New Car Preview: 2024 Toyota Tacoma Finally Revealed with 326

The newly redesigned 2024 Toyota Tacoma has been a highly anticipated vehicle, and rightfully so, considering the current uncertain state of economic conditions where a midsized truck may appeal to a larger crowd who doesn't want to spend full-size truck money.

The midsized truck segment is starting to heat up again, with competitive edges sharpened within the camps of Chevrolet (Colorado), GMC (Canyon), Nissan (Frontier), Ford (Ranger), and now, Toyota with the introduction of the new 2024 Tacoma. Toyota managed to sell as many as 230,000 Tacomas last year, and now they plan to expand the movement with a new Tacoma that boasts a hybrid powertrain for upper level trims and a rugged Trailhunter off-roading trim.

Toyota improves upon the powertrain front with a new turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine powering the base Tacoma SR trim, producing 228 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Moving up to the Tacoma SR5, you get a more-powerful 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, dubbed the i-Force, that produces 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, but with a surprise – a 6-speed manual transmission offered with automatic rev-matching. GO Toyota! If you opt for the 8-speed automatic transmission, you’ll get 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque.

The range toppers, the new Tacoma TRD PreRunner, Limited, TRD Pro, and new Trailhunter trims, get a new i-Force Max hybrid powertrain that touts 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque from its 2.4-liter turbo 4-cylinder assisted by a 48-horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque electric motor all mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Power to the electric motor is provided by a 288-volt, 1.9-kWh nickel-metal hydride battery pack.

The new Tacoma lineup is available with a 5-foot or 6-foot bed in a Double Cab configuration with the SR, SR5, and TRD PreRunner available with a new two-door XtraCab configuration. To avoid confusion, view the trim listings below.

The new tougher look of the 2024 Tacoma takes on an aggressive approach for some trim levels, especially the TRD Pro and Trailhunter trims getting the retro "TOYOTA" mark on the front grille along with a front lower skidplate, horizontal LED running lights, and unique wheel and tire combinations. The TRD Pro gets 33-inch tires wrapping 18-inch wheels, with the Trailhunter getting the same, only with unique 18-inch bronze wheels.

The new Tacoma TRD Pro still retains all of the serious equipment, such as Fox shocks. The TRD Off-Road model gets Bilstein shocks, while the TRD Sport is more reserved with special TRD-tuned shocks.

Towing capability is slightly down, about 300 pounds, from the previous generation, with a max rating of 6,500 pounds for the SR5 i-FORCE and TRD PreRunner trims. However, the payload is increased to 1,709 pounds, up from the predecessor's 1,685 pounds. There's new advanced trailering features, bundling up a trailer brake controller, trailer backup guide, and a digital rear view mirror.

Lower trims get more of a reserved look, with all having the slimmed-down LED headlights and the customary Toyota truck look and defined fender flares. Overall, the look appears more substantial and, in a way, more premium.

Inside the 2024 Tacoma is a space that you still expect out of Toyota, featuring the standard 8-inch infotainment touchscreen using the latest Toyota interface. There's also an optional larger screen, a 14-inch touchscreen display that also improves upon the gauge cluster with a 12.3-inch digital unit.

Taking the interior to the next level is left to unique front seats, IsoDynamic Performance seats, which are exclusive to the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro trim and feature a four-way shock absorption setup. That's right, these unique seats have their own shocks to stabilize the driver's field of vision, comfort, and reduce fatigue when on rough trails. You may think of these seats as comparable to what you find on big-rig commercial trucks. Either way, such unique seats are the first to see in a consumer production vehicle, and Toyota is paving the way for this innovation.

The all-new 2024 Tacoma will go on sale later this year, with i-FORCE MAX models arriving in early 2024. Manufacturer's suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale dates.

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