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Tacoma with the 4cyl engine is an old reliable design you can still buy today.

I would stay away from the 4cyl Tacoma. Only because the V6 in the current gen is under powered as it is.

This is coming from a Toyota fanboy (owned 2 Tacomas and now drive a Tundra).

The problem is that squeezing out more fuel economy + power and reducing emissions has also made the engine design more complex. Not too big a leap to say this also makes them less reliable and more difficult to service.

There's a video going over the new and old designs (pinned to where the 4cyl part starts): https://youtu.be/ei5yC4IdDhs

Wouldn't be too surprised if they retire it next year.

I think the engine offered in new 4Runners and tacomas is a 10 year old model. I like the “if it isn’t broke don’t fix it” mentality Toyota has managed to keep over the years. Emissions are catching up with them and they’re probably going to make a mess of transition to the new platform in upcoming model years though

Tacomas switched to the 3.5L 2GR-FKS with port + direct injection (& Atkinson cycle), years ago.

4Runners still have the old 4.0L 1GR-FE, port-injected. (and a 5-speed automatic! you're right about low-change mentality)

Fuel economy is roughly similar (>= 11.0 L / 100 Km), as far as I know, as is power.

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