Mid Size (Tacoma) vs Full Size Trucks

[jjaimes]

I'm looking for a truck and was thinking of going for a Tacoma after having good experiences with them in the past. I then started looking at the Ram 1500s/ Silverados/ Sierras etc. Reliability, gas efficiency, and long term resell value has me leaning towards the Tacoma however, I like that the full size trucks have more room for family, kids, etc. I'm always traveling to my farm house on the weekends 2.5 hours away so don't know if a full size will be the way to go. Anyone care to share their experiences or shine some advice on this? I hear the Fords have gotten better with gas mileage but I don't know if they've fixed their issues since I had nothing but trouble with the last Ford I owned.

[Balcones_Walker]

I had a Silverado 1500 and switched to the Tacoma after the Silverado started catching American Car Disease around 80k miles (AC went, 4x4 went, electrical issues).
I like being able to park the Tacoma in tighter spaces. I miss the Silverado's drivetrain a lot. I don't miss the interior comfort as much as I thought I would. I miss having the bigger bed. The Tacoma is definitely better on the rough dirt roads where I spend a lot of my time.

So, pros and cons. I haven't found the gas mileage to be much better with the Tacoma - they say the Canyon is the one to go with for that.

[Javelin]

full size get almost and potentially better fuel mileage. The ONLY reason I would want a smaller truck like a tacoma would be to have a small truck to zip around town easily or to take to the lease when its muddy. I say go full size and look at the diesel option which will get you close to 30mpg

[Mike D]

For the price of the Tacoma and the little to no advantage in fuel mileage I don’t think the Tacoma is the better choice; especially when the loss of room and towing capacity are also factored in.


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[duckmanep]

to me it all comes down to what I may tow. If I didn't have a camper, I'd probably be in a Taco.

[txtrophy85]

I like the size of the smaller trucks and off-road capability but the fuel mileage sucks.

Interested to see if they come out with one in a turbo diesel

[CaptainDave]

As stated, it comes down to towing, but be honest with yourself.

Do you tow anything right now? Will you ever and if so, what?

A taco will tow a small utility trailer, aluminum boat, pop-up camper, etc.

Do you live in an urban area where compact parking can be an issue?

Both have their pros and cons. You might as well ignore gas mileage as it's not big enough a difference to really matter. Actually, gas mileage for mid-sized trucks and SUVs is a bit disappointing when compared to their larger counterparts.

[jerp]

It all depends on how you are going to use it. I bought my first Tacoma in 2009 and recently bought my 2nd one. A mid-sized truck has it's drawbacks but it has been perfect for me. First of all, 95% of the time it is just me in the truck. The small bed is a deal killer for some but has been plenty big for my purposes. When I need to haul something that won't fit in the bed I use my 10ft utility trailer which is the only thing I tow. (I don't have a boat or a travel trailer) As full sized trucks have gotten bigger, I just like the maneuverability of the Tacoma, eg: parking. With the right tires and 4wd it is as offroad capable as anything out there. There is no real advantage gas mileage-wise however. It would be different if I had a bunch of kids to haul around or if I towed big stuff but for my purposes the Taco has been great - and perfectly reliable.

[lawbu]

I've been toying around with the same idea. Driven a 1/2 ton most of my life. Now I'm in a 3/4 Duramax, but I keep wondering if a Tacoma wouldn't be a better option. The most I tow is a mower or a Polaris Ranger. The Tacoma Pro's looks awesome and are so much easier to park and I'm guessing the ride doesn't beat you to death like my Duramax does. Scared to death to lose the room inside, especially disgruntled kids in the back with no leg room.

[BlackHogDown]

Traded in my Chevy 1/2 ton for a Tacoma. Only thing i tow is an ATV so not lacking there. ONLY thing that I'm having trouble adjusting to is cab space. I'm only 6'2" but if i sit up straight, my head is about touching the headliner.

When driving to the lease, I'd put the back seats of the Chevy up and put my scent free tote, guns, bow case, cooler, etc in the backseat. Only thing that would ride in the bed would be dog/kennel. All i can fit in the backseat of the tacoma is a couple rifles OR bowcase. I end up having a bed full of stuff.

Only thing I'm missing is the cab space and the interior comfort of a High Country vs TRD OffRoad

[tmurray]

I just can't see not having the space of a full size truck. Heck I went from Ford to GMC with my last truck and while the truck is awesome, the added room in the back seat of the Ford was very nice and I miss it. Can't imagine going even smaller. Also, I'm mostly city driving and getting 17mpg mixed right now and when traveling on road trips I do 20mpg on the highway with the 5.3 V8, pretty dang good for a 4x4 full size truck.

[MQ32Shooter]

I had a Tacoma that I loved. But, my 3 grandsons that hunted with me, grew to over 6'. No way I could haul them 3 hours, plus all of the gear necessary for a weekend hunt. So, another TBH'ER got my Tacoma and I got a full 4 door truck.

[Davik]

I have a Tacoma...never again...fuel mileage is the same or worse than my shooting partners chevy fullsize crewcab 4 wheel drive...and its half the size of his truck! Go with something thats capable of towing what you want, going where you want, and will give you the room you want.

[2Lazy2P]

I had a ‘18 Tacoma. For strictly hunting, it was awesome. But, the real reason I bought it was because I commute 4 hours everyday and thought I’d like the smaller truck for that. Never could get comfortable in it for some reason so I traded it in for a Tundra at 18k miles.

[joel45acp]

I've got a 2017 Tacoma TRD offroad and couldn't be happier. Mileage around town averages about 21 to 22mpg. I also have a full size Bronco just in case I wanna tow something heavy or move small mountains. Get the Tacoma it'll outlast any of those full size trucks by a long shot not to mention the Tacoma will hold it's value better than those others mentioned.