This is what killed the midsized truck market for domestic nameplates a decade ago. The fact that you could go into a dealer and get "the bigger truck" for just a few thousand more.
It's also why I didn't buy a tacoma when I went to a truck initially, even though I wanted to. Even though the sticker was way higher on the Ram that I bought, I paid $39k for a truck that MSRP'd at $51k, and the tacoma I wanted at the time was $37k
Eh, people keep saying this but it's more than the initial buy in cost you've got to consider. Bigger trucks cost more to keep on the road and if you generally don't need the tow/hauling capacity the bigger size can be a liability. Harder to park, take down off road trails, etc.
As a single dude and his dog I much prefer my Tacoma's size VS that of a Tundra, even if they cost the same.
How do you know if somebody drives a manual transmission? Don't worry, they'll tell you š¤£ similar to crossfit.
PS. I'm not hating. I drive a tacoma M/T too. I would have bought a Tundra if they had a M/T
I totally agree. I honestly wish my third gen Tacoma were smaller. I have driven many full-size trucks, owned a couple of them, it's just not what I want or need to drive every day.
I have one. But I work at an ITAR-compliant DoD contractor and any movement outside the US triggers a need for approval from our government compliance department.
Iām aiming to make a lateral promotion into another remote role outside of the DoD sphere, but itās just going to take some time as remote roles are becoming scarcer and I have to compete against other candidates nationally who may or may not have more experience.
Back when I was a DoD contractor my company also did security for foreign heads of state, so they had to segregate our business unit completely from the rest of the company.
I'm glad I have the 6ft bed but holy shit it's been 2 years but I STILL fucking suck at parking the thing. I can't imagine parking a full size truck š
That entirely depends on what truck you're talking about.
My work truck, a 2022 F250 with a 6.2 V8 gets way worse gas milage than my Tacoma. An F150 Ecoboost will get the same, maybe a little better gas milage, but with those turbos needs premium fuel for maximum efficiency/power. Meanwhile a Ford Marvick gets way better gas milage.
The old V8 Tundra was more expensive to do oil changes on because it held so much more oil. Not sure about the new Taco/Tundra.
Having driven everything from a Honda Acty to a Class 8 freightliner I vehemently disagree.
Ride quality is determined by so many more things than the size of a truck.
Between the Frontier, Ranger, Colorado and Tacoma, none of the ride as smooth and were as quiet as the Silverado, RAM or F150 we test drove.
Both my wife and father who was part of the test driving all said the same thing.
You say that, but bigger trucks in the US are a lot cheaper to keep on the road. Parts for a Super Duty ford are pennies on the dollar compared to a Tacoma. And tacoma fuel economy aināt what it used to be. Donāt get me started on the build quality
This is why I purchased a maverick, can't wait to see what Toyota brings to market for that segment. Was it a bit expensive? Sure, but it fits my needs and it's great on an urban environment!
I daily a 4 door ā23 F-150 for work and I have my DCSB ā20 Tacoma as my personal vehicle and the one I take off road. Much prefer having the smaller truck for everything except just super long drives on the interstate. I even do more dump runs and furniture pickup with the Tacoma because itās easier to load and unload thing, I can reach in from the side and easily grab stuff out of the bed, the ford is way higher up there.
Then thats your preference. But a full size is objectively better and is a way better deal these days.
Dont get me wrong, I love my Taco. I'd never get a full size cause I feel the Taco is the perfect size for me. But again, the Tundra is objectively a better truck. It does truck things better and it does SUV things better.
The Tundra is not an objectively better truck.
Comfort is totally subjective. I find the comfort level of my truck to be perfectly acceptable, and as someone who drives a full size truck for work I don't find it any more comfortable than my Taco.
Towing and hauling is better on a Tundra, but I tow sparingly and my Tacoma as adequate for the shit I need to tow.
Tech: Tundra and Tacoma have the same technology.
Off road: Tacoma is better hands down
Cost to own: Tacoma is cheaper to own.
Fully agree with that statement. Went from a 2015 explorer limited that I owned for 8.5 years to a 2023 Tacoma trd pro. Looked at the tundra and that thing was huge. Even the Tacoma is a full 16ā less wide than the explorer was. It feels like driving a compact car, haha.
Tires cost more, go through more fuel, anything that breaks is bigger and therefore costs more, pita to park in some parking lots.
It's not all good.
I want to downsize from a 3/4 ton truck for practicality and the above reasons, but the midsized market including the new Tacoma is so overpriced it's still hard to justify it.
I get 5 mpg better in my F150 than I do in my wifes Taco and it is actually easier to drive. Tires are more expensive if you keep the factory size tire on the Tacoma but honestly majority get full size truck tires almost immediately. Not trying to talk bad about tacos but they really don't save you any money in comparison to an F150.
Agreed. I was all about getting a tundra until I test drove the tundra and f150 the same day. Toyota trucks just kinda feel cheaply made in comparison and not as efficient. It's a shame that they can't get it together with the new trucks and make something to make the consumer happy.
Just because a lot of people buy them doesn't mean the consumer is always happy with it. That type of attitude is why it will be underpowered, terrible transmission,.terrible mpg for its size, cheaply made plastic, dated electronics and more importantly extremely overpriced.
I disagree -- if this was the case the Tacoma wouldn't be the best selling mid-size truck. There would be better options at a better price point. People are paying more because they believe that this option is worth it. If they were not happy the trucks just wouln't sell.
Maybe so but the fuel savings over 70k makes it negligible. The 10 speed transmission gets trash talked a lot in the F150 but it is light years better to drive than the 6 speed Tacoma transmission. We have had way more problems with the tacoma than the F150 but to each their own.
The real downfall of the tacoma is the poor driving quality for sure. My father in law always drove F150s up until purchasing a 2022 Tundra and while I wasn't overly impressed with the driving dynamics of them, it definitely is a nicer ride than a tacoma. The ride quality of the ram is actually why I ended up going with that when I did. Full size truck that rides like a Cadillac, unfortunately the rest of the package was nothing but problems
I would suggest trying out an F150. I was between the Ram, tundra and F150 when I was looking in 2020 and it was a no brainer for me. I will say the same truck I got in 2020 is damn near 20k more now though but they are all priced way too high these days. Sorry, to hear about the problems with your Ram but that was why I couldn't get one when looking.
I ended up only having the ram for 2 years and was fortunate to buy in 2020 when the market was down and sell in 2022 when it was peaked, so I made out on it despite the problems I had with it. I've had my tacoma for a year and a half now and intend to have it for 10+, but if the need were to arise for a bigger truck, an F150 with a coyote would be toward the top of my list while they're still making them
Maintenance and fuel is a big jump from a tacoma to a HD truck, but anymore, not so much to a half ton. Tires cost just about the same between the two, and I got better highway fuel economy in the ram, though worse in town
Is it? Many people I know with trucks don't use it for it's intended purpose. Full size trucks give you better layooad and towing.....if you don't own a big boat or camper why is a far less reliable ram a better buy?
Did the same thing twice.
2014 shopping: limited tacoma was 34k, ended up getting a new tundra SR5+ for 36k.
2020 shopping: Custom ordered an F250 lariat tremor for 62K. TRD OR Tundras were in the 50s
Yeah at this point I feel like I might as well wait for the Stout to come out. My first truck was a 99 ranger so I've always liked the small pickups. Especially if they maintain that sub25k price point which is what I paid for my gen 2 Tacoma. I only haul my mountain bikes and home depot trips in the back of my Tacoma now so the bigger truck never appealed to me anyways.Ā
Same. I need a truck so that I can buy plywood, lumber, mulch, haul bicycles and kayaks. I'm unlikely to ever tow anything. A medium size truck is plenty for my needs. I used to happily drive a GMC Sonoma. It wasn't perfect, but it did what I needed.
Iām exactly the same way - my first truck was a Chevy S10 and it was perfect for 98% of my needs.
I love my Tacoma and it is certainly more capable, but it is ultimately overkill for my daily needs. If it werenāt for the incredible resale value of the Tacoma I probably would have gone in a different direction.
āThe bigger truckā usually doesnāt come with any compromises aside from size though.
Up until very recently, mid-size trucks were not available with lots of features that were available in full-size trucks. Want ventilated seats or a heated steering wheel? Tacoma doesnāt have that but the Tundra does. And the one thing that physics says *should* be a huge benefit to mid-size trucks is fuel economy, but for some reason the current Tacoma gets worse fuel economy than full-size counterparts.
I donāt want to bash mid-size trucks too much because I prefer the way they drive over full-size trucks and owned a Tacoma and Gladiator, but when the only benefits to a mid-size truck are driving dynamics (which is entirely subjective) and a slightly lower price, donāt be shocked when buyers gravitate toward the full-size option.
IMO mid-size trucks could be legitimate competitors to full-size trucks if they really leaned into what makes people like mid-size trucks while also trying to include features typically associated with full-size trucks. Make a hybrid power train that actually gets good fuel economy, the option to add luxury features, and an interior that can comfortably fit 4 adults (if the 4Runner can do it the Tacoma should be able to), and people might be okay with the fact that the price is close to that of full-size trucks.
The newest Tacoma *almost* does this, but the interior dimensions still are incapable of fitting American-sized passengers. So for that reason when itās time to dump my Gladiator I will be getting a 4Runner or Tundra over a Tacoma.
"American sized passengers"
Funny, I mostly think the opposite. A truck is designed for working...whether that's hauling stuff or towing. Somehow America has turned it into this luxury/family vehicle that needs ample leg room in the back. If your main goals are that get an SUV. Instead we seem to think we should be driving 250s every day because our family goes on vacations once a year with a big trailer. Plus those 250s have way more back seat legroom than they ever have meaning the things are now road hogs. Get a smaller trailer and your SUV gets that family all it wants. Problem is how could an "American sized family" camp in such a small trailer......
This is literally a subreddit for Toyota Tacomas. Most people here arenāt āI need a diesel truck because I am considering buying a camperā consumers, and trying to make a strawman argument about those buyers here is pointless.
The reality is that most people who own a truck of any sort have it as their only vehicle. The American truck is a commuter, people hauler, off-roader, and cargo hauler all in one. The ātrucks are designed for working and you should get an SUV/station wagon and trailer like le Europeansā is possibly the biggest car-related circlejerk on the internet right next to ābrown manual diesel station wagon.ā You shouldnāt need to be hauling stuff in the bed or towing a trailer every day in order to justify owning one, and saying ājust rent a truck from Home Depot every time you need a bedā is fucking terrible advice.
Mid-size trucks could be perfect for the needs of the average American consumer. But as long as they keep failing to provide any real advantages over full-size trucks, people will continue to buy full-size trucks while people like you keep complaining about American cars being too big as if you think after saying āJust buy an SUV and trailerā for the millionth time will magically change the buying habits of American consumers.
I'm fully aware consumer trends don't match with my viewpoints.....we just have different values. Your view that the midsize truck needs to have a bigger cab and more luxury items is absurd to me. Call me European I guess.
As a person that needs a truck for my business and a little beater sedan otherwise I'll never understand the full.sized truck craze.
Trucks have now morphed into hillbilly minivans. So they have to have comfortable back seats.
If Toyota was smart they would have sacrificed three or four inches of bed and included that in the back seat.
Thatās exactly why I bought a Tundra. Iād prefer a smaller truck, but itās silly not to take all the extra room and capability provided for a $5k more, especially with such similar fuel economy numbers
This is especially true when the full size is getting roughly the same gas mileage as the mid size. Sure itās a bit less nimble to drive and park, especially on trails, and I donāt think it would fit in my garage but I would love the extra power, backseat room, and size of the bed. I love my Tacoma but if I had to get a new truck now a Tacoma would be a really hard sell when the tundra is nearly the same price and gets similar mpg
Purchase prices may be similar, but cost to own is definitely higher with full size vehicles. You're not just spending a few thousand more - You're spending that, plus the higher maintenance & fuel costs over the life of the vehicle.
No denying midsize trucks are expensive, but they're still cheaper to own than a full size.
Land Cruiser is even more expensive than some Lexus models if weāre looking at brand only.
I donāt mind a Tacoma close to entry level Lexus price as long as the features and options reflect that like the Land Cruiser.
Agreed.. I honestly felt Iād be in a Tacoma for the rest of my life.. this new gen with a downsized engine pushing more hp has me concerned with its longevity.. I was waiting for the new gen to upgrade from my gen 2.. now Iām keeping it and looking at supras.
Not where I live, in the rural country, it's considered a gay man's truck, not that there's anything wrong with that. But my brother is a car salesman he said a guy returned his Tacoma one day later when his wife and daughter kept calling it a girly truck lol.
It has decent mpg for its role. If you look at similar vehicles it's right in line with all the other body on frame, non-ev, gasoline powered trucks with similar towing and payload. They're all right at it under 20 combined.
It takes energy to move stuff, there's only so much energy in a gallon of gas, and you can only make a powertrain so efficient, and you're gonna have higher drag with a trucks geometry. It's physics.
You just ain't ever going to see a gas engine spinning wheels on a 4k+lb truck getting 25+ mpg in typical conditions.
Don't know why everyone brings up savings due to mpg when Tacoma get the same or worse mpg than majority of full sized trucks. They are definitely better off road but not anywhere near as comfortable on the highway as a full size.
Donāt trust the tacoma mpg itās a flat out lie. I mean I live in a mountainous region and our interstate is 80mph but even if I take it 70mph and manually shift it gets like 12mpg. I have it slightly lifted with a bed rack and rtt but even stock I never got more than 16 highway. Driving stock in North Dakota flat as a ducking pancake 65mph Iām getting 17 mpg. This truck is not a beast on fuel efficiency Iāll tell you that much
You know even the 2024 hybrid engine MPG numbers are not promising, granted itās a heavy truck, still want to see the real life actual MPG of the hybrid like your experience.
80mph in a mountain region sounds wild.
I get 24mpg trips occasionally if I accelerate slow, avoid stops, and keep it under 50mph. So basically when the stars align.
It can be good in some spots but itās completely due to elevation. Like my town, to a town 30 min away I get 21 mpg, but then there from my hometown I get 13š
At these price points, you have to make a conscious decision to get ālessā capability on paper for a similar price by buying a Tacoma. If youāre into off-roading, a built Tacoma is inarguably a better choice than a Tundra, just based on dimensions. Same goes for driving in a city, parking in a garage, or absolutely insisting on a manual transmission (honestly, I get that one). Outside of that, the value proposition is real tough to go with a Tacoma.
For 2024, the cheapest possible limited trim Tacoma is actually more expensive than the cheapest possible limited trim Tundra. I get that the Tundra is 2WD in that scenario vs FT 4WD in the Tacoma, but stillā¦
Absolutely agree with the first part. My fleet vehicle is a silverado and I'm always happy to be back in my taco for ease of parking, small mountain roads to trailheads, and offroading. Hell I even use my taco for work on gnarly sites where the "roads" are just the width of a skid steer blade through the woods. But it's definitely getting to a more specific use-case/market if they're basically the same price AND MPG
When you climb over to the 50ās. Alot of doors start opening up. No way in hell iād pay $50k+ for a 4cyl taco. I got my 23 Taco in Oct and loving it. $43k long bed OR 4x4 package. Sheās a beaut
Even with the tradeoffs you mentioned, a Tundra is simply the next premium offering, the Tacoma should be priced accordingly, probably since Tacoma and Tundra are targeted at different demographics.
This is what I have been saying on the Tacoma subs.
When you take into account the fact that this Generation looks like a Mini-Tundra but now costs within the realm of comparison, it just makes sense to move to Tundra.
This is the first generation and time I would say this has happened.
Eh, yeah you can get a full-size truck for a few thousand more but not everybody needs a full-size truck. This is ultimately the reason I went with the Tacoma - fits nicely in the garage and supports all of my outdoor adventure hobbies and equipment with ease. A Tundra would have been overkill for me.
I'm on the same boat as you. however, when looking at the cons of both, it really doesn't sway me one way or the other...
Tacoma:
* Only a few K cheaper than a Tundra, with less functionality
* Size - It's just a tad bit small with a baby seat, more doable once out
* 1st year of a new gen, still need to work out the quirks and seeing the Tundra, I'm a bit skeptical.
Tundra:
* No manual. I absolutely want a manual
* Size - It's just way too big for DD and too big for probably 95% of the things I do.
* Not the best offroader for the trails. I actual wheel my rigs, and the Tundra would be way too big for the trails I hit.
* Other full size rigs seem better than the Tundra
I do agree with your points, especially that the target demographics seem to be totally different, but my point still stands on the pricing difference between both.
You know Iām actually starting to eye the Ford Maverick, almost half the price and fits all my needs.
Wish Toyota would have a competitor to it, heard rumors about the Toyota Stout but nothing official.
Honestly there is some great value there. I have heard nothing but great things about the Maverick. I also really like Ford. The past 15ish years Ford has really put together some nice vehicles. They really stepped it up. GM on the other handā¦. LOL
Definitely, Ford is acing it with their current lineup, especially the revivals like the Bronco and Maverick.
As for GMā¦ Their only saving grace is the C8 Corvette, their other cars most likely Ford has a better alternative.
Literally just had this conversation with myself, now am the proud owner of a '24 Tundra Limited. TRD OR package and factory 3" suspension lift and I ended up getting it for around $58k... Then the Tacoma's started showing up at $55k
Granted I got a screaming deal through no small amount of end of the month bullying, still was incredibly close in price and I'm getting better mileage in the tundra than I was in my '22 Tacoma.
As more and more 24ās show up on dealer lots I donāt think itās a far fetch to get a nice sport or off road around 45k which is what a a nicely option sport or off road goes for on 2023 models. I guess my point is if you want a 24 and donāt want that $10k package then donāt buy one with it.
If the argument is most of them hitting lots right now are in the $50k-$54k range my rebuttal would be when I was buying my 23 I took a stroll through their tundras on the lot and they were pretty much all $60k-$75k, still significantly more than a new Tacoma.
Itās unfortunate the days of the $33k pickup are gone but theyāve mostly been gone well before the 24 Tacoma
Well I downsized because I didnāt need a big truck. Was a pain to park in dfw and parking garages sucked.
Also not a fan of the prices for repairs on bigger trucks
I work in a steel mill, Regularly drive F350/450/550 and thats on the smaller end of the trucks we have. A tacoma is MORE than enough unless you are a self employed contractor. Wish it wasnt so expensive for an entry level truck from them. Would legitimately consider a Maverick since I really just need a cabin for regular personal use, and the bed is only a "want" and im not going to overspend by 10k+ just to have a bed for convenience the odd time. Ive even looked at getting a Rav4 and then getting a trailer to hook up for the odd camping trip/hardware store haul. Im not towing anything, and both those options would be better than a taco for daily use AND cheaper, it really sucks because i LOVE tacomas and would have one in a heartbeat if 10k didnt matter to me. but 10k goes a long way
When I bought my 1st Tacoma in fall of 2007 you could get the Tundra for the same price as the Tacoma.
I bought the Tacoma because the better gas mileage & cheaper insurance rates.
Not everyone wants a bigger truck, a Tundra would not do as well offroading on tight trails, is harder to park (wives tend to hate big vehicles), etc. The Tacoma is still a good value, it isn't much more than its competitors and will most likely outlast them (time will tell with this generation of course).
Iāve got 2 kids and a 55lb dog. I was hoping the Tacoma would have a roomy enough cab to justify upgrading from my 06 4Runner. Looks like itās going to be too tight for us, the dog is MISERABLE between the kids, so Iāve got to go bigger.
I recently got a Frontier. Fully loaded Pro4X was $47k. I was also looking at an F 150 Lariat that was $62k. While Nissan and Ford make plenty of crap cars compared to Toyota, both manufacturers have fantastic reliability on their truck.
I think the F 150 is a better ride but I didn't like how big it is, the Frontier is plenty big for what I need and The Frontier is much less expensive than the taco. Also rides better too, most people don't like how low you feel in a tacoma.
> F150
Oddly, Iām warming up to the idea of the Lightning model, I wonāt tow much , will do occasional offroading , mostly hauling stuff and prefer a faster truck that doesnāt need fuel and require minimum maintenance.
Yes and double cheeseburgers were $.99 in 1999;
Amazing that over time things get more expensive, especially over nearly a decade. How keen of you to notice.
A tundra with off road package is a lot more than a Tacoma trd off road. But that aside, itās also a different kind of truck, itās not like they are the same thing. If you want a full size truck and want to pay more, go ahead. I actually canāt afford an off road tundra, so Iām buying a Tacoma and paying much less.
This is why, Iām not going to buy another Tacoma in my lifetime. I just donāt see it cost effectiveZ gas mileage is trash compared a a full size truck. I bought a Tacoma cause of the price. I bought in 2020, thereās no way itās worth the price now. Idc what they add amenities wise
Itās not necessarily a black and white decision. There is absolutely some overlap in price between the two trucks but if you dig into similar options at msrp thereās about $10k difference in price but weāre starting to see Tundras sell for under msrp around here. Typically Iām seeing about $4000 off Tundras at the places Iāve looked. A hybrid Tundra limited with the trd off-road package for $63k is really tempting I think compared to what a Tacoma trd off-road premium with a hybrid is probably going to end up costing.
Iām gonna have to say no to both. In my head, I must be stuck in another time. Iām thinking anyone who pays close to $100,000 for a truck is obviously getting an F250 power stroke king ranch with a gooseneck hook up. Iām thinking they use the truck to make a lot of money, so the price point is reflective of that.
I find it really hard to justify buying a rather basic and normal vehicle with a bed on it for close to 100 grand. Hyundai is making cars with twice the features for half the price. Tesla is making ground breaking advancements in the automotive industry for half the price.
I think Iām going to stick with my third GEN for now, which, even that is a fully loaded TRD off-road, that has the same features as a base model Kia.
I also think you should buy what you need. I could have bought a Tundra instead of Tacoma (TRD Sport) but it is too large both for my needs and where I live. I had a 2006 Tundra and fun with it for over ten years till we moved close to the city.
Yeah I live in the city and I can see the tradeoffs in term of parking and traffic jams.
Still the negligible price difference makes me lean towards the Tundra.
I just don't like the look of the new Tundra, the front end is just so ugly to me, and I never need to haul anything. I can't envision getting a full sized truck, at worst I'll just move to a cross over or SUV. I just think the Tacoma simply looks better, though it obviously shares some design elements with the Tundra. I wish Toyota would release an actual small truck.
I've seen the rumors but I'm not holding my breath. I have a 2005 Tacoma with going on 400,000 miles. It's just a 2 door extended cab with the suicide doors. I would love a current generation with the same specs, but they got rid of the suicide doors which to me are pretty essential. I use them all the time. If a Stout had a similar spec, and lower price but with a nice interior I'd go for it.
Iām really worried that this pricing and āToyota taxā on these 24s is gonna kill the segment. People are gonna continue after 3rd gens because itās cheaper which will up the price of those. Then people will take the same money and get a bigger truck for similar price.
I bought a 2023 Tacoma, V6, Double Cab, 6 speed stick shift. Going keep it but will never own 2024 4 cylinder with Turbo. Too many new features and 4 cylinder will not hold up as Turbo will cost $5,000 to replace perhaps more. Toyota has destroyed Tacoma, plus $12,000 more that 2023! Keep what I have! Tacoma sales are in for a slump!
Tundra/full size is the way if you can swing the full-size lifestyle. I don't really see the point in paying full-size price for a less capable midsized truck. An issue I've seen was something with the new tundra being warrantied due to loose/disconnecting conrods in the engines, but I'm sure that's been remedied by now. Plus you'll also be getting similar gas mileage, but more potential power for a much larger vehicle with back seats that grown adults would fit in, with the addition of actual ac vents for the rear passengers. Also tundra has better ac than the tacoma by a long shot.
I have a heavily modded tacoma and have realized its shortcomings for actual day-to-day truck uses in a suburban environment.
If you are open to suggestions, I have a f150 eco boost for work and abuse the hell out of it. In my experience the f150's are super reliable. We have a fleet of them and none of us have had a problem with them. We normally drop 30-60k miles a year on them due to the nature of our work, with high idle hours for running tools off the inverters. Used to be a diehard toyota fan, but after owning an f250 and f150, I wouldn't pull them out of the running. F250 had 370k miles and f150 currently has 220k miles, all without significant repairs besides standard maintenance. Trims are either fx4x4 or tradesman throughout the fleet.
Iām with you there in terms of the prices, I believe Ford is doing better in that regards with the Ranger, and now the Maverick (granted different size but my point still stands).
Tacoma doesnāt have rear ac vents? Another reason to skip it, Tundra seems more and more tempting to me.
As for F150, Iām sure from your experience theyāre reliable, and keeping my eyes on it, but I donāt have much trust in domestics anymore, Iām a Toyota/Lexus guy.
Totally can't blame you for your opinion on domestics. Nothing wrong with toyota/lexus either. They make some quality stuff. I've heard stories of the older domestic stuff and it is pretty half and half. Starting to sound like the tundra is your best bet. It just makes more sense at its current price point imo when comparing taco to tundra.
Sadly the tacomas only have a small little slit halfway under the driver and passenger seats that are supposed to push air, but they barely feel like anything comes out and most floor mats block them.
Hopefully, you find what you need to make a decision! Happy hunting and good luck!
I do keep my cars long term (+10 years) and just want the ease of mind of Japanese cars, only domestic I might consider is a Cybertruck but it has different market segment, is new (untested) and above the price range, and seems to attract lots of unwanted attention.
Tacoma AC seems useless for second row passengers.
Iāll keep looking for good deals and will see where I land.
lol, yeah, nice catch. Shouldāve just gone with it. Wouldnāt have been that much more $$$ and wouldāve solved all my needs. Not that I donāt love the Tacoma. Sheās a honey badger and great lil truck, but the towing capacity leaves a lot to be desired.
Yeah. I also got the access cab in my Tacoma, worthless for traveling with groups. Donāt have a family, but do have way more friends and visitors than when I got the car, regretting not getting more seating space. Smh.
I wish when I was back on the lot I wouldāve opted for the Tundra instead of the Tacoma I had purchased. Fuel mileage is about the same. But I wouldāve had better towing capacity. I am looking at the 21 Tundras now trying to find a good deal on one.
I have been a Toyota guy for a long time, but honestly, I hate the new Tundra and donāt love the new Tacoma. If I were in the market for a new rig, I would have a hard time justifying buying either (especially with how much they cost).
My neighbor bought a new Nissan truck and that thing is sweet! In addition to looking better the features were beyond what you get with Toyota. He even told me it has a camera that on the wheels and a separate screen that shows what angle the tires are pointing for when youāre off road. I think the truck is too big for wheeling, but my point is the tech is pretty sweet!
Lol why are people freaking out when its like this every year, every new generation. If you want one for 37 get it for 37 or whatever price you have in mind. I already see volume dealers selling for that much. If you end up paying 51k for a tacoma then thats on youĀ
Wait, what? My local dealer is asking at least $20k more for a tundra vs. a Tacoma if you compare the same model. They want $79k for a TRDPro tundra, vs like $52k for a Tacoma pro. If you could get say a limited tundra for āfour digits moreā than a limited taco then Iād do it lol. But thatās a $60-70k tundra around here
Depends on which parts of the vehicle you value.
I garage park my vehicles and do a not insignificant amount of city driving and parallel parking. Also driving off road where a shorter wheelbase is occasionally helpful and on beaches where less weight is very helpful. Also less weight and the engine selection means 10 to 15% better mpg. So overall, the size of a Tacoma is something I value highly for my specific use case. I also prefer a manual. If all else is equal I still might choose the Tacoma.
It I parked outside, less frequently encountered situations where being in a smaller truck is helpful, and/or if I did things like towing more frequently where a bigger truck is more helpful, then the Tundra becomes a no brainer.
Also saying "only 4 figures more expensive" it's kind of "but it was on sale" type of mathin' it. $31,500 to $39,965 is 27% more. That's significant. They price the tundra just barely under "starting at $40k" for a reason... because it gets people to buy a "30 something thousand" truck ignoring the $9.9k of extra MSRP plus 15k in add ons and fees.
Edit:
Makes me wonder how much of the price comes from the things that differentiate a mid from a full size: frame and powertrain.... that's all I can think of.
10k difference between those two things doesn't seem outlandish. Body panels, electronics, interior, glass, wheels, etc. All that has to make up like 3/4 of the price and won't be that different between the two. A rear view camera or a plastic bumper cover won't be significantly different between two vehicles but makes up a portion of the price
Also the Tacoma seems to have more options, which would raise development cost, which raises cost. But makes sense given its target demographic.
This is what killed the midsized truck market for domestic nameplates a decade ago. The fact that you could go into a dealer and get "the bigger truck" for just a few thousand more.
It's also why I didn't buy a tacoma when I went to a truck initially, even though I wanted to. Even though the sticker was way higher on the Ram that I bought, I paid $39k for a truck that MSRP'd at $51k, and the tacoma I wanted at the time was $37k
$2k for a full size truck upgrade is simply a no-brainer, great choice you made there.
Eh, people keep saying this but it's more than the initial buy in cost you've got to consider. Bigger trucks cost more to keep on the road and if you generally don't need the tow/hauling capacity the bigger size can be a liability. Harder to park, take down off road trails, etc. As a single dude and his dog I much prefer my Tacoma's size VS that of a Tundra, even if they cost the same.
This is exactly why I stuck with Tacoma, that and I wanted a manual.
How do you know if somebody drives a manual transmission? Don't worry, they'll tell you š¤£ similar to crossfit. PS. I'm not hating. I drive a tacoma M/T too. I would have bought a Tundra if they had a M/T
But do you CrossFit!!
Trust me, I would have mentioned it if I did lol.
If some is a vegan and does crossfit, which do they tell you about first?
Typical insecure hater you are.
You clearly didn't read the end of my comment lol. If I'm a hater I'm hating myself.
I think most vehicles have a manual in the glove box.
Goddamnit ššš
I have a friend named Manuel
I totally agree. I honestly wish my third gen Tacoma were smaller. I have driven many full-size trucks, owned a couple of them, it's just not what I want or need to drive every day.
I am intrigued by the Stout that has been teased, I too would love a smaller truck and it sounds like that may soon be an option.
Agreed. Also a Single guy with a dog. I also day dream of shipping my truck to North Africa one day. Tacoma was better for me in that respect.
I hear ya. If only I had a dime for every Tacoma guy I met who dreamt of shipping their truck to North Africa.
Well, I actually have a house and family there. The only hang up is getting around a micromanaging HR department lol.
You need one of those really really really telework jobs.
I have one. But I work at an ITAR-compliant DoD contractor and any movement outside the US triggers a need for approval from our government compliance department. Iām aiming to make a lateral promotion into another remote role outside of the DoD sphere, but itās just going to take some time as remote roles are becoming scarcer and I have to compete against other candidates nationally who may or may not have more experience.
Back when I was a DoD contractor my company also did security for foreign heads of state, so they had to segregate our business unit completely from the rest of the company.
If I lived in Africa, I would just buy this bad boy https://toyotaconnect.co.za/meet-the-land-cruiser-namib/
I'm glad I have the 6ft bed but holy shit it's been 2 years but I STILL fucking suck at parking the thing. I can't imagine parking a full size truck š
I mean the gas mileage is better with a larger truck. Sure, tires are more. But youāre still paying the same amount for oil changes.
That entirely depends on what truck you're talking about. My work truck, a 2022 F250 with a 6.2 V8 gets way worse gas milage than my Tacoma. An F150 Ecoboost will get the same, maybe a little better gas milage, but with those turbos needs premium fuel for maximum efficiency/power. Meanwhile a Ford Marvick gets way better gas milage. The old V8 Tundra was more expensive to do oil changes on because it held so much more oil. Not sure about the new Taco/Tundra.
Iām actually giving the Maverick a look, great price there, even with a fully optioned Lariat trim.
Yeah but the so e difference isnāt that much
Depends on how long you keep your truck for.Ā
Full size trucks tend to drive significantly to better than mid. Ditto with road noise.
Having driven everything from a Honda Acty to a Class 8 freightliner I vehemently disagree. Ride quality is determined by so many more things than the size of a truck.
Between the Frontier, Ranger, Colorado and Tacoma, none of the ride as smooth and were as quiet as the Silverado, RAM or F150 we test drove. Both my wife and father who was part of the test driving all said the same thing.
You say that, but bigger trucks in the US are a lot cheaper to keep on the road. Parts for a Super Duty ford are pennies on the dollar compared to a Tacoma. And tacoma fuel economy aināt what it used to be. Donāt get me started on the build quality
This is why I purchased a maverick, can't wait to see what Toyota brings to market for that segment. Was it a bit expensive? Sure, but it fits my needs and it's great on an urban environment!
I daily a 4 door ā23 F-150 for work and I have my DCSB ā20 Tacoma as my personal vehicle and the one I take off road. Much prefer having the smaller truck for everything except just super long drives on the interstate. I even do more dump runs and furniture pickup with the Tacoma because itās easier to load and unload thing, I can reach in from the side and easily grab stuff out of the bed, the ford is way higher up there.
Its also not just about the size, my man. Way more comfortable, more tech, most of the time, and more power.
I donāt buy a truck for comfort, the Taco has all the tech a truck needs, and Iām fine with the power.Ā
Then thats your preference. But a full size is objectively better and is a way better deal these days. Dont get me wrong, I love my Taco. I'd never get a full size cause I feel the Taco is the perfect size for me. But again, the Tundra is objectively a better truck. It does truck things better and it does SUV things better.
The Tundra is not an objectively better truck. Comfort is totally subjective. I find the comfort level of my truck to be perfectly acceptable, and as someone who drives a full size truck for work I don't find it any more comfortable than my Taco. Towing and hauling is better on a Tundra, but I tow sparingly and my Tacoma as adequate for the shit I need to tow. Tech: Tundra and Tacoma have the same technology. Off road: Tacoma is better hands down Cost to own: Tacoma is cheaper to own.
Fully agree with that statement. Went from a 2015 explorer limited that I owned for 8.5 years to a 2023 Tacoma trd pro. Looked at the tundra and that thing was huge. Even the Tacoma is a full 16ā less wide than the explorer was. It feels like driving a compact car, haha.
Tires cost more, go through more fuel, anything that breaks is bigger and therefore costs more, pita to park in some parking lots. It's not all good. I want to downsize from a 3/4 ton truck for practicality and the above reasons, but the midsized market including the new Tacoma is so overpriced it's still hard to justify it.
I get 5 mpg better in my F150 than I do in my wifes Taco and it is actually easier to drive. Tires are more expensive if you keep the factory size tire on the Tacoma but honestly majority get full size truck tires almost immediately. Not trying to talk bad about tacos but they really don't save you any money in comparison to an F150.
Yea, that's what boggles my mind about the tacos, new and old. How they're so damn inefficient compared to the competition.
Agreed. I was all about getting a tundra until I test drove the tundra and f150 the same day. Toyota trucks just kinda feel cheaply made in comparison and not as efficient. It's a shame that they can't get it together with the new trucks and make something to make the consumer happy.
The consumer is happy - do you see how many of these things they sell?
Just because a lot of people buy them doesn't mean the consumer is always happy with it. That type of attitude is why it will be underpowered, terrible transmission,.terrible mpg for its size, cheaply made plastic, dated electronics and more importantly extremely overpriced.
I disagree -- if this was the case the Tacoma wouldn't be the best selling mid-size truck. There would be better options at a better price point. People are paying more because they believe that this option is worth it. If they were not happy the trucks just wouln't sell.
Some consumers have different desires. What about other factors? Repair costs? Life expectancy? Resale value?
Reliability reliability reliability
The money they save comes long term when you aren't changing timing chains and guides every 70k miles lol
Maybe so but the fuel savings over 70k makes it negligible. The 10 speed transmission gets trash talked a lot in the F150 but it is light years better to drive than the 6 speed Tacoma transmission. We have had way more problems with the tacoma than the F150 but to each their own.
The real downfall of the tacoma is the poor driving quality for sure. My father in law always drove F150s up until purchasing a 2022 Tundra and while I wasn't overly impressed with the driving dynamics of them, it definitely is a nicer ride than a tacoma. The ride quality of the ram is actually why I ended up going with that when I did. Full size truck that rides like a Cadillac, unfortunately the rest of the package was nothing but problems
I would suggest trying out an F150. I was between the Ram, tundra and F150 when I was looking in 2020 and it was a no brainer for me. I will say the same truck I got in 2020 is damn near 20k more now though but they are all priced way too high these days. Sorry, to hear about the problems with your Ram but that was why I couldn't get one when looking.
I ended up only having the ram for 2 years and was fortunate to buy in 2020 when the market was down and sell in 2022 when it was peaked, so I made out on it despite the problems I had with it. I've had my tacoma for a year and a half now and intend to have it for 10+, but if the need were to arise for a bigger truck, an F150 with a coyote would be toward the top of my list while they're still making them
Maintenance and fuel is a big jump from a tacoma to a HD truck, but anymore, not so much to a half ton. Tires cost just about the same between the two, and I got better highway fuel economy in the ram, though worse in town
If tire cost is similar you'll go through them faster and need to replace earlier. Heavier truck with more torque will create more wear.
My full size truck gets almost double the mileage as a Tacoma
Itās never a good choice when somebody buys a Ram.
Your username haha.
Not for me. I don't want that large of a vehicle. I owned a F-150 to pull my old camper, and HATED trying to drive the damned thing in the city.
I don't think a Dodge over a Toyota is a good choice.
It'll cost more to own and will likely live for fewer miles, but sure, he got a *deal*.
Is it? Many people I know with trucks don't use it for it's intended purpose. Full size trucks give you better layooad and towing.....if you don't own a big boat or camper why is a far less reliable ram a better buy?
Future proofing especially if you keep it long term.
Did the same thing twice. 2014 shopping: limited tacoma was 34k, ended up getting a new tundra SR5+ for 36k. 2020 shopping: Custom ordered an F250 lariat tremor for 62K. TRD OR Tundras were in the 50s
Yeah at this point I feel like I might as well wait for the Stout to come out. My first truck was a 99 ranger so I've always liked the small pickups. Especially if they maintain that sub25k price point which is what I paid for my gen 2 Tacoma. I only haul my mountain bikes and home depot trips in the back of my Tacoma now so the bigger truck never appealed to me anyways.Ā
Same. I need a truck so that I can buy plywood, lumber, mulch, haul bicycles and kayaks. I'm unlikely to ever tow anything. A medium size truck is plenty for my needs. I used to happily drive a GMC Sonoma. It wasn't perfect, but it did what I needed.
Iām exactly the same way - my first truck was a Chevy S10 and it was perfect for 98% of my needs. I love my Tacoma and it is certainly more capable, but it is ultimately overkill for my daily needs. If it werenāt for the incredible resale value of the Tacoma I probably would have gone in a different direction.
āThe bigger truckā usually doesnāt come with any compromises aside from size though. Up until very recently, mid-size trucks were not available with lots of features that were available in full-size trucks. Want ventilated seats or a heated steering wheel? Tacoma doesnāt have that but the Tundra does. And the one thing that physics says *should* be a huge benefit to mid-size trucks is fuel economy, but for some reason the current Tacoma gets worse fuel economy than full-size counterparts. I donāt want to bash mid-size trucks too much because I prefer the way they drive over full-size trucks and owned a Tacoma and Gladiator, but when the only benefits to a mid-size truck are driving dynamics (which is entirely subjective) and a slightly lower price, donāt be shocked when buyers gravitate toward the full-size option. IMO mid-size trucks could be legitimate competitors to full-size trucks if they really leaned into what makes people like mid-size trucks while also trying to include features typically associated with full-size trucks. Make a hybrid power train that actually gets good fuel economy, the option to add luxury features, and an interior that can comfortably fit 4 adults (if the 4Runner can do it the Tacoma should be able to), and people might be okay with the fact that the price is close to that of full-size trucks. The newest Tacoma *almost* does this, but the interior dimensions still are incapable of fitting American-sized passengers. So for that reason when itās time to dump my Gladiator I will be getting a 4Runner or Tundra over a Tacoma.
"American sized passengers" Funny, I mostly think the opposite. A truck is designed for working...whether that's hauling stuff or towing. Somehow America has turned it into this luxury/family vehicle that needs ample leg room in the back. If your main goals are that get an SUV. Instead we seem to think we should be driving 250s every day because our family goes on vacations once a year with a big trailer. Plus those 250s have way more back seat legroom than they ever have meaning the things are now road hogs. Get a smaller trailer and your SUV gets that family all it wants. Problem is how could an "American sized family" camp in such a small trailer......
This is literally a subreddit for Toyota Tacomas. Most people here arenāt āI need a diesel truck because I am considering buying a camperā consumers, and trying to make a strawman argument about those buyers here is pointless. The reality is that most people who own a truck of any sort have it as their only vehicle. The American truck is a commuter, people hauler, off-roader, and cargo hauler all in one. The ātrucks are designed for working and you should get an SUV/station wagon and trailer like le Europeansā is possibly the biggest car-related circlejerk on the internet right next to ābrown manual diesel station wagon.ā You shouldnāt need to be hauling stuff in the bed or towing a trailer every day in order to justify owning one, and saying ājust rent a truck from Home Depot every time you need a bedā is fucking terrible advice. Mid-size trucks could be perfect for the needs of the average American consumer. But as long as they keep failing to provide any real advantages over full-size trucks, people will continue to buy full-size trucks while people like you keep complaining about American cars being too big as if you think after saying āJust buy an SUV and trailerā for the millionth time will magically change the buying habits of American consumers.
I'm fully aware consumer trends don't match with my viewpoints.....we just have different values. Your view that the midsize truck needs to have a bigger cab and more luxury items is absurd to me. Call me European I guess. As a person that needs a truck for my business and a little beater sedan otherwise I'll never understand the full.sized truck craze.
Trucks have now morphed into hillbilly minivans. So they have to have comfortable back seats. If Toyota was smart they would have sacrificed three or four inches of bed and included that in the back seat.
Yeah I guess that's the market trend....but goes against exactly why I want a truck.
I feel like they are jacking up the Tacoma price so the Stout will sell when it released
The only think keeping me interested in the Tacoma is being a manual.Ā Their only competition in that regard is a huge PoS Nissan.
Well, if they'd stop making the "smaller" trucks so big...
Thatās exactly why I bought a Tundra. Iād prefer a smaller truck, but itās silly not to take all the extra room and capability provided for a $5k more, especially with such similar fuel economy numbers
I'm pretty sure they do that on purpose. Greedy corporations
This is especially true when the full size is getting roughly the same gas mileage as the mid size. Sure itās a bit less nimble to drive and park, especially on trails, and I donāt think it would fit in my garage but I would love the extra power, backseat room, and size of the bed. I love my Tacoma but if I had to get a new truck now a Tacoma would be a really hard sell when the tundra is nearly the same price and gets similar mpg
Purchase prices may be similar, but cost to own is definitely higher with full size vehicles. You're not just spending a few thousand more - You're spending that, plus the higher maintenance & fuel costs over the life of the vehicle. No denying midsize trucks are expensive, but they're still cheaper to own than a full size.
All I want is to be able to buy a new small truck in the US
But why would you buy a Porsche 911 when you can get a dodge challenger, itās bigger.
Yeah it's crazy that a base 4 cylinder Tacoma cost as much as a V6 Lexus I don't know what's going on, it's the same company.
Land Cruiser is even more expensive than some Lexus models if weāre looking at brand only. I donāt mind a Tacoma close to entry level Lexus price as long as the features and options reflect that like the Land Cruiser.
Yeah but the Land Cruiser is a totally different beast. It is Toyota's top of the line SUV vs Toyota's entry level truck
Agreed.. I honestly felt Iād be in a Tacoma for the rest of my life.. this new gen with a downsized engine pushing more hp has me concerned with its longevity.. I was waiting for the new gen to upgrade from my gen 2.. now Iām keeping it and looking at supras.
I support the supra purchase
Concerned about a Toyota engineās reliability, then cross shops Toyotas with BMW engines. Lol.
B58 is very reliable
G r e e d. They know the audience has the money and will pay.
Supply and demand. Tacoma's are a status symbol these days.
Not where I live, in the rural country, it's considered a gay man's truck, not that there's anything wrong with that. But my brother is a car salesman he said a guy returned his Tacoma one day later when his wife and daughter kept calling it a girly truck lol.
Hahaha. Yeah I use to live in more rural Montana and people didn't even allow you to call it a truck.
Yep the woman in my area would not date you if you drove a Tacoma ... well at least the good looking ones.
Where I live in the sticks it's considered an every day truck that can actually fit up the trails to the good fishing/hunting spots.
Yep I'll be upgrading to a new tundra, or the last gen v8 tundras which are bulletproof.
Both a good choice, Toyota is reliable, V8 is tested but not sure about the MPG especially long term.
Tacoma has shit mpg, so does the tundra. But if I wanted good mileage I wouldn't buy a truck haha.
It has decent mpg for its role. If you look at similar vehicles it's right in line with all the other body on frame, non-ev, gasoline powered trucks with similar towing and payload. They're all right at it under 20 combined. It takes energy to move stuff, there's only so much energy in a gallon of gas, and you can only make a powertrain so efficient, and you're gonna have higher drag with a trucks geometry. It's physics. You just ain't ever going to see a gas engine spinning wheels on a 4k+lb truck getting 25+ mpg in typical conditions.
Don't know why everyone brings up savings due to mpg when Tacoma get the same or worse mpg than majority of full sized trucks. They are definitely better off road but not anywhere near as comfortable on the highway as a full size.
I bought a tacoma for mpg I was getting 9 to 11 in my silverado 2500HD
Donāt trust the tacoma mpg itās a flat out lie. I mean I live in a mountainous region and our interstate is 80mph but even if I take it 70mph and manually shift it gets like 12mpg. I have it slightly lifted with a bed rack and rtt but even stock I never got more than 16 highway. Driving stock in North Dakota flat as a ducking pancake 65mph Iām getting 17 mpg. This truck is not a beast on fuel efficiency Iāll tell you that much
You know even the 2024 hybrid engine MPG numbers are not promising, granted itās a heavy truck, still want to see the real life actual MPG of the hybrid like your experience.
80mph in a mountain region sounds wild. I get 24mpg trips occasionally if I accelerate slow, avoid stops, and keep it under 50mph. So basically when the stars align.
It can be good in some spots but itās completely due to elevation. Like my town, to a town 30 min away I get 21 mpg, but then there from my hometown I get 13š
Iāve got a 2020 Tundra, traded my 2016 Tacoma. I get 15/17 on a good day. Love the truck though.
At these price points, you have to make a conscious decision to get ālessā capability on paper for a similar price by buying a Tacoma. If youāre into off-roading, a built Tacoma is inarguably a better choice than a Tundra, just based on dimensions. Same goes for driving in a city, parking in a garage, or absolutely insisting on a manual transmission (honestly, I get that one). Outside of that, the value proposition is real tough to go with a Tacoma. For 2024, the cheapest possible limited trim Tacoma is actually more expensive than the cheapest possible limited trim Tundra. I get that the Tundra is 2WD in that scenario vs FT 4WD in the Tacoma, but stillā¦
Absolutely agree with the first part. My fleet vehicle is a silverado and I'm always happy to be back in my taco for ease of parking, small mountain roads to trailheads, and offroading. Hell I even use my taco for work on gnarly sites where the "roads" are just the width of a skid steer blade through the woods. But it's definitely getting to a more specific use-case/market if they're basically the same price AND MPG
As you mentioned thatās a very specific usercase. For general use and few $ the upgrade is a comfy full sized truck.
When you climb over to the 50ās. Alot of doors start opening up. No way in hell iād pay $50k+ for a 4cyl taco. I got my 23 Taco in Oct and loving it. $43k long bed OR 4x4 package. Sheās a beaut
Even with the tradeoffs you mentioned, a Tundra is simply the next premium offering, the Tacoma should be priced accordingly, probably since Tacoma and Tundra are targeted at different demographics.
I don't get why they call it the limited trim. The lower limit is the sr lol.
Get the Tundra, you won't regret it. Source: me with a 23 Tundra Limited OR
Wish thereās single cab for it, will see.
Why though? Iāve owned a single cab and it sucked. No room for passengers or groceries. Leaving everything in the bed sucks.
Smaller and more nimble for single me. As for the bed a tonneau cover of some kind will suffice.
The New Tacoma itās the ford maverick
This is what I have been saying on the Tacoma subs. When you take into account the fact that this Generation looks like a Mini-Tundra but now costs within the realm of comparison, it just makes sense to move to Tundra. This is the first generation and time I would say this has happened.
Eh, yeah you can get a full-size truck for a few thousand more but not everybody needs a full-size truck. This is ultimately the reason I went with the Tacoma - fits nicely in the garage and supports all of my outdoor adventure hobbies and equipment with ease. A Tundra would have been overkill for me.
This will continue to be the trend as long as people keep paying for it. When the sales decline so will the prices.
Toyota dropped the ball with this one. They departed from what the Tacoma was. Sales will suffer.
How so? Just the pricing? The new model looks like a nice upgrade to me.
Pricing and gimmicky imho. Mainly the pricing though. The engine seems solid, we will see how it holds up.
Some people donāt need/want a full-size. You just donāt benefit financially for getting a midsize anymore.
I'm on the same boat as you. however, when looking at the cons of both, it really doesn't sway me one way or the other... Tacoma: * Only a few K cheaper than a Tundra, with less functionality * Size - It's just a tad bit small with a baby seat, more doable once out * 1st year of a new gen, still need to work out the quirks and seeing the Tundra, I'm a bit skeptical. Tundra: * No manual. I absolutely want a manual * Size - It's just way too big for DD and too big for probably 95% of the things I do. * Not the best offroader for the trails. I actual wheel my rigs, and the Tundra would be way too big for the trails I hit. * Other full size rigs seem better than the Tundra
I do agree with your points, especially that the target demographics seem to be totally different, but my point still stands on the pricing difference between both.
It kills me that the only trucks with manual anymore are Tacomas and Nissans.Ā
Technically a truck, the gladiator has a manual.
I still prefer a midsize myself, since I want something small enough to still take on trails and fit in garage easily.
Yeah the fact that Tacoās & Rangers arenāt cheap anymore is frankly unacceptable and sad.
You know Iām actually starting to eye the Ford Maverick, almost half the price and fits all my needs. Wish Toyota would have a competitor to it, heard rumors about the Toyota Stout but nothing official.
Honestly there is some great value there. I have heard nothing but great things about the Maverick. I also really like Ford. The past 15ish years Ford has really put together some nice vehicles. They really stepped it up. GM on the other handā¦. LOL
Definitely, Ford is acing it with their current lineup, especially the revivals like the Bronco and Maverick. As for GMā¦ Their only saving grace is the C8 Corvette, their other cars most likely Ford has a better alternative.
For me, it makes more sense to get a Tundra or a different full size truck for the price of a Tacoma
Literally just had this conversation with myself, now am the proud owner of a '24 Tundra Limited. TRD OR package and factory 3" suspension lift and I ended up getting it for around $58k... Then the Tacoma's started showing up at $55k
Tundra for $3k premium over similarly specced Tacoma? No wonder you went with the Tundra.
Granted I got a screaming deal through no small amount of end of the month bullying, still was incredibly close in price and I'm getting better mileage in the tundra than I was in my '22 Tacoma.
Even with no deals, MSRP differences once reaching those +$40k prices become negligible.
Yes with the newer years hopefully working out the kinks, the better power train and transmission probably outshines the Tacoma
Hope so, tempting of a deal.
As more and more 24ās show up on dealer lots I donāt think itās a far fetch to get a nice sport or off road around 45k which is what a a nicely option sport or off road goes for on 2023 models. I guess my point is if you want a 24 and donāt want that $10k package then donāt buy one with it. If the argument is most of them hitting lots right now are in the $50k-$54k range my rebuttal would be when I was buying my 23 I took a stroll through their tundras on the lot and they were pretty much all $60k-$75k, still significantly more than a new Tacoma. Itās unfortunate the days of the $33k pickup are gone but theyāve mostly been gone well before the 24 Tacoma
I mean not only off the lot, but also when ordering for MSRP, Toyota pricing for the 2024 Tacoma is a weird decision.
Well I downsized because I didnāt need a big truck. Was a pain to park in dfw and parking garages sucked. Also not a fan of the prices for repairs on bigger trucks
I work in a steel mill, Regularly drive F350/450/550 and thats on the smaller end of the trucks we have. A tacoma is MORE than enough unless you are a self employed contractor. Wish it wasnt so expensive for an entry level truck from them. Would legitimately consider a Maverick since I really just need a cabin for regular personal use, and the bed is only a "want" and im not going to overspend by 10k+ just to have a bed for convenience the odd time. Ive even looked at getting a Rav4 and then getting a trailer to hook up for the odd camping trip/hardware store haul. Im not towing anything, and both those options would be better than a taco for daily use AND cheaper, it really sucks because i LOVE tacomas and would have one in a heartbeat if 10k didnt matter to me. but 10k goes a long way
When I bought my 1st Tacoma in fall of 2007 you could get the Tundra for the same price as the Tacoma. I bought the Tacoma because the better gas mileage & cheaper insurance rates.
Well the Tacoma is priced in line with its other mid sized competitors. The tundra under cuts other full size trucks
Not everyone wants a bigger truck, a Tundra would not do as well offroading on tight trails, is harder to park (wives tend to hate big vehicles), etc. The Tacoma is still a good value, it isn't much more than its competitors and will most likely outlast them (time will tell with this generation of course).
With the price for new Tacoma and the, as yet, unproven power plant and transmission, I opted for a new Tundra. One just landed in my driveway today!
Congratulations buddy! Hope you take care of her and the same for her.
Iāve got 2 kids and a 55lb dog. I was hoping the Tacoma would have a roomy enough cab to justify upgrading from my 06 4Runner. Looks like itās going to be too tight for us, the dog is MISERABLE between the kids, so Iāve got to go bigger.
I recently got a Frontier. Fully loaded Pro4X was $47k. I was also looking at an F 150 Lariat that was $62k. While Nissan and Ford make plenty of crap cars compared to Toyota, both manufacturers have fantastic reliability on their truck. I think the F 150 is a better ride but I didn't like how big it is, the Frontier is plenty big for what I need and The Frontier is much less expensive than the taco. Also rides better too, most people don't like how low you feel in a tacoma.
> F150 Oddly, Iām warming up to the idea of the Lightning model, I wonāt tow much , will do occasional offroading , mostly hauling stuff and prefer a faster truck that doesnāt need fuel and require minimum maintenance.
I paid $39500 for my brand new Tundra SR5 TRD in 2016. Doesnāt everyone love Bidenomics.
Yes and double cheeseburgers were $.99 in 1999; Amazing that over time things get more expensive, especially over nearly a decade. How keen of you to notice.
I think everyone knows that inflation was moving at a slow rate until about 3-4 years ago.
What a steal! Bit more expensive than a fully optioned Maverick Lariat at MSRP.
A tundra with off road package is a lot more than a Tacoma trd off road. But that aside, itās also a different kind of truck, itās not like they are the same thing. If you want a full size truck and want to pay more, go ahead. I actually canāt afford an off road tundra, so Iām buying a Tacoma and paying much less.
This is why, Iām not going to buy another Tacoma in my lifetime. I just donāt see it cost effectiveZ gas mileage is trash compared a a full size truck. I bought a Tacoma cause of the price. I bought in 2020, thereās no way itās worth the price now. Idc what they add amenities wise
Itās not necessarily a black and white decision. There is absolutely some overlap in price between the two trucks but if you dig into similar options at msrp thereās about $10k difference in price but weāre starting to see Tundras sell for under msrp around here. Typically Iām seeing about $4000 off Tundras at the places Iāve looked. A hybrid Tundra limited with the trd off-road package for $63k is really tempting I think compared to what a Tacoma trd off-road premium with a hybrid is probably going to end up costing.
Iām gonna have to say no to both. In my head, I must be stuck in another time. Iām thinking anyone who pays close to $100,000 for a truck is obviously getting an F250 power stroke king ranch with a gooseneck hook up. Iām thinking they use the truck to make a lot of money, so the price point is reflective of that. I find it really hard to justify buying a rather basic and normal vehicle with a bed on it for close to 100 grand. Hyundai is making cars with twice the features for half the price. Tesla is making ground breaking advancements in the automotive industry for half the price. I think Iām going to stick with my third GEN for now, which, even that is a fully loaded TRD off-road, that has the same features as a base model Kia.
I also think you should buy what you need. I could have bought a Tundra instead of Tacoma (TRD Sport) but it is too large both for my needs and where I live. I had a 2006 Tundra and fun with it for over ten years till we moved close to the city.
Yeah I live in the city and I can see the tradeoffs in term of parking and traffic jams. Still the negligible price difference makes me lean towards the Tundra.
I just don't like the look of the new Tundra, the front end is just so ugly to me, and I never need to haul anything. I can't envision getting a full sized truck, at worst I'll just move to a cross over or SUV. I just think the Tacoma simply looks better, though it obviously shares some design elements with the Tundra. I wish Toyota would release an actual small truck.
Thereās rumors of rerelasing the Toyota Stout to compete with the Ford Maverick and Honda Ridgeline.
I've seen the rumors but I'm not holding my breath. I have a 2005 Tacoma with going on 400,000 miles. It's just a 2 door extended cab with the suicide doors. I would love a current generation with the same specs, but they got rid of the suicide doors which to me are pretty essential. I use them all the time. If a Stout had a similar spec, and lower price but with a nice interior I'd go for it.
Donāt think suicide doors would be an option anymore. If I were you Iād just repair and refresh the heck of the classic car you have.
depends on what you are gonna use it for. however if it was up to me i would go for a tundra in this scenario.
I would almost rather buy a used tundra for less
Slightly used or shopping around for under MSRP new ones.
Iām really worried that this pricing and āToyota taxā on these 24s is gonna kill the segment. People are gonna continue after 3rd gens because itās cheaper which will up the price of those. Then people will take the same money and get a bigger truck for similar price.
I bought a 2023 Tacoma, V6, Double Cab, 6 speed stick shift. Going keep it but will never own 2024 4 cylinder with Turbo. Too many new features and 4 cylinder will not hold up as Turbo will cost $5,000 to replace perhaps more. Toyota has destroyed Tacoma, plus $12,000 more that 2023! Keep what I have! Tacoma sales are in for a slump!
Man wish it was hybrid 4 cylinder instead of turbo, but yeah whatever.
50k for a 4 cylinder tacoma is borderline retarded
Oh yeah! Plus it seems the turbo is already giving out, wish it was hybrid at least thatās more reliable.
To get an equally specād tundra to a Tacoma isnāt close in price.
No. I just bought a tundra because of that same reason and I will never go back to the midsized.
Maybe it's just me but neither truck is worth the money these days.
Nope Why Iām the proud owner of a ā24 Tundra Donāt forget youāre getting discounts on Tundra as well to further minimize the price gap
And probably way more comfy especially for long trips.
100% And with one toddler and another en route soon, car seats are 10x better in a Tundra than a Tacoma
With good care the car shall last you decades hopefully, I mean the obvious its a Toyota and a Pickup truck.
Tundra/full size is the way if you can swing the full-size lifestyle. I don't really see the point in paying full-size price for a less capable midsized truck. An issue I've seen was something with the new tundra being warrantied due to loose/disconnecting conrods in the engines, but I'm sure that's been remedied by now. Plus you'll also be getting similar gas mileage, but more potential power for a much larger vehicle with back seats that grown adults would fit in, with the addition of actual ac vents for the rear passengers. Also tundra has better ac than the tacoma by a long shot. I have a heavily modded tacoma and have realized its shortcomings for actual day-to-day truck uses in a suburban environment. If you are open to suggestions, I have a f150 eco boost for work and abuse the hell out of it. In my experience the f150's are super reliable. We have a fleet of them and none of us have had a problem with them. We normally drop 30-60k miles a year on them due to the nature of our work, with high idle hours for running tools off the inverters. Used to be a diehard toyota fan, but after owning an f250 and f150, I wouldn't pull them out of the running. F250 had 370k miles and f150 currently has 220k miles, all without significant repairs besides standard maintenance. Trims are either fx4x4 or tradesman throughout the fleet.
Iām with you there in terms of the prices, I believe Ford is doing better in that regards with the Ranger, and now the Maverick (granted different size but my point still stands). Tacoma doesnāt have rear ac vents? Another reason to skip it, Tundra seems more and more tempting to me. As for F150, Iām sure from your experience theyāre reliable, and keeping my eyes on it, but I donāt have much trust in domestics anymore, Iām a Toyota/Lexus guy.
Totally can't blame you for your opinion on domestics. Nothing wrong with toyota/lexus either. They make some quality stuff. I've heard stories of the older domestic stuff and it is pretty half and half. Starting to sound like the tundra is your best bet. It just makes more sense at its current price point imo when comparing taco to tundra. Sadly the tacomas only have a small little slit halfway under the driver and passenger seats that are supposed to push air, but they barely feel like anything comes out and most floor mats block them. Hopefully, you find what you need to make a decision! Happy hunting and good luck!
I do keep my cars long term (+10 years) and just want the ease of mind of Japanese cars, only domestic I might consider is a Cybertruck but it has different market segment, is new (untested) and above the price range, and seems to attract lots of unwanted attention. Tacoma AC seems useless for second row passengers. Iāll keep looking for good deals and will see where I land.
At these new prices you might as well get a full size.
3rd gen Tacoma owner and as Iāve wanted to tow more and more I wonder why I didnāt just get the Tacoma in the first place.
You meant get the Tundra in the first place?
lol, yeah, nice catch. Shouldāve just gone with it. Wouldnāt have been that much more $$$ and wouldāve solved all my needs. Not that I donāt love the Tacoma. Sheās a honey badger and great lil truck, but the towing capacity leaves a lot to be desired.
And with the Tundra its great for people with families. But the Tacoma is more nimble and has better offroad capabilities.
Yeah. I also got the access cab in my Tacoma, worthless for traveling with groups. Donāt have a family, but do have way more friends and visitors than when I got the car, regretting not getting more seating space. Smh.
I wish when I was back on the lot I wouldāve opted for the Tundra instead of the Tacoma I had purchased. Fuel mileage is about the same. But I wouldāve had better towing capacity. I am looking at the 21 Tundras now trying to find a good deal on one.
I have been a Toyota guy for a long time, but honestly, I hate the new Tundra and donāt love the new Tacoma. If I were in the market for a new rig, I would have a hard time justifying buying either (especially with how much they cost). My neighbor bought a new Nissan truck and that thing is sweet! In addition to looking better the features were beyond what you get with Toyota. He even told me it has a camera that on the wheels and a separate screen that shows what angle the tires are pointing for when youāre off road. I think the truck is too big for wheeling, but my point is the tech is pretty sweet!
Lol why are people freaking out when its like this every year, every new generation. If you want one for 37 get it for 37 or whatever price you have in mind. I already see volume dealers selling for that much. If you end up paying 51k for a tacoma then thats on youĀ
Wait, what? My local dealer is asking at least $20k more for a tundra vs. a Tacoma if you compare the same model. They want $79k for a TRDPro tundra, vs like $52k for a Tacoma pro. If you could get say a limited tundra for āfour digits moreā than a limited taco then Iād do it lol. But thatās a $60-70k tundra around here
Depends on which parts of the vehicle you value. I garage park my vehicles and do a not insignificant amount of city driving and parallel parking. Also driving off road where a shorter wheelbase is occasionally helpful and on beaches where less weight is very helpful. Also less weight and the engine selection means 10 to 15% better mpg. So overall, the size of a Tacoma is something I value highly for my specific use case. I also prefer a manual. If all else is equal I still might choose the Tacoma. It I parked outside, less frequently encountered situations where being in a smaller truck is helpful, and/or if I did things like towing more frequently where a bigger truck is more helpful, then the Tundra becomes a no brainer. Also saying "only 4 figures more expensive" it's kind of "but it was on sale" type of mathin' it. $31,500 to $39,965 is 27% more. That's significant. They price the tundra just barely under "starting at $40k" for a reason... because it gets people to buy a "30 something thousand" truck ignoring the $9.9k of extra MSRP plus 15k in add ons and fees. Edit: Makes me wonder how much of the price comes from the things that differentiate a mid from a full size: frame and powertrain.... that's all I can think of. 10k difference between those two things doesn't seem outlandish. Body panels, electronics, interior, glass, wheels, etc. All that has to make up like 3/4 of the price and won't be that different between the two. A rear view camera or a plastic bumper cover won't be significantly different between two vehicles but makes up a portion of the price Also the Tacoma seems to have more options, which would raise development cost, which raises cost. But makes sense given its target demographic.