You Might as Well Wait to Buy a Toyota Tacoma or 4Runner
Toyota fans are many. You can look anywhere and find one. At the grocery store? Sure. Under a bush? Absolutely. Standing next to their ‘99 4Runner in the gym parking lot? Definitely. However, if you are a Toyota fan and you are thinking of buying a new 4×4, it might be worth it to wait a smidge longer. Hell, It’s not like they are getting any cheaper, but you might as well get the updated versions if you are going to spend the bread. Let’s see what Toyota has coming.
Why you should wait to buy a Toyota Tacoma or Toyota 4Runner
We have been saying it for years: the Toyota Tacoma and Toyota 4Runner are outdated and overpriced. To be clear, I only say overpriced because of how outdated they are. Toyotas are still some of the best 4×4 vehicles on the road. I digress.
While the Tacoma and 4Runner are both super capable off-roaders, most people spend that much time off-roading their 4Runner. Chances are, most 4Runners never roll a tire off-road. That said, the 2023 4Runner and Tacoma are both really expensive for what you get in on-road comfort, performance, efficiency, and practicality.
What updates do Tacomas and 4Runners need?
Right off the bat, both these trucks still have old 5- and 6-speed transmissions that are pretty clunky compared to the more common and much more modern 8-, 9-, and 10-speed transmissions we see on most models today.
Toyota has never offered the most tech-heavy interiors. While this isn’t always a bad thing, it sucks to pay the same or more for a 4Runner with nary the first bit of modern tech or comfort when you could spend a chunk less on a Kia and get a far superior interior. As noted by Gear Patrol, the 2023 Tacoma’s interior is a damn shame compared to some rival models like the GMC Canyon AT4X.
How much are the 2023 Toyota Tacoma and 2023 Toyota 4Runner?
Neither of these outdated aspects of the Tacoma and 4Runner would be a problem if they weren’t so expensive. In fact, many Toyota fans like these models because they are a bit more bare-bones. Again, it just sucks to pay more and get less.
For instance, the 2023 Toyota Tacoma starts around $30k. The 2023 4Runner has an MSRP of $41,490. The car market as a whole is up, but with most $30k trucks, you aren’t likely to see such a spartan cabin with an old transmission.
Toyota resale value might take a hit
Toyotas are known to run for a long time. These two models, in particular, always maintain their value on the used market because of their famed reliability. However, new updated Tacomas and 4Runners are coming, and when they do, will their flashy newness hurt the 2023 models’ resale value? It’s hard to say for sure, but there is certainly a good argument to be made to suggest that they might.
With new models inbound, it seems like a good time to wait on buying a new Toyota until we see what the new Tacoma and 4Runner have going on. That is unless you don’t care and need to hit the trail tomorrow.
