As the mid-size pickup truck space in the United States, heats up in 2023 with several new launches and refreshes, we have yet another model that will soon join the race and this is a big one. Since it first launched in 1995, the Tacoma has gone on to become one of America's best-selling pickup trucks and it currently dominates its class and the 2024 Toyota Tacoma has got to be one of the most highly anticipated launches of the year.
Just hours before the official reveal, details of the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma were leaked on Tacoma4G, and here's everything that you need to know about Toyota's long-awaited and much-improved mid-size pickup truck. There's a lot to unpack here. So let's get into it.
Tough Underpinnings For The 2024 Tacoma
Designed from the ground up for the U.S. market, Toyota engineering and design teams across the United States collaborated in bringing the 2024 Toyota Tacoma to life. The fourth-gen Tacoma utilizes a high-strength steel box and steel-ladder frame chassis and will be based on the TNGA-F platform shared with the full-size Tundra pickup and the Sequoia. While the use of high-strength steel and laser welds and additional cross members ensures a rigid chassis, aluminum has also been used extensively in order to keep weight in check.
The 2024 Toyota Tacoma will be offered in two cab styles with either a five or six-foot bed, available as a four-door double cab or a new two-door Xtracab. The new two-door model with the six-foot bed will be available on SR, SR5, and TRD Pre-Runner trims and is about providing buyers with maximum utility with features like storage behind the front two seats and lockable storage on the rear floor and back panel.
As for the four-door double cab model, it is available in the following trims
- SR
- SR5
- TRD Runner
- TRD Sport
- TRD Off Road
- Limited
- TRD Pro (Go Fast)
- Trailhunter (Go Far)
The Tacoma Goes Hybrid With iForce Max
Under the hood, lies a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine available in two states of tune. On the entry-level SR grade, it delivers 228 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. For all remaining trims, this 2.4-liter mill produces 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. But given the demand for a stick, enthusiasts will be happy to note that a six-speed manual will also be available with 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque on tap.
But it's the Tacoma Hybrid that has caused the most buzz and it's finally here. The iForce Max hybrid is finally coming to the new Tacoma. Available on TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, and standard on the TRD Pro and Trailhunter halo models, i-FORCE MAX will combine the 2.4-liter four-cylinder mill with a 48-horsepower electric motor, working off of a 1.87 kWh batterypack for a combined system output of 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful Tacoma ever.
Design Stays True To The Renders
The new Tacoma exterior design stays true to all the leaks and rumors of the past several months. As cliché as it sounds, the styling is more evolutionary than revolutionary and you wouldn't mistake this for anything else but a Tacoma. Designed by teams of two teams at Toyota's CALTY Design centers in New Port Beach, California, and Ann Arbor, Michigan; the all-new Tacoma's design draws inspiration from models across the Toyota family. Its narrow body and skid plates pay homage to the OG Toyota Hilux.
Design highlights for the 2024 Tacoma include sharper redesigned headlights, a hexagonal grille motif, functional side air intakes, tailgate spoilers, and an integrated roof rack on the Trailhunter.
Colors for the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma include:
- Supersonic Red
- Blue Crush Metallic
- Underground
- Wind Chill Pearl
- Solar Octane
- Celestial Silver Metallic
- Black
- Ice Cap
- Bronze Oxide
For an, even more, sportier look, the TRD Sport will feature 18-inch TRD wheels, color-keyed for handles and over fenders, black badging, and aluminum pedals. But in the end, the trim you choose will obviously decide how beefy your new Tacoma ends up looking but overall, the exterior is far more contemporary, muscular and in line with some of the Tacoma's main competitors.
A Tacoma That Is More Capable Than Ever Before
Another big upgrade for the new Taco is the available multi-link rear suspension setup instead of the outgoing model's leaf springs. However, lower trims like the SR, SR5 XtraCab, and TRD PreRunner will continue to come with leaf springs. But Toyota really has gone a long way in distinguishing each model, by having a unique suspension setup for each grade.
- TRD Sport: It comes with red TRD sport-tuned shocks for a more responsive feel
- TRD Pro: Comes fitted with FOX’s new QS3 three-way adjustable internal bypass shocks with remote reservoirs for improved high-speed off-road performance and FOX Internal Floating Piston (IFP) rear bump stops to improve bottom-out feel
- TRD Off-Road Grade: Comes equipped with monotube Bilstein remote reservoir shocks for extended wheel travel and greater heat dissipation and includes an end stop control valve (ESCV) that provides increased damping force as the suspension comes closer to full bound stroke
- Trailhunter: Comes with a new Old Man Emu (OME) 4×4 Suspension by ARB that is tuned for optimum levels of off-road control and load-carrying capability
- Limited Grade: Comes with a new Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system that constantly adjusts damping forces based on changing road conditions
Other significant upgrades include: Disc brakes are now standard on all four corners for improved braking performance, an electronic parking brake, and electric power steering for added safety. As for hauling capability, the 2024 Tacoma has a max towing capacity of 6,500 pounds on SR5 i-FORCE and TRD PreRunner XtraCab grades, while the payload capacity has now gone up to 1,709 pounds.
Coming to the drivetrains, rear or four-wheel drive is available. Rear-wheel drive models will feature an automatic limited slip diff, while four-wheel drive models will also get an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case with low/high range. TRD PreRunner, TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter trims will get an electronic locking rear differential as standard. All models equipped with the iForce Max engine feature full-time four-wheel drive with a center-locking differential.
When equipped with the TRD Pro tow package, the Tacoma offers approach, departure, and break-over angles of 33.8 degrees, 23.5 degrees, and 25.7 degrees respectively. TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter drivers can also make use of the myriad of cameras and central infotainment display to navigate tricky terrain.
Speaking of terrain, the multi-select terrain works in both 4WD-High and Low with modes for mud, dirt, and sand. It offers adjustable settings that help control the wheel spin. You also get a more sophisticated crawl control function, low-speed off-road cruise control with five selectable speeds. Additionally, models equipped with a manual transmission get a standard clutch start for added ease of use in challenging off-road situations.
But for even more capability, Toyota is introducing the new Trailhunter trim, which was co-developed with Australian-based ARB Engineering. Upgrades include OME shocks working with 33-inch Goodyear Territory R/T tires, a high-clearance trail exhaust tip is also standard along with a low-profile high-mount Trailhunter Air Intake steel rear bumper, robust rear recovery points, and a bed utility bar with a removable MOLLE panel. The Trailhunter is essentially an overlapping beast, that comes straight from the factory with the ability to heavy-duty versions of the ARB bed rack to support rooftop tents, canopies, and even a camp shower.
While the Trailhunter was developed specifically for Overlanding excursions, the TRD Pro is designed for high-speed desert running. Both the Trailhunter and TRD Pro sit about two inches higher compared to other trims in the lineup. Available and debuting exclusively on the TRD Pro, a segment-first IsoDynamic Performance seat for the driver and front passenger will offer a more refined ride. It features an air-over oil shock absorber for additional dampening and added comfort.
A Tech-Packed Interior
Stepping inside the 2024 Tacoma, Toyota has addressed the outgoing model's biggest problem, which was its dated cabin. This all-new generation is a far cry and feels bang up to date, not only in terms of the design and materials used but also in terms of tech. Once again, you can see elements from the larger Tundra trickle down here as well. Along with new design elements, the edgier and more modern-looking dash packs a lot more along with smart storage solutions throughout the cabin.
In terms of the available onboard tech and convenience features, the 2024 Tacoma gets some pretty substantial upgrades. Starting off with an 8.0-inch central infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, on the luxurious Limited trim, you get a massive 14.0-inch central infotainment screen, a heads-up display, a digital rear-view mirror, a power moon roof, and a digital key, USB charging ports, wireless charging pad, and a digital gauge cluster ranging between 7.0-inches and 12.3-inches.
Toyota has also worked with JBL to now offer a 10-speaker audio system upgrade. What's unique here is that a portable Bluetooth speaker (with a six-hour battery life) that can be submerged in water up to three feet deep, is part of this setup and when it's not out and about, it docks onto the dash for charging.
As for safety, the new Taco unsurprisingly comes with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 as standard across the range and includes
- Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
- Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
- Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
- Lane Tracing Assist
- Road Sign Assist
- Automatic High Beams
- Proactive Driving Assist
Summing Up The 2024 Taco
Well, the new 2024 Tacoma is everything we expected it to be and then some. The new hybrid powertrain doesn't just have the potential to offer class-leading gas mileage, but it also packs plenty of power. With two available cab configurations, the new Tacoma already has an edge over the 2023 Chevy Colorado and the 2023 GMC Canyon which are only offered as a double cab. Off-road enthusiasts will be curious to see how the TRD Pro stacks up against the 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor.
The sheer variety of trims and off-road packages means that there are limitless possibilities and there really is a Tacoma for everyone. It now remains to be seen how it fares against its chief rivals in the real world and how it will become the new benchmark for all mid-size pickups.