The Toyota Tacoma Is Even More Unbeatable

The Toyota Tacoma has a history of being unbeatable. It has long been the undisputed sales leader of the mid-size pickup truck class. The Tacoma has held that position no matter what the industry threw at it. Honda brought back the Ridgeline in 2017, Nissan redesigned its Frontier in 2022, and the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon twins were completely redesigned for 2023. With all of these updates and changes from other brands, the Toyota Tacoma still held its top spot. This is despite the fact that the current generation of the Tacoma is nine years old and it hasn’t had a full redesign for 19 years. 

The Tacoma is unbeatable in many ways. The popular British automotive show, Top Gear, had a regular series involving their attempts to kill an already old Toyota Hilux (a British version of an identical Toyota pickup that was sold here). The truck was first driven down a long flight of outside stairs, then it was left to be swept by high tide in the English Channel. A mechanic with basic tools got it running again. The truck suffered other abuses from a wrecking ball dropped on its hood, a camping trailer dropped on its cab, being set on fire, and finally placed on top of a 23-story building prior to it being blown up in a controlled demolition. Even then, after being dug from the rubble and a mechanic working on it with simple tools, it started.

So, that is the reputation the all-new and completely redesigned 2024 Tacoma steps into.  The new model has been carefully designed after years of studying its owners and how they use their trucks.  The new design is more powerful and more robust than ever before.  The ruggedness of the new truck begins with the full-box frame it shares with the full-size Tundra and Sequoia. 

Choices, Lots of Choices

No matter what you need, the Tacoma has a model configuration for you. There are two cab sizes, two bed sizes, and four engine outputs. The base SR is even available with a 6-speed manual transmission, with all models having a standard 8-speed automatic. 

The Tacoma will have an initial six trim levels from the basic SR to the upscaled limited, with various lifestyle-oriented models in between. Future iterations will include two models with two kinds of off-road use as their focus. Three additional trims offer the choice of rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. 

For those with no need for a back seat in their truck, the XtraCab has just the front seat but still has plenty of space behind it. It is accompanied by a 6-foot bed. The Double Cab has 4 doors and five-passenger capacity and is available on all trims, with some offering a choice of either a 5-foot or 6-foot bed. 

Cab/Bed Availability

Grade	Transmission	Xtra Cab6′ Bed	Double Cab6′ Bed	Double Cab5′ Bed
SR	8-Spd. Auto	X	X	X
	6-Spd. Manual			X
SR5	8-Spd. Auto	X	X	X
TRD PreRunner	8-Spd. Auto	X
TRD Sport	8-Spd. Auto		X	X
TRD Off-Road	8-Spd. Auto		X	X
Limited	8-Spd. Auto			X
Trailhunter	8-Spd. Auto			X
TRD Pro	8-Spd. Auto			X

One Engine, Several Choices

Under the hood, all Tacoma models are powered by a version of its i-FORCE turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-4. This being Toyota, there is an i-FORCE MAX hybrid drivetrain coming as either standard or available. The i-FORCE MAX’s 465 lb-ft of torque is the highest in the class. 

Powertrain Availability

		i-FORCE turbo 2.4L			i-FORCE MAX 2.4L turbocharged hybrid
		228 HP243 lb-ft	270 HP310 lb-ft	278 HP317 lb-ft	326 HP465 lb-ft
SR	8-Spd. Auto	X
	6-Spd. Manual		X
SR5	8-Spd. Auto			X
TRD PreRunner	8-Spd. Auto			X
TRD Sport	8-Spd. Auto			X	O
TRD Off-Road	8-Spd. Auto			X	O
Limited	8-Spd. Auto			X	O
Trailhunter	8-Spd. Auto				X
TRD Pro	8-Spd. Auto				X

Chassis

After 19 years, Toyota has had plenty of time to improve the chassis dynamics. All Tacomas will now have four-wheel disc brakes. The suspension on most models feature double wishbones in the front with the SR and SR5, and TRD PreRunner featuring leaf springs in the rear. TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road and Limited have a multi-link rear suspension with coil springs. Optional on the Limited is an Adaptive Variable Suspension. 

Why Don’t We Do It Off the Road?

The Tacoma has three 4WD-only grades with a focus on operating off road. The TRD Off-Road model is for the casual off-roader. It has 17-inch machined alloy wheels with 265/70R17 all-terrain tires and composite front skid plate, with an underbody transfer case and fuel tank protection. The TRD Pro has been the Tacoma’s full-on off-road enthusiast model for a long time. The 2024 version features the following off-road dedicated features:

• TRD Pro SofTex^®-trimmed * IsoDynamic performance seats
• 18-in. TRD Pro alloy wheels with 33-in. Goodyear^® Territory^® R/T tires
• FOX^® QS3 adjustable Internal Bypass coil-over
• Rear remote-reservoir shocks with 1-in. front and 0.5-in. rear lift
• Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism
• Multi-Terrain Select), Crawl Control, and Downhill Assist Control
• TRD Pro aluminum front skid plate, with underbody transfer case and fuel tank protection
• TRD black performance exhaust
• Rigid Industries^® LED fog lights
• Reinforced rocker protector

The all-new Trailhunter is configured for overlanding with less of an emphasis on speed and more focus on crawling through any terrain it comes across. The Trailhunter features the following:

• 18-in. Trailhunter alloy wheels with 33-in. Goodyear^® Territory^® R/T tires
• Old Man Emu^® forged monotube position-sensitive coil-overs
• Rear remote-reservoir shocks with 1-in. front lift and 0.5-in. rear lift
• Steel underbody protection, including front skid plate, transfer case protector, fuel tank protector, and rear differential protector
• Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism
• Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, and Downhill Assist Control
• ARB® modular bed utility bar with removable MOLLE panels
• Rigid Industries® white-and-amber-color switching LED fog lights
• Steel rock rails

The TRD Pro and Trailhunter each have several exclusive aesthetic features to set them apart from the rest of the model line and each other. 
Will this design of the Tacoma last another 19 years? Will it still start after dropping from the roof of a 12-story building? Even Toyota can’t tell you that. What is clear, however, is that the new Tacoma model line is more varied, powerful and capable than ever before and is likely to keep its place on top of the mid-size pickup segment. Valley Hi Toyota has plenty of 2024 Tacoma models in stock right now, just waiting for you to check them out.

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