I have seen a few of the full size threads discussing the idea of someone with a Tacoma wanting to go Full Size because the Tacoma doesn't meet their needs. I would make a small suggestion before anyone in this position -- with a Taco, lusting after a full size -- pulls the trigger. My suggestion is to consider other mid-size trucks. My honest opinion is that for North American "typical" Overlanding (running gravel roads to campgrounds, nothing too technical of "off road-ey", with a family of two adults and a kid or two or maybe a dog using a lot of payload), a full size is a better choice for most people.
The Taco is an incredibly reliable and proven platform. However, the midsize segment has been red-hot with innovation and improvements and they have been increasing capacity a lot with this latest generation in the Ford/GM/Chevy/Jeep realm. The Taco is, relative to the rest of the segment, quite outdated as a proper model line refresh hasn't happened in some time. Because of this, the gap between a Taco and a full size truck is quite significant, however the gap between some of the other mid sized trucks and the full sized trucks is a bit more narrow. It may be that moving to a different mid-sized truck from a Taco makes for a better compromise than moving to a full size truck from a Taco.
For instance, I own both the '17 Canyon and a '18 Silverado, and you will see below that they are very close in specs. The below are the numbers pulled directly from my VIN; depending on the truck there will be variations; Taco specs are pulled from Edmunds for a similar spec'd 2018 vehicle -- crew cab, off road package. It's worth noting my 1500 is a WT. It's 4x4 with a 2 speed manual transfer case and a automatic rear locker, but no other off road goodies from the factory -- usually off road goodies actually reduce towing and payload capacities from the factory. My Canyon is the All Terrain, with the auto-locker, hill descent, etc. (it's as close as GM came that year to an 'off road' package, but it's no Rubicon or even TRD Pro).
| Variable | GMC Canyon | Chevrolet 1500 Silverado | Tacoma |
|---|
| Payload | 1530 lbs | 1900 | 1175 |
| Towing | 7000 lbs | 9100 | 6400 |
| Passengers | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Width | 74.3 inches | 80 inches | 75.2 |
| Length | 212.4 inches | 230 inches | 212 |
| Height | 70.6 inches | 74.2 inches | 70 |
| Approach Angle | 17 Degrees | 18 | 32 |
| Departure | 22.1 degrees | 23 | 23.5 |
| Ground Clearance | 8.2 inches | 8.9 | 9.4 |
| Curb Weight | 4488 | 5300 | 4425 |
| Gross Weight | 6000 | 7100 | 5600 |
No question that a full size is better inside as far as a "nice place to be". There's lots more places to put things, power ports, cup holders, and elbow room. This is excellent for the typical NA Overland trip. You will not be limited in a full size for a lot of the interesting routes in North America, but there are some remote side tracks and trails that will be better explored with a mid-sized truck. In terms of payload, the 370 lbs advantage of a full size is quickly reduced by the increased weight of protection -- a bumper is 6 inches wider, there's more landscape for skid plates to cover, etc. to the point where it's scarcely an advantage at all. The Full-size truck above is a thousand pounds heavier than the mid-size trucks before adding gear, and that makes one heck of a difference off road. In almost any Overland/Off Road application, lighter is better. This is also (and especially) true of international travel -- if I had to drive across some of the rickety bridges or eroded hillside roads that are common outside of North America I would definitely be thinking about that thousand pounds! Smaller/lighter is an undeniable advantage. And if/when you do get stuck -- at home or abroad -- a recovery with a lighter vehicle is almost always easier and safer.
Obviously the key is getting the right truck for your needs -- that's true of any of us. But, my hope is to highlight that it's not quite as simple as 'full size better, mid size worse' as they are much closer together than I think a lot of people realize these days; it may feel like a huge leap to go from a Taco to a full size, but that's less true when going from a Canyon/Ranger/Gladiator versus the full size. And if @diabetictaco was all messed up before I do not imagine I have helped even in the slightest!
