Never had an issue with drum brakes over the years!

The only reason for drums is lower cost. Drums don't dissipate heat as well.

Tacoma had the worst braking in the 2015 shootout...

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2015/04/2015-midsize-challenge-braking.html

Some blame the tires but if they put the crappy other tires they will eek out only a shorter distance.

Drums are poor when it comes to ABS/VSC responsiveness. The ONLY reason Toyota is using them on the 2016 Tacoma is for the sake of cost. Every other pickup truck manufacturer is using discs all around, in spite of the higher cost versus drums, and with good reason. I'd much rather have discs and a functioning ABS system that doesn't vary between locking the rears and not engaging them at all, as well as the easier maintenance and better cooling.

I would've loved to have seen all wheel disc brakes on the Tacoma.... You know, it being an "all-new" 2016 model and all.

@Paul if drums are so great, why doesn't ANY Lexus model have them?

@ Paul

Your only partly correct. Drums WOULD be cheaper..... but the Tacoma has a boosted drum setup that ramps up the pressure which is how a drum brake is STILL able to actuate an Auto LSD system with a drum..... Also to note...... A drum brake IS FAR FAR FAR SUPERIOR to a disc brake for a parking brake. Much more surface area on a drum brake for holding power on a hill with a trailer attached. Its a matter of using the correct technology in the correct areas..... sparing cost on a drum vs. disc argument is pretty pathetic considering the Tacoma is the ONLY midsize truck with heat exchangers on the engine oil and trans fluid.... non of the others use them because they are too expensive..... did I ALSO mention that the Tacoma is the only one with Hydraulic boosted brake system available.... its on all TRD Off road and TRD Pro trucks..... non of the others use this tech either.... I could go on for 3 paragraphs talking about all the tech advantages the Tacoma has over the other midsizers...... its ENDLESS..... and you wanna claim they saved money on the drums???? GTFO with that nonsense.

"Your only partly correct. Drums WOULD be cheaper..... but the Tacoma has a boosted drum setup that ramps up the pressure which is how a drum brake is STILL able to actuate an Auto LSD system with a drum..... Also to note...... A drum brake IS FAR FAR FAR SUPERIOR to a disc brake for a parking brake. Much more surface area on a drum brake for holding power on a hill with a trailer attached. Its a matter of using the correct technology in the correct areas"

Drum brakes an ancient JUNK. They rust shut just in time for the first brake job. And when it's made of Toyota's cheap recycled steel, those drums are going to be a NIGHTMARE to get open. Had GM put drum brakes on the 2nd gen Colorado/Canyon, fangirls like oxi would have lost their mind over it. It's a cheap, "old GM"-style move to put drum brakes on such an overpriced truck.

"Tacoma is the ONLY midsize truck with heat exchangers on the engine oil and trans fluid"

The Colorado and Canyon have transmission fluid coolers. They're integrated into the radiator.

"did I ALSO mention that the Tacoma is the only one with Hydraulic boosted brake system available"

and yet it's connected to those crappy ox-cart era drum brakes hahaha!

Why didn't the TRD Pro get real off-road front suspension parts? Namely, the upper control arms and weak standard balljoints. The TRD Pro only has a flimsy/weak stamped steel UCA. For a midsize truck that's priced in the mid $40k's, it should at least have real offroad-rated control arms and uniball joints. The front end Toyota cheaped out on is going to fall apart!

Toyota cheaps out on everything, how do you think they make record profits. They supposedly engineered just in time manufacturing. What it really means is parts last just in time for warranty to run out.