Just bought a new 2017 Limited double cab 4x2. Towing capacity is 6800 pounds. I have a smallish camper I will be pulling it with. This is my first Tacoma, so cannot speak to the differences first hand. Seems to have plenty of power to me, and decent gas mileage....which is why I skipped over the Tundra. I can say I am a bit of a skeptic on the internal canister for an oil filter. Will be doing my first oil change here soon. I cannot fault the truck on anything just yet.
Not sure about the previous generations, but the 3.5 has a timing chain also. That was a selling point for me.
The 4.0 had a timing chain as well, Toyota has pretty much done away with timing belts.
