Bullwings

Owned a Z71 Sierra for 17 years.

Now only have a 5-door impreza 2.0 cvt (luls...). Haven't had a pick up truck in the stable for 3 years now.

I didn't need a full size - would have done just fine with a Taco.

If I were shopping for a pick up again, I would not be looking a full sized trucks based on my use. Towing capacity is really the main reason I can think of to own a full size over a mid-size, and if it's going to be a family hauler, which you could then argue for an SUV, in which case, I'd look at the older RX470s (aka luxury land cruiser) or a 4Runner.

Manga_Spawn

Have to disagree on them driving better and cost of ownership is pretty similar as well. Resale you are correct on Tacoma's and 4runners are made of some unobtainium that barely loses value. Tacoma interiors are still cloth for the most part where my F150 is all leather with heated and cooled seats. Thing rides like a lazyboy couch and has considerably more power than the Tacoma. Like I said I do really like Tacomas and other small trucks but in my case I wanted more space inside and a overall nicer interior for the price and the F150 delivered that.

On the Raptor vs TRD pro its hardly even a comparison. The TRD has some shocks and bigger tires where the Raptor has 450hp and all the suspension bits to boot. They also hold their value incredibly well and base come with a nicer interior than the Tacoma does. Its hardly a comparison as if you are looking at a new Raptor you likely aren't even considering a tacoma or really any other truck on the market.

engifineer

Certainly not a comparison with a Raptor (which, by the way, technically had zero tow rating until the new ones I believe). No one shopping for a raptor is looking at anything like a Tacoma, or a regular F150 for that matter. Not even the same use case.

Our Tacoma has heated leather seats and they are awesome Last owner had them installed aftermarket :P

Manga_Spawn

Yeah I didn’t think I’d care that much about the heated and cooled seats but man they are soooo nice. The original raptors didn’t have a tow rating? I find that hard to believe since you could get a monster 6.2l V8 in them. Probably a liability thing so they could get out of something if they didn’t provide a tow rating.

GuthNW

As with any vehicle purchase, my recommendation to @erik is to take as honest of a look as possible into how you might actually be using a truck. Many years ago I owned a Toyota XtraCab 4X4 Pickup (before they became Tacos). Even though it only had the little 22RE engine, it worked great for my needs at the time (no towing). After 14 years I ended up selling it to my brother and he later gave it to a good friend in need who apparently will never part with it. I'm convinced that little truck will still be going strong long after I've passed.

A few years ago it dawned on me that once again I had a real need for a truck. This time I ended up with a 1st generation Toyota Tundra. I'm not recommending a Tundra (although I certainly wouldn't discourage it as I've been incredibly happy with mine). I mention it because my needs were a bit different this time around.and that is what played a big role in my choice. I use the truck to haul stuff including all kinds of crap back and forth from our cabin, whatever needs to go to the dump, the inflatable pontoon fishing boats that my buddy and I use to float local rivers, camping gear, various building supplies, gardening stuff, blah, blah, blah. It's really pretty useful that way. I don't tow stuff, although I did tow a small crabbing boat for a friend over to the coast and back once (think drift boat size). It gets wet here for a good chunk of the year so the truck has a shell on the back to keep stuff in the bed dry and somewhat secure.

I don't do any serious off-roading (no lockers, lift kits, etc.) but the 4X4 configuration with decent enough ground clearance and a good set of tires does come in handy in the wintertime up around the mountains and on some of the more gnarly forest service roads. I went with the Access Cab configuration which can fit a couple of extra people in a pinch but most of the time it's just myself or me and one other person so no real need for a crew cab. The 4.7L V8 is no beast but for my needs it gets the job done just fine. Gas mileage sucks (I might see 20 mpg on the highway if I'm lucky) but then I'm not driving it all that much as I also have a motorcycle, the S2000 and my wife also has a car and as of late I now work from home. In essence I own a play utility truck (PUT?). That is exactly what I need. Were I using this truck more often or for different things then the Tundra might not have been my top choice. But since this is how I use the truck it is damn near perfect for me.

My brother liked the thought of my 1st gen Tundra enough that he ended up buying one for himself. He went with the double cab configuration and quickly grew tired of the impact that the extended wheelbase and extra length had on maneuvering and parking the thing. (He figured out that he didn't really need a truck, ended up with a newer 4Runner, and now he's happy.) That's my biggest beef with full-size pickups. This Tundra is enough for me to deal with in the city, I don't want to deal with any more truck than I have to when driving around this place. If I lived in a rural area full time it likely wouldn't matter as much. Maybe even if I lived in the suburbs for that matter, but that's not the case. In the meantime trucks continue to grow larger and larger. Nowadays Tundras are huge and Tacomas appear to be almost the same size as my Tundra. I've never felt the desire for a newer Taco only because the Tundra already suits my needs so well and I found it for so much less. Find the right truck for your own needs and hopefully you'll feel the same way. Good luck!