I test drove a Salsa Red Trail yesterday and thought I'd share a few impressions.
A little background... I've owned 1st, 2nd and 3rd gen SR5s. I passed on the 4th gen because I didn't like the styling. I currently drive an '05 Highlander V6. I like my Highlander but have definitely missed having a "real" SUV.
The Trail was dressed out w/ Nav and KDSS, a $5,000 "market adjustment" and a few dealer add-ons on the sticker. I flat out told the salesman the market adjustment would not be happening.
I like the "back to its roots" styling and particularly like the smaller bumpers, hood scoop and darkened light accents on the Trail. The rear is IMO the worst profile (looks too much like the current Highlander), but I think it'll eventually grow on me. This does not look like a soccer mom vehicle - a VERY good thing! Put some decent rubber on it and it'll LOOK like it's ready to hit the trail instead of the mall. I'd prefer the cladding on the sides be color coded.
I'm admittedly biased against its size. This thing feels huge and heavy. Speaking of back to its roots, I think the 3rd gen size was the best compromise. It was still narrow enough for trails but roomy enough inside to be comfortable and functional. The 5th gen seems to be stretching the upper limits of a mid-size SUV. If it were the size of a 3rd gen with it's current refinement, Toyota would have a definite hit as far as I'm concerned. I can't help but wonder how great one of these would drive if it were smaller and about 1,000 pounds lighter!! :bigok: Am I in the minority here?
Having a mast antenna is just plain silly on a $40k vehicle. I'm glad they removed the motorized tailgate locking mechanism. I've never seen the point in those and it's one less thing to break. There is no insulation under the hood. It does indeed sound a little tinny when you close the hood. The doors sounded just fine when you closed them - no tinny sound, but solid.
I love the interior (except the cargo tray). The seats are noticeably more comfortable than the SR5 they had with leather. They feel much more supportive. The dash is indeed hard plastic, but has nice texturing. Other plastics inside seem fine to me. I don't have the dislike others may have of this. Yes, there is shiny silver plastic, but if it wears like my Highlander has, it should be just fine. I like the more upright windshield and dash. It feels more open, airy and roomy.
There was plenty of headroom up front. I'm thinking taller guys will fit fine.
I liked the nav system with the built-in backup camera. It's a good idea given the size of this thing.
The 5th gen doesn't have the FJC's blind spots, but visabillity could be better. It's actually extremely useful with the nav system's big screen.
The 2nd row seats sit up high and have great outside visibility (akin to stadium seating). I'm 6' and noticed headroom was starting to get a little cramped. Reclining the seats helps with headroom and comfort. The seats did seem short (support stopped below the shoulder blades) but were nonetheless comfortable. Legroom felt nice due to the higher seating position and the sculpted back of the front seat.
I liked the feel of the steering wheel. The center stack was nicely done IMO. The climate control buttons felt great and were easy to use - a nice improvement over the 4th gen. I absolutely loved the optitron gauges. The clarity was outstanding in daylight.
The rear seats folded completely flat very easily. I did have to move the front seat up a little before it would fold down.
My biggest beef was the standard cargo tray. It should certainly be optional. First, it had black plastic on the edge next to the tailgate. It looks like it'll easily scratch. I don't know if it can be removed for cleaning, but it looks like it would be hard to keep dirt out of the crevices on the sides and back. The back edge of the tray has a plastic bar that pops up. I guess it's to provide a "stop" for cargo on the tray. When it's in the down position with the seats folded down, it still sticks up in a good bit. This means the rear cargo area isn't completely flat (like a bump) and I'm betting it'll scratch badly.
I liked the ride. It had a little BOF 4x4 jiggle but was smooth and fairly refined overall. I actually like a little jiggle to remind me it's a capable off-roader instead of a grocery getter. It absorbed bumps on semi-rough streets nicely. I didn't get as aggressive as I'd like with cornering, but body roll seemed to be minimal, probably thanks to the KDSS. I'd be interested to compare it to a non-KDSS-equipped SR5. Does anyone have an opinion on KDSS' durability? Should we expect problems down the road?
I didn't engage 4wd since we were on dry pavement. :naughty:
The steering was way too light at low speeds in the parking lot. It felt disconnected from the truck if that makes any sense. It didn't have the sporty feel of previous generations. It was OK when you got up to speed. Turning radius seemed just fine - not too wide to inhibit maneuvering.
Accelleration felt just adequate. I would not describe it as feeling zippy due to the truck's weight. Again, I'd love to know how this thing would be 1,000 pounds lighter! I don't know how the specs compare, but I remember my 3rd gen felt peppier than this. Having said that, the engine was smooth and quiet. Also, the speedo did indicate we got up to speed rather quickly, so it could be my bias against the truck's heft.
The cabin was extremely quiet at highway speed. Great job there, Toyota!
The transmission was smooth as silk. It was one of the most impressive parts of the test drive. Having a 6-speed would be nice to improve fuel economy, though.
Overall, I think Toyota did a great job on the Trail. I'd prefer it to be smaller and lighter. Unless the fever becomes unbearable, I'm probably going to wait a while before getting serious about buying. However, the test drive did confirm that I'd love to have this as my next ride. I'd want leather and a sunroof it I got an SR5 which would run the sticker price up pretty close to the TE which has nicer standard features such as the optitron gauges. It's also nice to have nav and kdss as available options.
I hope by waiting that pricing will improve and maybe a few of my gripes will be addressed such as the cargo tray and body cladding.
I hope this was helpful to folks looking at the Trail. There's definitely a lot to like here!
A little background... I've owned 1st, 2nd and 3rd gen SR5s. I passed on the 4th gen because I didn't like the styling. I currently drive an '05 Highlander V6. I like my Highlander but have definitely missed having a "real" SUV.
The Trail was dressed out w/ Nav and KDSS, a $5,000 "market adjustment" and a few dealer add-ons on the sticker. I flat out told the salesman the market adjustment would not be happening.
I like the "back to its roots" styling and particularly like the smaller bumpers, hood scoop and darkened light accents on the Trail. The rear is IMO the worst profile (looks too much like the current Highlander), but I think it'll eventually grow on me. This does not look like a soccer mom vehicle - a VERY good thing! Put some decent rubber on it and it'll LOOK like it's ready to hit the trail instead of the mall. I'd prefer the cladding on the sides be color coded.
I'm admittedly biased against its size. This thing feels huge and heavy. Speaking of back to its roots, I think the 3rd gen size was the best compromise. It was still narrow enough for trails but roomy enough inside to be comfortable and functional. The 5th gen seems to be stretching the upper limits of a mid-size SUV. If it were the size of a 3rd gen with it's current refinement, Toyota would have a definite hit as far as I'm concerned. I can't help but wonder how great one of these would drive if it were smaller and about 1,000 pounds lighter!! :bigok: Am I in the minority here?
Having a mast antenna is just plain silly on a $40k vehicle. I'm glad they removed the motorized tailgate locking mechanism. I've never seen the point in those and it's one less thing to break. There is no insulation under the hood. It does indeed sound a little tinny when you close the hood. The doors sounded just fine when you closed them - no tinny sound, but solid.
I love the interior (except the cargo tray). The seats are noticeably more comfortable than the SR5 they had with leather. They feel much more supportive. The dash is indeed hard plastic, but has nice texturing. Other plastics inside seem fine to me. I don't have the dislike others may have of this. Yes, there is shiny silver plastic, but if it wears like my Highlander has, it should be just fine. I like the more upright windshield and dash. It feels more open, airy and roomy.
There was plenty of headroom up front. I'm thinking taller guys will fit fine.
I liked the nav system with the built-in backup camera. It's a good idea given the size of this thing.
The 5th gen doesn't have the FJC's blind spots, but visabillity could be better. It's actually extremely useful with the nav system's big screen. The 2nd row seats sit up high and have great outside visibility (akin to stadium seating). I'm 6' and noticed headroom was starting to get a little cramped. Reclining the seats helps with headroom and comfort. The seats did seem short (support stopped below the shoulder blades) but were nonetheless comfortable. Legroom felt nice due to the higher seating position and the sculpted back of the front seat.
I liked the feel of the steering wheel. The center stack was nicely done IMO. The climate control buttons felt great and were easy to use - a nice improvement over the 4th gen. I absolutely loved the optitron gauges. The clarity was outstanding in daylight.
The rear seats folded completely flat very easily. I did have to move the front seat up a little before it would fold down.
My biggest beef was the standard cargo tray. It should certainly be optional. First, it had black plastic on the edge next to the tailgate. It looks like it'll easily scratch. I don't know if it can be removed for cleaning, but it looks like it would be hard to keep dirt out of the crevices on the sides and back. The back edge of the tray has a plastic bar that pops up. I guess it's to provide a "stop" for cargo on the tray. When it's in the down position with the seats folded down, it still sticks up in a good bit. This means the rear cargo area isn't completely flat (like a bump) and I'm betting it'll scratch badly.
I liked the ride. It had a little BOF 4x4 jiggle but was smooth and fairly refined overall. I actually like a little jiggle to remind me it's a capable off-roader instead of a grocery getter. It absorbed bumps on semi-rough streets nicely. I didn't get as aggressive as I'd like with cornering, but body roll seemed to be minimal, probably thanks to the KDSS. I'd be interested to compare it to a non-KDSS-equipped SR5. Does anyone have an opinion on KDSS' durability? Should we expect problems down the road?
I didn't engage 4wd since we were on dry pavement. :naughty:
The steering was way too light at low speeds in the parking lot. It felt disconnected from the truck if that makes any sense. It didn't have the sporty feel of previous generations. It was OK when you got up to speed. Turning radius seemed just fine - not too wide to inhibit maneuvering.
Accelleration felt just adequate. I would not describe it as feeling zippy due to the truck's weight. Again, I'd love to know how this thing would be 1,000 pounds lighter! I don't know how the specs compare, but I remember my 3rd gen felt peppier than this. Having said that, the engine was smooth and quiet. Also, the speedo did indicate we got up to speed rather quickly, so it could be my bias against the truck's heft.
The cabin was extremely quiet at highway speed. Great job there, Toyota!
The transmission was smooth as silk. It was one of the most impressive parts of the test drive. Having a 6-speed would be nice to improve fuel economy, though.
Overall, I think Toyota did a great job on the Trail. I'd prefer it to be smaller and lighter. Unless the fever becomes unbearable, I'm probably going to wait a while before getting serious about buying. However, the test drive did confirm that I'd love to have this as my next ride. I'd want leather and a sunroof it I got an SR5 which would run the sticker price up pretty close to the TE which has nicer standard features such as the optitron gauges. It's also nice to have nav and kdss as available options.
I hope by waiting that pricing will improve and maybe a few of my gripes will be addressed such as the cargo tray and body cladding.
I hope this was helpful to folks looking at the Trail. There's definitely a lot to like here!
