A Little Novice Off-Roading - 2016 Toyota Tacoma Long-Term Road Test

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A Little Novice Off-Roading - 2016 Toyota Tacoma Long-Term Road Test

The 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road features technologies and hardware designed to help experts and novices off road.

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daryleason

I doubt that there are many people who are the "first time owner" of a 4x4 vehicle that actually off-road it. They're way to valuable when they're first made to go tearing through the underbrush and rubbing rocks. It takes the fun out of it when you're facing a ball-park finance payment of 500 dollars, plus whatever the insurance is, to want to risk denting or scratching it. Especially since most insurance companies won't cover it if they figure out how it happened. It's the second owner (or later) that actually ventures off-road onto anything challenging. As for experience level, I've noticed that you have your "newbies" who will confess to not having a lot of experience, then you find everyone else is "Experienced" enough to know that the stories of getting stuck are the ones that everyone enjoys. I myself am very experienced at getting stuck. Of course, the more you do it, the harder it is to get a good "stuck" story.

henry4hire

Where did you go off-roading James?

I just took my 1997 Isuzu Rodeo (V6, 5-speed, 4x4) off roading for the first time after getting her ready for a few months and it was a lot of fun. I went to Rowher flats off-road park and it was great. Unfortunately we got slightly lost and ended up having to pass through some "extreme" trails that I was not anticipating. It was pretty intense, but the Rodeo got us through the worst of it relatively unscathed. It was fun, but truly some scary stuff especially because it was my first time really going for it. I indeed felt alive! But I am going to take it a bit easier and stay away from the extreme stuff for a bit.

s197gt

looking to buy our fifth vehicle (technically 6th but my father-in law drives one): a truck. you guys got me thinking about a small pickup when you bought the colorado. was gonna do a cheap ranger with the off road package but hard to find one that isn't ridden hard and put out wet (and rusted). then you got the toyota and i thought about trying to buy it from you when you are done... but, i think i better start off cheap to see if it is a good fit. going to go look at a 2002 tacoma SR5 Xcab with TRD off road package this weekend. i DO plan to off road with it. also, kayaking, mountain biking, and camping with my son as he gets older (5 now), stuff i could do with a car/suv, but not nearly as easy as throwing the stuff in the back of truck and heading out.

darthbimmer

daryleason said:

I doubt that there are many people who are the "first time owner" of a 4x4 vehicle that actually off-road it.

Maybe there aren't many of us, but I'm one. Both SUVs I've owned I bought new and started driving them offroad within the first month. In one case it was to a remote mountain lake where all the folks in their 20-year-old beaters had a good laugh at my rig's temporary tags. "Looks like he's still goin' on the test drive!"

5vzfe

darthbimmer said:

daryleason said:

I doubt that there are many people who are the "first time owner" of a 4x4 vehicle that actually off-road it.

Maybe there aren't many of us, but I'm one. Both SUVs I've owned I bought new and started driving them offroad within the first month. In one case it was to a remote mountain lake where all the folks in their 20-year-old beaters had a good laugh at my rig's temporary tags. "Looks like he's still goin' on the test drive!"

Plenty of people on Jeep, Tacoma and 4Runner forums modify and go off roading in their new trucks - heck I'd do it, especially if I sprung for a 4wd, or if it has some cool features. If I bought a new car/truck, I'd plan on keeping it for the long haul, so while I'd avoid dings and scratches as obsessively as possible, it wouldn't stop me from off-roading, those dings and scratches will just happen on the freeway anyways.
I also find it much harder to deal with something or someone damaging my cars without me being involved whatsoever, than me damaging my own car. (I found a shopping cart resting against my truck in the parking lot the other day - not cool)

stever

A reporter is looking to talk with someone who is currently in the market for a new pickup truck. If you're willing talk about which truck(s) you are considering please reach out to pr@edmunds.com by no later than June 8, 2016.