As you await pricing on TRD Pro and Trailhunter, what are you cross-shopping?

[North]

A little background: I currently drive a '99 Lexus LX470 and also have a '98 Chevy K1500 single cab as my plow/trash truck. I live in Wisconsin but do a lot of hunting out West, in addition to a lot of general backwoods forest road exploring/camping/fishing etc. Not much rock crawling or "off roading for the sake of off roading" type of stuff (I have a side by side for that). No high speed dune hopping here in the swamp. I live in Northern Wisconsin so deep snow and ice can be an issue. 2 growing daughters, neither huge. I am 6'1" 190ish.

My Lexus is stock and with all-terrain tires has been plenty of truck for the type of stuff I do, but it's getting a little long in the tooth. There are pros to an SUV but I would like a little more room for gear. I want a premium truck with good on-road characteristics that can get me the types of places I like to go comfortably. I don't need to fly through the desert going 90 and I don't need to crawl 200 miles of trails in Moab every weekend. So Trailhunter (6 foot bed) seemed about perfect.

When I first called my dealer about the Trailhunter, they were estimating $50k plus a $5k markup. Now, it seems like everyone is estimating $60k+. If that's the price then that's the price, but as that number goes up I find myself caught in a cycle of looking at either full sized trucks or other top-end mid sizers, a lot of which I could buy today without having to wait until fall or potentially next year. I don't NEED to tow anything over 6,000 pounds, and I will rarely have need to transport adults in the back, but added space and capability for a similar price is tempting.

The problem is, I'm not really finding much that checks as many boxes as the Trailhunter for me without inching into a whole new price class. Every time another option starts looking good I find some feature or lack thereof that sours me on it. So, I'm still 95% set on a Trailhunter, but in the event that pricing comes in ridiculously high or these things are as hard to come by as some rumors are claiming, I want to be ready with a plan B.

I haven't actually driven any of these trucks, but here are the trucks I've been cross shopping and my pros and cons for each. A lot of this will be personal opinion so don't get offended if your tastes don't agree, no offense intended.

TACOMA TRAILHUNTER: PRO: Looks great, high payload, 6 foot bed option, overlanding/off-road goodies from the factory, lots of new tech and big screen, brand new model, Tacoma seems to be getting great reviews from owners and automotive press, 2400 watt power in bed, should get ok-to-good MPG for a truck, big rear dif, big brakes, Toyota reputation for reliability, mid size truck should be a little easier to get around off-road, likely great resale value. CON: Small backseat, (likely) high price for midsize, smaller cab, wish it had real leather, interior looks pretty good but maybe trying a little too hard with the fake rock look, some reviews saying JBL stereo isn't sounding great, doesn't tow a lot, first year models will have some kinks.

TUNDRA TRD Pro: PRO: Big cab, lots of space, powerful, looks pretty good, some off-road goodies from factory, Fox shocks, tows plenty, kinks have had a few years to be worked out. CON: Not as well received from owners and automotive press as the Tacoma has been so far, MPG just OK, payload possibly lower than Trailhunter, still no real leather, large truck harder to maneuver off-road and in tight driving conditions, not build for the type of off-roading I intend to do as much as Trailhunter is, pricey

TUNDRA with TRD Off Road package: Mostly same as above with less off-road capability and real leather available.

CHEVY COLORADO ZR2: PRO: More power than non-hybrid Tacoma without Hybrid system, available now, looks pretty good, Bison package adds even more off-road capability than Trailhunter. CON: Not a Toyota, lower payload than Trailhunter, Bison has really low payload, poor MPG for midsize, starts cheaper but gets up there with options.

CHEVY 1500 ZR2: PRO: Full size space, looks pretty good, V8 power and sound. CONS: Not a Toyota, poor towing capacity fullsize, payload nothing special, premium fuel.

FORD F150 Tremor: PRO: Full size space, engine options look good on paper, hybrid available, good MPG for full size. CON: Not a Toyota, Ford styling does nothing for me, Powerboost hybrid not available on Tremor, top wattage Pro Power not available on Tremor, is a Ford.

FORD F`150 Raptor: PRO: Seems like a blast CON: Expensive, not built for the type of off-roading I intend to do.

LEXUS GX550 Overtrail: PRO: This seems like it would be the one to get if I didn't want a pickup. Good power, nice interior, very capable off road. CONS: Not a pickup, expensive, likely hard to find for a bit.

Of course there are other options, Jeeps, RAM Rebel, Bronco, GMC, Rivian, the new Land Cruiser, Nissan, but the ones listed are the ones I've been more interested in personally. SO, who has been having similar thoughts keeping them up at night? Who has opinions on full-size vs mid-size trucks in general? What is second in the running for everyone if the pricing of your TRD Pro or Trailhunter ends up being $85k like the trolls love to keep saying in the YouTube comments?

Still very much looking forward to a Trailhunter, but dads gonna dad.

Sponsored

 

[StreeTaco]

No cross shopping- All in on a Pro

 

[Gear_yyc]

My use case is a bit different than yours so I'm set on a mid-size, but based on what you're describing the Tundra SR5 Off Road is going to be cheaper than the Trailhunter and fit your needs quite well.

 

[PYLDRVR]

2024 Canyon AT4X

PRO: Front locker; more suspension travel; rear locker usable outside of 4Lo; All Wheel Drive; DSSV shocks; Solar Flare is great color, I also like the Obsidian Rush interior; 2nd model year; available for ordering basically now and, at a $62K TRD Pro estimate, for about $5K less.
CON: 16/16 mpg is not the greatest (yes, I know it's a truck, it still matters in terms of how far you can get and often you need to fill up); rear leaf springs; rear seat doesn't fold flat; lower reliability reputation than Toyota; HP & Torque numbers less than the I-FORCE MAX (especially torque); Smaller main screen (but more integrated styling) and underbody cameras are extra

Why I'm waiting: I like the exterior styling of Tacoma a little better; Coil springs all the way around; I like the red interior; for my purposes MTS and Crawl Control are probably good enough so lack of a front locker isn't that big a deal and the same goes for less suspension travel; Tacoma technology seems better/more-advanced (I might be in the minority on the board but I like the ISO-Dyanmic seats) and the engine (did I mention torque?).

 

[MJE]

I just miss having a truck & need something more comfortable & more substantial than what I have. But though an F150 was my favorite vehicle ever, a full size, despite the fact that’s what everybody drives around here, I think would just too large to maneuver properly around the city.

Yet I need something large & comfortable enough to go on the highway. So I’m hoping the midsize segment, either truck or SUV is the ticket. & there lies my biggest conundrum. I don’t particularly need a truck to move things big/bulky enough that an SUV couldn’t take it. A truck always offers nice all round visibility & looks great, but it takes additional length to make a truck with a separate box too.

Trucks: most everything bears looking at in the midsize segment. I perhaps need to rent an F150 for a weekend to see how I deal with a vehicle that size running around the city, but I can’t see a full size would be easy enough to deal with on a daily basis until I got out on the highway. The nice thing about a traditional pickup is it doesn’t scream ‘expensive vehicle’ & fits in no matter where you drive it. Fancy restaurant or thrift store parking lot, you just don’t stand out as much in a pickup as you might in a more expensive SUV which is a plus to me.

Toyota Tacoma -> I’d be looking at a Limited I’m sure, so no particular options packages to worry about, any allocation in a decent color should be fine.
advantages: perceived brand reliability & resale. Hybrid. Good looks. The tech for cameras & safety appears to be top notch. Cost is probably reasonable for what you’re getting.
disadvantages: I’m not seeing many, beyond being a traditional ‘American’ brand guy. I worry the seating, my top priority isn’t improved enough over gen 3.

Ford Ranger -> Looking at a Lariat here with everything.
advantages: reportedly the most spacious & comfortable. Plain looks mean it looks like a modern version of my beloved 2007 F150. Without experiencing it, tech seems to be on par With Toyota.
Disadvantages: given my current Ford is neither spacious nor comfortable, do I want to take the chance on another?

SUV’s: there aren’t many midsize ‘truck-like’ BOF SUV’s any longer, but you have to love what Toyota is doing with TNGA-F. A Bronco might be the ‘normal’ upgrade path for me, but I can’t see one being well suited to long distance highway driving. Overall this might just be enough ‘truck’ for what I need & want now, while being a bit shorter overall than a standard pickup.

Toyota 4-Runner -> bears seeing what they bring for 2025.

Toyota Land Cruiser -> looks pretty good, well worth investigating.
advantages: like the Tacoma, it’s a Toyota & a good looking one at that. Hybrid. & tech appears all there.
Disadvantages: cost. It appears they’re pricing it where the GX used to be. So certainly above a Tacoma.

Lexus GX -> ok if you’re going to be in this kind of cost why not go all out. Like any of the Toyotas here it could last 20 years & get me into retirement & beyond.
advantages: the most luxurious BOF vehicle you’ll find that isn’t a full-size. Really the ultimate Toyota.
Disadvantages: cost. Even if I’m not really on a budget, at some point the price just gets offensive. I’d be waiting for the hybrid version to see net better economy out of it. It might stand out just a bit too much as an expensive vehicle.

What else should I check out? Currently in a 2022 Bronco Sport, so I’ve been spoiled by Ford’s tech which seems ahead of many especially at the price.

Honda Ridgeline -> full size room in a midsize package sounds great, but overall seems quite dated compared to traditional truck choices.

GMC Canyon Denali -> worth checking out as another new midsize entry, but GM’s execution seems even worse than Ford’s at trying to get a quality product on the lot.

Subaru Outback -> My sister bought a new Forester after running her last one for 20 years, though the internet seems to think that’s an anomaly rather than the rule for a Subaru. If the Outback is a bit larger it might be a good city/weekend car. Cost is less than anything else.

Ford Explorer -> I had one prior to my BS & loved just about everything about it for driving, room, efficiency, comfort. I perhaps should’ve stuck with it, but traded for other reasons. I don’t really need a 7 passenger car for myself & a dog.

 

[PNWblue]

Definitely considering a 2024 Ranger FX4, it has more interior room and a vetted powertrain. But I'm also contemplating just waiting longer due to a poor overall market that manufacturers appear to be keeping inventory low so they don't need to offer incentives to buyers. They've openly admitted this is a better business strategy.

 

[univurshul]

I'm not cross-shopping for a Trailhunter because out the factory there's not many direct comps...but interested in the Toyota EPU! Would be sick if they expanded this platform into the city work van segment. Urban/micropolitan mtns/light duty service road style small trucks coming to a theatre near you.

My dads old Toyota van was legendary...

 

[Msepa]

A little background: I currently drive a '99 Lexus LX470 and also have a '98 Chevy K1500 single cab as my plow/trash truck. I live in Wisconsin but do a lot of hunting out West, in addition to a lot of general backwoods forest road exploring/camping/fishing etc. Not much rock crawling or "off roading for the sake of off roading" type of stuff (I have a side by side for that). No high speed dune hopping here in the swamp. I live in Northern Wisconsin so deep snow and ice can be an issue. 2 growing daughters, neither huge. I am 6'1" 190ish.

My Lexus is stock and with all-terrain tires has been plenty of truck for the type of stuff I do, but it's getting a little long in the tooth. There are pros to an SUV but I would like a little more room for gear. I want a premium truck with good on-road characteristics that can get me the types of places I like to go comfortably. I don't need to fly through the desert going 90 and I don't need to crawl 200 miles of trails in Moab every weekend. So Trailhunter (6 foot bed) seemed about perfect.

When I first called my dealer about the Trailhunter, they were estimating $50k plus a $5k markup. Now, it seems like everyone is estimating $60k+. If that's the price then that's the price, but as that number goes up I find myself caught in a cycle of looking at either full sized trucks or other top-end mid sizers, a lot of which I could buy today without having to wait until fall or potentially next year. I don't NEED to tow anything over 6,000 pounds, and I will rarely have need to transport adults in the back, but added space and capability for a similar price is tempting.

The problem is, I'm not really finding much that checks as many boxes as the Trailhunter for me without inching into a whole new price class. Every time another option starts looking good I find some feature or lack thereof that sours me on it. So, I'm still 95% set on a Trailhunter, but in the event that pricing comes in ridiculously high or these things are as hard to come by as some rumors are claiming, I want to be ready with a plan B.

I haven't actually driven any of these trucks, but here are the trucks I've been cross shopping and my pros and cons for each. A lot of this will be personal opinion so don't get offended if your tastes don't agree, no offense intended.

TACOMA TRAILHUNTER: PRO: Looks great, high payload, 6 foot bed option, overlanding/off-road goodies from the factory, lots of new tech and big screen, brand new model, Tacoma seems to be getting great reviews from owners and automotive press, 2400 watt power in bed, should get ok-to-good MPG for a truck, big rear dif, big brakes, Toyota reputation for reliability, mid size truck should be a little easier to get around off-road, likely great resale value. CON: Small backseat, (likely) high price for midsize, smaller cab, wish it had real leather, interior looks pretty good but maybe trying a little too hard with the fake rock look, some reviews saying JBL stereo isn't sounding great, doesn't tow a lot, first year models will have some kinks.

TUNDRA TRD Pro: PRO: Big cab, lots of space, powerful, looks pretty good, some off-road goodies from factory, Fox shocks, tows plenty, kinks have had a few years to be worked out. CON: Not as well received from owners and automotive press as the Tacoma has been so far, MPG just OK, payload possibly lower than Trailhunter, still no real leather, large truck harder to maneuver off-road and in tight driving conditions, not build for the type of off-roading I intend to do as much as Trailhunter is, pricey

TUNDRA with TRD Off Road package: Mostly same as above with less off-road capability and real leather available.

CHEVY COLORADO ZR2: PRO: More power than non-hybrid Tacoma without Hybrid system, available now, looks pretty good, Bison package adds even more off-road capability than Trailhunter. CON: Not a Toyota, lower payload than Trailhunter, Bison has really low payload, poor MPG for midsize, starts cheaper but gets up there with options.

CHEVY 1500 ZR2: PRO: Full size space, looks pretty good, V8 power and sound. CONS: Not a Toyota, poor towing capacity fullsize, payload nothing special, premium fuel.

FORD F150 Tremor: PRO: Full size space, engine options look good on paper, hybrid available, good MPG for full size. CON: Not a Toyota, Ford styling does nothing for me, Powerboost hybrid not available on Tremor, top wattage Pro Power not available on Tremor, is a Ford.

FORD F`150 Raptor: PRO: Seems like a blast CON: Expensive, not built for the type of off-roading I intend to do.

LEXUS GX550 Overtrail: PRO: This seems like it would be the one to get if I didn't want a pickup. Good power, nice interior, very capable off road. CONS: Not a pickup, expensive, likely hard to find for a bit.

Of course there are other options, Jeeps, RAM Rebel, Bronco, GMC, Rivian, the new Land Cruiser, Nissan, but the ones listed are the ones I've been more interested in personally. SO, who has been having similar thoughts keeping them up at night? Who has opinions on full-size vs mid-size trucks in general? What is second in the running for everyone if the pricing of your TRD Pro or Trailhunter ends up being $85k like the trolls love to keep saying in the YouTube comments?

Still very much looking forward to a Trailhunter, but dads gonna dad.

I really like your points about all the makes, I also agree with you that ‘It’s not a TOYOTA’

 

[Msepa]

I really like your points about all the makes, I also agree with you that ‘It’s not a TOYOTA’
remark. But in the end I would rather get what I want then settle for mediocre and regret it for the next 5-10 years. TRD PRO or bust.

 

[tacotac]

A little background: I currently drive a '99 Lexus LX470 and also have a '98 Chevy K1500 single cab as my plow/trash truck. I live in Wisconsin but do a lot of hunting out West, in addition to a lot of general backwoods forest road exploring/camping/fishing etc. Not much rock crawling or "off roading for the sake of off roading" type of stuff (I have a side by side for that). No high speed dune hopping here in the swamp. I live in Northern Wisconsin so deep snow and ice can be an issue. 2 growing daughters, neither huge. I am 6'1" 190ish.

My Lexus is stock and with all-terrain tires has been plenty of truck for the type of stuff I do, but it's getting a little long in the tooth. There are pros to an SUV but I would like a little more room for gear. I want a premium truck with good on-road characteristics that can get me the types of places I like to go comfortably. I don't need to fly through the desert going 90 and I don't need to crawl 200 miles of trails in Moab every weekend. So Trailhunter (6 foot bed) seemed about perfect.

When I first called my dealer about the Trailhunter, they were estimating $50k plus a $5k markup. Now, it seems like everyone is estimating $60k+. If that's the price then that's the price, but as that number goes up I find myself caught in a cycle of looking at either full sized trucks or other top-end mid sizers, a lot of which I could buy today without having to wait until fall or potentially next year. I don't NEED to tow anything over 6,000 pounds, and I will rarely have need to transport adults in the back, but added space and capability for a similar price is tempting.

The problem is, I'm not really finding much that checks as many boxes as the Trailhunter for me without inching into a whole new price class. Every time another option starts looking good I find some feature or lack thereof that sours me on it. So, I'm still 95% set on a Trailhunter, but in the event that pricing comes in ridiculously high or these things are as hard to come by as some rumors are claiming, I want to be ready with a plan B.

I haven't actually driven any of these trucks, but here are the trucks I've been cross shopping and my pros and cons for each. A lot of this will be personal opinion so don't get offended if your tastes don't agree, no offense intended.

TACOMA TRAILHUNTER: PRO: Looks great, high payload, 6 foot bed option, overlanding/off-road goodies from the factory, lots of new tech and big screen, brand new model, Tacoma seems to be getting great reviews from owners and automotive press, 2400 watt power in bed, should get ok-to-good MPG for a truck, big rear dif, big brakes, Toyota reputation for reliability, mid size truck should be a little easier to get around off-road, likely great resale value. CON: Small backseat, (likely) high price for midsize, smaller cab, wish it had real leather, interior looks pretty good but maybe trying a little too hard with the fake rock look, some reviews saying JBL stereo isn't sounding great, doesn't tow a lot, first year models will have some kinks.

TUNDRA TRD Pro: PRO: Big cab, lots of space, powerful, looks pretty good, some off-road goodies from factory, Fox shocks, tows plenty, kinks have had a few years to be worked out. CON: Not as well received from owners and automotive press as the Tacoma has been so far, MPG just OK, payload possibly lower than Trailhunter, still no real leather, large truck harder to maneuver off-road and in tight driving conditions, not build for the type of off-roading I intend to do as much as Trailhunter is, pricey

TUNDRA with TRD Off Road package: Mostly same as above with less off-road capability and real leather available.

CHEVY COLORADO ZR2: PRO: More power than non-hybrid Tacoma without Hybrid system, available now, looks pretty good, Bison package adds even more off-road capability than Trailhunter. CON: Not a Toyota, lower payload than Trailhunter, Bison has really low payload, poor MPG for midsize, starts cheaper but gets up there with options.

CHEVY 1500 ZR2: PRO: Full size space, looks pretty good, V8 power and sound. CONS: Not a Toyota, poor towing capacity fullsize, payload nothing special, premium fuel.

FORD F150 Tremor: PRO: Full size space, engine options look good on paper, hybrid available, good MPG for full size. CON: Not a Toyota, Ford styling does nothing for me, Powerboost hybrid not available on Tremor, top wattage Pro Power not available on Tremor, is a Ford.

FORD F`150 Raptor: PRO: Seems like a blast CON: Expensive, not built for the type of off-roading I intend to do.

LEXUS GX550 Overtrail: PRO: This seems like it would be the one to get if I didn't want a pickup. Good power, nice interior, very capable off road. CONS: Not a pickup, expensive, likely hard to find for a bit.

Of course there are other options, Jeeps, RAM Rebel, Bronco, GMC, Rivian, the new Land Cruiser, Nissan, but the ones listed are the ones I've been more interested in personally. SO, who has been having similar thoughts keeping them up at night? Who has opinions on full-size vs mid-size trucks in general? What is second in the running for everyone if the pricing of your TRD Pro or Trailhunter ends up being $85k like the trolls love to keep saying in the YouTube comments?

Still very much looking forward to a Trailhunter, but dads gonna dad.

I am in the same boat, except unlike you I test drove everything in the last few weeks. I do a lot of camping and outdoor stuff and need offroad capability not for the sake of offroading but for the sake of accessing places in the backcountry. And current SUV is not big enough for all the gear. Kids on the way.
Constantly back and forth between mid size and full size (obviously with kids and for camping the full size is great, but the mid size is so much better to get around in town and on tight trails).
I am 6’5”.

I am cross shopping with F-150 Tremor, Ranger Raptor, Colorado ZR2, Tundra.

I test drove all of those (TRD Offroad not Trailhunter), except the new Ranger and the Raptor but sat in one new Ranger at an Auto show.

ZR2: best deal by far. I mean 50K, so most likely 10-15K less than a TRD Pro / Trailhunter for the same tech and capability. Test driving it felt good, engine was good, ride and suspension were great. Only thing I did not like are the stiff seats. Why I did not buy it yet? Hard to say. I just don’t have the wow factor. I have no love for chevy.

Ranger Raptor: I would probably buy this today if it was available, and with no markup. I sat in one and it felt great. More room in the back seat than both the Colorado and Tacoma. Live fox tech 2.5in suspensions + best in class travel + dual lockers, it’s a beast offroad. 3.0 V6 400HP. All of this for the price of a Tacoma TRD Off road premium? Why would you even consider the Tacoma TRD offroad? reliability? but the new Taco being all new, there is no proven reliability at all and in fact it already has issues. Well for one, the best reason not to buy the RR is because it’s not available.

Tundra / F-150 Tremor. No match for me. The engine in the Tundra was good, but then the Tremor crushed it. Power delivery, smoothness, shifting, everything was better. The seat comfort is night and day and I refuse to pay Tundra price for seats so uncomfortable and stiff, it’s almost laughable. The quietness in the F-150 was better, the ride, the handling. Clearly, if I am buying a full size it will be a F-150.
Also, the rear seats, so much room and completely flat floor in the F150 was amazing.

Tacoma: pleasantly surprised.
Cons: The engine felt underpowered. Yes this feeling is opposite from what everybody else is saying but people compare this to the old tacoma which was a dog. Of course the new one is better, but it’s underpowered, it’s agitated, not smooth and did not like the sound, I am not worried though because the TH being hybrid it will be plenty powerful. Seat comfort was actually slightly better than the Tundra, and slightly better than the ZR2, but still a cons versus Ford.
Cabin noise was much higher than the Tundra (test drove those back to back on the same road same speed).
Lack of 4A and Memory Seats are really bugging me.
Pros: Toyota fixed the tech. Adaptive Cruise and lane centering worked well, I liked the screen and the tech was on point. I liked the Control. Overall it has the best interior versus the Ranger and the ZR2 because the amount of touch screen / physical buttons are perfectly balanced and the tech is as good as the other 2.
Ride was great, suspension not as good as ZR2 on large bumps but to be expected on the TRD Offroad, TH should be better there.
Look is great (subjective).

Overall the Tacoma was a really nice package especially if the Hybrid engine delivers. If the ZR2, Trailhunter, and Ranger Raptor all were the same price (say 55K), I would say the Tacoma is the most balanced choice. At $65K, and the ZR2 50K and RR 55K, then I would say the Tacoma becomes a joke, honestly. This is the price for a brand new loaded 2023 Tremor on Dealer lots discounted now.

I am secretly hopping for the Trailhunter to cost 59-60K because then despite the fact that it would not be a reasonable choice, it would be doable because it’s a lovely package. At 65K though, I am getting a Tremor. I am the type of user who benefits from the small mid size (tight trails, daily driving) and from full size (kids on the way, and I am 6’5”). So at the end of the day I could get either, but there is no way I pay 65K for the Tacoma. I mean, please be my guest, go sit in a Tacoma at the dealership this week, then go sit in a Tremor (don’t sit in a XLT, but in a Tremor). Tell me the difference isn’t massive?

By the way, as a 6’5” the F-150 was the best in the front seat, but the Tacoma was a lot better than I thought. Old Tacoma was atrocious. New one is very decent for tall people (in the front, the back is a disaster and nobody can seat behind me).

 

[North]

I am in the same boat, except unlike you I test drove everything in the last few weeks. I do a lot of camping and outdoor stuff and need offroad capability not for the sake of offroading but for the sake of accessing places in the backcountry. And current SUV is not big enough for all the gear. Kids on the way.
Constantly back and forth between mid size and full size (obviously with kids and for camping the full size is great, but the mid size is so much better to get around in town and on tight trails).
I am 6’5”.

I am cross shopping with F-150 Tremor, Ranger Raptor, Colorado ZR2, Tundra.

I test drove all of those (TRD Offroad not Trailhunter), except the new Ranger and the Raptor but sat in one new Ranger at an Auto show.

ZR2: best deal by far. I mean 50K, so most likely 10-15K less than a TRD Pro / Trailhunter for the same tech and capability. Test driving it felt good, engine was good, ride and suspension were great. Only thing I did not like are the stiff seats. Why I did not buy it yet? Hard to say. I just don’t have the wow factor. I have no love for chevy.

Ranger Raptor: I would probably buy this today if it was available, and with no markup. I sat in one and it felt great. More room in the back seat than both the Colorado and Tacoma. Live fox tech 2.5in suspensions + best in class travel + dual lockers, it’s a beast offroad. 3.0 V6 400HP. All of this for the price of a Tacoma TRD Off road premium? Why would you even consider the Tacoma TRD offroad? reliability? but the new Taco being all new, there is no proven reliability at all and in fact it already has issues. Well for one, the best reason not to buy the RR is because it’s not available.

Tundra / F-150 Tremor. No match for me. The engine in the Tundra was good, but then the Tremor crushed it. Power delivery, smoothness, shifting, everything was better. The seat comfort is night and day and I refuse to pay Tundra price for seats so uncomfortable and stiff, it’s almost laughable. The quietness in the F-150 was better, the ride, the handling. Clearly, if I am buying a full size it will be a F-150.
Also, the rear seats, so much room and completely flat floor in the F150 was amazing.

Tacoma: pleasantly surprised.
Cons: The engine felt underpowered. Yes this feeling is opposite from what everybody else is saying but people compare this to the old tacoma which was a dog. Of course the new one is better, but it’s underpowered, it’s agitated, not smooth and did not like the sound, I am not worried though because the TH being hybrid it will be plenty powerful. Seat comfort was actually slightly better than the Tundra, and slightly better than the ZR2, but still a cons versus Ford.
Cabin noise was much higher than the Tundra (test drove those back to back on the same road same speed).
Lack of 4A and Memory Seats are really bugging me.
Pros: Toyota fixed the tech. Adaptive Cruise and lane centering worked well, I liked the screen and the tech was on point. I liked the Control. Overall it has the best interior versus the Ranger and the ZR2 because the amount of touch screen / physical buttons are perfectly balanced and the tech is as good as the other 2.
Ride was great, suspension not as good as ZR2 on large bumps but to be expected on the TRD Offroad, TH should be better there.
Look is great (subjective).

Overall the Tacoma was a really nice package especially if the Hybrid engine delivers. If the ZR2, Trailhunter, and Ranger Raptor all were the same price (say 55K), I would say the Tacoma is the most balanced choice. At $65K, and the ZR2 50K and RR 55K, then I would say the Tacoma becomes a joke, honestly. This is the price for a brand new loaded 2023 Tremor on Dealer lots discounted now.

I am secretly hopping for the Trailhunter to cost 59-60K because then despite the fact that it would not be a reasonable choice, it would be doable because it’s a lovely package. At 65K though, I am getting a Tremor. I am the type of user who benefits from the small mid size (tight trails, daily driving) and from full size (kids on the way, and I am 6’5”). So at the end of the day I could get either, but there is no way I pay 65K for the Tacoma. I mean, please be my guest, go sit in a Tacoma at the dealership this week, then go sit in a Tremor (don’t sit in a XLT, but in a Tremor). Tell me the difference isn’t massive?

By the way, as a 6’5” the F-150 was the best in the front seat, but the Tacoma was a lot better than I thought. Old Tacoma was atrocious. New one is very decent for tall people (in the front, the back is a disaster and nobody can seat behind me).

Thanks for sharing your experiences and opinions. I do think the final price of the Trailhunter (and availability) will make a big difference in terms of how seriously I look at the competition. If it comes in at $56k and I can have it by summer then I won't look much further. If it's $62k and not coming until next winter then I'm looking much harder at other options. Not because the extra $6k will break the bank, but because the price begins to creep into full size territory and other midsizes start to look much more competitive even once factoring the the Toyota tax paid for reliability/resale value. Then again, the prices that are being announced for the new full size off-roaders I've been hearing are now getting up into $80k territory, so as much as everyone loves to claim that high vehicle prices were invented by the Gen 4 Tacoma, this is an issue across the board for anyone wanting to get into the latest and greatest trucks in 2024.

Everything you said about Ford is interesting. Like I said, I think a lot of stuff about Tremor sounds great on paper. I wish they offered the PowerBoost engine with the Tremor package and I don't love Ford's exterior styling. It just seems kind of plain and old-fashioned to me. The Raptor and Ford's HD trucks do look OK to me. My dad's F150 frame rusted in half with 80k miles on it and I've never had a great experience with the brand, but that was all a long time ago.

 

[tacotac]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and opinions. I do think the final price of the Trailhunter (and availability) will make a big difference in terms of how seriously I look at the competition. If it comes in at $56k and I can have it by summer then I won't look much further. If it's $62k and not coming until next winter then I'm looking much harder at other options. Not because the extra $6k will break the bank, but because the price begins to creep into full size territory and other midsizes start to look much more competitive even once factoring the the Toyota tax paid for reliability/resale value. Then again, the prices that are being announced for the new full size off-roaders I've been hearing are now getting up into $80k territory, so as much as everyone loves to claim that high vehicle prices were invented by the Gen 4 Tacoma, this is an issue across the board for anyone wanting to get into the latest and greatest trucks in 2024.

Everything you said about Ford is interesting. Like I said, I think a lot of stuff about Tremor sounds great on paper. I wish they offered the PowerBoost engine with the Tremor package and I don't love Ford's exterior styling. It just seems kind of plain and old-fashioned to me. The Raptor and Ford's HD trucks do look OK to me. My dad's F150 frame rusted in half with 80k miles on it and I've never had a great experience with the brand, but that was all a long time ago.

I agree on the styling, but styling isn’t everything.
I also agree 2024 models are all more expensive but The difference is that you can’t get a Trailhunter under MSRP but you can buy the Tremor for 8000 or more off MSRP, there are two at my dealer for 65K now instead of 73K, fully loaded. And the 2024 one is super expensive 77K fully loaded but that’s with a TON more options than the Tacoma (head up display, memory seats / steering wheel / pedals, 4A and many more tech and of course full size capability) and my dealer can order a custom one for invoice (5K below sticker) and as they hit the lot they will have larger discounts.

So in my book a fully loaded tremor is 65-70, not 80K. For that price you also get a well equipped Tundra, if you want a Toyota.

 

[Fhb]

I am in the same boat, except unlike you I test drove everything in the last few weeks. I do a lot of camping and outdoor stuff and need offroad capability not for the sake of offroading but for the sake of accessing places in the backcountry. And current SUV is not big enough for all the gear. Kids on the way.
Constantly back and forth between mid size and full size (obviously with kids and for camping the full size is great, but the mid size is so much better to get around in town and on tight trails).
I am 6’5”.

I am cross shopping with F-150 Tremor, Ranger Raptor, Colorado ZR2, Tundra.

I test drove all of those (TRD Offroad not Trailhunter), except the new Ranger and the Raptor but sat in one new Ranger at an Auto show.

ZR2: best deal by far. I mean 50K, so most likely 10-15K less than a TRD Pro / Trailhunter for the same tech and capability. Test driving it felt good, engine was good, ride and suspension were great. Only thing I did not like are the stiff seats. Why I did not buy it yet? Hard to say. I just don’t have the wow factor. I have no love for chevy.

Ranger Raptor: I would probably buy this today if it was available, and with no markup. I sat in one and it felt great. More room in the back seat than both the Colorado and Tacoma. Live fox tech 2.5in suspensions + best in class travel + dual lockers, it’s a beast offroad. 3.0 V6 400HP. All of this for the price of a Tacoma TRD Off road premium? Why would you even consider the Tacoma TRD offroad? reliability? but the new Taco being all new, there is no proven reliability at all and in fact it already has issues. Well for one, the best reason not to buy the RR is because it’s not available.

Tundra / F-150 Tremor. No match for me. The engine in the Tundra was good, but then the Tremor crushed it. Power delivery, smoothness, shifting, everything was better. The seat comfort is night and day and I refuse to pay Tundra price for seats so uncomfortable and stiff, it’s almost laughable. The quietness in the F-150 was better, the ride, the handling. Clearly, if I am buying a full size it will be a F-150.
Also, the rear seats, so much room and completely flat floor in the F150 was amazing.

Tacoma: pleasantly surprised.
Cons: The engine felt underpowered. Yes this feeling is opposite from what everybody else is saying but people compare this to the old tacoma which was a dog. Of course the new one is better, but it’s underpowered, it’s agitated, not smooth and did not like the sound, I am not worried though because the TH being hybrid it will be plenty powerful. Seat comfort was actually slightly better than the Tundra, and slightly better than the ZR2, but still a cons versus Ford.
Cabin noise was much higher than the Tundra (test drove those back to back on the same road same speed).
Lack of 4A and Memory Seats are really bugging me.
Pros: Toyota fixed the tech. Adaptive Cruise and lane centering worked well, I liked the screen and the tech was on point. I liked the Control. Overall it has the best interior versus the Ranger and the ZR2 because the amount of touch screen / physical buttons are perfectly balanced and the tech is as good as the other 2.
Ride was great, suspension not as good as ZR2 on large bumps but to be expected on the TRD Offroad, TH should be better there.
Look is great (subjective).

Overall the Tacoma was a really nice package especially if the Hybrid engine delivers. If the ZR2, Trailhunter, and Ranger Raptor all were the same price (say 55K), I would say the Tacoma is the most balanced choice. At $65K, and the ZR2 50K and RR 55K, then I would say the Tacoma becomes a joke, honestly. This is the price for a brand new loaded 2023 Tremor on Dealer lots discounted now.

I am secretly hopping for the Trailhunter to cost 59-60K because then despite the fact that it would not be a reasonable choice, it would be doable because it’s a lovely package. At 65K though, I am getting a Tremor. I am the type of user who benefits from the small mid size (tight trails, daily driving) and from full size (kids on the way, and I am 6’5”). So at the end of the day I could get either, but there is no way I pay 65K for the Tacoma. I mean, please be my guest, go sit in a Tacoma at the dealership this week, then go sit in a Tremor (don’t sit in a XLT, but in a Tremor). Tell me the difference isn’t massive?

By the way, as a 6’5” the F-150 was the best in the front seat, but the Tacoma was a lot better than I thought. Old Tacoma was atrocious. New one is very decent for tall people (in the front, the back is a disaster and nobody can seat behind me).

+1. I test drove an SR5 a week ago and just came out of it wanting (or expecting) a bit more. I’m coming from SUVs mostly but had a 1st gen Tundra with V8 so I’m hoping the hybrid Taco will be the one to tick most of the boxes

If going SUV was looking at Land Cruiser or maybe new 4Runner. LC needs premium gas (recently disclosed) so not sure now as it already comes at a premium price. Hope the Hybrid Taco (pro, TH, Limited) doesn’t go this route.

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