10 years. That’s a long damn time for a model run.
Toyota truck fanboys (myself included) have been salivating at the thought of a new Tacoma for years now, wishfully thinking that all of our truck forum wish-lists would translate directly to the production line (put a diesel in it! lock both axles!). Finally, on Monday, the new Tacoma’s unveiling came and went…
Toyota’s 12:50PM unveiling time was an inconvenient time for those of us that work for a living, but I holed up in an unused conference room at the office and fired up the live video feed to satisfy years of anticipation… Well, THAT was an underwhelming unveil.
Yes, the 2016 Tacoma is “all new”. Inspiring? Game-changing? Nope. What we have is a very conservative evolution rather than watershed improvements. The new bodywork and interior are handsome, but beyond the aesthetics, are we getting a materially better Tacoma than the one Toyota launched in 2005?
The new direct-injection V6 and 6-speed trannys (hallelujah!) are welcome, but Toyota’s exclamation that this will be the “most powerful and most fuel-efficient Tacoma ever” doesn’t get my blood pumping…so it is better than the current underwhelming (and ancient) drivetrain… What they didn’t say was that it would be more powerful and efficient than the competition – namely the 306 HP / 24 mpg-hwy Chevy Colorado.
And after having a day to get over my initial disappointment, I’ve let more rational, practical thoughts creep into my mind. Maybe my expectations were unrealistic.
People don’t love the Tacoma because it is the most powerful, capable, flashy, or comfortable; they like it because it is a package deal – and a reliable one. On paper, it appears that Toyota has created a more powerful, more capable, more modern-looking, and more comfortable truck that should be a better package than the outgoing model.
So did Toyota miss the mark here? No, I think they’re at least on the target, but whether they maintain their 60% of the midsize truck market share in the midst of better competition (Chevy Colorado, forthcoming Nissan Frontier) is still up in the air.
Click here for more information about the 2016 Tacoma.
I was not surprised on what Toyota did with the Tacoma. Toyota isn’t known to be a big mold-breaker when it comes to revamping models. The Camry and Corolla are good examples of their conservative design. Why mess with something too much if you know it is going to sell?
I myself wish they would make a model (not just the Taco, all in general) that could be bought sans all the electronics and info systems. Then again, that is probably why I am still driving my ’04 Doublecab Taco.
I remember looking at a new Colorado back in ’05 before I bought my Tacoma. After I sat inside I was headed right back to the Toyota dealer. Even with a GM discount it wasn’t inviting. I do like the looks of the new Colorado and the mileage looks pretty decent. Two things would keep me from buying one though; A. that torsion bar suspension I am not a fan of and B. the fear of having a bunch of recalls down the road.
Yeah, my expectations were probably a little high. I also agree with you that the new Tacoma will outsell the Colorado/Canyon. For us enthusiasts, if Chevrolet build the ZR2 concept, it may be too awesome of a setup to pass up. Much like the Ford Raptor is such a well-engineered off-road iteration of the F150. Don’t even get me started on the new 2017 Raptor. Nailed it!
Ben, I had a similar reaction to yours except maybe my expectations were a little lower. I’m pretty happy with the redesign, pending fuel economy numbers. Toyota has to appeal to the masses but I think it’s an awesome platform to make your own. I’m excited to see what the next 4Runner will be like (assuming they make one). Most likely, it’ll be a safe bet, just like this Tacoma. I bet my brother’s next paycheck that this outsells the Colorado/canyon over the next three years combined.