Anyone had a drive? They've packed 245 hp into it so it should be a more like a full size.

FYI, there is a video on the homepage of www.automedia.com

INDEED!!

Have owned an indigoinkpearl v6 manual access cab 4x4 for exactly a week now. It is a blast and a half!! Awesome power, love looks,ergonomics,versatility............

Personally i have only 2 gripes.......

1)gas mileage
2) Non-versatile stereo. in this day and age why would you put a cd player in a 25k vehicle that can't read mp3's? Also the dash configuration is a bit to work with for aftermarket stereo

STEVE
upstate NY

If i had to choose between 04 and an 05 i would buy the 04. I dont like the styling of the 05 and it all seems really plasticy and cheap. Especially the interior. Dont like it. Thats just my first impression.

If i had to choose between 04 and an 05 i would buy the 04. I dont like the styling of the 05 and it all seems really plasticy and cheap. Especially the interior. Dont like it. Thats just my first impression.

Sorry I have owned both and there is NO comparison between the two. The 04 is smaller, less power, bumpier and less agile . ..

The 05 is an awesome machine. I have had mine for six months.
Check it out at http://www.cardomain.com/id/robsatx

You will love it/

If i had to choose between 04 and an 05 i would buy the 04. I dont like the styling of the 05 and it all seems really plasticy and cheap. Especially the interior. Dont like it. Thats just my first impression.

No offense jonnie but you are the first soul i have ever heard that likes 04 styling over 05. Cheap? ARe you sure that wasn't your observation from a test drive in a colorado or ranger?

I had the option of getting a new 05 Tacoma or an 04 Tacoma with 7000 miles on it. I looked at the 05 and didn't like the new styling exterior or interior. I didn't drive one. I chose the 04. My 04 is an automatic, 6 cylinder model. I just like the looks of the 04 over the 05. I like the smaller size. Nothing wrong with the 05. Just personal tastes.

Yes, im sure I was looking at the 05 tacoma. Had all options, and no, wasnt the base model or anyhting.. I have a 03 Tacoma, v6,Trd, Power everthing, 5spd. Have also owned an 00 w/same options.--wrecked--
I can not think of one reason I would want to buy the 05. Everything inside it seems cheap. Everything is made of cheap plastic. The leather seats seems redicuously cheap. Interior and exterior seems like that of a Hyundai -- Minus the warranty. It has bulky exterior and in my eyes, has terrible styling. And you can almost afford a Tundra at its rediculous price. If you want something larger, why not get a Tundra?? The 04 models and down are unqiue built to last, and are unlike any other truck. To me, the new tacoma is more like a colorado or F-150.
Its completely lost the toyota look and quality. I wont be surprised if these things start falling apart in a few years. If i had to buy a new 05 truck, it would be Dodge Dakota, hands down.

I also do not like the 05 exterior, the 04 has the look of a four wheelin machine and the 05 looks like the rest of the trucks that have been coming out lately, I do not any of them.

Yes, im sure I was looking at the 05 tacoma. Had all options, and no, wasnt the base model or anyhting.. I have a 03 Tacoma, v6,Trd, Power everthing, 5spd. Have also owned an 00 w/same options.--wrecked--
I can not think of one reason I would want to buy the 05. Everything inside it seems cheap. Everything is made of cheap plastic. The leather seats seems redicuously cheap. Interior and exterior seems like that of a Hyundai -- Minus the warranty. It has bulky exterior and in my eyes, has terrible styling. And you can almost afford a Tundra at its rediculous price. If you want something larger, why not get a Tundra?? The 04 models and down are unqiue built to last, and are unlike any other truck. To me, the new tacoma is more like a colorado or F-150.
Its completely lost the toyota look and quality. I wont be surprised if these things start falling apart in a few years. If i had to buy a new 05 truck, it would be Dodge Dakota, hands down.

Dakota? That truck leaves a lot to be desired. The gas mileage is a joke and the V8 is lacking big time.
I could have purchased a Tundra, but wanted a good sized truck . . . but something that would be easy to drive and looked great. The tacoma fits the bill.

The 05 is so much better than my 04. The power is awesome on the highway, the elbow room the list goes on and on. I really liked my 04, but the Tacoma (05) is a huge step up. The seats are sooooo much more comfortable than the 04s. And the overall ride is just so much better. I also love I don't have that loose dash issue . . . and the axle wrap issue (at a stop light the sudden jerk)
My 04 never had any other issues - but I would not go back.
When I stomp that gas! Oh yea! That truck moves . . .

It's impossible to judge quality by looks. Plastic can be cheap or very strong. Seats can be cheap looking, but be very comfortable and durable.

For the sake of quality, looks are meaningless. Looks are only a matter of opinion.

I guess its just not me.

Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one :)

Yes, im sure I was looking at the 05 tacoma. Had all options, and no, wasnt the base model or anyhting.. I have a 03 Tacoma, v6,Trd, Power everthing, 5spd. Have also owned an 00 w/same options.--wrecked--
I can not think of one reason I would want to buy the 05. Everything inside it seems cheap. Everything is made of cheap plastic. The leather seats seems redicuously cheap. Interior and exterior seems like that of a Hyundai -- Minus the warranty. It has bulky exterior and in my eyes, has terrible styling. And you can almost afford a Tundra at its rediculous price. If you want something larger, why not get a Tundra?? The 04 models and down are unqiue built to last, and are unlike any other truck. To me, the new tacoma is more like a colorado or F-150.
Its completely lost the toyota look and quality. I wont be surprised if these things start falling apart in a few years. If i had to buy a new 05 truck, it would be Dodge Dakota, hands down.
I just purchased a 05 reg cab 4wd 2.7l eng, previoiusly owning quite a few older tacoma's. One dealer insisted that i would never find this truck, and give up and get an extended cab or the 4 door. My first impression of the 05 was that it didnt have the "toyota look", however after driving one, it was definitely toyota. i drove a colorado 05 which didnt impress me at all. The new Tacoma has been compared to the Colorado if you look at it from the side view. Wheel arches are quite similar. I found the plastic in the Toyota to be a better quality than anything else i have seen or worked on, and is a vast improvement over the 04 down. As far as anything else, this new Tacoma is quicker, quieter, definitely better gas mileage, and overall more comfortable, wind noise at high speed is non existant. I did have to get used to the larger size, the only problem is seeing over the bulge in the hood when entering my garage.
Like anything else, when a company comes out with a total redesign, it takes getting used to, pros and cons.
Drive the truck before coming to any conclusions beforehand. Some people judge by looks alone, as they do when they meet someone for the first time. Look between the covers first. I have about 3000 on the truck at this time and so far, quite happy with it.

The 05 is my first and only truck. I kind of figured that the boys at Toyota had to up-size it to compete better with the Dakota and other models like this. I like the larger size and almost was set on a Dakota before the new design hit the scene.

Plastic is the word these days and so far it doesn't seem any worse or better than anything else I owned so far.

I got the double cab short bed and I use it as a truck and a car. Matter of fact, I got rid of my car and now the truck stands alone as the sole means.

I installed a bed cover by "Undercover". It is a solid ABS plastic that can hold 10 people standing on it (if you want to stack people) :dogpile: and it locks over the gate so I no longer have to wait for Pop and Lock tailgate locks to come up with a new design for the 05.

Gas mileage is quite acceptable if one goes easy on the peddle at about 20 overall and that composite bed elimates the fear of rust under a plastic liner.

I'll get back to you in 200,000 miles to let you know if I still like the truck. :smokin:

i think the 05 looks really good but the 04 price was lower obviously and ive always liked this body style the most.

I'd make love to mine if I could!!!

i own a '03 toy tacoma v6. i will never get rid of my toy tacoma. I have owned three tacomas '00, '01, and '03. when the '05 came out i went out to check them out to see if i could trade my '03 tacoma for a '05. i told the sales guy that i did not like the looks of the '05 model and that i would need some time to get used to the new look and i would go back. i still do not like the new look. maybe i will go back some day and get the new model, but for now i will wait. I like to see less plastic on the exterior and a little more chrome.
can not belive toyot eliminated the little chrome they offered on the front bumper.

i myself didnt like the looks of the 05 when i first saw it. however, after test driving one, i said to hell with what it looked like, i wanted this. its the inner beauty of this truck that really matters. good example of this is the saab when it first came out back in 59 here. it was definitely not a car to get girls with, (even ugly ones) and from the rear, looked like a dog squatting down to take a dump! however, it was mechanically far advanced from anything else made at that time and great in snow. i would definitely test drive it and then decide.

Hey, I loved your sound system upgrades, I have an '05 tacoma aswell and wanted to know if you also know anthing about engine upgrades such as headers, intake, or exhaust! are you planning on any of these mods aswell? ive done minimal research and cant really find anything, its too new for mods I think! any help is helpful, lol! thanks Erik, emailme directly at ECVTwiggy@yahoo.com.
thanks,
Erik