Demand for midsize pickups is on the rise. They’re popular for recreational users, do-it-yourselfers, and weekend warriors who want a smaller vehicle that can do much of what a full-size pickup can do but are easier to drive and get better fuel efficiency. The Toyota Tacoma has been the best-selling midsize pickup in the U.S. for nearly two decades and should maintain its dominance with a redesigned Tacoma for 2024.
Base Price: $42,900
As Tested: $54,829
Horsepower: 278
Mileage: 19 mpg city/23 mpg highway/21 mpg combined
Toyota introduced the Tacoma for the 1995 model year. It’s now in its fourth generation. The all-new 2024 Tacoma gets a more aggressive look, and new frame, chassis, powertrains, and tech, plus an upgraded cabin. Toyota says it was designed and engineered for the U.S. market.
The 2024 Tacoma comes in a whopping eight trims: SR, SR5, TRD PreRunner, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, Trailhunter and TRD Pro. Starting prices range from $31,500 to $63,900. Rear-wheel drive is standard on the SR, SR5, Prerunner and TRD Sport trims and four-wheel drive is available on all but the Prerunner trim. All of the upper trims come standard with 4WD.
Cab and bed configurations vary by trim. The two-door XtraCab has room for only two passengers, while the four-door Double Cab models have room for five passengers. Unlike other midsize pickups, the Tacoma is available with a 5- or 6-foot bed but not on every trim.
The Tacoma gets Toyota’s TMGA-F global truck platform which is also used on the tundra, Sequoia and the new Land Cruiser.
Several powertrains are available, including a hybrid, and the transmission is either an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual. All of the non-hybrids have a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. In the SR trim, this set up makes 228 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. In other trims, horsepower varies from 270 to 278, and torque is 317 pound-feet with the automatic transmission or 310 pound-feet with the manual.
An i-Force Max 2.4-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain is available on the TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, Trailhunter and TRD Pro. It has an electric motor and a 1.4-kWh nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The hybrid cranks out 323 or 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet.
The standard transmission is an eight-speed automatic. A six-speed manual is available on the SR with 4WD, TRD Sport, and TRD Off-Road Double Cab trims.
Maximum towing capacity for the non-hybrid trims is 6,500 pounds, and 6,000 pounds for the hybrid. This is less than some rivals. Payload capacity is between 1,230 and 1,705 pounds, depending on the trim. Numerous features and tech are available for towing and hauling.
My TRD Pro 4X4 Double Cab test vehicle has the 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 278 hp and 317 pound-feet of torque with the eight-speed automatic. The engine has more power than the outgoing model and is torque, delivering quick acceleration and enough oomph for hauling and towing. The engine can get a bit loud when pressed. The eight-speed shifts smoothly. The suspension does a good job of soaking up all but the largest bumps, making for a mostly smooth ride. There’s a fair amount of body roll when cornering as you’d expect in a body-on-frame vehicle. Overall, the Tacoma handles like a larger SUV.
Fuel economy is average for the class. EPA ratings for my tester are 19 mpg city and 23 mpg highway with a combined rating of 21. I got 20 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving.
For those who want to venture off the beaten path, the Tacoma is available with many off-roading features. In particular, the TRD and Trailhunter trims are ready to tackle the toughest trails. The TRD Off-Road has 11.5 inches of ground clearance. Multi-Terrain Select, which works in both 4WD High and 4WD Low, offers adjustable settings to help control wheel spin on a variety of terrain such as Mud, Dirt and Sand. There’s also a new, significantly quieter CRAWL Control function that acts as a low-speed, off-road cruise control that allows the driver to focus on steering while the system maintains one of five selectable speeds. When traction is extremely challenging, the available electronically activated locking rear differential can help split power 50/50 to the rear wheels. Downhill Assist Control is another off-road feature available and helps the driver navigate descents by limiting the speed of the vehicle. Many available cameras on the TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter let you see potential obstacles on the trail. The Trailhunter trim comes standard with skid plates for the engine, transfer case, fuel tank and rear differential, and they are available on the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro.
The cabin of the redesigned Tacoma is leaps and bounds above the outgoing model. It’s similar to the Tunda, it’s larger sibling. The styling looks modern and rugged with beefy control knobs, and materials are nicer. Front seats are supportive and comfortable, and not so low to the floor – drivers of older Tacomas often complained about feeling like they were sitting on the floor. The backseat in Double Cab models is tight – theoretically three passengers can fit there but let’s hope they’re kids or small adults. My tester has the available ginormous 14-inch infotainment system which dominates the dash.
Standard features include keyless entry on driver’s side, push button start, manual tilt/telescopic steering wheel with phone, audio, display and driver assist controls, seven-inch digital gauge cluster, infotainment system with eight-inch touchscreen, four-speaker audio system, satellite radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, two USB-C ports, voice recognition, four fixed cargo bed tie-down points, and LED headlights, and automatic high-beam headlights.
Available features include keyless entry on all doors, proximity keyless entry, entry using your smartphone as a key, surround-view camera system, trailer backup camera, head-up display, rear-camera mirror, single- or dual-zone automatic climate control, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, infotainment system with 14-inch touchscreen, navigation (with subscription), 10-speaker JBL premium audio speaker with a detachable Bluetooth speaker, wireless device charging, moonroof, and power sliding rear window with privacy glass.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, pedestrian detection, traffic-sign recognition, and Proactive Driving Assist, which uses the vehicle’s camera and radar to provide light braking into curves or gentle braking and/or steering to help support driving tasks such as distance control between your vehicle and a preceding vehicle, pedestrian or bicyclist.
Available driver assistance technologies include blind-spot monitoring, trailer blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and front and rear parking assist with automatic braking.
The standard infotainment system has an eight-inch touchscreen, and a 14-inch touchscreen is available. Either way, graphics look sharp and the system responds quickly to touch and voice commands. However, it takes a bit to become familiar with all of the menus, and it can be cumbersome to get back to the starting screen as there’s no home button. Handy physical controls make it easy to adjust common settings for audio and climate. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is standard on all trims.
The good:
Numerous trims, configurations and powertrains so you can get the Tacoma that best suits you
Some models have excellent off-roading capability
Peppy handling
Attractive, modern interior
Many standard and available features and tech
Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
The not-so-good:
Second row is tight
Can’t tow or haul as much as some rivals
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $42,900. The TRD Off-road Premium Package is $8,800 and includes a 5-foot bed, SofTex-trimmed seats with heated and ventilated eight-way power adjustable front seats, leather-trimmed hated steering wheel, 14-inch multimedia display, multi-terrain monitor, JBL Premium Audio system with JBL Flex portable speaker, moonroof, pre-wired auxiliary switches, AC power inverter, digital rearview mirror, Towing Technology Package including integrated trailer brake controller, power open/close tailgate, and power horizontal rear window. The Stabilizer disconnect Mechanism is $1,230. The bed mat is $200. The ball mount is $70. The mini tie down is $45. The gunmetal tailgate insert is $89. Delivery fee is $1,495 bringing the grand total to $54,829.
Bottom line:
The redesigned 2024 Toyota Tacoma is a solid midsize pickup and a big improvement over the outgoing model. It comes in a dizzying array of configurations with several different powertrains so you can get the truck that’s right for you. Whether you want a pickup for blazing new trails or a “honey do” truck, the Tacoma is a well-rounded offering.
