Tim's Tacoma Review

[Beninbeta]

You have some decent thoughts @testerdahl , but again I disagree on the pricing bit. The Lariat Ranger is very close to that same price and the one you had also had the SDM which you cannot get on either Ranger or ZR2. When you take that off the prices are similar between all three top optioned vehicles. The ZR2 has the best included accessories for the price for sure.

The Ranger Raptor is the best valued halo mid-sizer and mid-sized truck in general. The ZR2 Bison is the same cost as the TRD Pro at around 65K.

Having driven both the cloth and softex seats in the Tacoma, the cloth seats are more comfortable, less stiff, which is probably why you didn't have an issue with them on the first drive. I think they had cloth seats in the Off-Road models for testing.

If you look at the mid spec trucks, they are all pretty close with the Colorado having the least features, but lowest price and the Ford having the best value for the money. But they are all really close price wise.

Toyota's software, especially for the driver display could definitely be better, as you said. I really like that big display especially for going off-road and parking. I was kind of disappointed, Tim, that you didn't take on some trails somewhere and show off the SDM. You'd have been one of the first to do that and give your thoughts on if it was a worth while upgrade at 1200.

Anyway most of the other stuff is just personal opinion. Everything is really expensive, and I do think those top tier trucks, Trailhunter, Pro, and Bison are crazy expensive.

Just my thoughts and thanks for sharing! BTW did you have any issues with wireless Carplay, Android Auto wireless is terrible?

 

[testerdahl]

You have some decent thoughts @testerdahl , but again I disagree on the pricing bit. The Lariat Ranger is very close to that same price and the one you had also had the SDM which you cannot get on either Ranger or ZR2. When you take that off the prices are similar between all three top optioned vehicles. The ZR2 has the best included accessories for the price for sure.

The Ranger Raptor is the best valued halo mid-sizer and mid-sized truck in general. The ZR2 Bison is the same cost as the TRD Pro at around 65K.

Having driven both the cloth and softex seats in the Tacoma, the cloth seats are more comfortable, less stiff, which is probably why you didn't have an issue with them on the first drive. I think they had cloth seats in the Off-Road models for testing.

If you look at the mid spec trucks, they are all pretty close with the Colorado having the least features, but lowest price and the Ford having the best value for the money. But they are all really close price wise.

Toyota's software, especially for the driver display could definitely be better, as you said. I really like that big display especially for going off-road and parking. I was kind of disappointed, Tim, that you didn't take on some trails somewhere and show off the SDM. You'd have been one of the first to do that and give your thoughts on if it was a worth while upgrade at 1200.

Anyway most of the other stuff is just personal opinion. Everything is really expensive, and I do think those top tier trucks, Trailhunter, Pro, and Bison are crazy expensive.

Just my thoughts and thanks for sharing! BTW did you have any issues with wireless Carplay, Android Auto wireless is terrible?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I didn't have any issues with the wireless Carplay.

I did get an email from Toyota and apparently you can make the MPH bigger. I'm going to look into that one.

 

[Beninbeta]

If you don't have access to the truck let me know how that works, and I can make a video on it too. We can collaborate on that one.

 

[testerdahl]

If you don't have access to the truck let me know how that works, and I can make a video on it too. We can collaborate on that one.

I'm going to see the Tacoma again in two weeks in Denver. Thanks though.

 

[Beninbeta]

The Raptor is $57,000 not $55K with destination and the one you tested was over $58K. Thats being said the Ranger is the best deal of all of the mid-size trucks you drove in Wisconsin.

 

[testerdahl]

The Raptor is $57,000 not $55K with destination and the one you tested was over $58K. Thats being said the Ranger is the best deal of all of the mid-size trucks you drove in Wisconsin.
View attachment 485

I took the price from the vehicle’s sticker.

 

[Dusdaddy]

I took the price from the vehicle’s sticker.

I thought that odd too when you threw up the graphic while in the Raptor. You had just finished saying the Raptor was $55k and then graphic pops up saying the MSRP is $59K. I just figured you misspoke.

 

[Fightnfire]

I just watched this video as I was on the road most of last week for work. I agree with a lot of Tim's points specifically on the back seat and pricing structure.

The sway bar disconnect is a cool feature and I'm glad Toyota did they needed something, it but I feel like more people would choose to have a front locker instead of a sway bar disconnect. There's some really great videos out there about the effectiveness of sway bar disconnects as a whole and the takeaway seems to be it's up in the air as to how much of an effect they actually have. Negligible.

As for the pricing, I just think it's inexcusable to have a mid-tier Tacoma higher priced than a ZR2 Colorado, or similar price as the GMC AT4X. Yes, you can price up a lariat into that range, still quite a bit less for Max towing technology and FX4 pack at 51K, but you're getting a lot of features and better interior space. More capability all the way around with the ZR2/AT4X. If people are shopping for a top end midsize the Ranger Raptor is in that price range and probably doable for people looking at a 55k Tacoma. 63+ is a whole other level for the Pro/TH.

The styling is great but too many misses where it really counts. Capability, interior, infotainment and screens, price etc.

 

[Dusdaddy]

I was surprised how Tim had such good legroom in the Taco this time. So many people bad mouth it, but it really didn't look that bad compared to the other two. Which I still don't care about because they are all close enough to each other that it doesn't matter as much. There are many more important features that take precedence.

 

[testerdahl]

I was surprised how Tim had such good legroom in the Taco this time. So many people bad mouth it, but it really didn't look that bad compared to the other two. Which I still don't care about because they are all close enough to each other that it doesn't matter as much. There are many more important features that take precedence.

It's funny you brought that up. I think I'm giving mixed signals on it. I was editing that and thinking about the Tacoma why I didn't buy it video the day before. In that other video, I had my son behind me I gave him more room than I gave myself in the other video. Just a parenting thing I guess.

 

[Fightnfire]

I was surprised how Tim had such good legroom in the Taco this time. So many people bad mouth it, but it really didn't look that bad compared to the other two. Which I still don't care about because they are all close enough to each other that it doesn't matter as much. There are many more important features that take precedence.

You think so? It seems like watching people get in the Ranger it's noticably more room than the Tacoma and Colorado/Canyon. If you're a parent with kids that matters a lot, or it did to me.

 

[Dusdaddy]

Yep. I did when my kid was young, but an inch one way or the other did not affect my overall decision. I chose a quad cab over the crew. Made tons of long trips and it was fine. If it was all about rear legroom, then Jeep and Honda win hands down. But other things need to be looked at as well.

 

[All Terrain Nation]

The new Tacoma is a big miss for Toyota. The truck is very underpowered verses the rest of the offerings and in most cases 8-15% more
After driving the TRD Offroad I was very let down with it.

 

[Fightnfire]

The new Tacoma is a big miss for Toyota. The truck is very underpowered verses the rest of the offerings and in most cases 8-15% more
After driving the TRD Offroad I was very let down with it.

Dave, elaborate for us. I watched the video and I'm confused. In the video you say the power is fine, gave it pretty high scores on everything except interior. You said the price is fine and where you expect it to be, mid '50s. I expected the end of the video to have concluding thoughts to match what you're saying here but I didn't see it? If I just watch the video I would walk away thinking you're pretty high on the Tacoma.

 

[All Terrain Nation]

The truck in this off road setting was fine.. On road which you do not see is where I noticed the lack of get up and go. Yes in the video I did say it’s a nice truck which it is but after driving all three that day I feel like the truck is underwhelming.

 

[TheDo114]

Dave, elaborate for us. I watched the video and I'm confused. In the video you say the power is fine, gave it pretty high scores on everything except interior. You said the price is fine and where you expect it to be, mid '50s. I expected the end of the video to have concluding thoughts to match what you're saying here but I didn't see it? If I just watch the video I would walk away thinking you're pretty high on the Tacoma.

Actually just finish watching the video and watched your live-stream about this event and came away confuse as well. In the Tacoma video you seem to think the truck is good and maybe a little overpriced, but in the live-stream it came off very negative. But overall, I agree with the points you made in the live-stream. I test drove one and I was not impress, especially with the prices up here in Canada. The truck you tested is more than 65 000$ before taxes and financing. After everything it comes out to 75 000$ financed at 7.29% over 7 years...

 

[Beninbeta]

I wish Ford hadn't bungled the launch of the Ranger so badly. I would really have liked to have driven it before we made a decision, but they missed there original launch date by 6 months.

That's being said I'm still very happy with the Tacoma and as a non reviewer, more normal consumer, I don't feel it's underpowered at all on the highway.

I have passed people fully loaded on two lanes without any issues at 8000+ ft of elevation. That's good enough for me.

But is still feel like pretty much all of the midsizers are really solid and anyone who purchases one if, it's the size is right for their needs, will be happy with what they bought.

 

[All Terrain Nation]

Actually just finish watching the video and watched your live-stream about this event and came away confuse as well. In the Tacoma video you seem to think the truck is good and maybe a little overpriced, but in the live-stream it came off very negative. But overall, I agree with the points you made in the live-stream. I test drove one and I was not impress, especially with the prices up here in Canada. The truck you tested is more than 65 000$ before taxes and financing. After everything it comes out to 75 000$ financed at 7.29% over 7

Actually just finish watching the video and watched your live-stream about this event and came away confuse as well. In the Tacoma video you seem to think the truck is good and maybe a little overpriced, but in the live-stream it came off very negative. But overall, I agree with the points you made in the live-stream. I test drove one and I was not impress, especially with the prices up here in Canada. The truck you tested is more than 65 000$ before taxes and financing. After everything it comes out to 75 000$ financed at 7.29% over 7 years...

Yeah I get.. I wish I had done somethings different in that video but we had 30 minutes with it and the truck came off nice off road. On road it’s a different story.. I’m sure driving my Raptor daily skewed on horsepower.

 

[TheDo114]

Yeah I get.. I wish I had done somethings different in that video but we had 30 minutes with it and the truck came off nice off road. On road it’s a different story.. I’m sure driving my Raptor daily skewed on horsepower.

And that in itself is a valid talking point, for 3k more you can get a raptor with all of that power.

 

[Fightnfire]

The truck in this off road setting was fine.. On road which you do not see is where I noticed the lack of get up and go. Yes in the video I did say it’s a nice truck which it is but after driving all three that day I feel like the truck is underwhelming.

Thanks for clarifying Dave I appreciate it, I'll watch some of the others soon.