The Toyota Tacoma is finally all-new for the 2024 model year. We say finally because the truck was last redesigned eight years ago, and even then, it wasn’t exactly a sea-change overhaul from the truck that came before. In the intervening years, the Tacoma gradually fell further behind a growing collection of competitors while, paradoxically, its sales increased. People love them, which makes it even more important that it’s in fact improved. They all deserve a better Tacoma, and on paper and in pictures, it certainly seems like they’re going to get one.
The 2024 Toyota Tacoma starts with a completely new frame shared with the Tundra and also-new Land Cruiser, but shrunken to Tacoma size. As before, there are multiple cab and bed configurations and loads of trims, including multiple off-road versions, but the variety of options increases further for 2024. There are two suspension variants, with lower trim models getting traditional leaf-spring rear suspension, while higher trim versions get coil springs that should improve the ride and handling. Turbocharged four-cylinders are available across the line, replacing the naturally aspirated four- and six-cylinder options. There’s also now a hybrid as the range topper, with more than 300 horsepower and more than 400 pound-feet of torque. Two- and four-wheel drive are available, as is a manual transmission with the more powerful turbo-four.
There are still some things we don’t know about the new Tacoma: what it’s like to drive, how much it will cost, and in-depth feature information. But we’ve rounded up everything we know so far in this preview guide. We should have that additional information soon, since the non-hybrid models will go on sale by the end of the year, with hybrid versions coming early next year.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
Features and Price | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
Interiors of the TRD Sport (blue), Trailhunter (orange stitching), and TRD PreRunner (plain black, small screen)
What are the Tacoma’s interior and in-car technology like?
The Tacoma’s interior looks very much like a scaled down Tundra interior. Everything is squared off and chunky, there are grab handles aplenty, and there’s even a big badge on the passenger side to remind you what truck you’re in. Depending on trim levels, there are plenty of color and material options from the cheery, colorful accents in the TRD Sport and TRD Pro, to the more subdued interiors of base Tacomas and higher-trim Limited models. There are plenty of luxuries available, including a wireless charging pad and heated and ventilated front seats.
Depending on specification, you’ll get different instruments and screens. Base models get a simpler instrument cluster with a 7-inch screen, as well as an infotainment touchscreen that measures 8 inches. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14-inch infotainment screen are available as options or on higher trim levels. Regardless of the screen size, the underlying system is bright, responsive and modern in appearance. As we’ve discovered in other Toyotas with the same systems, we appreciate the shortcut buttons on the driver side in particular, but even more so the dedicated climate controls and volume knob. These are suitably chunky looking and feeling, too. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but it can be very frustrating going back and forth between the Apple/Android interfaces and the Toyota system. Those shortcut buttons disappear, leaving you to click-click-click back and forth (other car companies manage to keep them present when using CarPlay/Android Auto). We’ve also had frustrations with the functionality of the navigation system map.
How big is the Tacoma?
The Tacoma is a midsize pickup truck that competes with the likes of the Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier, Jeep Gladiator and Honda Ridgeline. It’s somewhat unusual in the number of cab and bed configurations available. Two cabs are available: the extended Access Cab pictured below and crew-style Double Cab. The former only has front seats and front doors, eschewing the available rear bench and half doors of past models. That leaves the Double Cab with conventional rear doors as the only option for carrying rear passengers. Two bed lengths are available, too, with the Access Cab getting the longer bed as the only option. The Double Cab gets a short bed as standard, but the longer extended cab bed can be fitted optionally for the maximum amount of people and cargo carrying ability. The Ford Ranger and Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon do not offer such an option of a crew cab/long bed combo.
What are the Tacoma’s performance and fuel economy?
Every 2024 Tacoma will come with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder of some variety, and no V6 will be offered. The basic split is between non-hybrid and hybrid engines, and we’ll start with the non-hybrid engine. On the entry-level SR trim, it makes 228 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque, and comes only with the eight-speed automatic transmission.
Above that is the high-output version for higher trims that makes 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque with the eight-speed automatic, and 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque with the six-speed manual transmission. All of these models are available with either two- or four-wheel-drive.
The hybrid powertrain is a new flagship of the line. It combines the same turbo four-cylinder with an electric motor to produce 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. Nothing in the midsize pickup segment comes close to that output, nor is there another hybrid. It’s also only available with the eight-speed automatic, but can have two- or four-wheel drive.
At the time of writing, fuel economy has not been announced for any of the Tacoma models.
TRD Sport (blue), TRD Pro (white) and the shock-absorbing seats in the TRD Pro.
What is the 2024 Tacoma price and features?
Pricing hasn’t been announced yet for the 2024 Tacoma. Base pricing will likely remain close to the current model, considering the bare-bones nature of the low-output four-cylinder version. The base outgoing 2023 Tacoma SR starts at $30,095.
Toyota hasn’t gone in depth with all the standard features for Tacomas, but there’s still plenty to share. Basic models come standard with push-button start, a 7-inch display in the instrument cluster and an 8-inch infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That’s the extent of notable standard features, outside of basics like power windows and presumably air conditioning. Worth noting is that the Access Cab models no longer have rear doors or the option of a rear seat. If you want rear seating, you need the Double Cab. Also, the SR, SR5 and TRD PreRunner all come with two-wheel drive and a leaf-spring rear suspension as standard.
Moving up to the TRD and Limited models brings coil-spring rear suspension as well as the option of a six-speed manual transmission. This makes the 2024 Tacoma the only midsize pickup outside the crossover-like Honda Ridgeline with a coil spring rear suspension; and only the Jeep Gladiator offers a manual. A larger 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster comes on the TRD models and higher, and a 14-inch screen comes on the Limited and higher. Other notable features available on higher trims and as options are a locking rear differential, power side steps, a sunroof, wireless charging pad, head-up display, phone app for entry and starting, and heated and ventilated seats.
Toyota has two particularly impressive off-road trims on offer for this generation, too. The TRD Pro is the high-speed off-roader with Fox shocks and bump stops, forged front upper control arms, the rear locker, 33-inch tires, a skid plate, steel bumpers, sway bar disconnect, off-road lighting and rock rails among other upgrades. It also boasts front seats with air shocks to help stabilize the driver off road (they’re pictured above). For slower off-roading, there’s the Trailhunter pictured below. Many of the changes are the same, but it gets Old Man Emu shocks instead, additional skid plates, utility racks and an on-board air compressor.
What are the Tacoma safety ratings and driver assistance features?
As is the case with all Toyotas, the new 2024 Tacoma will come standard with many highly desirable safety features. Included are automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with lane-centering, road sign detection, hill-start assist and automatic high beams. Optionally available is blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
Being a completely new model, the crash test ratings for the redesigned Tacoma have not been announced.
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Source: www.autoblog.com