Had to drive the Tacoma today... Immediately missed the Mustang.

[SpaceEVDriver]

Most days I really enjoy driving my Tacoma. But I've only driven it a few miles since we took delivery of the Mustang. Today I had to take the Tacoma because my partner had the Mustang.

I sure missed the Mustang. So many enjoyable things about driving it compared with an ICE.
Instant acceleration.
Nearly silent driving.
Nimbleness.
One Pedal driving is hard to give up once I got used to it.

I sure hope we get a mid-sized, capable EV pickup truck sometime soon.

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[Pushrods&Capacitors]

Rivian R1T anyone?

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

I have a 2006 Tacoma. I’m lost in it when I have to drive it now.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Rivian R1T anyone?

I've got a reservation for the R1T and the F-150 Lightning. Considering one for the Silverado.

But, sadly, only the Rivian is close to the size of the Tacoma, and it's very wide in comparison. Same height and a little shorter (there's a Silverado thread on this forum where I posted a table showing the comparisons).

 

[Puttyandnapalm]

Rivian R1T anyone?

I have one on order, I’m guessing end of 23 before it arrives

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I have one on order, I’m guessing end of 23 before it arrives

That's my guess for my order too. I ordered pretty late in the game. Cancelled when they jacked up the price, but when they offered to let the order stand with the previous price, I reinstated the order. I hope they figure out their financials.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I got a Tacoma... I like it's usefulness for the bed... everything else sucks...

underpowered and transmission is a nightmare.

I like mine as long as I'm not driving it as a car or comparing it to an EV.

When I'm using it as a truck, it's great, for an ICE vehicle. It tows my trailer full of wood with a bed full of chainsaws, axes, and other gear. It tows trailers with the mini excavators and other tractors I often rent. It tows my travel trailer all over the desert and up and down mountains. It hauls all my welding gear. It gets me through or over anything. I've never found it to be underpowered. I had a Tacoma, foolishly traded it for a "bigger, more powerful" ICE truck that wasn't better and was worse to drive. I finally came back to a Tacoma. It's not a car, but I find it to be the best pickup truck I've owned.


Given the performance of the Mustang, I'm fairly certain that a Tacoma-sized EV pickup truck with a towing capacity of >=6500 pounds and ~400 miles range would be perfect for me.

 

[concept machine]

I like mine as long as I'm not driving it as a car or comparing it to an EV.

When I'm using it as a truck, it's great, for an ICE vehicle. It tows my trailer full of wood with a bed full of chainsaws, axes, and other gear. It tows trailers with the mini excavators and other tractors I often rent. It tows my travel trailer all over the desert and up and down mountains. It hauls all my welding gear. It gets me through or over anything. I've never found it to be underpowered. I had a Tacoma, foolishly traded it for a "bigger, more powerful" ICE truck that wasn't better and was worse to drive. I finally came back to a Tacoma. It's not a car, but I find it to be the best pickup truck I've owned.


Given the performance of the Mustang, I'm fairly certain that a Tacoma-sized EV pickup truck with a towing capacity of >=6500 pounds and ~400 miles range would be perfect for me.

Which year do you have? I have a 2019 TRD Pro. I have a 2018 ranger 17' boat that I'm afraid to tow. I went all last year without using it because I was afraid it would be underpowered to tow and have to stay out of 5th or 6th gear. A person shouldn't have to beat the hell out of their vehicle to get up a slight incline. I tow my mower OK and my motorcycles... but I'm afraid to tow the boat. The explorer sport towed it perfectly. Should have kept it. I had traded the '17 raptor in for it and then traded a '13 Tacoma for the raptor. I owned an 08, '11 and '13 taco and they were much better than the new one. Can't stand that transmission. Was thinking about getting it regeared but figure I'll be trading it in for a ranger Raptor in '23. That truck would be great with about +50 hp and a better gear ratio.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Which year do you have? I have a 2019 TRD Pro. I have a 2018 ranger 17' boat that I'm afraid to tow. I went all last year without using it because I was afraid it would be underpowered to tow and have to stay out of 5th or 6th gear. A person shouldn't have to beat the hell out of their vehicle to get up a slight incline. I tow my mower OK and my motorcycles... but I'm afraid to tow the boat. The explorer sport towed it perfectly. Should have kept it. I had traded the '17 raptor in for it and then traded a '13 Tacoma for the raptor. I owned an 08, '11 and '13 taco and they were much better than the new one. Can't stand that transmission. Was thinking about getting it regeared but figure I'll be trading it in for a ranger Raptor in '23. That truck would be great with about +50 hp and a better gear ratio.

I have a 2019 TRD Offroad DCLB with an AT. I had a 2007 TRD Offroad DCSB with an AT. Camper shells on both.

I tow an ~4,000 pound, 22', dual axle, travel trailer all around the western US in the spring, summer, and fall. In between, about every third weekend, I'm towing tractors, mini excavators, generators, welders, and wood to the family ranch, which is 50+ freeway miles down off (and then back up) the mountain and then about 10 miles on dirt "roads." In the winters, I know it'll get me to where I need to be.

I've towed similar gear with Tundras, F-150s, and a few other trucks. I prefer the Tacoma for lots of reasons, not the least is their physical dimensions. And I'm happier with how it tows compared with how the 2007 towed.

The thing with the new Tacoma engines (2GR-FKS) compared with the previous ones is that they're happiest producing power at about 4500 - 5500 RPM. That had me all out of sorts until I investigated the power band. It's not going to hurt the engine to run it at higher revs. It's designed for that. The thing about the previous generation engines (1GR-FE) was that they were bomb proof (I know this from experience). I don't, yet, know if this one is as bomb proof. I just wish they had actually gained efficiency when they went to smaller displacement.

I do agree that the transmission isn't well-paired in some circumstances. Specifically it annoys me when I'm not able to keep to a constant towing speed. If I have traffic or if I'm on curvy, undulating roads, the transmission struggles to find a happy place. But, if I can stay at a constant 75 mph or slower, the truck will tow for days on end, happily sucking down dead-dino juice, at 4500 RPM. I don't like to tow faster than about 65-70 mph no matter what the tow vehicle is.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I did upgrade the suspension in the 2019 this year because the offroad springs are pretty squishy and the heavier loads will give the Tacoma a bit of a rake.

 

[concept machine]

I did upgrade the suspension in the 2019 this year because the offroad springs are pretty squishy and the heavier loads will give the Tacoma a bit of a rake.

Thanks for the write up!
Yeah... thats what annoys the hell out of me. even towing my zero turn it has to stay in 4th gear. . .5th down hill.
It's a gas guzzler for towing because of the high RPM it takes to tow. That explorer sport I had, handled like a dream towing. I love the Tacoma for a practical truck when not towing or going up a hill. I've had 4 in the last 15 years. The way they geared this one for EPA was a tragedy. I'd strongly think about keeping it if it was geared to go up a hill without going thru 3 gears. Love it otherwise. I'm looking forward to the turbo charged v6 thats going in the ranger Raptor. That will have the power I prefer.
I, like you, prefer the midsized trucks. Never liked the full sized. Decided to try the raptor and didn't like it... just like I thought haha!!
Thanks again

 

[JamieGeek]

Ford needs to make the Maverick a BEV. I'd have one in a second.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Ford needs to make the Maverick a BEV. I'd have one in a second.

Especially if it could tow around 6500+ pounds. That would be perfect. We would have traded the Tacoma for the hybrid if it wasn't limited in tow capacity.

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