Toyotajeff vs Scotty Kilmer: is Tacoma 4-cylinder or V6 better? 

Your impersonation of Scotty had me choking on my coffee LOL

The only real reason for the 4 banger vs the V6 is total cost of ownership with gas, maintenance, and longevity. Personally I'd take the 4, like money kept in the pocket book.

Based solely on long term reliability, the 4 cylinder is the best. The 4 cylinder is great for long term reliability, easier to repair for DYI, cheaper to purchase and if you are NOT constantly hauling heavy loads. A 4 cylinder is a great A to B vehicle.

The Scotty impression was spot on. 😂😂😂😂

Scotty said to buy a celica lol

I went with the 2.7 SR 4x4 and am very happy with it. Thus far, it's returning around 25mpg combined though your experience may vary. One should expect greater reliability from it than the v6. The reduced engine weight goes straight into the significantly higher payload figure, which is more useful to me than towing. The only place it seems to work too hard is climbing mountains at freeway speeds but it manages, even while carrying some stuff, so listening to it work is more of an annoyance than a real concern. Additionally, everything behind it is built for the more powerful engine so none of that stuff should break either. Oh, I do have one complaint actually, the front bumper is fugly so I will have to install a painted cover.

I just bought a 4 cylinder last week. And 2wd. (RWD) Very happy. Still hauls trailers (we bought a pop-up) and is still pretty capable off road. After all, it IS still a truck, at the end of the day

I've owned a 1991 PU Truck 2.4L 4 cylinder before they were named Tacoma, 2 Tacomas that were 4 cylinder MT. One a 2.4L (1st Gen) and the other the 2.7L (2nd Gen)which is currently in the Tacoma. Loved them both. I now have a 2019 V6 Tacoma AT (3rd Gen)and it is smoother than the 4 cyl and obviously quicker. Although, I'm not really thrilled with the Auto tranny (shifts too much) on the Tacoma V6 and now wish I went with the manual but still do love the truck. Scotty kilmer is correct though, depends on your needs and budget. Can't go wrong with either!! It's a Toyota!!! I've owned 7 Toyotas (all purchased new) never had issues with any of them. I knew Toyota was the best before RU-vid and when Scotty Kilmer was only a mechanic for 23 years and didn't have his $5000.00 scan tool. Ha!

READ MORE about mine and Scotty's comments here as we weigh-in: www.torquenews.com/1/scotty-kilmer-explains-when-buy-4-cylinder-vs-6-cylinder-toyota-tacoma Jeff

I love my 2.7L Tacoma. (2018) I use a K&N drop in filter, and oil filter. I always run OW-20 Royal Purple. Truck runs like a top! Reliable, good mpg, and you can still somewhat tinker on it.

The 2.7 is like a mini diesel engine, its a real truck engine. They switched to the 3.5 from the real 4.0 truck engine just for the mpg

Just bought the Tacoma 19, SR5, V6. Shes all black with black rims. It's an emotional time for me because I didnt know human beings were capable of making such a majestic beautiful truck. It's like a myth or legend come true. Love my Taco!!

the 4 seems to have less issues long term. I love them all.

I’m here in South Africa 🇿🇦, I have owned a 2002 Hilux Pickup Legend 35 here with 3RZFE, for what I do, really works fine, and never had to do any maintenance on it for the last 6years I have owned. All I do is change oil and I good to go

Love him or hate him, he's spitting straight Toyota facts.

so I about 6 weeks ago, I got an SR5 4 cylinder for 27k, spent $800 on upgrades, and today it looks pretty much exactly like (or better) than a TRD Pro. I basically did 3 things: 1) replaced the front grill with the TRD "TOYOTA" grill ($250); 2) put on 265/75/r16s (which are actually slightly bigger than the stock TRD Pro tires), which cost me $550 minus trade-in value; 3) I removed the ridiculous looking air dam (free). I don't have 4 wheel drive or a v6, but I don't really need either. Plus, I'd much rather spend the saved 16k on prostitutes and liquor than any of those things. Just kidding! I don't drink...

Your Scotty impression is spot on haha! I have a 2010 4 cylinder 2WD which took me 15,000 miles across the country on a road trip along muddy, snowy, or dirt access roads in national/state forests and parks. The truck was more than adequate except when I foolishly drove it into thick mud in the mountains of AZ, where even a 4WD would have got stuck. I get 25 MPG average even with roof racks and a camper shell, and my insurance costs are lower than $800/year even for a young single man as the truck is quite modest. The big issue is that my boat is right at 3,500 lbs. with boat, trailer, and gear combined. As it's a saltwater trailer, there's no brakes on the trailer either. I wouldn't ever tow it up the boat ramp with a 4 cylinder, 2WD truck, much less hundreds of miles to my home. I don't think it would be safe even with a V6, as it's more an issue of the weight and braking power of the towing truck when you have an unbraked trailer than it is the actual tow capacity. Knowing what I know now, I'd probably go for one of the access cab/8 foot box hybrid Tundras. An 8 foot bed would be amazing for camping and road trips in, and the access cab on the Tundra is actually big enough to fit adults with regular legs unlike in the Tacoma. As the hybrid twin turbo v6 Tundra gets the same or better MPG than the Tacoma, this is a no-brainer.

i would rather have an engine that does not have direct cylinder injection and does not have a turbo charger. The more simple the better for easier fixing and less long term cost of repair. Your review is entertaining but leaves at lot out. i would go with what the Car Wizard or Scotty Kilmer tells me. thanks

Awesome, thx for covering this. Scotty is awesome but I can't agree with him on the Toyota hybrids though (he's anti-hybrid :-P). Your video could have been a bit more thorough. Both Tacomas I owned are 2019 V6 and I4 in SR trim. I swapped the V6 for the I4. The v6 under normal use is about as anemic and the I4. The 4 cylinder is a utility engine and only found in trucks and SUVs. I4 is designed intentionally for heavier duty applications. It has an iron block. v6 is aluminum with liners and was carried over from cars. I4 is arguably a tougher motor by design for daily use. It has a long history of reliability along with updates... particularly the block. The v6 is a car engine with a similar power band to the I4 is you compare tables. The v6 requires high RPMs to get power out of it. Unless you floor it, I4 is very similar regarding acceleration. I think there is a 2 second difference 0-60 acceleration... negligible performance gains. The gas mileage is significant different ! My v6 averaged 18 MPG. My I4 averages 22MPG. I4 also burns less fuel under idling. The I4 is less shift happy and doesn't hunt for gears as much as the v6 (probably due to the Atkinson cycle of the v6). I4 is much cheaper for parts and repairs (more parts readily available)... less parts (less points of failure...) and naturally aspirated leaving it to be easier to work on (more space in the engine bay, etc.). That is v6 has a high pressure fuel pump...12 injectors while the I4 has 4 injectors and dual overhead cams. Many other complexity arguments worth noting. I wouldn't hesitate to own another v6 but if you value simplicity, MPG, reliability (v6 is reliable too but I4 tends to last longer by 50-100k miles... again, do some research. I4 is about a 300k mile motor... one video a guy got almost 1 million miles out of the 2.7)... I4 is the way to go as a daily driver. Toyota has a history of bullet-proof 4 cylinders. I prefer the I4 after owning the v6. Again, I enjoyed both. If you plan on towing above the 3,500lbs rating of the I4, I guess get the V6 for about 2,800 to 3k more lbs of towing but at that point you may as well just get a full-size truck if you plan on towing regularly. I installed a full 7-pin tow package with brake controller... tows fine (3k lbs RV).

Mine is a 2002 2.4. As long as you maintain it. It takes good care of you. My next one, if I get the chance. Will be the 2.7. I also keep a 7.3 ford f250 for the big jobs. Love em both.

4 cylinder. Great for the basic truck needs. Lumberyard, camping, fishing, towing a lightweight trailer. Just a great engine, great truck. Excellent for retiree’s 😎😎😎

I go for their 4 cylinder. Toyota is famous for their 4 cylinder. I hear that V6 has more problems than 4 cylinder.

For an everyday driver, around town and noting more, the 4 banger is enough. If you plan on doing more (travel, haul and overland) obv, go with 6 if you want to stay with the Tacoma.

I have the last of the standard cab Tacoma 2014 4 x 4 four-cylinder base model, I love the thing I go skiing from Colorado Springs to Breckenridge getting 24 miles to gallon and it does fine in the mountains empty.

You and scotty should do a video together that would be awesome maybe talk about toyota but I'd go with the v6 can't wait till you do a review on the 2020 toyota tacoma trd pro in army green.

My 2019 has the 2.7 and suits me well.

If you just need your truck to go point A to point B, 4 cylinder is just a perfect choice, plus the 4 cylinder is solid engine 💪

I have a 09 Tacoma 4cyl 5 spd wit 230,000 miles on it, still runs like a champ

That Scotty impression was great! I have 4, no complaints yet.

My answer: get the V6 for pulling things. 4 cylinder if you gonna pulling nothing more than a kyac or jet ski on a trailer. Theyboth get the same mpg

The 4cyl is more reliable, specially when it is paired with the 5 speed manual. Just my humble opinion.

In my limited, anecdotal experience, the actual fuel savings of the 4 cylinder are much higher than the official numbers. Wonder others have the same impression

I bought a 2017 Tacoma 2.7l brand new, recently added a peddle commander and 😮 I’ve always loved my truck and I didn’t get it to be fast or haul anything, but all I can say is now there is no lag!

So I got myself 2018 4 cylinder, Tacoma. Was pretty much stock. Costed me 29,000. I couldn't afford the sport. I did make upgrades to it Threw on some 20s with allterain tires, and tinted. And it look just as nice as a trd. I dont do any towing. So I really didn't need all the power. I'm satisfied with my discussion. But if I could afford it. I would get the Trd 4x4.

answer is always 5.7 v8, make it happen toyota

Since I’m not rock crawling or hauling cattle or going into combat the 4 banger does just fine for the wilds of Walmart and Lowe’s Home improvement.

Scotty impression brilliant, laughing all the way through.🇬🇧😂🇬🇧😂😂😂

A I4 is not really adequate to move that thing out, you can get a Honda Civic with more Hp than the I4, V6 is way better.

Toyota Tacoma with 2.7L 4 cylinder 2TR-FE engine use tradition multi port injection, and the 3.5L V6 2GR-FKS engine use D4-S twin injection fuel system (direct and multi port injection)

i bought the 2019 tocoma sr i4 access cab 6 foot bed and im loving it for my daily driver here in california. on average i get 18mpg on slight inclines and on flat roads i get 24-27 on the highways. i dont tow anything but i like to haul stuff in the back of my 6foot bed.

3,500 lbs towing capacity is impressive for an I4 engine, but the V6 offers nearly twice that. I would prefer to have the latter. But for someone who wouldn't need that capacity, the I4 should be just fine.

I bought the 2020 TRD Sport V6, wouldn't change a thing. Highly recommend V6 over the 4 cyl. I've owned a Toyota 4X4 4 cyl years ago (ok ok it was back in 1986 to be fair) and left a bad impression on me, when going up long freeway upgrades ie: the 14 fwy from LA to Palmdale. No lie, I had to move over to the 18 wheeler truck lanes because I could not get out of my own way, never again will I buy a 4 cyl truck. On the good side that ol Toyota 86 truck lasted over 250000 miles I finally had to buy a new 2001 prerunner V6 and again that truck lasted so long I ended up giving to my son when he was in high school.

The 4 cylinder is for you if you want a truck for simple towing and hauling, V6 if you're doing heavier towing and hauling

The 4 cylinder is a solid cast iron block with forged internals. I like both engines.

I just bought a used '08 Tacoma 2.7 with 103,000 miles on it and have loved it . . . until I went to pick up a load of gravel the other day. I have no idea what the weight was, but It filled about 1/3 of the bed and HUGELY reduced the ability to climb hills. I also have a Highland with a 6 cylinder, and it's like night and day. The 6 does indeed glide and just jumps with power when I need it. Although I wish my truck had the Highlander's power, I'll only really miss it a couple times a year when I'm carrying something pretty heavy. Otherwise, I'm happy with it. A great truck.

I have a aussie version of the tacoma a 2010 hilux with the 2.7 4 cylinder engine and think they are excellent motors , mine has about 175000km at the moment and runs like clockwork , cannot fault it , its manual transmission, I previously had a 2000 model also with the 2.7 engine and its had about 360000km and also ran very well , no leaks whatsoever, extremely dependant , both my current one and previous one I found have plenty of power for my needs !

2014 Taco purchased late 2013. 4 cyl, 4x4 access cab. 5 spd manual xmsn. Works for me, still driving it. Only issues to date are failed magnetic clutch on A/C compressor & worn out 'damper' thingy on glove compartment. Don't do any heavy hauling, have a small utility trailer I mostly use to haul my dirt bike. Pretty low mileage for its age, I just changed the spark plugs & serpentine belt as it had to come off to change out the A/C compressor. 77,700 Kms.

If you live in the mountains/hills lean more toward V6 or get familiar with sport mode (manual shifting) on that i4 with 6 speed automatic. I think the 4 banger could handle steeper grades, but I would want to be shifting manually in 3rd or 4th gear for the climb.

i will go like scotty 4 cyl

I got a 2017 trd sport 2wd v6 on 33's & get 23mpg on the highway. I love it

I bought a 2017 sr5 access this year for ~$11k with the 4 cylinder. It was a former work truck (for Orkin) and it continues in that role. I love it, and i don't think it's "underpowered" but that is because i have driven many 0.9 litre three cylinders back in the UK! At the end of the day, it's your choice what you get, but man, the deals on the 4 cylinders are so disproportionate to the v6 that you can effectively buy two used 4 cyl trucks for about the same price as one v6. Save that money and buy a classic car or a miata to have some more fun with!

Just leased a 2021 Tacoma 4 while visiting family up north and drove it back home today (12/1/2020), 1,000 miles. Chose a 4 because I just needed a cheap everyday car and getting a mid-sized truck for less than a RAV4 made sense. It came with a beautiful bad-ass style package offered only in Arkansas an a few other states with a 2" lift, awesome off-road rims & tires and basic Toyota smart gadgets. The ride was as good if not better (because of the higher seating position) than the RAV4, very quiet inside and decent pass acceleration. Ain't gonna win Le Mans or the Mint 400 but who cares, i got a cheap, great looking, capable truck for less than a comparable SUV. That's my 2 cents.

Just wanted to chime in with a quick review of owning my 2019 Tacoma 4cyl. now for 18 months. I bought the SR version, with the SX package(love the black/white contrast)and have had 10,000 trouble free, no cost maintenance miles. I only haul around my mountain bike and furniture occasionally, and average 25-28mpg on highway and about 20-25 in the city... depending on the time of day. I really want the TRD Sport next, which you can't get with a 4cyl, so I will end up with the V6. If you just want an ultra reliable truck, and don't haul much, grab the 4cyl and save some cash. And hey, first 2 years free maintenance with Toyota is win win! Thanks Jeff for all your informative videos!

Does it really matter? IT'S A TOYOTA!!!

You are equally a legend yourself too dear Toyotajeff.

Iv drove both can't tell the difference

Went for the 4cyl because of price. Works perfect for me.

if you want 4wd it's closer to $5k msrp difference. when the 3rd gens first came out, you had to pay extra for the tow package and you often had to jump trim levels to get a v6 in the same configuration (i4 still had 5spd manual), so the msrp difference for some configurations to get a v6 could be $6-$7k+. also, msrp goes out the window when the vehicle hits the lot so the price difference can be more than what is on the sticker. if i was shopping for a 2020 SR, i would go for the v6. end of 2015 i got a really good deal on the i4 that wasn't anywhere near what i could get a v6 + tow package for and i don't tow anything heavy. easy i4 choice then. not so easy now.

Went with a 4 cyl but wish I would have gone with the 6 cyl . The 4 doesn't have near the power especially here in higher elevation of Colorado .

Towing capacity for 4 or 6 cyl really doesn’t matter with Tacoma. I’ve never witnessed large trailers behind a Tacoma.

Both are incredible, I own both. I like the 4 cylinder

Long term the 4 cylinder is easier and cheaper to maintain because it has less parts.

I’m dying of laughter right now

My 2015 4cylinder with 5 speed manual transmission is a great truck. I know it is not a Hotrod but neither is the V-6 either. I always get around 800Km's to a tank of gas which translates to over 30 MPG town & highway on an Imperial gallon and it scoots along very good. If I shift at 3000 RPM which is about 1/2 throttle, I can't shift into 5th because I would be doing 120 KPH (about 70 MPH) which would be way over the speed limit. It has never been back to dealer for anything since new and super reliable plus I like the size and looks of 2nd generation better. Personally, I agree with Scotty but I think Toyota really dropped the ball when they got rid of the manual trans with the 2.7 as they work well together. My 2 cents anyway

I would say go with the V6 if you carry a lot of stuff and/or tow a lot, and go up hills a lot. If you don't need the extra power and acceleration, and want better fuel economy, and cheaper price, go with the 4. But if you are paying monthly with a car loan, if your credit approves the V6, I would go with that, as the monthly payment is not that much different.

The only problem with the 4 cylinder is you can't get one with manual transmission. If you want one with three pedals (and I do), you gotta get the 6 cylinder. Otherwise, 4 all the way.

For SUV’s and Tacomas, I’d go V6 because a 4 cylinder in a vehicle that size would not be enough power for that weight. For the Camrys, I’d stick with the 4 cylinder because I got a Camry for the gas mileage and the 4 cylinder is just a hair more reliable than the V6

ok the impression was so on point lmfao

4 cylinder has timing chain that's a plus for cost efficient

I get >27 highway MPG in my 2019 V-6 (dry weather and cruise control). I had the 4cyl. in the previous generation Tacoma and it didn't get any better. I'd say get the 6 if you can make it work financially, or if you're going to haul/tow anything of consequence. You'll get it all back on resale anyway.

In my opinion both engines are under powered but I still love the reliability and longevity

How about repairs? The most important thing that Scotty said was that the 4 cylinder was less expensive to repair

I'm enjoying my '19 Taco 2.7L. I cruised to my son's place.. a good part of the trip is 75mph legal speed..avg'd 23.3mpg.. handles well.. and is quiet. I did sound deaden all 4 doors and backwall. That made a big difference.. at least 8db noise level drop, allowing music to be played at lower volume levels.

I went with the V6. I wanted the TRD Off Road and I feel like the I4 would have to work harder at higher speeds than the V6 which would kind of take away from the longevity. The V6 so far has definitely outperformed the I5 I just traded in.

Personally, the mileage is within a mile or so per gallon, but you give up 100hp with the 4. I just can’t see sacrificing so much to save a few dollars on a $26,000 plus purchase. Like buying a 3 bedroom house because it was $8,000 less than a 4 bedroom. Just me?

That was an excellent impression of Scotty. I had this video playing in the background and had to do a double take to see if I was on a scotty video!

I did some research prior to buying a Tacoma. First my certified mechanic had this to say: “The V6s are good but I really like that 4cyl. You aren’t buying that 4 for power as much for the extreme reliability.” The other thing I noticed was after test driving a TRD Pro with the V6 and comparing to the 2.7 I honestly did not notice a huge difference in power and the 6 seemed to be constantly hunting for the right gear. I decided to go with a SR5 4cyl 2WD and have been quite happy with it. I did add a Pedal Commander and it’s made the driving experience much better and more fun to drive.

I don't think people buy Tacomas for towing.

2020 tacoma Sr 4 Cylinder engine , freeway round trip, 27.3 and 28.1 mpg at 60 mph .

I ordered a 4 cylinder in January and the dealership knew they couldn’t get it in March but didn’t tell me until May. I found another dealership that had some in stock and drove a four and a six. I went with the six since the fuel mileage was almost the same and I wound up paying the same for the V6 as I would’ve for the four cylinder from the first dealership since the second wasn’t charging a “market adjustment” and was willing to negotiate off MSRP.

Bro I can’t believe how accurate that impression was 🤣

That was an accurate Scotty impression!

Scotty Kilmer impression was hilarious. Y’all are the uncles I never had.

I have the 4 cylinder and it's perfect for me!!

That's an awesome Scotty impression. I chose the 4 cylinder because it will outlive my grandkids. I don't like buying vehicles. I won't have to for 30 years.

After months of debating and years of wanting a tacoma, I purchased a SR5 access cab 4 banger in Cement this past weekend. Now, I am in Florida (no mountains) so take my info knowing that. On the interstates driving 60-70 mph, I'm getting 28-30mpg this is without ECT on. 70-73 mph I'm getting about 23-25 mpg, anything past 76mph i'm getting about 20-21mpg, sometimes it shoots up to maybe 23 or 24. Smooth ride, quiet engine, sure it's slow to accelerate but once you reach your speed of choice it's smooth sailing. Purchased with 17 miles on it, I have 170 on it as I type this, I just got to 3/4 mark for gas. Plus it was 4K cheaper than a V6. No complaints on my end!

The 2001 and 2009 Tacoma were the best ever built. I prefer the cylinder but it depends on what you need the truck for. The 4 cylinder Toyota engines are longer lived.

Never get a Tacoma if you haul trailers or heavier loads ooften, 4 or 6 cylinder, just get a Tundra V8 or an American Diesel Truck. 4 Cylinder is more than enough for a conventional driver.

Funny Scotty impression. I just bought the 4 cylinder and I chose it for a few reasons. First one being that it makes more low end torque than the v6. For example, at 2000 rpm, where your engine spends a lot of time, the v6 makes 100 foot pounds and the i4 makes 160 foot pounds. Add 4.30 gears with the i4 and 3.90 with the v6 and the difference becomes greater. I can actually cruise at 60 in 6th gear where the v6 won't get past 5th. As of now, I'm averaging 23mpg

4 cylinders all day all the way

I have a 4 cylinder SR% extended cab 4 x 2 that gets me 28 -31 mpg. The only thing kind of bad is when I drive west every year in late Nov. to ski is when I am going up mountain passes west of Denver I am in the slow lane with flashers on doing 35 mph in 3rd gear.

Wish someone would do this Tacoma comparison (4cyl vs v6) in terms just manual transmissions. I do realize manual transmissions are near extinction. But it would still be nice to hear the pros and cons of the 2 engines in regards to strictly manual. I prefer manual transmissions while watching movies on my VCR and thumbing through my TV guide. Fingers crossed. Patting my pet rock(Larry) for good luck.

Jeff, Shall we agree your Scotty impression is a work in progress?

I bought a 2019 sr5 with a 4 cylinder for the lower cost and I don’t plan to ever tow just occasionally haul stuff in the truck bed

I had the 4 cyl w/ 5 spd manual and now have the v6/auto both 4wd. It’s true the fuel mileage is the same which surprised me (21-22 avg) even though the 4 was reg cab the 6 is a crew. The 4 was a solid engine never had any issues. Prefer the 6 for quietness.

Really can’t go wrong with either!

This is the engine that Toyota sells around the world to third world countries and is a testimonial to their reliability.

I have the 4 and absolutely love it. I took it off road the other day (nothing crazy, don’t roast me) and it did great honestly. I get 25 to the gallon and it’ll definitely last longer. With that being said.. I’m trading it in for the offroad as soon as my wallet allows it 🤣

This is another GREAT review from . Scotty's long lost son. 😉

Asking a car dealership if you should get a cheaper car or a more expensive car is like asking a dog if it's hungry....