The major redesign of a popular vehicle is stressful work. For Toyota engineers and designers, the job was simple: Do not mess up the goodwill Toyota has earned since Tacoma midsize pickup went on sale in America in 1995, while making the truck a fierce competitor in a modern market.
Fortunately, Toyota didn't mess up the 2024 Tacoma, addressing the one major flaw with the last generation that the company was consistently dinged on, refinement. The 2024 Toyota Tacoma is now a win-win-win-win, with refinement mixing with off-road capability, comfort and technology in a way that will match it up against the recently redesigned Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado.
The new Tacoma also comes with convenience features that seem more at home on today's electric trucks. Some new Tacoma models have generators. Team Toyota didn't steal that idea from the electric Ford F-150 Lightning; it had that in its last-generation model.
The new model also has a removable Bluetooth speaker that acts as a center channel when installed (and charging) in the vehicle. Rivian has something similar, but Toyota was exploring the detachable speaker option years ago in concept vehicles.
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Even the pegboard wall behind the rear seat was on the drawing board before Ford's customizable FITS storage system debuted in the compact Maverick pickup.
But those innovative bits aren't enough in the modern midsize truck market.
"Refinement is a big priority for the new Tacoma. The new platform has rear coil springs on most grades, larger shock absorbers, electric power steering, and more technology and volume in the rubber mounts and bushings," a Toyota spokesperson told Newsweek.
"All of those contribute to a quieter and smoother ride and increased driver confidence. Our upper grades also benefit from extra sound absorbing parts and technology. The new four-cylinder turbo engine and eight-speed transmission deliver much more low-speed torque, so much of normal driving can be done at low engine speeds."
At an event north of Los Angeles, Toyota had several trim levels of the new Tacoma for automotive journalists to test drive on rocky trails and on the smooth Pacific Coast Highway.
The 2024 Tacoma is offered in eight versions starting at SR and SR5, moving through the TRD models and new luxury Limited and overland Trailhunter editions.
There are three new engine options for the new year all based on a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The base model comes with 228 horsepower (hp) and 243 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque. Mid-grade Tacomas have 278 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque.
These models come with the buyer's choice of eight-speed automatic transmission or six-speed manual gearbox. Not all transmissions are available in all grades, nor with each drivetrain (4x2 or 4x4).
The 278-hp mid-tier four-cylinder turbocharged engine is potent enough to keep the Tacoma hustling along tarmac or dirt. Over rocks, automatic transmission models just require a gentle foot to keep the truck moving.
The trails outside the ranch homebase were no match for the Toyota, which also showed off its new disconnecting stabilizer bar that allows the tires to keep more rubber in contact with the road.
The Tacoma has up to a 34.4-degree approach, 26.1-degree breakover and 26.1-degree departure angles for climbing over and descending steep objects. Running ground clearance maxes out at 11.5 inches on TRD Off-Road.
The truck's available onboard cameras help here too, locating the tires even when the vehicle is pointed toward the sky, allowing drivers to view the screen for a proper look at the terrain ahead rather than the view out of the windshield.
The new i-Force Max hybrid powertrain is the most powerful ever fitted on the Tacoma with 48-horsepower electric motor drawing power from a 1.87-kilowatt hour battery pack. This combination results in a total system output of up to 326 hp and an impressive 465 lb-ft of torque, which almost doubles the previous V6's output. Models with this powertrain were not available for testing during the event.
The power matches up with the Tacoma's new looks, which borrow heavily from the Tundra and RAV4. Taco's design was done at Toyota's CALTY Design Research center in California while most of the engineering was done in Michigan.
Toyota says the design team looked at Toyota's race trucks for inspiration and it shows with the brawny front end and the amount of bumper clearance. It also looked to its HiLux truck sold overseas cribbing the aggressive skid plates, high-mount headlamps, side functional air guides and grille.
Two cab styles are available with either a five- or six-foot bed: a four-door Double Cab and a new two-door XtraCab.
The cabin of the 2024 Tacoma is straightforward, as is usual for Toyota trucks, but with way more technology than the outgoing model. Infotainment touchscreens come in at 8-or 14 inches, depending on trim level, and run Toyota's latest multimedia system that are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.
The centrally located infotainment screen is brightly lit and easy to understand while physical controls make climate and four-wheel drive functions simple to use. The 2024 Tacoma has new cameras for towing and backing up, all displayed on the new touchscreen.
Wireless charging is available. A new USB-C data and charging port is located on the right side of the central screen while others are available for passengers front and rear.
A 7-inch digital instrument cluster is standard, a 12.3-inch screen is available.
The interior of the Tacoma is quieter than the last one from the second the doors are closed. Things stay quiet while on the road, with Toyota adding more sound insulation in this generation, in addition to a new coil spring suspension in the rear. Even with the bigger tires and the new turbocharged engine working, this new cabin is noticeably quieter than last year's Tacoma.
In-cabin materials are softer and better in this generation too, and some of the surfaces now get textures that make them more interesting to look at and feel.
Top-tier Tacoma TRD models have a new seating technology that integrates shock absorbers into the seatbacks to isolate the driver from the high-speed bumps and jumps the truck is made to tackle.
On the Pacific Coast Highway the Tacoma Limited sailed along smoothly and quietly thanks in large part to its adaptive suspension. It's one of three suspension offerings available for 2024. The most comfortable drive mode, Comfort, puts Taco firmly into modern midsize truck territory in terms of on-road refinement, for the first time.
Even in the sportier modes the new-generation Tacoma feels more controlled when unloaded over choppy blacktop and mountain curves than the last one did. When towing, it has a maximum capacity of 6,500 pounds.
All Toyota had to do was not screw the new fourth-generation Tacoma up. But that's no small job. It chiseled away, cleaned up and polished its already good looks. It added more to its already extensive set of off-road hardware. It modernized the engine choices and added safety features like lane tracing and adaptive cruise control.
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But certainly, the most important improvements are on the inside. Full-size trucks are like luxury cars now and mid-size trucks are following in their footsteps with leather trim, heated seats and new technology. A Tacoma that feels old on the inside is no better than one that feels old underneath in the suspension and powertrain.
The Toyota Tacoma arrives at dealerships in December with a starting price of $31,500 before destination and handling.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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