Alright, let's be honest; who here is considering a 6th gen?

My buddy just replaced another tundra engine. He showed me a picture of the 20 crate engines in the back of his dealership. They only have a few left now. He warned me about the siennas too. He just did the heater core on a 22. He went with a new rav4 & loves it

 

I hope he went with Rav4 hybrid. Based on Highlander experience with my friend I would not trust the 8 speed. But my friend still bought a Lexus RX350 with 8spd from the money he got from the Highlander under lemon law. His reason was the customer experience from Toyota. He say other manufacturers may not buy back the vehicle under lemon law just for whining noise from transmission since it was still drivable.

Still if you dive deeper you may find that things like timing chain, timing cover is thinner than previous generations Rav4.

 

As in the Sienna is prone to some sort of heater core/cooling system failure?

 

I don’t know if the LC legroom is the same as the 6th gen. I didn’t measure it but it definitely looks smaller than the 5the gen. I’ll test drive one at some point this fall.

 

The Mazdas seem too pavement oriented for us. We won’t be taking it offroading but it still needs to be capable of dirt roads, snow, driving over curbs, etc.

 

Pretty sure i mentioned that earlier in thread, i got in the back seat of one and also noticed the same. I sat in the front seat first and adjusted my seat like normal, i'm a relatively short guy so it affords the back seater more room. So i got out and hopped in back seat like a kid would and
1) bumped my head on the climb in
2) had to turn my feet sideways to get in
3) noticed my head was hovering against the pillar if i sat perfectly upright
4) bumped my head on the climb out

 

That’s absolutely bonkers for an SUV this big.

 

Cars are getting so massive nowadays. I saw a honda pilot the other day and couldn’t wrap my head around how much of the lane that took up. Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s smaller inside as well. Seems they’re going big to gain extra side collision protection.

 

I believe so
I have had a bunch of 1989-1995 Toyota pickups and still own one as a knock-around town errand runner.
When the Tacoma came out in 1995 i kinda liked them but didnt like the front end. When the front end changed in 2001 model i liked it enough i got a 2002, and eventually a 2003, and even a 2004. At the time i didnt pay a ton of attention to it other than the door panels were bigger in the 2001+ which caused a little less interior room. Eventually the new 2005+ body style grew on me and i ordered a 2008 in late 2007 and when it came in i was kinda astonished at how BIG it was on the outside but how there wasnt really any more room inside than my 89-95 trucks.
The same today, a new tacoma is within am inch or two of the same dimensions as the 2000-2006 Tundra but the interior is SOOOOO much smaller. The doors have gotten wider, the door panels are bigger, the creature comforts of big comfy door panels with big soft armrests take away the interior space. I think all of this, A and B and C pillars getting wider, door jambs are wider, door panels are thicker, i think all of it together has been a push towards creature comforts and also side collision protection.

1989-1995 Toyota pickup width - 66.5 / door panel to door panel at door handle - 54.5 / window track to window track - 57.75
2022-2025 Toyota Tacoma width - 76.9 / door panel to door panel at door handle - 57.25 / window track to window track - 62.85
2000-2006 Toyota Tundra width - 79.7 / door panel to door panel at door handle - 61.5 / window track to window track - 66

 

I think it’s also this wide body kit look that designers are going for. I blame the Raptor for starting it. So many vehicles now have these big bulbous fenders then a narrow cabin on top.

 

I wanted a 6th gen but in the sense it’s on his early release I’ll let it soak for a while.

 

Someone recently posted about CAFE rules, and the expected fuel economy of a new car being based on its footprint, and so the size of cars have been increasing to make it easier to meet the CAFE standards.

 

That's just the rub though, as cars get bigger foot print via longer wheelbase, you would expect the interior to get more roomy, at least.

Not what happened here at all.

 

It's not just him, I noticed that too at the dealer checking one out. I'm about average height for the US male population but I guess my torso is a little longer than others, so I already have a 50/50 change of rubbing my head getting into my 5th gen front but the back is a breeze getting in.

I bumped my head on the rear headliner in the 6th gen immediately and it wasn't even a rub, it was a clunk.

 

Then there’s the notion That humans as a species are getting taller.

 

Did fifth gens magically grow roomier inside the moment production ceased just to make 6th gens feel cramped, or did all that human height growth spontaneously occur between 2024 and 2025?

In a thread about 6th gen tail gate it appears it now opens up higher than 5th gens, and when people adjust the opening height to the same as 5th gen, the inside of the tailgate is such that people who previously had no problem clearing the 5th gen tail gate inside panel are now bumping into the 6th gate. Must be another evidence of that dramatic human height surge between 2024 and 2025. Scientists should look into that wild phenomenon!

 

"Why we can't have small trucks anymore"
https://youtu.be/azI3nqrHEXM

 

Mazdas AWD system is on par with Subaru’s. It laughs at dirt roads and snow.

Curb rash could be an issue with the 21”s.

 

Yup. Big wheels and low profile tires will get destroyed in this household.

 

A common internet trope about why we can't have the Hilux blames the chicken tax. Meanwhile Toyota has been making the Taco in the US then Mexico since the 90s, Nissan has been making the Frontier state side for quite a while, and even Honda makes their "pickup" here. Spoiler alert: It is also EPA, well don't forget NHTSA, and to a large extent, CARB.

 

I love my 5th gen. I have no interest in the 6th. I'm considering picking up another 5th gen to split the miles....

 

I wish some of the biggest fans of the 6th gen would trade in their 5th gens already so the market can have some more supply.

 

6th gen get pretty wide once modified

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNdm3CN1HTN/

 

Those tires must rub like crazy. I notice there’s no fender flare on the rear door.

 

And 5 miles per gallon. lol.

 

That width has to be getting close to legally-required raptor lights

I like how it looks with that front bumper.

 

With stock tires 6gen transmissions failing Toyota would love to see mods like that to deny transmission warranty claims.

(New Tacoma already have recall for new 8 spd transmissions)

 

Same. Its why i traded my Mazda3 for the 4Runner.

My Mazda


Friends Subaru

 

Oof!

 

To be honest, I’ve been spoiled rotten by the 4runner. I hate the ride of anything with remotely low profile tires. Even the ride of our highlander on factory 18s is annoying to me.

I think that officially makes me old. There used to be an ad campaign back in the day…”This is not your father’s Oldsmobile.” Well, what happens if you actually want your father’s Oldsmobile?