The All-New 2024 Toyota Tacoma

In a market where redesigns are pretty regular occurrences even for the most popular platforms, the Toyota Tacoma has been remarkably quiet. But perhaps that’s by design.

Making a huge splash for the new year, the completely resigned and revitalized 2024 Toyota Tacoma takes years worth of updates and squeezes them all into a whole new package. This makes the Tacoma redesign one of the few redesigns in memory where you can say “Wow, that’s a massive change!”

One of the most surprising things that the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma has in store is along the lines of what it doesn’t have – and that’s a V6 engine.

Every new Tacoma features a powertrain based around the 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. At the base level, that’s the full story – it produces 228 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque, an adequate work site truck or flexible family pick-up. Moving up to the higher trim levels, this engine gets a turbocharger added on, upping the power to 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque in the i-FORCE powertrain. This engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission standard, but can also get matched with a 6-speed manual transmission, for the truck purists.

At the top of the line, a first for pick-up trucks and the most powerful Tacoma powerplant ever, the i-FORCE MAX combines the turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor in a hybrid powertrain. This brings 326 net horsepower but, more importantly, 465 lb-ft of instantaneous torque for snappy acceleration.

One thing the Toyota Tacoma has always done is provide rough-road prowess across all trims. While rear-wheel drive is standard on lower models, four-wheel drive is available and includes an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case with high/low range and Active Traction Control. Off-road centric trims include an electronic locking rear differential, while the luxurious Limited with full-time four-wheel drive has a center locking differential when equipped with the i-FORCE MAX engine. High approach and departure angles, along with Multi-Terrain Select including CRAWL Control, makes the Tacoma the most off-road ready pick-up on the market. Ivan “Ironman” Stewart would be proud!

The new generation of trucks leans towards the chunky, aggressive, assertive exterior. While the 2024 Toyota Tacoma shows some of this, it does it with a slight nod to the Tacomas of the past. This means a higher lift and a slimmer body than many of the competitors. It still has an incredibly athletic, angular, edgy esthetic outside, from the hexagonal grille and high-mounted LED headlights to side air intakes and integrated spoilers. The Trailhunter and TRD Pro trims take it even further with wildly aggressive fender flares and even sharper sheet metal lines.

Three different interior sizes are available, thanks to the return of the two-door PreRunner. This features the XtraCab configuration, with no second row – just a bit of cargo space. The XtraCab Double Cab and the full Double Cab are offered as well – the former is available on the SR and SR5 with two doors and a tight rear seat to make room for longer beds. The full-sized Double Cab is big enough for full-sized adults to be comfortable in the second row, but sacrifices the long-bed availability.

An improved layout inside the Tacoma comes with a slightly raised cabin, giving passengers a more commanding position. Everything is centered around a standard 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, although an upgraded 14-inch screen is available and looks great! A USB-C data and charging point is included, as are multiple charging ports throughout the cabin. QI-compatible wireless device charging is available, to keep everyones’ phones charged.

Safety

Toyota has always been at the forefront of safety, so it’s not a shock that the 2024 Toyota Tacoma includes the latest Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of driver assistance features. This includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Tracing Assist, Road Sign Assist, Automatic High Beams, and Proactive Driving Assist. This last feature is new to the Safety Sense system, and it provides gentle braking and steering support for tasks like distance control and braking into curves. While all Tacoma models include a rearview camera, a Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert is also available.

Trim Levels

Eight different versions of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma are hitting the market, meaning that there’s something for everyone!

At the entry level of the Tacoma is the SR trim, with a durable cloth interior and all the basic amenities. 17-inch wheels are standard, along with traditional leaf springs. LED lighting and a Smart Key System are standard along with air conditioning for the basic comfort and conveniences. The basic 8-inch multimedia display and stock speaker set-up is provided.

Featuring the iForce variation of the 2.4-liter engine, the SR5 trim adds a bit more power without adding unnecessary features, making it also a good choice as a work truck or simple commuter. It doesn’t have the availability of the manual transmission though. It’s really a simple powertrain upgrade to the SR – it gets the same 8-inch touchscreen, while adding automatic climate control.

A familiar name that’s been missing for year, the TRD PreRunner trim looks back to the late 90s for its blueprint. Guaranteed, if you try and think of a late-90s Tacoma, you’re picturing a TRD PreRunner. Rear-wheel drive but capable on sand and rough roads, it gets a lifted suspension, a locking rear differential, and 17-inch wheels with chunkier all-terrain tires. A six-foot bed is standard, and there are locking storage cubbies in the rear of the cab.

TRD Sport trims break with the usual truck versions with TRD prefixes, as this one is built for the pavement and not the dirt tracks and fields. It gets TRD badging, black 18-inch wheels, a hood scoop, and aluminum pedals inside. This is the trim you can have fun with – traditionalists will love being able to pair the optional i-FORCE MAX hybrid engine with a 6-speed manual transmission. A 8-speaker JBL sound system with removable JBL speaker is available at this level.

So when you want to hit the dirt tracks, the TRD Off-Road trim features Bilstein remote reservoir shocks and multi-terrain select with an off-road-tuned suspension. 17- and 18-inch black TRD wheels are clad in 33-inch tires, and you get standard composite skid plates. It’s essentially the Sport trim for folks who want to be in the dirt.

For the truck owner who isn’t concerned about off-roading, the Limited trim is the top of the trim levels for the Tacoma. 18-inch chrome clad wheels offer a hint outside, and power running boards and a power tailgate make it easy to get in and out, or load and unload. A power moonroof is available to open up the cabin. The 14-inch touchscreen is the centerpiece at this level, while the front seats are heated as well as cooled. The JBL sound system is standard at this level.

All-new for the 2024 Tacoma, the Trailhunter trim is an off-roading beast featuring the latest tricks the TRD would work up. This includes Old Man Emu position-sensitive forged monotube shocks, heavy-duty recovery points, 33-inch R/T tires, a high-clearance trail exhaust tip, and a high mount air intake that runs up the side pillar for river wading. You can’t miss the Trailhunter – the grille is bronze with an integrated 20-inch LED light bar, LED fog lamps, and an available ARB bed rack. The Trailhunter has everything you need for surviving overland excursions as well, with a 2400-watt AC inverter for cabin outlets, and a rear deck with 12V and USB hook-ups. Accessory switches are pre-wired inside for accessories of your choice.

Built for the Baja, the TRD Pro remains the top trim for the Tacoma. It has the go anywhere, and anywhere fast, attitude. Developed in the desert, FOX shocks can be adjusted to three different settings depending on your desired performance, and features similar LED lighting and skid plates to the Trailhunter. It also features the same 33-inch tires, although the Pro gets black flow-formed 18-inch wheels to stick out from the crowd. TRD Pro branding is wrapped around the exterior, which features uniquely aggressive sheet metal. It’s not just built for tackling the sand – it’s also built for comfort, with the brand-new IsoDynamic seat providing optimum driver safety and comfort.