Seriously Toyota?

I was just watching Auto Week and they were test driving the 2013 Toyota Tacoma.

The model they tested was a new for 2013, Limited trim level, quad cab, 4x4. They said as tested, it was $37k.

Seriously? Who would by that expensive of a compact truck? You could get way more truck with a full size for that price.

I really wish trucks would get back to their roots.

One wonders if this would even sell today?

The level of luxury in modern pickups has gotten pretty silly. This is fine for the (majority) of people who use them to go to the grocery store and back, but kind of makes me sad for someone who just wants to use them for utility. I am guessing those people are paying way more than they may really need to.

My 2011 Colorado was $21,000 cheaper than that

A loaded crew can 4x4 full size is north of $50k MSRP, of course you can actually buy them much cheaper than MSRP.

aircooled wrote: One wonders if this would even sell today? The level of luxury in modern pickups has gotten pretty silly. This is fine for the (majority) of people who use them to go to the grocery store and back, but kind of makes me sad for someone who just wants to use them for utility. I am guessing those people are paying way more then they may really need to.

I'd buy it!

I predict Hyundai/Kia to start production of a pickup in the next 5 years (by model year 2020)
They already do their final assembly of other models in the US so production here of a truck would bypass the Chicken Tax. They have the engines in their lux vehicles.

In reply to aircooled:

I'm serious, if it weren't for modern safety standards and that style Toyota Pickup came with a modern drivetrain and descent radio, I'd buy it.

Wow. The only truck that I ever bought new was my 2000 Dakota for 15k. It was a v6 2wd, and would've been $50 cheaper, but I added the floor-mat option.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I was just watching Auto Week and they were test driving the 2013 Toyota Tacoma. The model they tested was a new for 2013, Limited trim level, quad cab, 4x4. They said as tested, it was $37k. Seriously? Who would by that expensive of a compact truck?

I wouldn't say a new Tacoma is a compact. It's bigger than an old Dakota.

OTOH, during the expensive fuel part of 2008, my stepdad bought a new V8 Tundra for, I think, $18k. They were just happy to see the thing leave the parking lot

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:

Haha, I watched that too. My mouth literally dropped when I heard Mr. Davis say that. That much for a midsize?! Also the fuel economy was worse than some fullsize V6 models.

The chicken tax really needs to go away. It should of died when the cold war ended

Cole_Trickle wrote: Wow. The only truck that I ever bought new was my 2000 Dakota for 15k. It was a v6 2wd, and would've been $50 cheaper, but I added the floor-mat option.

When I was younger and more foolish, I found that I could get a V8 5-speed Dakota with either the tow package (Sure-Grip!) or 3.92 gears for $15k, in '97. I say "either" because I wanted BOTH and one of those wasn't available with the other options I wanted, probably the 3.92 gears.

I figured it was a hell of a lot cheaper than a Mustang GT for roughly the same power and RWD-ness...

At least they make a "compact" truck.....

IIRC, a stripper model Taco, base model 4cyl/5spd, was 21 or 22k... I can but fully loaded compact cars that get better MPG's for that kind of money. Sure it can't handle a sheet or two of plywood, but I can rent a truck from bLowe's or HomoDepot....

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: In reply to aircooled: I'm serious, if it weren't for modern safety standards and that style Toyota Pickup came with a modern drivetrain and descent radio, I'd buy it.

I've had the same talk with my roommate. I had to borrow his '98 4runner for the past week while I fixed something on my Camry and told him I wish they still made small Tacomas like they did in the 90s. I am gonna be in the market for a new vehicle in about a year or two and would love a modern base model small toyota pickup.

In reply to stanger_missle:

I don't think the truck bit of the chicken tax has anything to do with the cold war, more like how the US automakers couldn't build anything worth a E36 M3 for a reasonable price at the time. Think of who it effected, the Japanese, and VW. Follow the money and all that.

you can get cheaper versions if you get a "fleet" version.. which is probably still nicer than trucks were 20 years ago. Last Uhaul pickup I rented had everything but leather seating and premium sound. It was a -very- nice truck

what is crazy.. the Land Rover LR 4, the newest version of my Disco... starts at 49,995. If you bought a stripped LR 4, people would think you are rich, buy an F 150 lariat.. it's just a truck

EastCoastMojo wrote:

aircooled wrote: One wonders if this would even sell today? The level of luxury in modern pickups has gotten pretty silly. This is fine for the (majority) of people who use them to go to the grocery store and back, but kind of makes me sad for someone who just wants to use them for utility. I am guessing those people are paying way more then they may really need to.

I'd buy it!

wouldn't pass crash standards... But I'm looking for one now..

Toyota is also going to discontinue the regular cab Tacoma in 2015. The new Colorado will not have a regular cab and the Frontier is not offered in regular cab

Fletch1 wrote: Toyota is also going to discontinue the regular cab Tacoma in 2015. The new Colorado will not have a regular cab and the Frontier is not offered in regular cab

Im curious what the sales vs tooling cost is on the regular cabs. I know I fall into the "never own a regular cab again" group.

Dodge has started selling a V6 Diesel in their Ram … if it were available in a Dakota sized truck (at a reasonable price) I think I'd be all over it … and by reasonable price I mean something in the neighborhood of mid $20's to low $30's

extended (not quad) cabs are nice. That extra foot for so makes a big difference

Yes, that's a lot of money for anything. But in December of 2004, a loaded 2005 Double Cab 4x4 had an MSRP around $31,000. An increase of six thousand dollars over nine years doesn't sound all that unreasonable. It's also worth noting just how well these things hold their value.

I have to say being raised on Fords the new Tacoma is close to the size of the 78 F100 Ranger.

and the trims have come such a long way. My company just bought a new XL Crew Cab and XLT Crew Cab, other than some painted trim, chrome bumpers and grill, and aluminum wheels on the out side and a different center section of the gauge pack and the sync radio there isn't much of a diffference.

There isn't the $3K difference we paid for sure. But the XL also is nicer than than the 78 XLT Lariat my Grandfather had as well.

It is amazing how the former top of the line is worse than the current bottom of the bucket.

For the money a base XL Crew Cab with the Coyote and trailer package is a really good deal. All for a sticker price of $31K (which means you know that can be had for cheaper as a fleet buy.)

Woody wrote: It's also worth noting just how well these things hold their value.

Yeah, between rising steel prices and the sheer bulk of the thing, that's got to be worth $500 in scrap after six-seven years.

All car companies have become far out of touch with what many people can afford, yet like our friend Mike Rowe says, just because they can't afford it, doesn't mean they wont. I'll stick mostly to cars I don't need a loan for. This keeps me in the sub-$1000 area.