I hate these posts as much as the next guy but I'm just curious as to if anyone has traded down to a Tacoma, or also owns a Tacoma. The gas is starting to hurt the pocket book. Looking at going from an 08 Tundra Double Cab 4x4 to an 08 Tacoma Reg cab 4x4- it would be the 4 cyl.


I'm just curious to hear your all's thoughts.

what do you do with your truck now?
towing, hauling off road?

the 4x4 4 cyl is not going to be good a towing or hauling .
i have just the street model and works great for me and have hauled max load.

but don't think a 4x4 4 cyl is going to get super millage?
and if you are changing for millage only.. well i think it would take a long time to make a significant difference. few mpg for smaller/trade down
i would rethink if i were you.
don't know your size? but a reg cab can be a bit small and tight ( i am 6 ft have the seat all the way back). so in a reg cab very limited inside storage.

I went from a 08 4x4 standard cab Taco to a 2010 Tundra 4x4 DC, the Tundra lasted for 6 months before I traded it in on a 4x4 access cab 4x4 4cyl Taco. I don't haul anything other than a small trailer with a ATV but that dropped the mileage on the Tundra by 1.5MPG's, the same trailer only has a .75MPG effect on either 2.7 Taco's. Either way I averaged 16 in the Tundra and 22 in the Taco's and thats enough difference for me. Oh and I'm 6-4 250 pounds and the Tundra was roomier but the Taco fits just fine but has a lot less storage...

Just traded my 08 DC 5.7 Tundra today for a 11 double cab Taco V6. was spending about $150.00 a week on gas. I loved that truck but it was killing me. Only about 20 miles on the Taco but it's a Toyota

I had a 2005 Double cab Tundra with the V8 (automatic) and traded down to a 2005 Access cab Tacoma with the V6 (6 speed manual). Both trucks had the towing package. I was getting 14-16 MPG with the Tundra and only went up to 16-18 MPG in the Tacoma. I was really disappointed that I didn't get a better MPG for a truck that was so much smaller. I did drop my payment, which helped the pocketbook a bit, but the change is fuel usage was not worth it.

I had an 06 Tacoma DC 4x4 for three years, and I kick myself every time I see one on the road. I plan on going back to the Tacoma for my next vehicle. Though I love my Tundra, the Tacoma is way more practical for my needs. Plus, the Tacoma's build quality was better. Sorry to say it, but its true. The small boost in mpg will be welcome also.

I had a 08 Tacoma TRD Double Cab and went to a 2010 DCab TRD Tundra. Wish I would have kept the Taco. Much better built, unless you tow alot then get the Taco. The Tundra is nice and a beast but not very practical. I only get 12-13mpg in my Tundra around town and 17mpg on the interstate and got 16-17mpg & 20mpg in the Taco.

Went from an 03 Tacoma to an 06 Tundra, now looking at a 2010-11 Tacoma...

The sweet spot between the Tacoma and the Tundra is the 4.6L engine. Same comparitive gas milage, but a lot more flexible capability. I'm just a light truck user so massive towing/hauling capacity isn't needed.

I still think the Tacoma would have been a great truck for me. I went to the dealer to buy a Tacoma last fall and drove off with a new Tundra. The Tundra was $4,000 cheaper than the Tacoma I was looking at due to a fleet purchase of Tundras by the local dealer. It was also quieter and more comfortable than the Tacoma.

You just have to be able to deal with the bulk of the Tundra. Luckily I have a shop to park it in.

You just have to be able to deal with the bulk of the Tundra.
That bulk is why I got rid of my Tundra.Much too big.The Tacoma feels much more comfortable for me.

Well i started with a 07 Tacoma V6 TRD then traded it for an 08 Tundra XSP and then just traded last week for a 11 Tundra TRD. But most of my driving is around town and really dont care about the MPGs. I love my Tundra and dont really see me going back to the Taco. 1 reason is i just paid 26K for my TRD Tundra the Tacos Sticker for more then that.

I traded an '01 Tundra for a 09 Taco. I miss the Tundra, its definitely a step down. But I picked a lightweight trailer and I can still pick up rolls of hay so the Taco does what I need it to. It does get better MPG

I'm thinking of trading down from a '10 trd 4x4 CM. Just too big. Like the power and turning radius compared to the '04 i had before. don't like the overly sensitive acceleration and the bed bounce on older concrete highways. also don't like the huge console. Seats seem a little too short. My '04 seemed more comfortable. Just wish the Tacoma got better mileage. The only thing really holding me back is the money I will lose trading down. I also don't care for the tundra transmission. always shifting and seems to be searching for gears at low speeds.

There are service bulletins that can fix the transmission hunting and the bed bounce.

spammer reported (sgrmumnew)

i had the 5.7L sequoia and traded down for the 4.0L taco. it feels completly nuttless on the freeway compared to the 5.7, but a tundra was too much for me, and the taco is a perfect fit. i figure i'll throw on a supercharger next year and call it good.

I got both but the 05 taco got a supercharger in it. It's been getting average 20mpg if I keep from boosting. I only use the 07 5.7 tundra if im pulling a trailer or picking up materials. But Yeah, the gas kills with both trucks. Thank God My wife has a prius.

i traded down to a Tacoma last week and love it. I miss the power of the tundra but really didn't need it as i don't tow. too soon to comment on mileage. Surprisingly, I have more leg room in the tacoma than i had in the tundra. the tacoma is much easier to navigate around town and in parking lots and is infinitely easier to get things in and out of the bed. transmission is much smoother and it does not have the jumpy accelerator that the tundra had. I will find out this winter if the heater warms faster than the turdra's. The tundra took forever to heat up. The backup camera in the tundra was a better design than that in the tacoma but i don't need it as much. Visibility in the tacoma is also better, both to the rear and past the a-pillars up front.

My trade was a Taco 4x4 for an 06 Tundra 4x4. I went to the Taco 'cause the new Tundra had gotten too big for my needs and use. The 09 Taco is about the size that the Tundra used to be before the increase in size. I haven't regretted the swap. I'd like better mileage but I'll probably be saying that 'til the Taco gets the same as a Prius. Ha!

Back in the day, I had an `04 dbl cab v6 prerunner taco, it was nice, the bed was sufficient but borderline short, did awesome in snow/mud, had plenty of room for "guests" in the back seat, but the lil 3.4L didnt have any balls whatsoever. That, and add that it got the same gas mileage as an 06 V8 Tundra. So, what did I do after owning the taco for 2yrs? Trade for a...you guessed it, V8 Tundra. I would also like to add that the 1st gen Tundra is the same size as the 2nd gen Taco (almost, lil bit more leg room in the Tundra). Went from a Taco to a Tundra and haven't looked back.

I just bought a used 2006 Tacoma 4x4 crew cab, TRD Off Road with 80K miles. This is my 9th Toyota product and 6th 4x4 Toyota Truck. I have progressively bought bigger as my kids keep growing. I started with a 1988 standard cab truck, then to a '94 extra-cab and 2000 extra-cab. Those were the best trucks ever and always 5-speed manual. I went to the '02 Tundra access-cab and most recently an '04 Tundra double-cab. I felt I was always trading up to better quality until the '04. The room was great and the V8 power was the best for hauling camping or hunting gear into the mountains. But the gas mileage sucked and the bumper to bumper length of the double-cab was too long to drive off-road on anything smaller than a two track or Forest Service Road. I think I got real lucky when I sold the '04 for what I paid two years ago for it. And now I'm back in a Tacoma. The interior cab size is not quite what either Tundra had, but such a great increase over the 1st Gen Tacoma. I don't know that I'll ever go back to the Tundra unless off road size and MPG become a super low priority for me. They have all seemed to be better built than the domestic trucks I have been around. I seem to drive my Toyota's well over 150k miles and I haven only seen a handful of Ford or Chevy trucks hold together that long.

Last December I traded my 2005 Tacoma Access Cab, V-6, 4x4 TRD Sport for a 2011 Tundra Double Cab 5.7L 4x4 TRD Off Road. I miss the smaller size of the Taco sometimes in tight spots like off road and in parking garages. But I love all the toys I could get on the Tundra that are not available on the Tacoma and that 5.7L V8 is awesome. Strangely considering the price difference a lot of the interior materials are nicer in the Tacoma than the Tundra - things like the hard plastic dash and door panels in the Tundra for instance.

As far as gas mileage though, it is just not worth trading to a Tacoma IMO, at least if you get the 4L V-6. I commute 250 miles per week and I am using about 1-2 gallons more per week in the Tundra than I did in the Taco. It would take a really long time to save enough that way to pay for a trade.

I think that they are both great trucks and are just for different needs. If you tow large trailers or haul heavy loads the Tundra rules, but if the Tacoma is enough truck for you it is a really nice truck too.

I've had my '11 Tacoma 4x4 TRD ORLB for about 6 weeks now after trading my similarly equipped Tundra. I was seduced by the power and room of the Tundra but ultimately realized I didn't need the power and didn't like the size. I don't do any towing and do most of my driving in town. The Tundra was just to big for urban use. I also got tired of having to use a step ladder to clean the top.
The mileage on the Tacoma is only marginally better than the Tundra. In fact, on the highway I could do better in the Tundra than in the Tacoma, so far. I've gotten 18-19 on all tanks in combined driving with the Tacoma. Int the Tundra i got 13-14 in town and up to 20 on the highway. The Tundra had a slight hesitation on acceleration from a standstill and at low speeds the transmission seemed to search a lot. The heater took forever to warm. I like the 5 speed in the Tacoma much better. It is smoother and crisper. The small size is definitely easier to navigate parking lots in. Surprisingly, the Tacoma has far greater leg room in the front than the Toyota. With the seat all the way back, iI can't safely drive it and I'm 6'3".
Both had the non-jbl radio and, that said, both were unacceptable. i don't particularly like the bed liner in the Tacoma. It is too slick. I cut my old rubber bedliner down to size and am using it.
I haven't taken an extended trip in the Tacoma yet so it remains to see how it will compare in that regard.

i don't particularly like the bed liner in the Tacoma

not a bedliner, it is the bed !..composite material

do the "bed bolt d ring mod" and then makes it easy to secure heavy cargo

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/4838-cheap-free-mods.html#post45406

i added a couple of d-rings to the front of the bed. I need to add a couple of tie-downs to the rail of my own design that aren't as easy to steal as those that come on it.

Forced to sell my 2002 4x4 Tundra to make the sale of my 5th wheel.
Bought a 2010 4x4 Taco with the works, but it still lacks the torque of the Tundra. Gas mileage is about the same..

I want to do the opposite.
Owned Toyota pick ups from 87, my first being a 22RTE, yep the factory turbo! lol :devil:
Now at 50 & a few toyota trucks later (& one painful lesson w/ a Nissan Pathfinder) I want to go back to a Tundra. My previous Tundras were 1GEN both crew cab & an AC.
My current ride is a 2006 Tacoma DC 4WD auto SB w/ an aftermarket tow pk.
I bought it new as a leftover & got a great deal on it.
Now we upgraded to a larger clamshell enclosed snowmobile trailer. Its an 8x12 not heavy but tall & looks huge behind & feels huge behind it. FWIW we tow it in the winter time, mtns. through N. VT, NH, Me. Before my trailer did ok, but not great.
Mpg is equal in both configurations I have owned & driven v8 4.7 iforce & v6 vvti 4.0L.
There are times I am limited with the tacoma & feel now is the time to move it. So any input for me?
I have heard the debate on the 5.7 vs 4.7 vs 4.6. If I do go Tundra is a 1GEN or 2GEN and what configuration? TIA.

There are times I am limited with the tacoma & feel now is the time to move it. So any input for me?
I have heard the debate on the 5.7 vs 4.7 vs 4.6. If I do go Tundra is a 1GEN or 2GEN and what configuration? TIA.

I would think that the gen 1 Tundra is too similar to the current Taco to make it worth it to trade - unless all you need is the 4.7L engine. If you are looking for towing capacity the 5.7L is one awesome engine. To have a truck that can better handle towing heavy trailers was a major reason for me to trade my Taco for a Tundra. My Tacoma could do it (4.0L engine) but it worked really hard and it got horrible gas mileage while towing.

I don't mind the size of the current Tundra since I have driven 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks for years. But it is a large truck and it can be a handful in tight situations. My Tundra is a DC and so was my Taco. I almost never put people (that I liked anyway) in the back of the Taco, but two or three people can ride very comfortably in the back of my Tundra.

I am also a muscle car fan, which made the 5.7L an easy pick for me. My truck has the TRD true dual exhaust and it can put a smile on your face every time you drive it. :devil:

Both are excellent vehicles and each are best suited to different uses - there are many things I prefer on the Tundra and things I miss about the Taco.

I appreciate the insight for sure & you are the 3 person I know who has had both to say that about the 1GEN Tundra. Its been a while since I drove one (2006).
I think a 5.7 is in my horizon in the DC configuration. Did you trade in your Tacoma or sell outright. If you did trade, did you take off all your extras. Its been a long time since I traded in.
Thanks!


I would think that the gen 1 Tundra is too similar to the current Taco to make it worth it to trade - unless all you need is the 4.7L engine. If you are looking for towing capacity the 5.7L is one awesome engine. To have a truck that can better handle towing heavy trailers was a major reason for me to trade my Taco for a Tundra. My Tacoma could do it (4.0L engine) but it worked really hard and it got horrible gas mileage while towing.

I don't mind the size of the current Tundra since I have driven 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks for years. But it is a large truck and it can be a handful in tight situations. My Tundra is a DC and so was my Taco. I almost never put people (that I liked anyway) in the back of the Taco, but two or three people can ride very comfortably in the back of my Tundra.

I am also a muscle car fan, which made the 5.7L an easy pick for me. My truck has the TRD true dual exhaust and it can put a smile on your face every time you drive it. :devil:

Both are excellent vehicles and each are best suited to different uses - there are many things I prefer on the Tundra and things I miss about the Taco.

I appreciate the insight for sure & you are the 3 person I know who has had both to say that about the 1GEN Tundra. Its been a while since I drove one (2006).
I think a 5.7 is in my horizon in the DC configuration. Did you trade in your Tacoma or sell outright. If you did trade, did you take off all your extras. Its been a long time since I traded in.
Thanks!

I did trade my Tacoma in, although I almost never do that because of what you are usually offered. I left on the extras - tube steps, nav system, Low Pro tonneau, bed mat because I had it appraised with them. I guess I could have checked to see how much the cost would have changed if I took them off and then sold them myself, but I did not want the hassle. I know a lot of people on TS suggest doing that though.

I was not commited to a trade, but the dealer gave me the top - excellent condition - Kelly private party sale price for my trade, and I could see no reason not to take it and run. I was honest and told them about the truck's collision history and I still got a price that Kelly lists for a vehicle with no collison history - $13,700 if I remember correctly, with just under 60k miles.

Tacomas have excellent retained value though, so not sure how much I could have made selling it myself. I didn't have time to screw around, since they found just one truck out of state with the equipment I wanted and Toyota's 0% interest offer ended 6 days after I bought it.

Let is know what you decide and how it all goes. If you haven't driven a 2nd gen Tundra you really should - I was amazed at what great truck it is, even in its fifth model year.

I did trade my Tacoma in, although I almost never do that because of what you are usually offered. I left on the extras - tube steps, nav system, Low Pro tonneau, bed mat because I had it appraised with them. I guess I could have checked to see how much the cost would have changed if I took them off and then sold them myself, but I did not want the hassle. I know a lot of people on TS suggest doing that though.

I was not commited to a trade, but the dealer gave me the top - excellent condition - Kelly private party sale price for my trade, and I could see no reason not to take it and run. I was honest and told them about the truck's collision history and I still got a price that Kelly lists for a vehicle with no collison history - $13,700 if I remember correctly, with just under 60k miles.

Tacomas have excellent retained value though, so not sure how much I could have made selling it myself. I didn't have time to screw around, since they found just one truck out of state with the equipment I wanted and Toyota's 0% interest offer ended 6 days after I bought it.

Let is know what you decide and how it all goes. If you haven't driven a 2nd gen Tundra you really should - I was amazed at what great truck it is, even in its fifth model year.

I really appreciate the info :tu:
And yes I look forward to test driving for I have not test drove the newer style though I have drooled over them on plenty of occasions in the dealers parking lots after hours.
The truck is out on CL & not in a hurry but if they give me a good trade in like yours it will be all over but the posting of the pictures on here & I am back posting on TS more. Thanks again for all the help.

Thought I would update the thread with what happened.

Traded my stock 06 Taco 4x4 Sr5 DC auto 4.0L V6 65k in on 9/12/11.
Bought a 2011 Tundra Double Cab SR5 4.6L V8 w tow, cold weather pkg, LineX & weathertechs. MSRP was $32,988 priced $27423 plus $500 for Linex/floor liners.

Dealer gave me $17500 for trade & I sold all my take off parts locally or in the forums (Cap, cashed in extended warranty, extra set of winter take offs, wet okoles etc, etc, etc).
I had tried selling the truck w/ the extras PP for about 6 weeks at same trade $ as dealer. Had interest but no one would pull the trigger even w/ the extended warranty. The truck was clean with Wet Okoles since new, no smoke, totally turn key. Our market is flooded with nice used tacomas selling privately plus a 4yr truck in Vermont the undercarriage is always suspect. Sooo...

I am extremely happy with the trade. Updated to almost a 5 yr newer truck for
$11543 including TTL OTD.
The take off part money I pocketed for future mods.
My tacoma was paid for so my original intent was to flip the truck for $10k.
Almost hit that goal but am happy with the deal for stock was very limited in the sub $35k MSRP price range.
Lots of CM, RW, Limiteds available just a tad outta my price range.
The tacoma was a good truck for 4.5 yrs but really like being back in a Tundra.
Pics

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb221/xedge3/DSC07575.jpg
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb221/xedge3/DSC07576.jpg

I had an 06 Tacoma v6 offroad access cab. now have a 2010 Tundra 5.7 . Funny there are no hills anymore now that I have the 5.7. I don't know why or how the landscape has changed but I don't notice hills any more. had 3450 lbs of lime on the tundra and hauled it 50 miles. I had 6 people in it the other day for a little trip. Tacoma would only really hold 2 people. much quieter on the road, rides real nice. would be a great truck for a long road trip. I couldn't go back. The only negative with the Tundra is that it is kind of big on brushy woods roads when hunting.

I went from the '03 Tundra standard cab 8' long bed in my sig pic to a '10 Tacoma access cab 6' bed. While I like the better gas milage and the extra cab room, I miss the 8' bed. I actually came close to buying a '10 Tundra access cab w/ an 8' bed but, it was a monster.

This past weekend I just traded a 2010 Tundra Double Cab 4.6L V8 for a 2012 Tacoma Dbl Cab V6 4x4. LOVE THE NEW TRUCK!!!! Always wanted the Tacoma Dbl Cab but purchased the Tundra early 2010 because it was $4k cheaper than the Tacoma. The '12 Tacoma looks bad ass with the redesigned grill and interior appointments. The gas mileage will be the same, but the Tacoma is a better size vehicle for me and the wife and for what we haul/tow it will work just fine. Got the full offroad pkg and all the works. Love the truck so far!

Traded the 2010 Tundra for a 2012 TRD sport DC Tacoma this weekend. Put about 500 miles on it and it's a great truck. Just like the Tundra, just smaller. Almost all the same features, all very familular. Like making a smaller hole in the air.