Taxes and death may be life’s only certainties, but America’s fervent Toyota Tacoma obsession sits just below that threshold. The midsize truck has never felt more dated — the current generation entered production in 2015. It faces tougher competition in its segment than it has before. Yet the Tacoma is more popular than it has ever been.
Toyota sold nearly 237, 323 Tacomas last year. In Toyota world, the Tacoma outsold the Corolla, the Highlander and the entire Lexus SUV lineup. Compared to its “rival” midsize trucks, the Tacoma moved more units than the Chevy Colorado, Jeep Gladiator and Ford Ranger … combined.
Toyota could have punted to the EV era with the Tacoma, giving the existing truck a subtle exterior refresh and a larger touchscreen and otherwise letting it be. That more-or-less-the-same Taco would have kept right on selling. But as with the Tundra and Sequoia SUV, Toyota aimed higher with a comprehensive refresh.
For 2024, the Toyota Tacoma is moving to a new platform, known as TNGA-F. It’s swapping out its V6 engine for gas and hybrid four-cylinder options. It’s getting a modern eight-speed automatic transmission, and upgrading to a coil-sprung rear suspension. And because one apex predator TRD Pro off-road pickup wasn’t enough, Toyota is adding the Tacoma Trailhunter overlanding model. And, yes, there’s a slick new exterior and a gigantic 14-inch touchscreen.
Toyota brought me out to Malibu, California to drive the all-new 2024 Tacoma on- and off-road for a day. It was a preliminary tasting of the new truck; Toyota did not have any hybrid models for us to sample (so, no TRD Pro or Trailhunter, which are hybrid only). The trucks also had pre-production interiors with panels of shiny, ungrained plastic. But it was enough of a sample to know Toyota succeeded.
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