I Test Drove a 2024 Tacoma

A couple days ago, an acquaintance let me drive his new 2024 Tacoma SR5 4WD long bed. He rode with me, so I just drove it normally, like I would normally drive my 2022 T4R. I didn’t want to hammer on it, lol!

I didn’t say anything to him, I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. But, I must say I was not really all that impressed by it.

I did try some moderate to brisk acceleration with it a couple times when I had the chance, coming off a stop at traffic lights, when the lights turned green. Meh…. To me, it didn’t feel any peppier than my T4R. I’m a mostly very conservative driver though. I’m not sure that the turbo would be of any use to me for 98% of the time the way I drive.

Are you supposed to hammer on these turbos all the time if you want to realize or feel any power or accelleration out of them?

For certain times or circumstances when I do need to get down on my 4.0L V-6, hell it satisfys me just fine. I realize it for what it is and accept it that it’s pulling a very heavy vehicle. I know I’m never going to win any green traffic light drag races with it, so I don’t even try.

The other thing I didn’t like was the feel in the Tacoma steering. It felt…. “cheap”??? I much preferred the steering feel on my T4R. I guess I could get used to the steering over time, I don’t know.

I sat in the back seat, with the front driver’s seat adjusted to where I had been using it while driving. I was not impressed with the leg room in the back seat compared to the back seat room of my T4R.

I did not engage the 4WD- there was no reason to even attempt using it.

We popped the hood, I wanted to see this engine in person, as I’d only ever seen it in videos on-line up to this point previously. I tried to not show any negative reaction in front of my friend. I just said oh wow…. ok. (Lol)

But…. Toyota, what in the blue fuck are you doing / thinking???? What a cluster fuck looking deal compared to the under hood of my T4R! Gosh…Dam!!!

I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I just complimented him on his cool new truck. But as for me, this experience just reinforced my commitment to hang on to my 2022 5th gen T4R for as long as I can.

My friend told me he loves the 4RUNNERS, but he needed the open truck bed of the Tacoma.

 

Modern electric steering boxes do tend to lack road feel in my experience while arguably being simpler by not requiring a high pressure hydraulic system.

While they (mostly) fixed the driver seat position problem with past generations, backseat leg room continues to be a deal killer for me as I have considered Tacomas.

 

You were probably on the turbo the entire time and just didn’t realize it. Thats how these small turbo engines get such big low end torque numbers, very lightweight turbos that spool up right off idle.

This isn’t a 1985 911 Turbo. You are not going to feel it “kick in” like an on/off switch 3/4 of the way to redline….

 

If you were really his friend you would have pointed, laughed at him and said "Ha Ha. You're less of a man now!"

The rear legroom in the double cab Tacoma has ALWAYS been a joke. You can barely fit a 6yr old back there. No grown up or full sized dog can sit back there comfortably.

 

Lmao. Friends don't let friends get away without ridicule and righteous condemnation.

 

Turbos basically rob power at low revs by design. I have a maverick with the turbo and it's sometimes sketchy coming off a standing start. God help you if the auto start stop kicks in at the wrong moment. Where it shines is high revs and at highway speeds. The thing loves passing and if you don't watch it you will go from 65 to 90 without realizing it.

Our old 05 explorer has a 4.0L 6 cyl and it will push you back in the seat more than the maverick from a standing start because it has more low end torque. It can pass ok, but it's a big heavy body on frame SUV and you can't expect miracles.

 

It’s an American designed POS. It has all the shortcomings of the domestic trucks

 

The car care nut review: