I swapped my trusty 3rd Gen Tacoma for a 4th Gen, and I’ve got to say, the 3rd Gen served me well, covering 300,000 trouble-free miles all over the country. I’ve owned every generation of Tacoma, and the 4th Gen is a real step up. Finally, there’s a proper rear suspension! Those old rear leaf springs were always a pain, especially since the 2nd and 3rd Gens had basically the same chassis, with the rear suspension being a major downside for the last two decades. The 3rd Gen’s transmission was also a weak point, I never loved it and even had buyer’s remorse at first. It did eventually “learn” to shift better, but it was never great. This new 8-speed transmission, though, is amazing. It shifts like a modern transmission should.
The 4-cylinder turbo engine is a massive improvement over the 6-cylinder. It tows so much better and drives way smoother overall. It genuinely feels like a full-size truck now. With the 3rd Gen, towing felt like a chore, but with the 4-cylinder turbo and 8-speed combo, it’s effortless—it drives like you’re not even towing. It finally feels like a true modern vehicle, unlike the 3rd Gen, which was really just a re-engineered 2nd Gen and felt outdated.
To anyone worried about the switch from a 6-cylinder to a 4-cylinder: for me, it’s all about performance. The new setup feels twice as powerful as the 3rd Gen. No exaggeration, the power delivery is way more efficient with this transmission.
My old 3rd Gen was a 2017, and I remember the initial backlash when it came out, with people complaining about the switch from the 4.0 to the 3.5 and warning to wait for the bugs to be sorted. Now, everyone praises the 3rd Gen and criticizes the 4th. But honestly, my 3rd Gen barely had any issues in 300,000 miles, except for a minor oil leak around 180,000. No misfires, check engine lights, or major failures. I’m confident the 4th Gen will be just as reliable.
The new seats are also a big improvement, they feel more like full-size truck seats, sitting higher and more upright compared to the low-to-the-floor feel of the previous generations.
So that’s my take. They really knocked it out of the park with this one. Four generations down, and each one just keeps getting better.
