switch to off-road driving and the truck was fairly capable but nowhere close to my previous Jeep JK Rubicon. BTW the JK was getting 18/19 mpg with 35s. I will say that driving the Taco at highway speeds required less driving input, but the seat positioning was designed for an Oompah Loompa. Ultimately I traded the Taco for a 2022 Gladiator Rubicon because the transmission issues were too much. I will say the overall dependability of the Taco was great, but the driving experience not so much. The JT is a totally much better experience both on/off road. There is now a fix for the “Jeep wander” on the highway made by American Iron off-road called the ball joint delete. Even with running a 2.5″ Terraflex lift and 37s, the steering is fast, tight and responsive. Mpg with the eco-diesel is 23/24 even with running 37s and 4.88 gears. No shifting issues as the 8 speed transmission is light years ahead of the Taco. Reliability is still yet to be seen, but so far, I couldn’t be happier with the JT. As a side note, the hands free Bluetooth in both the Taco and my previous 4Runner sucks. Constant loss of connectivity and noise during conversations.
This truck/car is built for economy not performance. So the sluggish, gas hogging issue of this vehicle is what it is. But for the transmission at least you can get that so called gear hunting situation under control. That’s worth looking into but all in all this vehicle is reliable. so expect a slow easy Sunday morning drive every day with this truck/car.
I own a 23 4×2 TRD OR V6. I do wish it had more acceleration but it’s liveable. My commute is 5.1 miles one way in half country, half city setting and I only avg 16 mpg at best. On freeways I can get 20-22. But, it’s a gorgeous truck, drives like a truck should, and will last forever. I’m happy with it.
I have one on order, mpg is a little bit of a concern, but I work from home and only plan to use the truck for the weekends. I also currently drive a crosstrek, so I know all about gutless performance and wierd cvt shifting, so in that regard, the tacoma will be an improvement. however, the crosstrek does get excellent MPG.
Coming from a 4 cylinder with a CVT, the Tacoma is 1000x better, I know there’s complaints about hunting gears and lack of power, but it feels like I can actually merge onto the highway without taking a lifetime to do it, granted the gas mileage is slightly worse, but I fully expected that switching from a crossover to a mid sized truck, granted, I have been looking into possibly tuning the truck and making some other modifications, but in its stock form, especially from what I had before, it’s a massive improvement
its all about reliability and resale value for me. Like anything it could be better, but that is what aftermarket option are good for, example is a sprint booster for my 2022 TRD Sport. Inexpensive and makes a difference on with multiple options. I traded a 2013 Tacoma for this one, nothing but basic maint cost for those years and got a great trade in price.
I agree with all that was said here and to add I hate how little space there is in the cab. I loved the idea of a Tacoma until I bought mine in December. Over the last 8 months all the little things have grown into larger things for me. I have a 23 TRD OR 4×4. Already looking to move back to a full size truck. I originally purchased the Tacoma because I didn’t’ want to spend 60k on a full size. Now I wish I just bought what I wanted. The engine feels underpowered. I hate how it shifts driving around town. Seems like it hunts for gears even in town. MPG doesn’t bother me so much but as he said you get the same mpg as full size with none of the power. The F150 ecoboost gets little better than the Tacoma. Towing my boat sucks with the Tacoma. I also miss the space I have inside a full size and so do the kids in the back seat. The seats are small in the Tacoma and not the most comfortable. Unfortunately I’ll have to wait a little longer to trade it for a full size.
The only Tacoma I would regret buying is the 3rd and 4th gen.. because it’s too expensive.. the 2024 looks lovely.. but it isn’t a truck you own and you say to yourself this was worth $50k.. over a years worth of work after you pay taxes.. 2024 four cylinder turbo that red lines at 5400 rpm’s (and it sounds like four cylinder.. yeah.. no way around it) and gives you 18-21mpg with a gas tank that only holds 18gallons.. you’re gonna be getting gas at like 300 miles or less. There is too much to say here.. the cost.. it hurts too much even if it lasts a long time… the warranty offers suck..
I have a 2013 Tacoma TRD 4×4 Double Cab V6 with 75000 miles and it still runs perfect. I’ve changed fluids, filters, shocks and tires and it is still as good as the day I bought it. There is no way I would go to the dealer, bend over, and let them stick it in for the price of a new one even though I could pay cash for one. No way am I playing the game anymore.
I need a truck to haul stuff, and my trusty Tacoma does it with no problem. On highway I usually pass other vehicles. I have no problem catching up the speed. It doesn’t have all the new gizmos or latest tech and I love that. 335k miles and still going strong with no major issues. When I need a vehicle for easier maneuver, I take out my Honda Accord. When I want comfort and driving dynamics and the latest tech and luxury, I take out my BMW SUV. I have no issues with my Tacoma, because I know it’s a truck, a mid sized truck, and I also know its limits and advantages.
OK!!! A HEADS UP PEOPLE 07 tacoma 2.7L There is a tube that runs from the side of the thermostat housing, between the engine block and intake manifold, to the back of the engine, it splits in 2, 1 for the heater core, and 1 to the throtal body as a pre warmer.. (ITS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC) 🤔😤 So Yea it ran HOT, BAD HOT!!! And that was at 150000 I hope many people read my comment!!!!! Its been down hill ever sents!!!! I had a 99, sold it with 300000 and it ran good as new!!! Why would a company so this?!?!
I’m 5’3 & yep a lady.. that being said.. I’m fixing to buy a 2023 Tacoma off-road truck. I’ve owned several muscle cars & had my fair share of vehicles.. I’m getting ready to trade in my 21 Jeep Wrangler diesel in for a Tacoma.. sounds crazy right?? Yeah I don’t like the $865mo payment 😅😅😅🤷🏻♀️.. anyways I live up north where it snows… & I’ve heard the 23 & newer V6 is way better than the 22 & older… Idk tho
MAKE THE TRUCK LIGHTER….. I had an 1983 4 cylinder, 4 wd, standard shift, Beautiful, black Toyota pick up. Loved that truck and how it looked. The girls liked it. It was small and LIGHT WEIGHT. Low profile, looked fast. It was great in deep snow. 4 WD and light weight, it would ride up on the snow, instead of digging in. Put a cap over the back and rigged a couple storage boxes in the back rear and 2 dogs. Great for camping, we could sleep in the back in foul weather. Took off on a Yellow stone tent camping trip the first week I owned it. Ignored the 500 mile break in routine. Towed a pop up camper and went camping/vacation all over with two Dalmatians in the back. Even camped in Vegas. Went down the west coast. Parallel parked (with the pop-up in tow) on a steep slope near down town San Francisco. Try that at night. Met a lot of fun people (newly weds even invited us home)…. So many stories. Kept a journal along the trip. Fun to read it again so many years later……. Even went 4 wheeling in the back country. Bought a gold panning kit and went prospecting. Late night parties at the camp grounds with people mostly from the midwest, drinking “Yellow Stone whiskey”. Never had any serious problems So many stories….
From what you’re describing, you want a V8 Tundra. You’re willing to sacrifice MPG for the power. If you want power, get the V8 Tunda (before they remove the V8’s like all the other car companies). The tacoma has always been V6 or V4 and it’s the lightest duty truck of all trucks. I have an older V6 Camry, love it’s power. But I know I’m only using it on streets, not highways and I like to drive fast. So I’m never going to get over 20MPG like I would if I got a 4 cylinder Camry or drove strictly highway or drive really slow. At my old job, we had an older V8 Tundra, lots of power but it got like 8-12 MPG and were being phased out. So your 16-20mpg is very on par with a V6 Camry that is heavier with a truckbed. Compare it to other light duty trucks like the Ford Ranger, are you really getting better MPG? Not really, it’s pretty much the same and since you admit to being a lead foot, you’re going to get worse than the stated MPG. The tacoma will more than likely outlast the ford ranger. Tacoma will keep it’s value way better.
I could be happier with my 22 4×4 OR. The seat is another story. Not the seat per say but the positioning and the angle. The seat jackers were a life saver for me. Sucks you have to pay for these after buying a 40k truck but they are well worth it depending on your height. As far as the transmission gear hunting issue, that was resolved before 22. I believe it was fixed in 18 but regardless, a software install can resolve that. It’s not a bad transmission or anything serious. As far as engine power goes, there is more than enough for me.
My sister bought a 22 taco brand new…i can’t believe how crappy it feels for $45k. The engine has no low down torque, the trans is garbage, the mpg is garbage, it’s cramped inside, it’s cheap inside- feels like a corolla. I’d buy a mint 2013-2015 2nd gen over the 3rd gen. Or buy a Ridgeline or a full size truck. Or better yet, buy a used Lexus SUV.
Why does everything have to be a God damned production? 1) Low power/towing ability. 2) Poor transmission tuning from the factory 3) Poor gas mileage Done. As far as the gas mileage is concerned, what braniac buys a TRUCK for gas mileage? No truck I’m aware of gets even decent mileage, in fact the 4cyl Tacoma gets just as poor of mileage at 17/22.
I owned a 2023 Off Road and the Overland torque tune did wonders for the engine and the ECT button became the sport mode. It still gear hunted on the highway but got about 19 mpg in the city. Now get ready…I have a 2024 and it solves all those issues. More torque at lower rpm, 8 speed AT, better ride etc and the tech brings it into the 2020’s. At least when you sell it you will get a good price!
Owning a domestic full size and lifting etc isn’t any better. Want with a modest 3.5″ lift + all supporting mods + 35″ MT’s and my mpg went from 19avg to 12-14avg Even with Speedo recalibration. Also my AC went out at 50kmiles… I’m actually planning on trading for a taco because it doesn’t really need any mods at all to do what I want to do off-road
Skimming though the posts, it seems a lot of people are oblivious to all the Gens, drive trains and models. There are comments like my ’96 has never had a problem or my ‘2010, 2021, etc. Maybe you should be clearer that you are talking about the 2021-2023. model years, and their options, which are significantly different than past models.
My only major gripe with the tacoma (06 4cyl 5mt A/C 4×4) The seat postion. My god i hate it. Seat jackers are a MUST for 99.9% of drivers. You will thank me later. Also, the clutch pedal and pedals in general just feel weird. The distance from seat to pedal and then from seat to wheel is just a wonky semi uncomfortable setup w/o seat jackers. Otherwise, i gripe about Toyotas really lackluster leaf springs. They squat too easy. Very good trucks tho. I recommended a long term test drive for new taco enthusiasts.
Tires and other add ons will effect any truck my slt 1500 6.2 would get 23 or btter best was 25.3, but you would have thought I was plowing a feild. Combined 19 / 21 then change to full off road tire milage down then 4wheel dirve milage down so that the life of driving a truck . I’m not a car guy. Im in a v6 tocoma as of a mouth ago and my biggest problem is room old man and little truck is different but, im living with it.
OK Hotrod, So what I’ve taken home from this article is that you’re into trucks. Cool. However, it blatantly apparent you spend big money on needless bigger rig’s you don’t/won’t actually use. Your article looks to be filmed in a pert-near ghetto direction neighborhood at your mom’s house in the L.A. suburbs. And I disagree with your opinion. We can still be friends down the trail.
Keep in mind, the low power is there for a reason. That reason is so the entire build can be light weight. If you up the horse power, you will loose the whole reason people like the Taco’s and 4 runners, The nibble and light weight is what you get for a great off-roader. It glides across sticky mud like it wasn’t ever there. If you power up the motor, you have to add to everything, the frame, suspension, the front and rear differentials Everything you do adds significant weight. that would move the Tacoma into the Midsize truck category. I personally don’t like the road power, But I bought mine to go out and play in the woods, the creek, and get use of the coolest factory off-road ready truck.
Even though I’m perusal this article a year late. Tacoma is a light duty/pleasure truck. Your personal homework for buying a vehicle of any kind should include what you want it for, how you’re going to use the vehicle and is it practical. I could tell by your description of dislikes that you are not a good driver. Personally I never have to ” floor it” so to speak to pass any other vehicle. Tacoma ( toyotas in general) are built to last. I bought a Tacoma for that reason alone. It does all the light duty work I expect out of a truck this size. As far as the transmission; it a learning transmission. Meaning it adapts to consistent driving habits; not erratic driving. Learn to drive safe, consistent and with courtesy.