I support the changes, but I don't support the change.

Must be an expensive grill to warrant a 1,000 price increase;)

It's okay to support the $1000 price increase, but not support the increase in price.

I like the new auto tranny variants. It finally gives me a good desert runner type four-cylinder truck choice.

That said, I wonder how much the added weight of the prerunner would reduce fuel economy versus a five-lug variant.

I am so glad I bought my 2010 Access Cab Tacoma back in Feb. with the 2.7 liter and 5-speed manual 4x4...

I cannot stand automatics, they are for handicap drivers and lazy drivers...

I am disappointed that Toyota will discontinue the manuals and will await what they will do with their next generation soon to be released next year for some hope and maybe a 4-cylinder diesel option...

Automatic tranny's usher in laziness of drivers so they could freely text, use the cell phone, eat a full meal, basically not pay attention while driving!

Some will argue their commute is horrible. You know what I say to that, ride a freaken train or bus if it is that horrible, leave the driving to people that pay attention and know how to drive...

Automatics are the continuation of the demise of drivers in this nation!

With a starting price about $16K you can just spend a little more and buy a base model full size truck which is more capable.

@ oxi...Please for the sake of others keep your opinion to yourself. Now I am gonna go eat a full meal, talk on a cell phone, and not pay attention to the road cause I drive an Automatic...LMAO!!!

Hmmh, and you wonder why truck buyers in the US are ditching pint-sized pickups for the big ones...none of these pickups have been that much different since 2005. I hope the next-gen Tacoma takes on the styling cues of the 2010 4Runner.

Stick the 4.6L in that thing and it wold be a fun little truck.

Automatic's are one of the reasons people are such stupid and lazy drivers in this nation...

Wife went to England a few years back and asked for an automatic and the rental company asked if she was handicapped to request such a low volume vehicle...

Automatics are for lazy drivers period!

@synrgy

Keep laughing about that bud!

Over 40,000 people are killed each year on U.S. roads, so just keep laughing about this, you do not understand what I am getting at...

@Billy

I still do not care for the size and weight of a full-size truck...

I still have room in my garage, do not have to struggle to park the truck and I do not haul much or pull a trailer so why would I need a full-size hence the mid-sized...

I am also an avid off-roader and full-size trucks should just stay away from hard core off-roading. Their size and weight does not match any proper ground clearance and should be limited to farm duties off-road without breaking the bank...

Their is a place for mid-sized trucks and I will continue to buy them to ensure they stick around for years to come...

Calm down OXI. It's o.k. Not everyone in the world is going to agree with you. CALM DOWN!!!

These little trucks cost alot, but you can go up on price when Ford is killing the Ranger. I drive manual 2002 F 250 but they dont offer manuals in trucks anymore cuz not too many people want them. It makes sense to get rid of it if you dont sell enough to support building them.

@oxi

So you're the guy that kept bugging people about the 2011 Tacoma on the Tacoma World Forums. Even using the same shtick about the car rental in England? Nicely done there, I guess.

I want an auto because I have to share a vehicle with my grandmother, who happens to have hip problems. The added lazy shifter is just an added bonus for me :D

I like an automatic because of safety. If the vehicle is in park and the keys are in my pocket the vehicle is going to stay put.

See the bulldog post to see what I mean;)

My brother and I where playing in my dad's pickup when we were kids.We managed to get it out of gear and knock off the park brake and have the truck roll over an embankment.
It was a fun ride and luckily no-one was hurt. The truck wasn't damaged either. The custom steel rear bumper saw to that.

@lou: The bulldog knocked an automatic F-150 into gear, not a manual. A manual wouldn't have gotten into first without the clutch being pushed down.

@oxi:

I currently have a 6 speed in my truck, but I can't wait to get rid of it. Sure, it's fun on the weekend, but with my current commute, I'm stuck in hours of traffic for most of my commute.

Maybe you come from an area where there is no traffic, but for many other people, a stick is not much fun.

@ Fred - sorry. I thought the truck was knocked out of gear. It had to be an old truck as newer ones require the brake to be depressed to go into gear.
Regardless of the bulldog story - auto trannys are safer with kids around.

It will take a dam lot more than a new grill to make the second generation Tacoma look good .

Manual Trannies just get annoying

@oxi

"Keep laughing about that bud!

Over 40,000 people are killed each year on U.S. roads, so just keep laughing about this, you do not understand what I am getting at..."

WTH?!?!?! its your stupid pathetic generalization about people who CHOOSE to drive automatics that I am laughing at.

@synrgy

It's not a "generalization", these same folks that want all of these creature comforts are the same ones demanding more FLUFF and safety features that drive the weight of the truck up and price...

FLUFF is not wanted...

I do not need stability control, down hill assist and other features to help stupid drivers with. Just learn how to drive properly and pay attention is all you need.

My parents made it all of these years back in the day with their 73 Impala, no fancy features and rear drive, oh my gosh how did they ever survive on the roads in the winter with just rear drive and no stability control and other FLUFF?

You don't need it unless one is a lazy driver...

Those that have tough communtes, trains and buses are always there for the taking, if not then your community has poor planning and is wasting your tax dollars!

Slowly but surely the manual tranny is dying. That is unfortunate. I drove my Dad`s Ford Focus with a stick to the city to pick him up from the airport. What a joy it was to actually `drive`. People always complain about the comute and how its so inconvienient to shift in stop and go traffic. Give me a break. I can`t believe I`m saying this but I agree with Oxi on this one. Autos are for lazy people. This frees up your hand thats no longer needed for shifting to do other things. Usually cell phone related. When you actually drive your vehicle your awareness of the surroundings is increased greatly. I used to drive stick all the time but the last 6 vehicles that my wife and I have owned were all autos. Not to mention the added cost of maintenence and repair. And Lou, I disagree with you on the safty aspect. My 30 month old son knows the procedure for getting the vehicle going. fortunatly he is to short and I make sure that he never has access to keys. Lets say hypothetically a child gets its hands on some keys asuuming it knows what to do with them its more likely the child will cause harm or damage with the auto do to being able to drive it. The child will most likely stall the manual.

@OXI
Your theory that automatics free up peoples hands to do other things does make sense. WHen I was a young punk in college I did my far share of driving my auto truck with a coke, burger, and smoke. It wasnt the auto tranny that made me that way, it was my immaturity that made me that way. I have down alot of growing up since then. Even though my 2006 Chevy has a 4spd auto, I do a great job paying attention. By studying HYPERMILING, I have become very aware of what my right foot is doing. Since Hypermiling is about anticipating what is up ahead and what is going on around you, I'm a much better driver and I save tons of fuel! All w/o a stick shift!!

You are making some horribly generalized statements. People who drive with autos cant pay attention or they pay less attention?? Stability control and down hill assist are for stupid drivers?? Are you implying that all the 40,000 deaths on american roads are cause by the auto trans??

Regarding deaths on american roads, I love your tactics. Tell people how bad auto trans are and then mention the number of deaths on american roads. Brilliant!! Are you trying to scare people into beleiving auto trans are causing death left and right? I can see the PSA now, "If you love your kids, get a stick shift." Though WIKIPEDIA is not the only source of info, it is easy and quick to get to. In the last 30 yrs........

1. US population has gone up
2. number of acciednet deaths has gone up and down but overall has decreased.
3. the number of cars on the roads have gone up
4. The percent of the american population that has been killed in accident has continued to drop.
5. I think it is safe to say that the number of automatic transmissions active in this country has gone up.

What has caused the decreased rate/% of deaths? Are autos as deadly as you think?? Maybe the decrease is due to all those safety features meant for those stupid drivers.

Going back to the stability control, do you feel the same about other technologies? Anti-lock brakes?? Driver side airbags?? Lockers?? Seatbelts?? Safety glass?? Infant/toddler car seats?? Even if you are the best of drivers, sometimes s*** happens. They are not meant to replace good driving, but when all measures fail, they can be your back up and save your bacon. Do you feel the same way about bicycle helmets? Are bike helmets only for stupid kids stupid enough to fall off their bikes? How about modern medicine? Are hospitals only for people stupid enough to get sick? Are life jackets only for people who are stupid enough that they cant swim? Steel Toe boots only for people stupid enough to drop stuff on their boots??

"Automatic tranny's usher in laziness of drivers so they could freely text, use the cell phone, eat a full meal, basically not pay attention while driving!" Don't blame the auto trans for america's laziness. The way children are raised now-a-days, they are lazy long before they get behind the wheel. What america needs is not more manual transmissions, amercan children just need more discipline. Do you have kids? If you give your kid a car with a stick shift for their 16th birthday, is it the stick shift that makes them a good driver? NO! It is the discipline, common sense, and morals you teach you children long before they ever sit down in the driver's seat.

Becoming dependent on technology can be stupid but being a stubborn fool who wants to live in the stone ages can be just as stupid. Find ways to integrate new things into your life, but always remember you limitations.

@Dave,

I hear your points!

Society though is becoming dependent on technology to help them overcome their stupidiness in driving...

Stability control because moron drivers panic and jerk the wheel then try and correct it and so forth thus causing violent roll-over's, etc...

I watched the program titled something like The Stupidest Drivers and they showed a lady drive into a flooded area and when her SUV started to drift away, she just sat there, wiper blades still moving (she has power to lower the windows) and did nothing to escape out and then it went under the water...

The guys that rescued her said she was hitting her hands against the windows (again still had power under the water), how stupid can people be?

They finally rescued her and if I was there rescuing her after she was safe, I would have slapped her many times and tell her how stupid can you be? She risked the lives of as many as 4 people because she was dumb and sat there while her SUV was slowly starting to sink, again stupidity!

What the hell was she thinking when she entered the flooded area in the first place? I would have revoked her driving privledges and force her to go to class to be a better driver!

We need to stand up to dumb drivers and take their liscenses away when they do stupid things and cause accidents. They should not be allowed to drive...

Safety features are good but stuff like stability control is pure FLUFF, it is not needed. None of that crap will improve your lap times on a road course, better driving will and understanding the dynamics and functionality of your ride and how to use them properly which most do not know!

People cannot even hit their apex while driving on an easy interstate (are they dozing at the wheel, daydreaming, not reading the road and conditions ahead of them, tired, drunk, too busy on a cell phone or with passengers inside their ride) shyt like that tells me the driver is not paying attention properly and is a risk to the rest of the motoring public.

I read the simple little details about drivers when I am out there, a little trick I learned being an SCCA instructor on high-speed road courses.

"I watched the program titled something like The Stupidest Drivers and they showed a lady drive into a flooded area and when her SUV started to drift away, she just sat there, wiper blades still moving (she has power to lower the windows) and did nothing to escape out and then it went under the water....."

Do you listen to Ron White??

"You cant fix stupid"

You are right, we do not need stability control. I have done okay with my 2006 CHevy (of course if it wasnt for the locker, it would have been a bit harder on those snowy days). But I still think some of these "electricial" safety nets arent so bad, and they can do good in some situations. But if your driving skills are up to par, these features shall remain in the background, unused.

BUt in the end, electrical safety nets are no substitiute for good driving. Maybe we can agree on something.

@oxi

I have seen plenty of people driving around with a standard transmission drinking coffee, doing makeup, texting, smoking, all at the same TIME!!! They definitely were not paying attention to the road. All I am trying to say is that it doesnt matter if its an auto or manual some people are going to be irresponsible no matter what fancy features their car has or hasnt. I drive an automatic and I NEVER eat, text, or do anything other than keep my eye's on the road so not all people who drive automatics are as you say "lazy". As far as all these safety features like traction control, stability control, etc... they are great and if becoming lazy means being safer on the road and living longer then I am all for it.

Funny, I do all the same stuff with my auto at 35 as I did when I drove a stick from age 16. Guess my manual experience makes me overqualified to multitask driving my automatic? FWIW, little known fact Oxi, manuals in small trucks are dying because they had equally small clutches that for years were a deterrent to buying a stick. Try towing a few thousand pounds up a boat launch and see how long the clutch lasts. Same goes for the 1/2 ton market. Big HP gains and ratings and small clutch led to many unhappy customers replacing said clutches. Buyers began to opt for autos as they were proving to be more durable and never looked back. I also add that the traditional standard tranny is getting to be a dinosaur and any advantages it had are being eliminated. Look at your top end sports cars. All running paddle shift manumatics. Why? Better shifting and performance than old sticks shifts. I guess Porsches and Ferarrisare for lazy drivers too huh?

Lame-O Tacomas.

Still can't put a standard tough lumber/ladder/surfboard rack on because the composite bed rails don't support any weight.

Still has the mandatory light brown or light grey interior.

Still has the cab body mount sooo far forward that 33" tall tires rub. Forget about ever having long travel suspension.

@XXX

Excuse me, been to Totalchaos Fab, they build nice long travel suspensions for Tacoma's...

I am running only 265/75 on my 2010 and over 12" of clearance on the front end even with Budbuilt skid plates...

I am planning 33's after the All-Pro front end is in place...

I guess I am old school sticking with a manual and paying attention to driving basics insteade of technology telling me how to drive...

Oh well, I still consider myself to be a safe driver and will always scan the mirrors, instrument panel, use perifual (sp?) vision to the max (if your vehicle is not a threat on the roads or obstacles and people walking around, I will move on to keep my eyes down the road and place those objects in my perifual vision), your butt on the seat and hands (no gloves) on the wheel can also tell you much about how your vehicle is performing...

In winter driving it is nice that I can simply get of the throttle and the truck will slow down (downshift and control the cltch release better to slow down even more), most of the time not even use the brakes. An automatic cannot slow down as fast thus drivers having to hit the brakes and then they lose control and into the ditch they go. Seen it many times!

oxi - guess you are unfamiliar with modern autos. i can choose 1-5 on my titan as well as down shift. if you wind up in a ditch you were going too fast for conditions to start with.

@oxi:

I've seen people down-shift their manual in the winter improperly, and the whole rear of the car flips around sending you out of control.... And it was at 15mph on a straight stretch of highway (the off-ramp)...

It doesn't matter what you're driving! Experience, attention and common sense make for safe driving. Not a manual transmission.

I'll buy the argument that a manual forces newer drivers to pay more attention, but honestly, my 6sp is more second nature to me now... I've caught myself trying to "hit the clutch" while starting the engine on the automatic silverados at work a few times.... just because it's second nature to me.

I do like the added control of my stick, but many new auto transmissions behave differently now as well: I know the tacoma autos actually have engine braking: When you roll up to a stop sign at lower speed, first gear will engage to slow you down (Many owners refer to it as lurching forward, when in fact it's just the engine speed revving up to match the transmission speed). I'm sure it's more to save the cheap brakes they put on vehicles now, but it also gives more control.

Regardless, while I see your point in some aspects, I also feel your argument is tremendously flawed. You can blame irresponsible drivers for accidents... not the car's transmission...

If they don't offer the manual anymore I wont buy their product.

As an Engineer, I would say: "Due to new technologies had been developed into automobile, such as ABS break, side airbag, etc.... These are the reasons driving the number of death caused by auto accident down, NOT because of neither auto tran nor manual tran.... Also, one thing to keep in mind that, American are commuting much longer distance on daily basic compare to the European, therefore, driving an auto tran will be a plus for many American"
It is all about your like and dislike.... if manual trans are that really good, then someone please explain to me why mass production still favor auto trans? I rest my case here and go sleep! I just bought 2010 toyota tacoma, V6 Auto, TRD double cab and totally love it! yeah toyota!