After what feels like six billion years of production, the current Toyota Tacoma is getting replaced with an all-new model. Toyota plans on showing off this fresh Taco on May 19, which — hang on, that isn’t a Tuesday. Missed opportunity, Toyota. Anyway, with a reveal set fifteen days from now, here’s everything we know (and a little we don’t) about the hotly-anticipated 2024 Toyota Tacoma.
Close Like Starsky And Hutch
Secretly, I doubted that Toyota would offer the next Tacoma with a manual gearbox. As fun as it is to row your own gears, take rates for manual Tacomas are low, and since automakers are in the business of making money, I had a hunch that Toyota might go all-automatic. Boy, was I ever wrong. On May 2, Toyota confirmed that the next-generation Tacoma will continue to be available with a six-speed manual gearbox. How does it feel knowing that Toyota is keeping the stick with the next generation of Tacoma? Absolutely fantastic. The six-speed made the current truck’s revvy V6 more fun, so I’m curious to see what effect it has on the 2024 truck.
Hybrid Theory
Just like how Corinth is famous for its leather, Toyota is famous for its hybrids. From the first Prius to the Lexus LS 500h, electrification has permeated almost every fiber of the Toyota lineup, and now it’s the Tacoma’s turn to get some form of hi-po electrified powertrain. As it stands, the i-Force MAX label has only been applied to the Tundra’s electrically-assisted turbocharged V6, but it’s possible that the Tacoma could get the 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the Crown or something different altogether. However, expect whatever ends up under the hood of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma i-Force MAX to be focused more on power than efficiency, and don’t be surprised if it’s automatic-only.
Off The Grid
Overlanding has gone mainstream, and Toyota aims to cash in with a new Trailhunter trim that’s expected to be absolutely loaded with whatever off-road farkle Toyota manages to sneak past the DOT. An early teaser image shows special badging and an ARB steel bumper with beefy recovery hooks, but expect a lot more where that came from. The Trailhunter name first appeared on a Tundra-based concept for the 2022 SEMA show, one that came festooned with a rooftop tent, a fridge, unique suspension, and all the things people who drink kombucha like. While I wouldn’t expect a tent on this Tacoma, suspension upgrades are entirely possible.
Cars That Go Boom
Want to be the least-appreciated person at any public beach, bring life to barbecues, or simply up your tailgating game? Good news: Well-equipped Tacomas will get a JBL-branded portable speaker built into the dashboard. Admittedly, this isn’t the first time someone has put removable tunes in a car. The current Jeep Gladiator has an optional removable Bluetooth speaker, and who could forget slide-out tape decks? If it’s anything like JBL’s Charge 2, this little Bluetooth speaker could actually be good, so let’s cross our fingers on this one.
Body Talk
For a second, I thought I messed up when grabbing a copy of Toyota’s latest teaser. The high-res image download wasn’t high-res image downloading. It turns out, that’s because this latest teaser is actually a GIF that reveals what seem to be multiple different cab and bed configurations for the 2024 Toyota Tacoma. After thinking I almost bricked my browser, I rapidly spammed print screen and compiled the lovely image you see above. It appears to show what may be crew cab short bed, crew cab long bed, and extended cab bodystyles, a solid choice since the GM midsize trucks have gone single-size only.
Just Like This?
While the 2024 Toyota Tacoma doesn’t officially debut until May 19, that doesn’t mean we’re entirely clueless as to what it may look like. Toyota’s new midsize truck could maybe, possibly, perhaps look something like this. These patent drawings were unearthed earlier this year and appear to show Toyota-like styling language on some sort of pickup truck. I’m not drawing any certainties here, but you can take a closer look by checking out our article and then do what you wish. Maybe eat some Crab Rangoons?
(Photo credits: Toyota)
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Its pretty exciting times in the mid-sized truck world. Recent new Nissan, New GM twins just started hitting the lots, new Tacoma and Ranger on deck. Finally getting some of the tech and updates that the fullsizes get. The Gladiator is about to be the oldest one on sale, and it seems like the bloom is off the rose on those- regularly seeing $10k or so off, including on the Rubicon and Mojave.
I mean, I would have kombucha with my crab rangoons like a complete walking stereotype. I would. (FTR, the peach mint one is my favorite.)
…
SOMEONE PLEASE HIRE ME SO I CAN BUY A CAYENNE AARRRGHHH
Watching the Tundra release…I’d wait for the 3rd year of this truck. Toyota quality ain’t what it used to be.
I own a 27 year old Tacoma and love it. But I HATE the current Taco. Too big, sort of crappy interior, awful fuel economy. I am 100% fully prepared to be disappointed in the new Tacoma. I assume it will be even bigger, have sort of ho-hum, uninspiring design, get maybe marginally better fuel economy and cost a fortune.
Same, I had a 2003 and thought it was entirely too big. Then the 2005s came out and are basically full-size trucks. I miss small trucks.
The hybrid should get Highlander hybrid mpgs, if so I want
Crab Rangoon is frequently the right answer.
truly the pinnacle of Chinese-American eats
I genuinely intended to pick up a new Tacoma several years back but a few things held me back: lack of comfort for tall drivers (supposedly the seats started adjusting for height that year which helped, but I couldn’t wait), poor, soul sapping performance of that v6 and auto, gas mileage that matches full size trucks, and abysmal payload ratings. A manual sr5 might have been ok, but those only come on the off road trims, which are more expensive and lower payload to the 1000 lb range. I’m not a numbers war supporter but damn, four people with some camping gear would be overloaded, and the equivalent ranger will carry 1600 min.
The current one is definitely the coolest of the midsize bunch, unless you count the even smaller bed on the gladiator (and are willing to tolerate crystler reliability). Definitely keen to see what the numbers are for the new truck. A turbo four with 1500 lbs payload would be a class leader, and a hybrid that actually gets 25+ mpg would sell in heaps if it starts under 40.
Psst. Toyota:
GIVE US THE TACOMA PRIME, YOU COWARDS.
I’d be at a dealership right now to try to give them a deposit on one.
YOU’RE BASED IN TEXAS NOW, TOYOTA!! YOU KNOW OUR JANKY POWER GRID. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH POSITIVE PRESS FORD, A COMPANY WITH NO HQ HERE, GOT FOR HAVING A HYBRID TRUCK THAT COULD SERVE AS A GENERATOR?!
DO A TACO PRIME THAT CAN POWER MY HOUSE. THIS IS THE BIGGEST POSSIBLE SOFTBALL I CAN THROW.
(all caps for emphasis, obviously)
I would buy one
Is there even a shred of a chance that maybe we could get the Sienna powertrain in the lesser trims of this? I know it’s unlikely, but the option of a Taco that gets 30mpg or better would be pretty amazing, especially since most people don’t seem to use these for towing anyway.
I feel like a nonturbo hybrid powertrain would be big even just for their share of the fleet market. Toyota’s the last holdout in that they don’t have a turbo 4 or V6 standard in their truck, they still have the simple 2.7. It seems like they wouldn’t need to go full-tilt with the turbo 4 standard and the regular hybrid would be a good alternative to the lower-output Colorado.
Crown and Grand Highlander are a couple examples that have the same basic hybrid with a 2.4 turbo Hybrid Max available, so there’s precedent. Unless the rumors of a Toyota Stout come true and fill that role (don’t think I’ve seen any of the bigger outlets cover that one though).
Just remembered that the Grand Highlander offers the nonhybrid 2.4 turbo too. It wouldn’t be out of place for Toyota to offer those 3 powertrains being on offer for the Tacoma – maybe regular hybrid, 2.4 turbo (6MT option on this one), and a version of the 2.4 hybrid turbo under the i-Force Max branding.
That’s pretty much exactly the lineup I keep hoping for (well, that and a Tacoma Prime that almost certainly won’t happen). It wouldn’t be tough for them to offer this and it would cover pretty much the entire mid-size pickup market.
I’m curious if Toyota will replace the turd of an engine/transmission combo. My brother had a ’16 or ’17 for five years, and while the interior was a bit basic, the engine/transmission was by far the worst part. I don’t know how people could live with it on a daily basis. Horrible. Also, for all the bragging of “Toyota Build Quality” the damn dash squeaked like crazy within the first six months, and no amount of disassembly and application of felt tape could get it to stop. I was really not impressed with it.
I test drove a manual one in ~2013 and didn’t understand what all the fuss was about, and ended up with a manual Xterra Pro4X that I really liked. My brother doesn’t have much great stuff to say about his Tacoma ownership.
I do know a couple of people who have complained that the latest automatic really neuters the V6 pretty badly, that the programming drives them nuts.
We already know it gets an i-Force Max engine option, and the rumor is that the engine options are entirely different from the existing offerings. Since they are rumored not to offer a V6 any longer, the manual transmission will probably be different, and most people expect them to bump up to a new 8-speed auto (maybe the one in the Highlander), which should be an improvement.
Of course, no matter what they announce, the real test will occur when people get to drive it.
Highlander transmission? I’m not familiar with it, but it has me a bit worried, since the issue with the engine/tranny combo in the current Tacoma was that it was a sedan combo that was put into a truck. It just didn’t work given the different driving and aerodynamic characteristics. Always hunting for gears, constantly staying too high for too long and then dropping a gear or two and shooting RPM’s through the roof and still barely maintaining highway speeds up slight grades…
Maybe it’ll be terrible. But an 8-speed at least has potential for improvement over the outgoing 6-speed, assuming they do things right. The one in the Highlander may not even be what they use, and I would hope they would tune things differently for a pickup than the Highlander. It’s a rumor right now, and I suspect most people will want to see how things end up driving before they buy. Because who knows, given new powertrains and the new platform.
The highlander trans is for a transverse FWD based layout so we won’t see it here (though in theory it could share some parts)
Good to know. That’s what I get for listening to the rumors on sites that don’t get into the mechanical details.
Those silhouettes look amazing! The 3D render? ehhhh. Hopefully that’s not actually the new Tacoma. It’s not bad, but my mind is filling in the blanks on those silhouettes and i’m imagining normal fenders, not that folded mess.
“farkle” ha ha
Dammit guys, “Taco Tease-day” was _right there_!
Gotta save some puns for the next Tacoma reveal in 2036.
My gosh, the internet is going to explode if this thing leaks on the Tuesday before the reveal. Just straight-up destroy itself due to too many puns. Al Gore’s series of tubes will be clogged forever.
Hoping it’s an efficiency hybrid and not a performance hybrid like the Tundra. I like doing Tacoma things and don’t like paying for gas.
I know there won’t likely be an efficiency-focused hybrid, but I am still hoping there might be.
I’d gladly go for a good automatic transmission in an efficient mid-size pickup, so I won’t be too concerned if the manual is only in the non-hybrid. Probably the best way to give everyone some options.
Funnily enough, the 3rd gen tacoma used pretty much the same cab as the second one. hopefully this has a brand new cab, and people over 6 foot can drive it
For me, the previous and current gen Taco seating makes me feel like I’m doing hamstring stretches and slouching too much. Driving a Ridgeline right now and don’t regret it (aside from the trolls that feel the need to remind me “It’s not really a truck.”)
I don’t know much about off-roading but I think there are situations where a clutch pedal is advantageous. I believe the only way to get a stick in the current model is with V6, 4×4
Although I’m not at all a potential buyer, I’m glad they’re continuing an extended cab model. (Although that’s a funny name now, because there is no regular cab to extend!). Last I looked you could get an extended cab 2WD for around $30k. I hope that’s continuing.
Thank you Toyota for looking beyond the numbers and keeping the manual alive.
Even though I’m only up to about 2012 in model years as a car consumer and far from the target audience for a brand new truck, I appreciate what they are doing here.
Sure, manual transmissions aren’t the be all end all of car culture they are made out to be.
There are great use cases to be made for automatics, especially modern ones with more than four gears.
Hell, I’ve often found myself in bumper to bumper traffic in hill filled, rainy Seattle thinking “I wish I had an automatic right now”.
I get it.
But I learned to drive in a manual 73’ Dodge Ram.
All my current vehicles are manual.
The clutch pedal is in my nature.
What is my right arm supposed to do if it’s not shifting gears?
I’m not exactly a manual or die guy.
But I will shed a tear when they stop being made.
So, again, thank you Toyota for keeping it alive, even if it’s not profitable.
Feel free to hang out on my lawn, anytime.