SkeetShoot

Why does Toyota do this? I have some beefs with this roll-out.

1. Tires. Its meant to be an off-road oriented vehicle. Sorry the Wrangler All-Terrain Kevlar's are not aggressive enough. The least they could have done was to go with the Nitto's that are outfitted on the 4Runner TRD pro

2. Jack it up with a Nice suspension but continue to use Drum brakes in the rear... Seriously? Why? That should be an upgrade automatically.

3. Locking Rear Diff... Its not stated in the article whether or not it has it, but It better have it...

4. Transfer Case... I like the manual transfer case over the electronic one. I think that is also the preference by the Off-road guys as well.

Sigh... I'd way rather have the 4Runner TRD Pro with the 4.0 than this new Tacoma with a more "efficient" engine and transmission...

Toys4RJill

I have been calling out Toyota on a lot of these features for a while. Most do not seem to care. Even the Land Cruiser has too many electronics and missing features.

The only real Toyota off road package is the 4Runner with the classic shifter and rear locker. But I think the classic shifter has now been deleted.

SkeetShoot

Toyota still has the Manual Transfer Case Lever for the TRD pro. Unless they removed it for the 2016 model.

My0gr81

TRD is Toyota Racing Development, no? Why all the hate for lacking Off Road cred?

SkeetShoot

The last truck that Toyota put out that had a TRD badge on it that wasn't off-road oriented might be the X-Runner. When you think of TRD now (in the consumer world), you are thinking about Off-Road performance.

And to further put a little more gas on the fire here... Even if TRD was "Racing" focused... why would a performance division of a major automotive maker focus only on making a car more powerful and or faster, and then completely neglect to upgrade components like brakes? What is this NASCAR?

Example: BMW M division... M Badge means you get a balanced performance package that checks of 3 major areas: Power, Suspension, Brakes
Secondary area: Technology Integration, and Aerodynamics.

TRD Models that are sold as such upgrade suspension components, exhaust, CAI, and bodywork. Other than that. They pretty much don't utilize their superchargers in anything anymore. Its an add-on. Big Brake kits... same deal. Oh yeah they do utilize their own wheels. but lets be honest. This is not exactly the biggest selling point of a TRD Modeled vehicle.

mmarshall

..........not counting, of course, the FJ Cruiser, which is essentially a 4Runner with a different body/interior. The FJ, though, may no longer be in production in the American market.

If Toyota wants to do a REAL off-roader, they need simply look no further than the Ford Raptor...they could do a smaller version of it without the big V8 engine.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Because Off-Roading is part of their racing program.

cino

iTrader: (1)

Drum Brake has it own advantage for trucks. Every car requires bigger braking power in the front than the rear because, simple physics, weight transfers to the front of the car while decelerating. Drum brake in the rear of "Tacoma because Tacoma is a real truck, Body on frame, front heavy kind of truck you know. Disc brake doesn't function as well as drum brake in dirt either. I'm sure Toyota can throw in 2 brake disc on the rear for you, but "real" people who take their truck off-road know drum rear works best for off-roading, unless you go for some crazy big and expensive disc brake make specifically for off-road.

SkeetShoot

Toyotas defense for the drum was for sand. However I can tell you many of my friends rigs have discs all the way round. Trailering they prefer disc.

cino

iTrader: (1)

Trailering isn't off-roading, is it? Your argument here is about an off-road truck having drum brake. Off-road tire aren't even suitable for trailering, so type of brake doesn't even matter. I know why you want disc brake, but performance data clearly shows rear disc brake contribute so little to street driving for the premium Toyota is going to charge you for it. If you want, you can easily retrofit brake disc yourself, but you should check how disappointed Taco owners are after they switched to disc. Go to Tacoma forums and find out by yourself.

xioix

It has an electronic rear locking diff according to C&D

spwolf

Why? New 3.5l Tacoma is significantly faster than old one with 4.0l, it is a mention in every review of latest model.

xioix

Maybe it has to do with 6 vs 5 speed auto transmission

cino

iTrader: (1)

Gearing is tune toward fuel economy. It wants to shift to higher/more efficient gear as soon as engine/speed let it.

chikoo

Toyota needs a TOrD dept now.