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The Duramax is definitely coming for the 2016 Colorado.
My Comparo: Old Taco vs. LC vs. 4Runner
- Thread starter bnapier
- Start date
The Duramax is definitely coming for the 2016 Colorado.
calicamper
Expedition Leader
Agreed. My 93 LC was a great truck. $$$$ to replace old seals which had to be done twice due to lacking skill of the Large Toyota dealer. I took it there by design knowing if they didnt do it right I could take it back again and pull the manager out to the desk and have a talk about doing jobs correctly. 2nd try they got it correct.
Mileage was lousy as you pointed out this has a big effect on your range in remote locations, the 9 passenger diesel inline 6 LC we spent a week in got 25mpg US and had far better power.
What you did not mention is why I liked the LC. Its handing at speed was light yrs superior to the 4runner I had. I actually sold the 4runner after getting it up on 2 wheels for the third time during an effort to avoid an accident in progress on the highway. It took every ounce of big knarly tipy truck experience to keep it right side up and out of the ditch. The LC is superior by a huge margin regarding highway safety at speed and emergency situations. But its width is a negative on tight trails for sure.
Right now due to family needs and safety I have a 07 Sequoia sitting on BFGs for some trail ability. But I really like whats happening with the new Colorado/canyon. Size numbers look good not huge, not tiny. Modern passenger safety standards in play, diesel option on the planner for next yr. Toyota is about to get whooped in the mid sized game, given toyota will nearly opt to die than offer diesel. Nissan is totally on the diesel game and the new Frontier will be a nice rig if they take the Colorado and pay attention to what people do not like about it. GM dump the car shifter put a column shifter in the colorado.
Mileage was lousy as you pointed out this has a big effect on your range in remote locations, the 9 passenger diesel inline 6 LC we spent a week in got 25mpg US and had far better power.
What you did not mention is why I liked the LC. Its handing at speed was light yrs superior to the 4runner I had. I actually sold the 4runner after getting it up on 2 wheels for the third time during an effort to avoid an accident in progress on the highway. It took every ounce of big knarly tipy truck experience to keep it right side up and out of the ditch. The LC is superior by a huge margin regarding highway safety at speed and emergency situations. But its width is a negative on tight trails for sure.
Right now due to family needs and safety I have a 07 Sequoia sitting on BFGs for some trail ability. But I really like whats happening with the new Colorado/canyon. Size numbers look good not huge, not tiny. Modern passenger safety standards in play, diesel option on the planner for next yr. Toyota is about to get whooped in the mid sized game, given toyota will nearly opt to die than offer diesel. Nissan is totally on the diesel game and the new Frontier will be a nice rig if they take the Colorado and pay attention to what people do not like about it. GM dump the car shifter put a column shifter in the colorado.
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Think the column shifter is going the way of the manual transmission...
Column shifters are just awkward.
calicamper
Expedition Leader
Column shifter keeps your eyes up and where they should be, center console auto box lever is all wrong from all aspects, wasted space, eyes down etc. They would be better off putting a little switch on the dash or on a steering wheel thingy like Mercedes.
Clutch
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Who looks at the shifter when putting their vehicle in gear? I don't on my floor shifter auto and my manual trans vehicles.
If anything they should toss paddle shifters on it.
I agree, a 4th gen 4runner would be great. I really like the rear diff and cheap price so that precludes any 4th/5th gen 4runner!
I went through a very similar thought process when looking to replace my 80 series. I ended up with a 4th gen 4Runner V8. For the type of driving/offroading I do (from Dallas means long highway trips, then offroading, then getting home), the 4th gen was the perfect combination of comfort, power, fuel economy, and capability. I looked at 100's, GX470's, and 4Runners. I didn't look at Tacomas cause I didn't want a truck, though my sister has one and I like it a lot. The 100's were too big and too low mpg (and expensive), the GX470, while cool and very nice, aren't set up to make them as easily configured for offroading as the 4Runner (rear hatch/air springs, etc.)
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
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I think some people get confused about the shift-on-the-fly (SOTF) T-cases. Both the fully manual J-shift T-case and the electronic T-cases will allow SOTF at speeds but the speed - WHEN SHIFTING - has to be below a certain MPH.
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I thought it was 60 mph/100kmh but others have said it's 55. In either case, that's the speed you have to be below when shifting. Some people misread that and think that once they're in 4wd they can't go faster than 55, but that's not true. Once you've shifted and the t-case is in whatever mode you want it in, you can drive like normal and there's no speed restriction.
GX470_Prado
Observer
Not sure about you guys but as much as I wanted to like the 4Runner and the Taco's I could not find them comfortable.
When I was in my early 20s my family had 4runners and tacos they were ok for short rides but never comfortable for taller and larger of our family. Today the new tacos/runners are better but they feel like they put car seats in a truck... And as I aged they got even less comfortable. It also seems roof line is not tall enough on the inside for me. So when I realized the GX470 was a 4runner with different body and interior and I had to check it out. And I am glad I did. Much better feel on the inside in fact the only thing I did not like was the "armrest" on the captian chairs. It rides so very smooth on the highway and very very quite too and much more comfortable in the rear seats than a 4runner. The suspension is easily changed to OME for upgrade or as a cheaper replacement compared to OEM when time comes for it.
It sits on the Toyota J120 frame, so almost all undercarriage parts are easy enough to find once you know the corresponding parts to get from the other trucks from the Toyota lineup. The parts that you need to watch out for are parts that interact with the body parts like Bumpers (Front or Rear) and Sliders. Also if you get the model with KDSS and you "upgrade" your front skid plate you many have to order a version that has a bump out to allow space for those parts. For the most part aside from interior and body parts, all the main stuff can be upgrade with items that also fit 4runner/Tacos/Land Cruiser Prado line up.
On the interstate I get 18.5-19.2 mpg... I normally average 16mpg city.
When I was in my early 20s my family had 4runners and tacos they were ok for short rides but never comfortable for taller and larger of our family. Today the new tacos/runners are better but they feel like they put car seats in a truck... And as I aged they got even less comfortable. It also seems roof line is not tall enough on the inside for me. So when I realized the GX470 was a 4runner with different body and interior and I had to check it out. And I am glad I did. Much better feel on the inside in fact the only thing I did not like was the "armrest" on the captian chairs. It rides so very smooth on the highway and very very quite too and much more comfortable in the rear seats than a 4runner. The suspension is easily changed to OME for upgrade or as a cheaper replacement compared to OEM when time comes for it.
It sits on the Toyota J120 frame, so almost all undercarriage parts are easy enough to find once you know the corresponding parts to get from the other trucks from the Toyota lineup. The parts that you need to watch out for are parts that interact with the body parts like Bumpers (Front or Rear) and Sliders. Also if you get the model with KDSS and you "upgrade" your front skid plate you many have to order a version that has a bump out to allow space for those parts. For the most part aside from interior and body parts, all the main stuff can be upgrade with items that also fit 4runner/Tacos/Land Cruiser Prado line up.
On the interstate I get 18.5-19.2 mpg... I normally average 16mpg city.
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
Some of us are old enough to remember when you had to be going < 5mph to shift between 2hi and 4hi.
I think the first "SOTF" vehicles came out in the mid 80's and used a vacuum differential disconnect similar to the ADD that's on our 4runners. Before that it was either automatic or manual hubs. My 1990 Montero had the automatic hubs and the manual said under 5 mph to shift from 2hi to 4hi. The hubs would lock automatically. To unlock I had to stop, shift from 4hi to 2hi and then back up 5' or so. You could hear them unlock and there were 2 indicators on the dash, one for the hubs (which said "wheel lock") and one for the t-case.
SIZZLE
Pro-party
Good review. I've had a first gen tacoma and 80 series and agree with you. The first gen was the one that got away. I'd have it forever if my two dream killers hadn't been born! I tried to replace it with an 80 series. Such a cool truck but I just didn't have the time to maintain an older truck with two little kids. So I got a second gen Tacoma. The only vehicle to be a better deal new than used.
That is a really great addition to the thread! Thanks!
I too get fatigued in the older 4runners and Taco's, (been in both for long periods of time). My 99 is the best so far, but after 2 hours I get quite uncomfortable.
Good to know that these are also very comfy, in addition to the swap ability of parts.
Some of us are old enough to remember when you had to be going < 5mph to shift between 2hi and 4hi.
Yeah, I remember the auto hubs but never had one. My 87 was manual, and my brother had a 95 for a while which had the same set up as the 3rd gens.
Sounded like such a pain from what other said, I'm glad I didn't end up with one (wouldn't have known better).