Photo: Toyota / edited
There was a time when all trucks available in the United States came as single cabs. But for the past 20 years or thereabout, rising demand for the family-sized crew cab squeezed out smaller cabin styles. Toyota, for example, stopped making the regular-cabbed Tacoma after the 2014 model year. A decade later, the mid-size truck soldiers on with either rear half doors for the Access Cab or full-size rear doors for the Double Cab.
To be revealed in full on May 19, the 2024 model year Tacoma has been recently teased in the aforementioned styles. Not only does it come as a bit of a surprise given the Access Cab's abysmal take-up rate over the Double Cab, but it's a reason to celebrate as well. Due to its all-new underpinnings, the mid-size truck will be marginally costlier than ever. The Access Cab is meant to keep the starting price within the reach of many potential customers in the market for a simple pickup.
Originally expected to premiere ahead of the New York International Auto Show on April 4, the fourth-generation Tacoma has a lot weighing on its broad shoulders. On the one hand, Toyota needs to get it right from the outset for the Tacoma to retain its status as the most popular mid-size pickup in the United States of America. But more importantly, the Japanese automaker has to make sure that the first year of production isn't as riddled with issues as the 2022-present Tundra was.
Speaking of the Tundra, the lesser sibling will use a shortened version of the TNGA-F platform employed in the full-size truck. TNGA-F stands for Toyota New Generation Architecture – Frame, a fully-boxed frame mounted on hydraulic mounts for improved comfort.
High-strength steel for the chassis is complemented by plenty of aluminum in key areas to reduce weight. As for the bed, both the extended- and crew-cabbed Tundra feature composite beds reinforced with aluminum.
Toyota started teasing the 2024 model on April 4, when it confirmed the i-FORCE MAX powertrain in the TRD Pro. We're not sure if the hybrid setup in question includes a 3.4-liter V6 of the twin-turbo variety, though. We're not sure if the base powerplant comes in the form of a 2.4-liter I4 of the single-turbo variety either. On the upside, Toyota did confirm three pedals. The hybrid powertrain clearly isn't compatible with a manual transmission, leaving the turbocharged 2.4 as the only possible candidate.
The next-generation Tacoma is available with a JBL removable speaker, which may seem a little bit gimmicky. Because it actually is, as was the case with the Gladiator when Jeep confirmed the availability of a Bluetooth speaker. Something that is anything but gimmicky is the introduction of a never-before-seen trim level in the form of the Trailhunter, and off-road specification that flaunts an ARB steel rear bumper.
Believed to compete against the likes of the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss and Ford Ranger Tremor, the Trailhunter is understandably positioned below the TRD Pro. There's also a case to be made for a luxury-oriented variant à la Tundra Capstone. The Tacoma Capstone would be a unique proposition in the mid-size truck segment, although many prospective customers will surely be put off by its relatively high sticker price.
Originally expected to premiere ahead of the New York International Auto Show on April 4, the fourth-generation Tacoma has a lot weighing on its broad shoulders. On the one hand, Toyota needs to get it right from the outset for the Tacoma to retain its status as the most popular mid-size pickup in the United States of America. But more importantly, the Japanese automaker has to make sure that the first year of production isn't as riddled with issues as the 2022-present Tundra was.
Speaking of the Tundra, the lesser sibling will use a shortened version of the TNGA-F platform employed in the full-size truck. TNGA-F stands for Toyota New Generation Architecture – Frame, a fully-boxed frame mounted on hydraulic mounts for improved comfort.
High-strength steel for the chassis is complemented by plenty of aluminum in key areas to reduce weight. As for the bed, both the extended- and crew-cabbed Tundra feature composite beds reinforced with aluminum.
Toyota started teasing the 2024 model on April 4, when it confirmed the i-FORCE MAX powertrain in the TRD Pro. We're not sure if the hybrid setup in question includes a 3.4-liter V6 of the twin-turbo variety, though. We're not sure if the base powerplant comes in the form of a 2.4-liter I4 of the single-turbo variety either. On the upside, Toyota did confirm three pedals. The hybrid powertrain clearly isn't compatible with a manual transmission, leaving the turbocharged 2.4 as the only possible candidate.
The next-generation Tacoma is available with a JBL removable speaker, which may seem a little bit gimmicky. Because it actually is, as was the case with the Gladiator when Jeep confirmed the availability of a Bluetooth speaker. Something that is anything but gimmicky is the introduction of a never-before-seen trim level in the form of the Trailhunter, and off-road specification that flaunts an ARB steel rear bumper.
Believed to compete against the likes of the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss and Ford Ranger Tremor, the Trailhunter is understandably positioned below the TRD Pro. There's also a case to be made for a luxury-oriented variant à la Tundra Capstone. The Tacoma Capstone would be a unique proposition in the mid-size truck segment, although many prospective customers will surely be put off by its relatively high sticker price.
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