PJ211X
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2019
- Threads
- 0
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Detroit, Michigan
- Vehicle(s)
- 2003 Dodge Caravan, 2004 Honda Pilot
Test drove a Tacoma TRD back in February. Nice truck overall but I couldn't get used to the seat position. Sitting essentially on the floor for any length of time wasn't all that comfortable. I'm 6'4" and finding a workable seat position with only fore and aft seat adjustment was impossible, not to mention the ridiculous lack of tilt angle and telescope range of the steering wheel.
I'm also not a fan of the seating position to windshield distance. Both the JL and TRD have small total windshield area compared to other vehicles in their class, but in the Tacoma I felt I had to lean forward more often to see traffic lights.
I didn't find the navigation and phone parring as objectionable as others have on this site and I do like the vertical center stack positioning of the interior controls (like the JT). But I do agree with others, rear drum brakes that are grabby in 2019 makes no sense and are far more prone to overheating while towing than disc brakes are. Also, the plastic bed sucks to stand on in wet conditions. I need a truck to haul dirt bikes and the Tacoma offers no traction at all.
The JT is one of a few I'm considering and appears to offer the most useable features I need of all that I'm considering. The only concern I have is what those wants will cost. I was a Chrysler engine/trans tech for over 20 years before earning a mechanical engineering degree this past year so I'm well familiar with the Jeep powertrain and consider it one of the better out there.
Toyota would do themselves a favor by doing a better job of benchmarking in the future. Now that the field of mid-sized trucks has grown by two and expect stiffer competition by redesigns of both the Frontier and Colorado's in the next couple of years they will have to. We as consumers will all benefit by this and expect better products in the future.
I'm also not a fan of the seating position to windshield distance. Both the JL and TRD have small total windshield area compared to other vehicles in their class, but in the Tacoma I felt I had to lean forward more often to see traffic lights.
I didn't find the navigation and phone parring as objectionable as others have on this site and I do like the vertical center stack positioning of the interior controls (like the JT). But I do agree with others, rear drum brakes that are grabby in 2019 makes no sense and are far more prone to overheating while towing than disc brakes are. Also, the plastic bed sucks to stand on in wet conditions. I need a truck to haul dirt bikes and the Tacoma offers no traction at all.
The JT is one of a few I'm considering and appears to offer the most useable features I need of all that I'm considering. The only concern I have is what those wants will cost. I was a Chrysler engine/trans tech for over 20 years before earning a mechanical engineering degree this past year so I'm well familiar with the Jeep powertrain and consider it one of the better out there.
Toyota would do themselves a favor by doing a better job of benchmarking in the future. Now that the field of mid-sized trucks has grown by two and expect stiffer competition by redesigns of both the Frontier and Colorado's in the next couple of years they will have to. We as consumers will all benefit by this and expect better products in the future.
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