The Fast Lane Truck Yeah fake switch pwr and It's the slowest pickup truck, but the most reliable at the same time ! While the other rivals are all aside the roads, the Tacoma will still run great for many years ! Rivals are faster to break only ! There's an old story about a turtle who won the race ! This is why people buy Tacoma, to keep their clients in business and avoid troubles !
That button does nothing it's just like the tow/haul button in trucks shifts at higher rpms that's about it lol also I have a 3/4ton Chevy 8.1l you know the 0 to 60 on that motor by chance
I own a 2017 TRD Off Road. I didn't buy it for speed. I bought the truck for reliability and durability. There are definite improvements Toyota can make, but the fact is, I plan on driving this truck for 10 years. No one buys midsize 4x4 trucks for speed. The truck handles my needs and allows for outdoor offroad adventures. 10 years from now, this truck will still be a nice down payment on another. BTW, Tacoma is still the best seller in it's class, it hasn't been dethroned.
Same. For the last year I've had mine on an offroad trail and it has gone everywhere. 35k miles in a year and eight months. Now it's gonna tow all my stuff to another state when I move next week! This truck does everything. If I wanted to go fast I'd get a bike or a sports car.
When I decided to get rid of my old Tacoma, I parked it in front of my house and put a for sale sign on it. Within 30 minutes some guy rang my doorbell, took it for a test drive, and gave me full Kelly Blue Book price for it, with no haggling at all. (Maybe part of the reason is because it was fall in Colorado.) The next day, I bought a brand new 4.7-liter V-8 4Runner Sport which has been even better than the Tacoma. My next vehicle will probably be another 4Runner or a Lexus RX. Toyota rocks.
Yeah its a nice truck. Just should have updated the 4.0 v6 instead. No reason for it to be THAT gutless. Half tons can do it in half that time with little to no work and can actually tow something besides a jet ski
Well said man!! Your Taco will still be worth 10K$ when all of those others will be worth $400-$1000. Funny how many trolls attack the best selling one out of them all LOL. And the 2018 Residuals are higher than ever before!! I have a 2017 sport, and I'm thinking of switching over to the TRD Off road. I sell them for a living, so it's rough on me not getting a new one every other week. LOL
I didn’t buy my Taco for speed, I bought it for reliability and off-road capability. The Taco is indestructible and mobile AF. My V6 does everything I need to do and more.
My 14 i4 is like my old Datsun b210. Just put on floor every time you take off. I don’t think you can blow the motor with an automatic. My 18 V6 is a little better.
The ECT power button changes the shift points during normal driving/towing to help keep the truck’s RPMs in the power band. It does nothing for full throttle applications because it’s already going to rev out. I love my Tacoma, and although the power is adequate it’s not by any means fast. Good demonstration TFL!
Exactly - the ECT button keeps the truck from shifting into higher unnecessary gears, it keeps the rpms higher by maintaining lower gears. It has nothing to do with acceleration. And yeah not very powerful but good enough. I test drove all the different trucks and bought a new tacoma anyways. Tacoma people. 6 years from now still worth 75% what I paid.
Yes the reliability is fantastic but it is underpowered. I had a 17 and I had an 11. The 11 felt way better. I had to plan way ahead I wanted to pass a car.
Exactly it's for shifting purposes only not for changing how fast the truck goes.I thought a truck was for hauling and towing purposes only not to run a race at Daytona.
@@garrettgrowls Omfg I never see people with the right spelling of Garrett around where I live! Everyone I see spells their name like Garret but my name is Garrett. Everyone tells me it's an incorrect spelling of it, but I think it's right. I say why have 2 r's and not 2 T's? Makes things simpler.
I still love my Tacoma! Best resale value, best looking mid size truck out there and the best truck all around the world. Any country you go you will see a Toyota pick up.
First of the ECT doesn't make the truck faster, just holds gears longer for hauling and stop and go city driving. The HP and TQ numbers are What they are if you bought this truck for speed big mistake it is slow. This truck specifically the off road models are great at off pavement use for a pick up. A Tacoma is a midsize utility vehicle to tow an ATV, Sled, small boat, and gear. It's not a full-size truck and it was never meant to be. It's a vehicle that can be driven daily and parked anywhere due to having a smaller foot print than a full-size. And let us not forget it still is the best selling midsize, highest resale vehicle, and reliable regardsless of how FAST it is.
marco correia Im pretty sure they know all this.....just restating knowledge...the whole point was to prove that its slow thats all lmao calm down bud...
Small boat is relevant... My 17 tows a 22'pontoon down the freeway just fine..And is surprisingly quick (goin 60 to 75-80) when I need to pass gramma. Just get ready to pay at the pump
All I can say is that having ect on just makes my 2019 Tacoma sport a fun truck to drive. I re-geared it to 4.88 nitro gears and this made the factory lugging and wandering between gear shifting smooth out , but having the ect on additionally makes it feel sporty. It holds the gears longer, making the truck move quicker, and making it rev higher for longer until it gets up into sixth gear. I don’t really like using it in the city unless I know I will be getting up into fifth and sixth gears quickly as it can rev uncomfortably high in third/fourth in the city. I can’t really say it’s worse on fuel economy, logically it would be, but it doesn’t seem like much of an impact.
I don’t know about the six cylinder but I have a 2019 four-cylinder and when I put the ECT on it makes a big difference, Good for going up hills and get on the freeway.
I doubt that many Tacoma buyers are buying it for racing. From what I gather its good at being what it is.A midsized Truck for daily driving and with the right trim level offroading.Whatever you buy is probably gonna be better at doing what it was made for than something its not.
Haven't watched the video yet: I've heard something about that on the 3rd gen, but I can't imagine it will really make a difference. It only adjusts the shift maps after all. I know my ect button is a LOT older and dumber but all it does is use the WOT transmission maps for all throttle inputs. I think the reason people say that its faster is because the new transmission is calibrated to keep revs low for MPG and the smaller 3.5 doesn't have quiet the same low end power as the 4.0 and so putting it into power in normal driving uses the engine a little more as a revving motor as opposed to chugging motor. EDIT: watched the video. Yeah...this is what I thought.
Toolbox Man for the same price, if you want speed, don't get a truck. You can get a hellcat for the same range. Even cars that cost half as much can still move faster than the raptor. His statement still stands, but I'll simplify it; if you want a fast car, get something light and low.
My experience with the ECT function having owned my Taco for 6 months is that it does nothing for power. It does somewhat improve the "hunting" of the transmission for the proper gear.
I can believe this is still confusing people. The ECT button does NOT make Toyota/Lexus vehicles faster 0-60 or more powerful, that is not what it’s there for. It simple increases the throttle sensitivity for down shifting when in gears above first gear. Simply put with ECT on it takes less throttle to down shift to a lower gear letting you access automatic down shifts with less foot in the throttle. You can access the same down shift without the ECT on but you have to put more foot on the throttle. That’s it!!! It does nothing more!!!! He truck here is posting slower times only because its running 0-60’s and running hotter with each run.
Going down in displacement was a huge mistake. I think everything else about the 3rd gen was an improvement. But that engine is a dog. And doesn't even manage better fuel economy in real world driving... so what was the point?
I have to agree - the 4L was a great engine. I'd love to get the engineering reasoning for moving to the 3.5 - if they had made it an EcoBoost Turbo - we'd see close to 400 ftlbs of torque. But the Atkinson engine with low Torque in a truck is a really poor choice. Not that I'm complaining on whole, but they could have done a lot better.
I've owned three 4Runner's -- currently own a '15 TRD Pro. The 4.0 V6 is a very good, reliable engine but it's not much more powerful than the 3.5. Actually the 3.5 is rated slightly high for HP. The 4.0's got a little more pull in the midrange (more torque). Toyota does not tune either of the transmissions to get the most out of these engines performance-wise and that's deliberate.
I seem to beat shit daily with my 3.5. These trucks from a dig are shitty. But on the highway are a better animal. It's not no damn 03 - 04 Ford f150 lightning, but in stock form going up against other stock form vehicles, it will be in the front. And thats due to having a higher top speed configuration. Anybody that's got money and has owned a lot of these trucks out here know things. And they know these things cause they've owned the same vehicle that mfers are riding around saying I wish this Tacoma would move 😂 as the Tacoma is saying I wish this mfer would. And then theres those times when you roll up on some 5-600 hp Ecoboost, or 700hp diesel truck that will wax the pour little I Tacoma's as$ 😂. But little something to think about, if the Taco goes by you and is hitting his brakes, he's just letting you know he's waiting up. For example 2016 ram 2500 Cummins engine stock with 48rfe tranny on highway, at normal speeds 65mph up against 2017 Toyota Tacoma with 3.5 who wins and why? I already know this answer. And then yet when the Tacoma pulls far away from the Ram, the Tacoma is called the ricer 😂! But in reality that Ram just lost the race cause he wasn't tuned. Wouldn't he be the ricer SMH. And that was just that truck for example. I can name off a lot of other trucks. But fu0k it. Just word of advice tune your vehicle 😂
All it does is change the shifting behavior of the transmission. No extra power. People throw POWER out like its making more hp and tq on a dyno, its not...
If by off road you meant the local mall parking lot, then yes. Otherwise with a low breakover angle due to a long wheelbase, independent front suspension, low rear axle articulation, lack of triple diff lock, low torque at high RPM, this truck is not really good at it.
Thanks God you've replaced the tundra for the taco! This is a really useful mood that I'm pretty sure most of Tacoma owners will use (including myself). I really appreciate your work!
If the 0-60 time is important to the mid size truck buyer than that says a lot about that buyer. SMH if you want impressive times than get a challenger hellcat. LOL. buyers get a Tacoma for reliability and resale value. And no one can say it is not number 1 in those areas without lying to themselves.
And it works very well. I drive in "S" all day long and shift the tranny when I want to. Because the truck usually tries to upshift too soon, I just hold each gear until i want it to shift. This has started to get really fun - like a semi standard transmission with no manual clutch. Once my brain got into the rhythm, i didn't think about it any more. I never use "D" around town, it just ruins the truck.
It's the 6 speed transmission that makes it sluggish. It constantly shifts to the highest gear possible to save fuel. I have a 2017 Tacoma offroad edition and by the time I reach 38 to 40 mph it is already in 6th gear and the engine studders and shakes trying to pull to a higher speed. It is always shifting to as well. The ect button only holds it in gear longer which is fine if you are towing but annoying around town, plus the ect tuns off everytime I shut the truck off. The transmission design is a known issue for the 2016 and newer Tacoma, my friend is a Toyota master technician. He has reflashed/ reprogrammed the transmission twice and it still does the same thing. They have a tsb about the shifting but it never really solves the issue.
I have a 2017 TRD-OR 4WD and can confirm. The button is all about the transmission tuning. If you put the gas pedal flat to the floor, it doesn't really matter if you have the button on or off, but if you're driving normally, part throttle, it does make a noticeable difference. I tend to push the ECT button every time I get behind the wheel. I wish it had more power, of course. Or better yet, I wish a half-ton could fit in my garage.
Yeah, I test drove one of these last summer and noticed that. Once I was around 40 miles an hour on a double lane road, and it shifted into 6th Gear and there was nothing when I hit the gas. I had to floor it to get it to downshift to move. I don't normally drive like that, so it felt counterintuitive. I didn't care for the driving experience very much.
Toyota Tacoma engines always felt very anemic to me. Like they just bog down when starting off as if they do not have the power at low rpms to get out of their own way. Reliable, yes. Powerful, no.
The key here is ( and Nathan said it ) that these Tacoma's are NOT built for speed! Trucks , after all, are built to be utility vehicles, i.e. carry stuff and people too, or to put this another way, they're made to get a job done. In my Tacoma, I too found the ECT button and light, to be just that.
There are times you need acceleration, like merging onto the interstate or pulling out to pass someone. Having a slow, sluggish truck can get you ran over.
Now Greg, not every truck has to be a 'drag racing beast'! This Tacoma, and all the others are built to perform in today's traffic,..getting run over while , as you describe it, surely is not that big a concern, is it? I know it can be a regular and good daily driver.
It does hold the shift points longer so when pulling or going over hills and/or mountain passes it makes difference. I use it all the time since its more predictable and the shifts hunt a lot less. It works but doesn't produce any more power. Not useless light IMHO and I live in Colorado Springs
I drove a 2008 off a lot in 2008. Went straight to tire shop and replaced street tires with mud grips. Week later gave it dual exhaust. This truck runs! 4.0 with 5 speed auto. Have pulled and hauled things i shouldn't have. Pulls better than my 1991 Dodge W250 diesel. So i'm confused to people saying they have always been slow. My racing days ended when i was a teenager. But this has me wanting to do a 0-60 just to see if I'm crazy or everyone else. Oh and i had airbags installed because the suspension was crap. Person had ordered the truck and never took delivery. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Also my frame seems to have some type of coating on it. No rust. Maybe they knew the issues and had it coated.
My 2003 Toyota Tacoma 2.7L Pre-runner is a unstoppable truck! The only thing I wish it could do was tow more than 3500Lbs. But other than that, it goes anywhere I need it!
That ECT button used to be in 1996-2000 Toyota Rav4 it does help in the snow. I still have that 1999 Toyota Rav4. I love it in the winter time with ECT button.
I’ve found that ect in my 2017 TRD Sport has a more responsive throttle. It takes less throttle to actually move it, without it I gotta go a little deeper into the pedal to get it going
ETC on or off really doesn't stop the transmission from shifting. Just makes the shift point higher. I "shift" my 2005 DC 4x4 and allow the RPM to get up higher than the normal shift point would. You really don't get into the power band otherwise as it shifts too soon. Even with your ECT test you can see/hear that it shifts too soon for engine power. Put it in sport and manually shift and you'll get better performance.
I just got a regular SR5 access cab with V6 and 4WD; I think it rides very much like a car and is reasonably quiet for a truck, except for the tire noise. I have not pushed it at all because it has about 100 miles on it, but I was amazed my insurance went up due to all the extra high tech features that do not add to its utility or handling. My Rav4 with the same engine is a beast but it weighs much less. Also while it drives like a truck overall, it is also very heavy, so there is lots of plastic where you would think there would be metal, like the front. Maybe there is a metal bumper there, but the rest is all plastic and the radar component is right up front like in an airplane. I do like the composite bed though. I got the pickup to start my truck camping adventure. Still need to get the camper shell for the bed. I took got the truck for its utility, not for speed, its a hulking truck by any measure.
The Tacoma does not have a sport mode as mentioned. It has a select mode that is used to select a range of gears per the owners manual when one reads it. When going from drive (1-6) to select you now have (1-4) and from there you can change the range up or down example 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5 and 1-6. Other than that the transmission functions the same as in Drive. The only purpose I can see it used for is holding it in the gear you want when going down a hill.
It's a truck for offroading, fast isn't what it's built for. Look at the most capable 4wd's on the market, jeep, Toyota and now gmc has done a good job at making some competition.
The only props I can give to Toyota on this generation is that you can buy this exact trim with 3 pedals. I wish other manufacturers were so enlightened. Good video, Nathan, as always.
Great video clarifying a common misconception, ECT is not supposed to make it faster 0-60, but what it does besides having the truck hold gears longer is improving throttle responsiveness. If you try it while driving you will feel it accelerate with less pedal travel than ECT off . Also those 0-60 times seem quite high, I get mid/high 7's although I am at about 1000 feet above sea level
It’s not Electronically controlled transmission, it’s Electronically controlled torque! It changes the fuel/ignition/and shift maps... the old ECT buttons used to only effect the trans shift points. This one does change the torque curve. Less for 0-60 but more for towing power etc.
I think you were lacking the necessary motivation to really run the vehicle through its paces to its maximum. Next time, I suggest playing for dirt. :) Jokes aside, kudos for being committed to your audience, reading comments, and undertaking additional tests. Cheers, guys!
Patrick Curran I don't think he needs motivation to prove a valid point. The only problem was that some people couldn't take the fact that the truck was slowly even with different components engaged.
ECT Power != faster, != more powerful... it just changes the transmission shift points so the engine reaches higher RPMs before shifting. Under normal "daily driving" it'll FEEL more powerful, because the engine will get closer to the power band. I leave ECT Power off, except when I'm towing. The Taco is plenty strong if you put your foot down and let it downshift. It's silly to hear so many people say "oh, the Tacoma is so underpowered!" Yeah, it is, if you only push the throttle pedal 1/4" and expect it to do burnouts!
That's a truck that your head hits the dashboard when you floor it. ECT acts like a tow haul mode in some other trucks, shifts at a higher rpm under load. It does not change mapping in the ECU to go FASTER.
According to the owners manual in my 1990 4runner: “the ect learns your driving habits, and adjusts shift points accordingly, disabling ect returns shift points to factory setting” maybe its changed since then but toyota has had ect since the 80s
Apart from changing the shift points (which sport mode will do anyway), if the Tacoma has an electronic throttle, it may change the throttle mapping as well. My car in Eco mode will jump to 6th as quick as it can, hold it until the next blue moon when it then has to jump up several gears accompanied with throttle response that is lethargic until you push the accelerator past around 8/10. Turn Eco off and it maps to a linear throttle response. Fuel economy is not drastically affected in either mode, just more noise really (heavy car, small naturally aspirated engine). You can’t get more power than what the engine makes after all......
I drive a 2016 TRD Off Road 4X4 auto trans. I pull a 20 foot Center Console Bay Boat, in sport mode, locked to 5th gear. That gives me better performance and fuel economy than ECT or Normal Drive. Your mileage may vary, but this works best for me.
I can’t believe how many people are completely ignorant to what the ECT button really does. Simply it keeps the transmission and gear longer. Doesn’t make the truck faster but where it does shine is obviously towing but more so when you’re driving 40 miles an hour down the road you’ll be in fourth gear versus sixth gear so when you mash it it’ll accelerate in fourth or maybe down shift to third versus going from sixth to fourth or third. Just makes it more sporty and snappy when applying moderate throttle modulation due to the higher RPM of being in the lower gears.
Nathan you don’t know Toyota trucks!! There is another button inside the glovebox marked Rice Burner. This dumps a cup of rice into the injectors giving space shuttle like acceleration. If you engage this button it will knock 6 seconds off the 0-60 time. # Fanboylife
Bob Quattrini always? Read a review of a Land Cruiser today and everyone who tests it praises its power delivery. Tacoma 2006 was fastest midsize pickup according to motor trend back in the day. It was faster than even the V8 Dakota. The 4Runner 5 speed in 1996 was the fastest SUV in its class. The Tundra in 1999, 2007 was the fastest in its class and its still one of the fastest V8 trucks today. The Avalon, Camry V6, Rav4 V6 were the fastest in their class and these are all well documented in many publications. The 2000GT was one of the fastest sports cars in its class back in the 60s. The Supra was one of the fastest GT cars in its time and Toyotas "gutless" JZ series engines are swapped into anything from little buckets to classic American Muscle cars. Go ahead and search 2JZ swap Camaro, Mustang or whatever you want. Even the old Tacomas are faster than this new one. It took GM to drop a 6.2 Liter in its Silverado to make faster than the heavier 5.7 Liter Tundra. 1998 GS400 was the fastest production luxury performance sedan in its class beating the BMW 5 series by a huge margin. The fact that Toyota has 5 cars in their Lexus lineup that do 0-60 in under 5 seconds shows how inaccurate your statement is.
I have a 2016 Tacoma V6 4x4 and I have never used ECT. I never pay attention to my 0-60 times. However, I do pay attention to MPG and I got 22.6 last tank. Doing even better on my first 100 miles of this tank.
Well that went just as expected, on a different note the thing about launching in 4wd dose help just not for a stock truck I have a friend that owns a speed shop that specializes in ls powered vehicles and he runs his race truck in 4wd but it also has 1000+ hp so when traction is an issue it dose help
As it was explained to me, ECT does little to nothing for you from a stand still. Yes it helps you grab the gear longer (ie allow you to take the rpm to the redline.) Where you will notice the difference is in throttle response at moving speed. Pull a 20-60 or a 20-80 mph and you will notice the difference. It’s a much more pronounced difference in my 2004 IS300.
I test drove a 2018 today at my local dealer and I was very surprised at just how lazy it was. It felt gutless but it was a truck I could definitely live with. I drove around for an hour on my local roads and got 10.3L/100km without even trying. That's significantly better than my current truck.
Not sure about adding power but when I drive my 2019 trd off road on the freeway at 70 with the ECT on and then turn it off, I can feel the truck surge an slow as if you let off the gas. Just my 2 cents.
Just purchased a 2021TRD off-road Tacoma, yes it’s not as fast as a V-8 but I didn’t expect it to, it feels just right. As for the 0 to 60 times how much time did you wait between runs? There’s a thing called heat so explaining the slower and slower times. Loving the truck so far, never owned a new vehicle or a Toyota before.
Consider ect like a more aggressive throttle/shift mode. Revs higher through every gearshift so its closer to it's powerband. Ideal for towing. Ect off is like comfort mode. Delayed throttle response for best economy and smooth quick transmission shifts to get to the highest gear for mpgs. Not ideal for towing. If you hit wide open throttle, performance is the same regardless of mode
Paused thus video after the first run. 1st - I appreciate the transparency of your tests 2- I appreciate your using bower input for future tests Thanks!
If you want a slow truck try a Colorado with a Diesel engine. It is $15,000 more and takes twice as long to hit 60. We all want 400 plus hp but won’t pay double the price for a Raptor.
The ECT won't effect your top end performance. Just keeps you in lower gear longer which makes your acceleration smoother with less gas. Also when towing
i did the always on ECT mod from TW. It may not be quicker from 0-60 but it sure feels much quicker from 0-35. would like to see a test on that. my off the line is much better pulling into traffic.
I’d be interesting if you did this for each truck (run 0-60 without traction control and another run without traction control and tow/haul or actual sport mode engaged) if the times changed via different trucks.
To echo the others, I didn't buy my 16 TRD Off Road for drag racing. It's got plenty of passing power which just about anything out there today does. It off roads great, its easy to get around has enough room for me, decent ground clearance which was enhanced by a 3-1 leveling kit and bigger tires. Oh and unlike its "competition" it will still be running fine in five years and just as important still worth something when you go to sell or trade in. :)
I'm still surprised that people don't get what the ECT button does. Not only does it stay in gear slightly longer to stay in the powerband, but it also is way more sensitive to throttle inputs. Downshifts with less throttle pedal needed. That being said, none of this will matter if you're at full throttle. The redline doesn't change.
I put a sprint booster in my Tacoma soon after I got it; and I also got a shift sense pro. Orange Tune is another option that is even better (so I hear). I've been happy with my '17 TRDOR DBLCB with these simple mods. I plan on having it for at least a decade.
I had a 2005 4x4 Tacoma with the 4 liter engine and auto trans. That one would get rubber in 1st and a bit going in to 2nd. It had tons of power. I would have guessed the improvements over time would have made the new ones more powerful not less.
Sport mode doesn't help because Tacoma and Tundra for that matter don't have a Sport mode. Putting it in S just selects the top gear transmission will shift to. It's for towing. You tow in S4 in the Tacoma so that it doesn't go to 5th and 6th because those are OD gears.
ECT does not make the truck faster, it simply makes the transmission more responsive and doesn't feel that the truck wants to go to 6th gear all the time, which I noticed driving up mountains. The truck wants those MPG numbers, unfortunately with its power band at such a higher RPM, the truck really bogs when climbing and the computer wants 5th or 6th ALL THE TIME. I simply put it in sport 4 and use that for steeper grades and mountain driving.
It works best when you are towing, hauling a load, or climbing long hills. It just changes the shift points to a higher RPM so so that you stay in the sweet spot of the power band to allow you to get up to speed easier, maintain speed with a load and the transmission doesn't hunt for a gear as much. It ain't a shot of NOS!
Do the same test going uphill and you realize etc pwr is much faster... understand what it does and you’ll know how to test it. It changes the transmission control to allow for higher RPM. RPM is more speed on a a straight away, but gives more torque uphill and towing. The changes to the Tranmission are both shift solenoid pressure/timing and higher engine rpm. So, you find that you’ll have 120% power speed and overall ability off-road/uphill/towing with ect pwr.
Hmm That's kind of interesting, In my tacoma with the engine revving just pas 4500 rpm's I get a surge of power you can really feel it and see it on the tach.. The ECT makes some difference around town as it keeps the RPMS quite a bit higher before shifting, but does nothing for engine power... I take that back, at low RPM's it appears to turn off the Atkinson cycle and I feel more low end torque below 2K rpms. But all in all does not translate to faster 0-60 Now I know lot of people think 10 seconds to merge into traffic really sucks.. but driving it day to day it really isn't an issue - it doesn't feel slow since most merging is at 40 to 70 MPH and in 3rd gear there's - plenty of torque. Toyota didn't screw up the redesign, they decided not to screw up the old design. This engine is very happy to rev past 4k RPMs', something the old 4L didn't like to do. If you want 400HP by a Ford or Chevy. I'll keep my Tacoma. ( I just wish they changed the transmission shifting profile to let it shift just a bit higher into the RPM in the lower gears, somewhere in between stock and the ECT button.)
I use the ECT button because it is how the transmission should be from the factory. People complain about the motor, but I think the transmission is the joke. They seemed to be thinking about fuel economy only. It is never in the gear you need it to be. ECT seems to make it more bearable
The etc switch does nothing that i have noticed on mine. The owners manual states to use etc when driving Mountains or towing requires more throttle response.
This does make sense to me or at least my 2001 v6 Tacoma. All of its torque are at 3k to about 4.2k rpm. Anything higher or lower, it does not really have power so it holding gears for a little longer would not do anything really. I know this for sure with my truck because I only have 4 forward gears and 1 reverse so the power band is really evident.
I have found out that driving in town where speeds are 35-45 stop and go I get 2-3 miles per gallon better when in ECT mode I know it's a truck but I'm digging the gas mileage compared to the last 25 years of vehicles LOL
the most significant independent variable you found was actually the #pull: ie each pull was slower than the last. without replicate runs, you can't conclude anything and I'm thinking there's actually something more significant ie engine/oil temp or something else affecting the pull times way more than the various switches and modes. Without replicate tests, error bars etc, its not a statistical or scientific test but is good entertainment I guess.
I owned this truck for a year and could not stand how underpowered it was. For the record I owned a 4.0 Tacoma as well and felt way better. You don't buy a truck like this for speed but I would like to be able to pass a car when I need too! Do something Toyota!!!!
The ECT will make the truck seem faster in traffic as it down shifts sooner and holds each gear longer. It most assuredly is not any faster in 0-60. Is it a better truck in the longhaul? I think it is and resale figures show that. A two year Tacoma usually is priced higher than a new one.
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The Fast Lane Truck Yeah fake switch pwr and It's the slowest pickup truck, but the most reliable at the same time ! While the other rivals are all aside the roads, the Tacoma will still run great for many years ! Rivals are faster to break only ! There's an old story about a turtle who won the race ! This is why people buy Tacoma, to keep their clients in business and avoid troubles !
That button does nothing it's just like the tow/haul button in trucks shifts at higher rpms that's about it lol also I have a 3/4ton Chevy 8.1l you know the 0 to 60 on that motor by chance
I have a 2016 Toyota Tacoma sr it's junk I hate it
I own a 2017 TRD Off Road. I didn't buy it for speed. I bought the truck for reliability and durability. There are definite improvements Toyota can make, but the fact is, I plan on driving this truck for 10 years. No one buys midsize 4x4 trucks for speed. The truck handles my needs and allows for outdoor offroad adventures. 10 years from now, this truck will still be a nice down payment on another. BTW, Tacoma is still the best seller in it's class, it hasn't been dethroned.
Same. For the last year I've had mine on an offroad trail and it has gone everywhere. 35k miles in a year and eight months. Now it's gonna tow all my stuff to another state when I move next week! This truck does everything. If I wanted to go fast I'd get a bike or a sports car.
When I decided to get rid of my old Tacoma, I parked it in front of my house and put a for sale sign on it. Within 30 minutes some guy rang my doorbell, took it for a test drive, and gave me full Kelly Blue Book price for it, with no haggling at all. (Maybe part of the reason is because it was fall in Colorado.) The next day, I bought a brand new 4.7-liter V-8 4Runner Sport which has been even better than the Tacoma. My next vehicle will probably be another 4Runner or a Lexus RX. Toyota rocks.
Yeah its a nice truck. Just should have updated the 4.0 v6 instead. No reason for it to be THAT gutless. Half tons can do it in half that time with little to no work and can actually tow something besides a jet ski
Well said man!! Your Taco will still be worth 10K$ when all of those others will be worth $400-$1000. Funny how many trolls attack the best selling one out of them all LOL. And the 2018 Residuals are higher than ever before!! I have a 2017 sport, and I'm thinking of switching over to the TRD Off road. I sell them for a living, so it's rough on me not getting a new one every other week. LOL
@@ROSKER48 fact is, its a girls truck
I didn’t buy my Taco for speed, I bought it for reliability and off-road capability. The Taco is indestructible and mobile AF. My V6 does everything I need to do and more.
I own a slow I4 Tacoma and when I use the ECT pwr, it changes drive mode from golf cart speed to NASCAR speed! Awesome
Im thinking about getting pre-owned 2017 Tacoma SR because it has 12,000 miles on it. 👀
Me too
My 14 i4 is like my old Datsun b210. Just put on floor every time you take off. I don’t think you can blow the motor with an automatic. My 18 V6 is a little better.
True that !!! Not as much as you say , but a big diff woow!!
The ECT power button changes the shift points during normal driving/towing to help keep the truck’s RPMs in the power band. It does nothing for full throttle applications because it’s already going to rev out. I love my Tacoma, and although the power is adequate it’s not by any means fast. Good demonstration TFL!
ArizonaTacoma thank you. At least someone understands why this comparison is silly
Exactly - the ECT button keeps the truck from shifting into higher unnecessary gears, it keeps the rpms higher by maintaining lower gears. It has nothing to do with acceleration. And yeah not very powerful but good enough. I test drove all the different trucks and bought a new tacoma anyways. Tacoma people. 6 years from now still worth 75% what I paid.
Yes the reliability is fantastic but it is underpowered. I had a 17 and I had an 11. The 11 felt way better. I had to plan way ahead I wanted to pass a car.
Absolutely correct! Not sure why people don't understand this.
Exactly it's for shifting purposes only not for changing how fast the truck goes.I thought a truck was for hauling and towing purposes only not to run a race at Daytona.
put the shifter in the R position, this is race mode, than retest.
nathan koroush hahahaha
nathan koroush still gonna be slow. Thats the whole point of the video lmao.
ZO LO yup not race trucks, trucks built to last.
it'll be fast backwards
Who is buying a Tacoma TRD Offroad for 0-60 times?
ikr, if you wanna go fast then get a lightweight sports car
@CrazyLegsMcGee Thank you for the laugh. That was really funny.
Dumbasses lol
@@garrettgrowls Omfg I never see people with the right spelling of Garrett around where I live! Everyone I see spells their name like Garret but my name is Garrett. Everyone tells me it's an incorrect spelling of it, but I think it's right. I say why have 2 r's and not 2 T's? Makes things simpler.
@@garretth0707 Honestly I think it looks more symmetrical and one “t” isn’t the right way. Nice to meet ya, Garrett!
I still love my Tacoma! Best resale value, best looking mid size truck out there and the best truck all around the world. Any country you go you will see a Toyota pick up.
First of the ECT doesn't make the truck faster, just holds gears longer for hauling and stop and go city driving. The HP and TQ numbers are What they are if you bought this truck for speed big mistake it is slow. This truck specifically the off road models are great at off pavement use for a pick up. A Tacoma is a midsize utility vehicle to tow an ATV, Sled, small boat, and gear. It's not a full-size truck and it was never meant to be. It's a vehicle that can be driven daily and parked anywhere due to having a smaller foot print than a full-size. And let us not forget it still is the best selling midsize, highest resale vehicle, and reliable regardsless of how FAST it is.
marco correia Im pretty sure they know all this.....just restating knowledge...the whole point was to prove that its slow thats all lmao calm down bud...
Small boat is relevant... My 17 tows a 22'pontoon down the freeway just fine..And is surprisingly quick (goin 60 to 75-80) when I need to pass gramma. Just get ready to pay at the pump
It's slow... I still want one.
Get one, I have had mine for 6 months, put 15,000 miles on it and the longer I own this truck the more I love it.
@@OswaltSamuel I can say the same
@@OswaltSamuel I bought one. I love it. :D
Mad Pistol great, I bought one two days ago 😍
I still think it’s faster. It definitely is faster to get up and go in ETC and it just is just smoother also
All I can say is that having ect on just makes my 2019 Tacoma sport a fun truck to drive. I re-geared it to 4.88 nitro gears and this made the factory lugging and wandering between gear shifting smooth out , but having the ect on additionally makes it feel sporty. It holds the gears longer, making the truck move quicker, and making it rev higher for longer until it gets up into sixth gear. I don’t really like using it in the city unless I know I will be getting up into fifth and sixth gears quickly as it can rev uncomfortably high in third/fourth in the city. I can’t really say it’s worse on fuel economy, logically it would be, but it doesn’t seem like much of an impact.
I don’t know about the six cylinder but I have a 2019 four-cylinder and when I put the ECT on it makes a big difference, Good for going up hills and get on the freeway.
I traded in a Chevy Silverado 2017 4 wheel drive 4 Tacoma off road Tacoma is light years ahead of that Silverado I have no complaints
I doubt that many Tacoma buyers are buying it for racing. From what I gather its good at being what it is.A midsized Truck for daily driving and with the right trim level offroading.Whatever you buy is probably gonna be better at doing what it was made for than something its not.
Haven't watched the video yet: I've heard something about that on the 3rd gen, but I can't imagine it will really make a difference. It only adjusts the shift maps after all. I know my ect button is a LOT older and dumber but all it does is use the WOT transmission maps for all throttle inputs. I think the reason people say that its faster is because the new transmission is calibrated to keep revs low for MPG and the smaller 3.5 doesn't have quiet the same low end power as the 4.0 and so putting it into power in normal driving uses the engine a little more as a revving motor as opposed to chugging motor. EDIT: watched the video. Yeah...this is what I thought.
You want speed? Don't get a truck
Tell that to the 3.5L ecoboost engine that’s in the raptor.
Don't tell that to my GMC Syclone
Toolbox Man for the same price, if you want speed, don't get a truck. You can get a hellcat for the same range. Even cars that cost half as much can still move faster than the raptor. His statement still stands, but I'll simplify it; if you want a fast car, get something light and low.
Most V6 sedans are faster. A V6 Camry would outrun pretty much any truck except maybe the Ecoboost Raptor.
Toolbox Man you put the same engine in the ford gt and it's faster than the raptor
My experience with the ECT function having owned my Taco for 6 months is that it does nothing for power. It does somewhat improve the "hunting" of the transmission for the proper gear.
I can believe this is still confusing people. The ECT button does NOT make Toyota/Lexus vehicles faster 0-60 or more powerful, that is not what it’s there for. It simple increases the throttle sensitivity for down shifting when in gears above first gear. Simply put with ECT on it takes less throttle to down shift to a lower gear letting you access automatic down shifts with less foot in the throttle. You can access the same down shift without the ECT on but you have to put more foot on the throttle. That’s it!!! It does nothing more!!!! He truck here is posting slower times only because its running 0-60’s and running hotter with each run.
The 3.5 v6 is gutless compared to the older 4.0 v6
Going down in displacement was a huge mistake. I think everything else about the 3rd gen was an improvement. But that engine is a dog. And doesn't even manage better fuel economy in real world driving... so what was the point?
I have to agree - the 4L was a great engine. I'd love to get the engineering reasoning for moving to the 3.5 - if they had made it an EcoBoost Turbo - we'd see close to 400 ftlbs of torque. But the Atkinson engine with low Torque in a truck is a really poor choice. Not that I'm complaining on whole, but they could have done a lot better.
I've owned three 4Runner's -- currently own a '15 TRD Pro. The 4.0 V6 is a very good, reliable engine but it's not much more powerful than the 3.5. Actually the 3.5 is rated slightly high for HP. The 4.0's got a little more pull in the midrange (more torque). Toyota does not tune either of the transmissions to get the most out of these engines performance-wise and that's deliberate.
I seem to beat shit daily with my 3.5. These trucks from a dig are shitty. But on the highway are a better animal. It's not no damn 03 - 04 Ford f150 lightning, but in stock form going up against other stock form vehicles, it will be in the front. And thats due to having a higher top speed configuration. Anybody that's got money and has owned a lot of these trucks out here know things. And they know these things cause they've owned the same vehicle that mfers are riding around saying I wish this Tacoma would move 😂 as the Tacoma is saying I wish this mfer would. And then theres those times when you roll up on some 5-600 hp Ecoboost, or 700hp diesel truck that will wax the pour little I Tacoma's as$ 😂. But little something to think about, if the Taco goes by you and is hitting his brakes, he's just letting you know he's waiting up. For example 2016 ram 2500 Cummins engine stock with 48rfe tranny on highway, at normal speeds 65mph up against 2017 Toyota Tacoma with 3.5 who wins and why? I already know this answer. And then yet when the Tacoma pulls far away from the Ram, the Tacoma is called the ricer 😂! But in reality that Ram just lost the race cause he wasn't tuned. Wouldn't he be the ricer SMH. And that was just that truck for example. I can name off a lot of other trucks. But fu0k it. Just word of advice tune your vehicle 😂
The 3.5 v6 blows a older 4.0 out anyday
Yeah it’s slow as hell.... but it kicks ass off-road as we all know. The TRD version anyhow
All it does is change the shifting behavior of the transmission. No extra power. People throw POWER out like its making more hp and tq on a dyno, its not...
Joe Lesko I think it just that back in the day it was cheap and tough. Now its pricey.
They have the articulation of a f-n skateboard. Please.
Isn't that the point of 4 wheel drive pickups? You want speed, get a different type of vehicle.
If by off road you meant the local mall parking lot, then yes. Otherwise with a low breakover angle due to a long wheelbase, independent front suspension, low rear axle articulation, lack of triple diff lock, low torque at high RPM, this truck is not really good at it.
Thanks God you've replaced the tundra for the taco! This is a really useful mood that I'm pretty sure most of Tacoma owners will use (including myself). I really appreciate your work!
If the 0-60 time is important to the mid size truck buyer than that says a lot about that buyer. SMH if you want impressive times than get a challenger hellcat. LOL. buyers get a Tacoma for reliability and resale value. And no one can say it is not number 1 in those areas without lying to themselves.
The “S” isn’t sport mode. It stands for sequential shift. All it does is allows you to shift the gears yourself.
And it works very well. I drive in "S" all day long and shift the tranny when I want to. Because the truck usually tries to upshift too soon, I just hold each gear until i want it to shift. This has started to get really fun - like a semi standard transmission with no manual clutch. Once my brain got into the rhythm, i didn't think about it any more. I never use "D" around town, it just ruins the truck.
It's the 6 speed transmission that makes it sluggish. It constantly shifts to the highest gear possible to save fuel. I have a 2017 Tacoma offroad edition and by the time I reach 38 to 40 mph it is already in 6th gear and the engine studders and shakes trying to pull to a higher speed. It is always shifting to as well. The ect button only holds it in gear longer which is fine if you are towing but annoying around town, plus the ect tuns off everytime I shut the truck off. The transmission design is a known issue for the 2016 and newer Tacoma, my friend is a Toyota master technician. He has reflashed/ reprogrammed the transmission twice and it still does the same thing. They have a tsb about the shifting but it never really solves the issue.
I have a 2016 4x4 offroad, and the transmission drives me nuts. Really puts a damper on an otherwise great truck.
cptobvious3 I agree, I love the rest of the truck except the transmission.
I have a 2017 TRD-OR 4WD and can confirm. The button is all about the transmission tuning. If you put the gas pedal flat to the floor, it doesn't really matter if you have the button on or off, but if you're driving normally, part throttle, it does make a noticeable difference. I tend to push the ECT button every time I get behind the wheel.
I wish it had more power, of course. Or better yet, I wish a half-ton could fit in my garage.
I'm about to turn in my 2016 Tacoma lease and the motor/transmission combo is what kept me from getting another one.
Yeah, I test drove one of these last summer and noticed that. Once I was around 40 miles an hour on a double lane road, and it shifted into 6th Gear and there was nothing when I hit the gas. I had to floor it to get it to downshift to move. I don't normally drive like that, so it felt counterintuitive. I didn't care for the driving experience very much.
I have a manual transmission and am often times at 6000- 7500 feet above sea level. I didn't buy a Toyota to go fast but to go offroad
I test drove one and was surprised by how slow it was. With that being said I can’t wait to buy one.
Toyota Tacoma engines always felt very anemic to me. Like they just bog down when starting off as if they do not have the power at low rpms to get out of their own way. Reliable, yes. Powerful, no.
The key here is ( and Nathan said it ) that these Tacoma's are NOT built for speed!
Trucks , after all, are built to be utility vehicles, i.e. carry stuff and people too, or to put this another way, they're made to get a job done.
In my Tacoma, I too found the ECT button and light, to be just that.
There are times you need acceleration, like merging onto the interstate or pulling out to pass someone. Having a slow, sluggish truck can get you ran over.
Greg Rowe come on they are not that slow.
Now Greg, not every truck has to be a 'drag racing beast'!
This Tacoma, and all the others are built to perform in today's traffic,..getting run over while , as you describe it, surely is not that big a concern, is it?
I know it can be a regular and good daily driver.
Exactly, 'nathan koroush'!
It does hold the shift points longer so when pulling or going over hills and/or mountain passes it makes difference. I use it all the time since its more predictable and the shifts hunt a lot less. It works but doesn't produce any more power. Not useless light IMHO and I live in Colorado Springs
I drove a 2008 off a lot in 2008. Went straight to tire shop and replaced street tires with mud grips. Week later gave it dual exhaust. This truck runs! 4.0 with 5 speed auto. Have pulled and hauled things i shouldn't have. Pulls better than my 1991 Dodge W250 diesel. So i'm confused to people saying they have always been slow. My racing days ended when i was a teenager. But this has me wanting to do a 0-60 just to see if I'm crazy or everyone else. Oh and i had airbags installed because the suspension was crap. Person had ordered the truck and never took delivery. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Also my frame seems to have some type of coating on it. No rust. Maybe they knew the issues and had it coated.
Nice job and great video Nathan!
My 2003 Toyota Tacoma 2.7L Pre-runner is a unstoppable truck! The only thing I wish it could do was tow more than 3500Lbs. But other than that, it goes anywhere I need it!
I mean, no you don't buy it for speed but speed is a very important factor and 10+ seconds is just sad.
Don’t mind me. I just came here to read the comments from the Toyota VS domestic brand fanboys.
That ECT button used to be in 1996-2000 Toyota Rav4 it does help in the snow. I still have that 1999 Toyota Rav4. I love it in the winter time with ECT button.
I’ve found that ect in my 2017 TRD Sport has a more responsive throttle. It takes less throttle to actually move it, without it I gotta go a little deeper into the pedal to get it going
ETC on or off really doesn't stop the transmission from shifting. Just makes the shift point higher. I "shift" my 2005 DC 4x4 and allow the RPM to get up higher than the normal shift point would. You really don't get into the power band otherwise as it shifts too soon. Even with your ECT test you can see/hear that it shifts too soon for engine power. Put it in sport and manually shift and you'll get better performance.
That’s a beautiful truck. Love me those Tacoma TRD off roads
I just got a regular SR5 access cab with V6 and 4WD; I think it rides very much like a car and is reasonably quiet for a truck, except for the tire noise. I have not pushed it at all because it has about 100 miles on it, but I was amazed my insurance went up due to all the extra high tech features that do not add to its utility or handling. My Rav4 with the same engine is a beast but it weighs much less. Also while it drives like a truck overall, it is also very heavy, so there is lots of plastic where you would think there would be metal, like the front. Maybe there is a metal bumper there, but the rest is all plastic and the radar component is right up front like in an airplane. I do like the composite bed though. I got the pickup to start my truck camping adventure. Still need to get the camper shell for the bed. I took got the truck for its utility, not for speed, its a hulking truck by any measure.
The Tacoma does not have a sport mode as mentioned. It has a select mode that is used to select a range of gears per the owners manual when one reads it. When going from drive (1-6) to select you now have (1-4) and from there you can change the range up or down example 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5 and 1-6. Other than that the transmission functions the same as in Drive. The only purpose I can see it used for is holding it in the gear you want when going down a hill.
It's a truck for offroading, fast isn't what it's built for. Look at the most capable 4wd's on the market, jeep, Toyota and now gmc has done a good job at making some competition.
Yup if you want a fast truck get a gmc syclone
The only props I can give to Toyota on this generation is that you can buy this exact trim with 3 pedals. I wish other manufacturers were so enlightened. Good video, Nathan, as always.
Great video clarifying a common misconception, ECT is not supposed to make it faster 0-60, but what it does besides having the truck hold gears longer is improving throttle responsiveness. If you try it while driving you will feel it accelerate with less pedal travel than ECT off . Also those 0-60 times seem quite high, I get mid/high 7's although I am at about 1000 feet above sea level
It’s not Electronically controlled transmission, it’s Electronically controlled torque! It changes the fuel/ignition/and shift maps... the old ECT buttons used to only effect the trans shift points. This one does change the torque curve. Less for 0-60 but more for towing power etc.
I think you were lacking the necessary motivation to really run the vehicle through its paces to its maximum. Next time, I suggest playing for dirt. :) Jokes aside, kudos for being committed to your audience, reading comments, and undertaking additional tests. Cheers, guys!
Patrick Curran I don't think he needs motivation to prove a valid point. The only problem was that some people couldn't take the fact that the truck was slowly even with different components engaged.
ECT Power != faster, != more powerful... it just changes the transmission shift points so the engine reaches higher RPMs before shifting.
Under normal "daily driving" it'll FEEL more powerful, because the engine will get closer to the power band.
I leave ECT Power off, except when I'm towing. The Taco is plenty strong if you put your foot down and let it downshift. It's silly to hear so many people say "oh, the Tacoma is so underpowered!" Yeah, it is, if you only push the throttle pedal 1/4" and expect it to do burnouts!
That's a truck that your head hits the dashboard when you floor it.
ECT acts like a tow haul mode in some other trucks, shifts at a higher rpm under load. It does not change mapping in the ECU to go FASTER.
When will you do the 6 speed manual on the Ike? Would be a first and fun to watch.
According to the owners manual in my 1990 4runner: “the ect learns your driving habits, and adjusts shift points accordingly, disabling ect returns shift points to factory setting” maybe its changed since then but toyota has had ect since the 80s
Apart from changing the shift points (which sport mode will do anyway), if the Tacoma has an electronic throttle, it may change the throttle mapping as well. My car in Eco mode will jump to 6th as quick as it can, hold it until the next blue moon when it then has to jump up several gears accompanied with throttle response that is lethargic until you push the accelerator past around 8/10. Turn Eco off and it maps to a linear throttle response. Fuel economy is not drastically affected in either mode, just more noise really (heavy car, small naturally aspirated engine). You can’t get more power than what the engine makes after all......
I drive a 2016 TRD Off Road 4X4 auto trans. I pull a 20 foot Center Console Bay Boat, in sport mode, locked to 5th gear. That gives me better performance and fuel economy than ECT or Normal Drive. Your mileage may vary, but this works best for me.
Love the truck if I wanted to go fast I would purchase a sport car . But ten years from now that truck will still be running strong 💪💪
I can’t believe how many people are completely ignorant to what the ECT button really does. Simply it keeps the transmission and gear longer. Doesn’t make the truck faster but where it does shine is obviously towing but more so when you’re driving 40 miles an hour down the road you’ll be in fourth gear versus sixth gear so when you mash it it’ll accelerate in fourth or maybe down shift to third versus going from sixth to fourth or third. Just makes it more sporty and snappy when applying moderate throttle modulation due to the higher RPM of being in the lower gears.
Nathan you don’t know Toyota trucks!! There is another button inside the glovebox marked Rice Burner. This dumps a cup of rice into the injectors giving space shuttle like acceleration. If you engage this button it will knock 6 seconds off the 0-60 time. # Fanboylife
Don't tell people our secret rice button.
Actually the best way to launch a Tacoma is dumping the clutch. You're using the wrong transmission. The old 4.0 was awesome and you guys know it.
CACressida Brakestall is the automatic ver of clutchdump
Ellenor Malik not really. Just loading up the torque converter of a lazy automatic with horribly tall gears isn't going to get you anywhere fast.
Toyota is always slow and gutless
Bob Quattrini always? Read a review of a Land Cruiser today and everyone who tests it praises its power delivery. Tacoma 2006 was fastest midsize pickup according to motor trend back in the day. It was faster than even the V8 Dakota. The 4Runner 5 speed in 1996 was the fastest SUV in its class. The Tundra in 1999, 2007 was the fastest in its class and its still one of the fastest V8 trucks today. The Avalon, Camry V6, Rav4 V6 were the fastest in their class and these are all well documented in many publications. The 2000GT was one of the fastest sports cars in its class back in the 60s. The Supra was one of the fastest GT cars in its time and Toyotas "gutless" JZ series engines are swapped into anything from little buckets to classic American Muscle cars. Go ahead and search 2JZ swap Camaro, Mustang or whatever you want. Even the old Tacomas are faster than this new one. It took GM to drop a 6.2 Liter in its Silverado to make faster than the heavier 5.7 Liter Tundra. 1998 GS400 was the fastest production luxury performance sedan in its class beating the BMW 5 series by a huge margin. The fact that Toyota has 5 cars in their Lexus lineup that do 0-60 in under 5 seconds shows how inaccurate your statement is.
CACressida you forgot the RAV4 with a V6...mine will yank 60 in 6.1 seconds 😉
The "sport" setting is for manual shifting. You bring it down to first, and work through the gears.
I have a 2016 Tacoma V6 4x4 and I have never used ECT. I never pay attention to my 0-60 times. However, I do pay attention to MPG and I got 22.6 last tank. Doing even better on my first 100 miles of this tank.
As a 2017 Tacoma owner , I can confirm if Challenger Hellcat is pushing it, it can get to 60mph.
tsnorquist I had a '16 TACOMA v-6 4 WD. SO I AGREE. I have a 5.7 Tundra now. Not the fastest but its a truck!
Well that went just as expected, on a different note the thing about launching in 4wd dose help just not for a stock truck I have a friend that owns a speed shop that specializes in ls powered vehicles and he runs his race truck in 4wd but it also has 1000+ hp so when traction is an issue it dose help
Good to see you again Nathan
And you didn’t even shift when you put it into Sequential (S gear) when it’s supposed to be shifted? Good job buddy 👍🏼 Real smart
you clearly have no idea how "sport" mode works on the tacoma shifter.
As it was explained to me, ECT does little to nothing for you from a stand still. Yes it helps you grab the gear longer (ie allow you to take the rpm to the redline.) Where you will notice the difference is in throttle response at moving speed. Pull a 20-60 or a 20-80 mph and you will notice the difference. It’s a much more pronounced difference in my 2004 IS300.
The best way to get performance out of the 3rd. Gen. Taco is a manual transmission.
Or to not live at mile high altitude where a turbo should be standard. these are a lot more peppy when they can breathe.
I test drove a 2018 today at my local dealer and I was very surprised at just how lazy it was. It felt gutless but it was a truck I could definitely live with. I drove around for an hour on my local roads and got 10.3L/100km without even trying. That's significantly better than my current truck.
ect is not for extra power eg 0 to 60 . it is for better revs under normal driving. I just tried it. love this truck.
Ect helps for higher rpms, it is good for towing and passing on the freeway. Not made to increase performance from 0-60.
Not sure about adding power but when I drive my 2019 trd off road on the freeway at 70 with the ECT on and then turn it off, I can feel the truck surge an slow as if you let off the gas. Just my 2 cents.
Great video! I've had a 92, 03 and now a 16 Taco consecutively. Unless you're drag racing most won't disappointed. 27 mpg commuting is nice.
Just purchased a 2021TRD off-road Tacoma, yes it’s not as fast as a V-8 but I didn’t expect it to, it feels just right. As for the 0 to 60 times how much time did you wait between runs? There’s a thing called heat so explaining the slower and slower times. Loving the truck so far, never owned a new vehicle or a Toyota before.
Best acceleration is in manual/sequential shift mode. Not breaking any land speed records, but best I've found in my '16 double cab
Consider ect like a more aggressive throttle/shift mode. Revs higher through every gearshift so its closer to it's powerband. Ideal for towing. Ect off is like comfort mode. Delayed throttle response for best economy and smooth quick transmission shifts to get to the highest gear for mpgs. Not ideal for towing. If you hit wide open throttle, performance is the same regardless of mode
lol so the button is just a button
iVlogBuzz it's for towing buddy.
Honestly, it does give it a bit more power. I use it if going on the highways for the on ramps. But it's just keeping it in gear longer.
tsnorquist sport mode does the same thing in every car. The button should be renamed tow/haul
The buttons only make a difference when you use partial throttle. If you’re flooring it, it’s going to hold the gear anyway.
same power just holds the revs in the sweet spot longer while towing or climbing passes.
Paused thus video after the first run.
1st - I appreciate the transparency of your tests
2- I appreciate your using bower input for future tests
Thanks!
If you want a slow truck try a Colorado with a Diesel engine. It is $15,000 more and takes twice as long to hit 60. We all want 400 plus hp but won’t pay double the price for a Raptor.
The ECT won't effect your top end performance. Just keeps you in lower gear longer which makes your acceleration smoother with less gas. Also when towing
i did the always on ECT mod from TW. It may not be quicker from 0-60 but it sure feels much quicker from 0-35. would like to see a test on that. my off the line is much better pulling into traffic.
hmm.. I get 7 seconds flat in my 2017 Manual transmission Tacoma. Does the atmosphere really matter that much?
I bet it does, would love to test drive a Manual - bet it's a lot of fun .. but not in New Jersey!
Idk but the ECT makes a difference in my Toyota sienna xle when I'm pulling into a highway... I'm not trying to go faster..I need the low end tork..
I’d be interesting if you did this for each truck (run 0-60 without traction control and another run without traction control and tow/haul or actual sport mode engaged) if the times changed via different trucks.
An engine with more power/torque would definitely make it quicker!
bkpugsley no way
Yeah it’s called a ZR2.
This man just discovered the magical theory of acceleration, he’s gonna get hired by Lamborghini soon...
I'll be watching the mail for that job offer!!
To echo the others, I didn't buy my 16 TRD Off Road for drag racing. It's got plenty of passing power which just about anything out there today does. It off roads great, its easy to get around has enough room for me, decent ground clearance which was enhanced by a 3-1 leveling kit and bigger tires. Oh and unlike its "competition" it will still be running fine in five years and just as important still worth something when you go to sell or trade in. :)
I'm still surprised that people don't get what the ECT button does. Not only does it stay in gear slightly longer to stay in the powerband, but it also is way more sensitive to throttle inputs. Downshifts with less throttle pedal needed. That being said, none of this will matter if you're at full throttle. The redline doesn't change.
Now a Tundra video with and without tow haul mode . Maybe without the sarcasm , you do want to keep viewers
Sounds like a salesman line... "Press this button and it'll go real fast!"
The ect power mode works great in my 89 toyota soarer
I put a sprint booster in my Tacoma soon after I got it; and I also got a shift sense pro. Orange Tune is another option that is even better (so I hear). I've been happy with my '17 TRDOR DBLCB with these simple mods. I plan on having it for at least a decade.
I had a 2005 4x4 Tacoma with the 4 liter engine and auto trans. That one would get rubber in 1st and a bit going in to 2nd. It had tons of power. I would have guessed the improvements over time would have made the new ones more powerful not less.
When will y’all do a compete review on a inline 4 cylinder taco ?!
Sport mode doesn't help because Tacoma and Tundra for that matter don't have a Sport mode. Putting it in S just selects the top gear transmission will shift to. It's for towing. You tow in S4 in the Tacoma so that it doesn't go to 5th and 6th because those are OD gears.
ECT does not make the truck faster, it simply makes the transmission more responsive and doesn't feel that the truck wants to go to 6th gear all the time, which I noticed driving up mountains. The truck wants those MPG numbers, unfortunately with its power band at such a higher RPM, the truck really bogs when climbing and the computer wants 5th or 6th ALL THE TIME. I simply put it in sport 4 and use that for steeper grades and mountain driving.
It works best when you are towing, hauling a load, or climbing long hills. It just changes the shift points to a higher RPM so so that you stay in the sweet spot of the power band to allow you to get up to speed easier, maintain speed with a load and the transmission doesn't hunt for a gear as much. It ain't a shot of NOS!
Do the same test going uphill and you realize etc pwr is much faster... understand what it does and you’ll know how to test it. It changes the transmission control to allow for higher RPM. RPM is more speed on a a straight away, but gives more torque uphill and towing. The changes to the Tranmission are both shift solenoid pressure/timing and higher engine rpm.
So, you find that you’ll have 120% power speed and overall ability off-road/uphill/towing with ect pwr.
Hmm That's kind of interesting, In my tacoma with the engine revving just pas 4500 rpm's I get a surge of power you can really feel it and see it on the tach.. The ECT makes some difference around town as it keeps the RPMS quite a bit higher before shifting, but does nothing for engine power... I take that back, at low RPM's it appears to turn off the Atkinson cycle and I feel more low end torque below 2K rpms. But all in all does not translate to faster 0-60 Now I know lot of people think 10 seconds to merge into traffic really sucks.. but driving it day to day it really isn't an issue - it doesn't feel slow since most merging is at 40 to 70 MPH and in 3rd gear there's - plenty of torque. Toyota didn't screw up the redesign, they decided not to screw up the old design. This engine is very happy to rev past 4k RPMs', something the old 4L didn't like to do. If you want 400HP by a Ford or Chevy. I'll keep my Tacoma. ( I just wish they changed the transmission shifting profile to let it shift just a bit higher into the RPM in the lower gears, somewhere in between stock and the ECT button.)
I use the ECT button because it is how the transmission should be from the factory. People complain about the motor, but I think the transmission is the joke. They seemed to be thinking about fuel economy only. It is never in the gear you need it to be. ECT seems to make it more bearable
The etc switch does nothing that i have noticed on mine. The owners manual states to use etc when driving Mountains or towing requires more throttle response.
This does make sense to me or at least my 2001 v6 Tacoma. All of its torque are at 3k to about 4.2k rpm. Anything higher or lower, it does not really have power so it holding gears for a little longer would not do anything really. I know this for sure with my truck because I only have 4 forward gears and 1 reverse so the power band is really evident.
I have found out that driving in town where speeds are 35-45 stop and go I get 2-3 miles per gallon better when in ECT mode
I know it's a truck but I'm digging the gas mileage compared to the last 25 years of vehicles LOL
Nathan, is it possible to see how the 4.0 litre Frontier performs in this test.?
I'd like to see the comparison.
Reg Sparkes Will do!
Perfect, Nathan! Thanks.
I'll look forward to watching this one too.
It’s going to be faster then the Toyota. The 4.0 in the Nissan is a beast. I have it in my xterra. I did race a stock taco with my xterra and won.
How about testing an old Taco like mine with the 4.0 l engine vs. the new one to see which is quicker.
What year is the older Tacoma, Mike? Sounds like a good idea, with a more 'level' playing field.
the most significant independent variable you found was actually the #pull: ie each pull was slower than the last. without replicate runs, you can't conclude anything and I'm thinking there's actually something more significant ie engine/oil temp or something else affecting the pull times way more than the various switches and modes. Without replicate tests, error bars etc, its not a statistical or scientific test but is good entertainment I guess.
I owned this truck for a year and could not stand how underpowered it was. For the record I owned a 4.0 Tacoma as well and felt way better. You don't buy a truck like this for speed but I would like to be able to pass a car when I need too! Do something Toyota!!!!
The ECT will make the truck seem faster in traffic as it down shifts sooner and holds each gear longer. It most assuredly is not any faster in 0-60. Is it a better truck in the longhaul? I think it is and resale figures show that.
A two year Tacoma usually is priced higher than a new one.