General Motors Doing Well In Midsize Truck Segment, Success May Not Last

"I have an odd desire to get a Barcelona Red 4-door stick shift 4×4 V6 crew cab, but they’re gas pigs for what they are." No such thing, the stick shift is reserved for the bottom of the barrel 4 cylinder extra cab trucks.

@gtem Tacoma offers a 4x4, DC, 6MT, V6, and barcelona red. http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/631407748/overview/ I'd wait until the new one comes out though. The engine tech has literally jumped 2 generations between the 2015 Tacoma 1GR (intake VVT only) and the 2016 Tacoma V6 (VVT on intake and exhaust, wide angle on the intake to run a modified atkinson cycle, direct and port injection). I expect it will have all the nice low end torque of the Taco's 1GR, but have a real top end, too. The fact it will have cruising mode atkinson cycle via the wide angle VVT will really help the steady state fuel economy, too. I'm excited to see what they cook up for the next 4Runner. Hopefully this engine (and an 8 speed AT) along with a couple hundred pounds of weight reduction.

@Quentin My understanding is that Tacoma will come out with an updated truck for 2016. My youngest son has already put in his order for one and will trade his 2009 Tacoma 4-dr, 4X4 V6 in on it.

@Quentin Oh I thought were were talking about Colorados, my apologies. 6spd Tacos in a quad cab are rarer than hen's teeth unfortunately, and wholly unavailable with the TRD package that gives you the locking rear diff. I've also heard the 6spd manual is no treat to use, the 5spd auto is boring but competent and reliable. I'm really turned off of the looks of the 2016 Tacoma, and am spooked by the direct injection factor, unless they implemented a 'dual' system with a set of injectors set in the intake runners in addition to the ones in the head (to keep valves clean). I may sound like a broken record with this stuff but I've yet to be convinced that any OEM has figured out the valve coking issue yet for long term use, short of redundant injection of fuel down the intake ala traditional port injection that keeps valves clean. I'm really worried more so than looking forward in regards to the 4Runner's future. I should really try to snap up one of the 2014-2015 trucks in the next few years while it is possible to get a nice clean one. It would be neat to see them scale back weight and dimensions slightly back to the 3rd gen like mine (3750lb curb weight vs 4500+ lb on the new ones) I'm honestly not bothered by the current 4.0L/5spd auto MPG, 21-22 highway strikes me as totally reasonable for a sturdy high torque V6 of that displacement. I actually managed to consistently get 21 mpg in steady highway driving back from NY in my '96 with the 3.4L, while carrying about 400lb of bench press and weights disassembled in the back. This was hand calculated, staying at 70mph, and I'm on highway friendly rubber.

@gtem You can get the TRD OR package with the 6MT and Double Cab. You can get the Pro configured that way, in fact. Here is the 6MT TRD OR DC. http://www.toyota.com/tacoma/features.html#!/packages/7593 TRD Off-Road Extra Value Package: Available as part of an option package Toyota's build your own site only lets you build what you can easily find at your local dealers. You can order that configuration, though, if you can find a dealer to play nice. My dad's 2011 Taco is a 6MT TRD OR AC. The 6MT isn't great, but it appropriately feels like a truck gearbox. I've heard throw out bearings are problematic with them, though. My dad's hasn't had any issues so far. We'll see. The 2016 Taco does have the D4-S that uses port and direct injection. I don't care for the blue Limited they showed, but the khaki colored OR model with black, unpainted fender flares looks pretty sweet, IMO. I like the interior a lot. They changed the 6MT, so I don't know if they got the gearing changed to where it has 2 overdrive gears instead of just one like the current 6MT Taco. The newer engine should allow them to spread the gearing a bit and still have good drivability without going with such tight gearing. I had no complaints about the fuel economy in my 2010 4Runner. It was always hovering around 20~22mpg. The weight reduction would make it a little easier to drive. That heavy chassis really rolled around quite a lot on the soft suspension. I'm generally of the opinion that lighter is better.

@gtem "That heavy chassis really rolled around quite a lot on the soft suspension" The answer is Rancho struts and shocks. " the valve coking issue " For me, Marvel's Mystery Oil does the trick. Others use Sea Foam, AMS Oil or some other petroleum-based detergent additive.

@gtem HDC, The issue is that fuel additives never reach the valves, as the injectors are placed AFTER the valves, directly in the combustion chamber. Unless you are admitting the additive as Seafoam suggests directly into a vacuum like that's connected to the intake manifold, the valve seats and upward into the intake tracts of the head will stay sooty. There is debate as to how much of the burned on crud is deposits from combustion, and how much is from oil vapors routed via the PCV valve into the intake manifold, as is the practice on all modern cars. On the 2.0T VAG motors, I think the issue was mostly the fault of a poorly designed PCV. Folks with DI on various makes have been experimenting with oil catch cans, in fact quite a cottage industry has sprouted up selling these aftermarket kits. The fact that Toyota insists on using D4-S 'double' injection of both port injectors and direct injectors reinforces my opinion that carboned up intake valves are very much still an issue on this new generation of DI motors. Quentin, man I'm really striking out with my option package knowledge today aren't I? I really liked the 5A TRD Quad Cab short bed I test drove, and at around $28k with discounts I'd call it a pretty decent deal. It felt closer in spirit to my 4Runner than the cushier riding and heavier 5th gen 4Runner, although I personally would derive more utility from having the new 4Runner. The nose on the '16s bothers me, it looks very artificially tacked ontop of the existing front end and the lights look squinty. Perhaps it's more than an illusion and there is more length in the front to help with crash testing. I agree the khaki with black flairs is a good combo. In fact on the earlier trucks, my favorite combination is the most basic quadcab, in white, with steel wheels and black plastic flares.

I thought only the Titan was getting the cummins. I too bet Nissan will do better with than Frontier than GM did with the twins. The twins are truly meant as a lifestyle vehicle, I bet Nissan could do much better if they aim the frontier at truck buyers.

@Hummer Titan gets a Cummins V8. Cummins also has a 4-cylinder diesel that has occasionally been hinted at for the next Frontier.

@bumpy ii My first thought to that was wow, awesome! Then I remembered emissions equipment that had me looking at the 6.4 Gas Ram over the 6.7 Cummins. Still good to see I suppose.

"Yes, it feels cheap inside but it is cheap materials that are put together well. It’s just an honest truck." I respect the heck out of Nissan trucks after seeing all generations of Nissan pickups totally dominating the landscape in Mexico. From early 80s models beat to a barely recognizable pulp but still hauling the goods to market, to the 'hardbody' style trucks and their D21 platform sharing successor NP300s that still make up the mainstay of commercial trucklets (quad cabs and stakebeds, regular cabs), and finally seeing Frontiers like yours in full blown Pro-X4 regalia as the vehicle of choice for management at my job site down there, I'm a believer.

That could be nice as well. I have a friend who cross-shopped Tacoma and Frontier about 7 years ago and ended up with a Frontier he LOVES. 120k miles of construction sales road-warrior abuse, and while a company truck has reduced the amount he uses it, he plans to drive the wheels off the thing hunting and fishing with it. Only major issue was getting the timing chain tensioners upgraded a couple years back. Guess I sort of derailed this thread with my Tacoma comments. I was on NASIOC earlier today and got sucked in by a Toyota Tundra ad that featured a Hi-Lux in Chile. I liked the diesel Hi-Lux better than the Tundra. But I'm weird like that.

@gtem Mexico and Nissans...that stirred a memory of me selling a pile Grade 8 bolts out of the Home Depot Tool Rental service parts bin (probably for some JLG scissor lift) a decade ago so two Mexican guys could rig a tow bar to a Nissan pickup they were bringing back to Mexico with them. From New Hampshire, which is not a friendly place if you like rust-free vehicles. There will always be a market for an honest truck that just gets the job done no matter what.

For less than $7,000 you could add your own 4wd system that would be significantly more durable. Hell for $7,000 you could probably pay someone to install it.