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Toyota Should Get Back on Track

I have a 2003 Toyota 4-cylinder, 4-wheel drive Tacoma truck, which I plan on keeping practically forever. This was the last year they produced Tacomas with the 4-cylinder 2.7 liter motor, which any Tacoma owner will tell you is wonderfully dependable and practical (if a little low in the vroom department). (NOTE: See comments: they ARE still available.) Now they're all 6-cylinder motors. I and my 3 sons have had a total of 7 four-cylinder Toyota Tacomas over the years and every one of them has been great. The other day I spotted this pig of a car in the local Toyota lot. $58,000! Oh how the mighty have fallen! What is wrong with Toyota (and Americans)? Why would anyone want an overblown, overpowered vehicle like this? Toyota (and America) need to get back on track in the auto department. To start, Toyota should bring back the 4-cylinder Tacoma. They will go for 100s of thousands of miles.
Posted at Sunday, February 14, 2010 6:44 AM
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5 comments:

John X said...

Lloyd, I've wanted a 4-cylinder Toyota truck for a few years now, but people don't turn them loose until the the trucks are beaten to a pulp---my buddy has one almost 30 years old and it still runs strong. And he won't part with it!

I agree Toyota dropped the ball. If they still made smallish 4-cylinder trucks, I'd be at the dealership tomorrow. But like all auto makers, they're more interested in squeezing every last dollar out of a buyer, instead of offering good utilitarian Everyman transportation at a reasonable price.

February 14, 2010 at 6:54 AM
Anonymous said...

I cannot agree more that we need a return to basic pickups. I recently paid $1000 for a basic 1993 Nissan with 55,000 miles. This is a basic no frills pickup that should last me at least 15 years.

Toyota, Nissan, all of them need to build something for the modern world of fewer resources. Simple basic vehicles designed to run for as long as possible but they instead design to see who has the greatest wow factor. My son works for automobile ad agencies and the cars they give him are fancy but I suspect that few will be as fancy at 200,000 miles.

February 14, 2010 at 9:10 AM
Anonymous said...

Me too. I'd love to find a practical pick up truck that wasn't dripping with testosterone (I've got my own, thanks.) I've had Toyotas forever, it was my first car and most likely will be my last. More and more however, practical cars and trucks are harder to come by, much like a lot of things. You can better, more well made tools if you buy used, and it's become the same with cars. What I wouldn't give for side vent windows, and windows that roll up manually... and a decent, long lasting four cylinder...

February 14, 2010 at 2:56 PM
Jim said...

Hi to all.
Toyota still produces a 4 cylinder, 5 speed, 2.7 liter, 4 wheel drive Tacoma. I recently purchased a 2008 model and put a "four-wheel pop-up camper" on it for an upcoming trip to the Boreal Forest and the Arctic Circle.

Plenty of power for my needs (wildlife biology and photography).

February 18, 2010 at 2:20 PM
Lloyd Kahn said...

Jim, It looks like they still are available. I was told wrong (by Sonnen Motors, San rafael, CA). I'm glad because it is a great vehicle. Thanks for the tip.

February 19, 2010 at 3:16 PM

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