Actually, this is the production truck for the tacoma lineup, minus the ground effects and hood scoop. Only the Xrunner looks like the said photo. The toyota site has a rebroadcast of the chicago auto show, and the toyota exec said it is production as is.

 

Why didn't they put the 5spd in the tundra & sequoia? Because it wasn't buit yet at the time of release. :thinking:

 

Obviously the 6-speed is new. I was just excited about it because it obviously can work with the 4.0L V6 in the 4Runner...I can only hope they'll make it avaliable. There is a serious lack, IMHO, of RWD stick-shift SUVs on the market. But I guess the market likes it large and lazy...

Anyway, I'm not quite sure what you're getting at. Sure the 6-speed wasn't around when the 4Runner was released, but there is no excuse for not at least making a 5-speed manual standard (although when shopping most people would be impressed by a standard auto) when it came out. I'm sure Toyota sells a manual SOMEWHERE in the world that they could have used in the 4Runner when it debuted. They own Hino, for cryin' out loud. Those boys make big-time trucks, but maybe they could've helped Toyota out. They are, after all, responsible for this new XRunner.

 

Overall I think Toyota did a pretty good job but those headlamps are way too big for the front fascia in my opinion. Everything else looks nice, not bad for straight out of the factory.

I'd take it over the new Dakota. I also like that blue. Nice shade. :bigok:

 

It'll be nice if these tranny option were offered. They should replace the 4spd in the tundra & sequoia with the 5spd that the 4runner has and add this 6spd to the 4runner and drop the old tranny. Toyota does work in wierd ways. :thinking:

 

It's a pig. Way too big. Small pickups used to be cheap and cheerful alternatives for "active lifestyles." This is just another oversized, expensive American truck.

The mileage in the old pickups was nothing to brag about. This will be a gas hog.

 

It's a pig. Way too big. Small pickups used to be cheap and cheerful alternatives for "active lifestyles." This is just another oversized, expensive American truck.

The mileage in the old pickups was nothing to brag about. This will be a gas hog.

 

That cheerful alternative group is small compared to the average consumer, who want's more. There's alot more people that want a midsize truck than a compact because a fullsize is too big for their needs. I here it all the time about people wanting a dakota sized truck. It's always "you don't get the room you can with a dakota".

Do some research first before you start spouting out false information. The old 3.4L V6 in a tacoma extcab 4WD gets 17cty/19hwy and the new 4.0 V6 currently in the 4runner which weighs more gets 18cty/21hwy. Since the tacoma is lighter than the 4runner it'll probably gain 1-2mpg more.

So lets see, weaker motor and less mpg or stronger motor and better mpg? :thinking:

 

The X-runner is also a production model.

 

Yesurry