When buying a new car, there are many factors that can put you off buying: model, make, year, price, features, etc. Recently, Puyallup Nissan (@puyallupnissan), a Nissan dealer in Washington state, posted a short video showing viewers the 2023 Toyota Tacoma, where some of the factors that could put you off buying could be:
The video has been viewed more than 87,000 times and sparked a debate about what aspects of the Toyota Tacoma are actually deterrents to buying one.
Why is it so hard to sell a used Tacoma?
The car dealership said a customer traded in a 2023 Toyota Tacoma with just 21,000 miles for a new Nissan. The dealership moved the truck to a used-car lot but couldn’t find a buyer.
“Tacomas usually sell,” the car dealer said, “and I’ve kept them in my used car lot and shown them a few times.”
He went on to explain that six potential buyers had been turned away because the car was missing a jumper seat in the back. Unfortunately, he said, it would also be impossible to install the missing seat.
“There’s nothing wrong,” the dealer said, “It just didn’t have a back seat.”
What is the 2023 Toyota Tacoma like?
Car and Driver calls the 2023 Toyota Tacoma a best-selling midsize pickup truck with outdated equipment. According to the auto site, the standard Tacoma comes with a “weak 159-horsepower inline-four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission.” The Tacoma also has the weakest powertrain of any midsize pickup truck reviewed. Prices range from $30,095 to $49,530, which is the main change for the 2023 model.
In addition to outdated equipment, Car and Driver reports that the truck’s interior is “dated” and cramped. Additionally, the upgrades rely heavily on “hard plastics and minimalist materials.” The Tacoma does get one upgrade, however: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, though unlike some rivals, the Tacoma doesn’t have a mobile hotspot.
@puyallupnissan #toyotarav4 #toyotatacoma #tacomasr5 ♬ Original Sound – Puyallup Nissan
Viewers say the back seat isn’t the deciding factor
Most viewers thought that the reason many people chose another car was because of the price, not the lack of a back seat.
“I’d almost say it’s not a back seat issue, it’s a price issue,” one person said.
“Maybe $31,000 is what you’re looking for, and for another $3,000 you can find a double cab TRD Sport 4×4 with 5,000 fewer miles,” mused a second person.
“It’s always a question of price. Most people wish they didn’t have the jump seats in a King Cab,” a third added.
Others argued that it was the model itself.
“This is below the base model Tacoma, no keyless entry, SR extended cab, and it has 4WD….the people looking for this want a cheap truck and 4WD is just a hindrance to them,” one user said.
“Yes, rear seat delete option! No rear speakers either. Mainly for commercial/delivery use,” added another.
“Sell it to a company that could use it for a service truck,” one user suggested.
The Daily Dot reached out to Puyallup Nissan through the TikTok comments and contact form, and to Toyota via email.
Internet culture is a mess, but we’re here to tell you the inside story with one email per day. Sign up here for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter and get the best (and worst) of the Internet delivered straight to your inbox.
