While the 2024 Toyota Tacoma has yet to make its official debut (May 19), someone was able to do a bit of code deep inside the Toyota website over the weekend and managed to reveal a photo of the highly-anticipated pickup. If the photos are proven true, then this is the most revealing leak yet of the upcoming midsize pickup, giving us a glimpse of what it looks like way before it’s officially revealed. Lets take a closer look and try to decipher and break down this leak.
If The Tundra And Tacoma Had A Baby...
The photo, which has now been posted on Tacoma4G.com, reveals the front three-quarter view of the new Toyota Tacoma while having fun in the dirt. Clearly, it’s a far more modern and sleeker design than its predecessor, combining design elements from the Tundra as well as the outgoing Tacoma. There are LED headlights that sit on top of vertical air vents (whether it's real or not is still unknown) and an octagonal wide grille. In this particular trim we're seeing, the Tacoma also comes with all-terrain tires, underbody protection, blacked-out roof and mirrors, as well as fender flares.
The leaked photos also match the patent images that were leaked earlier along with the plethora of teasers that Toyota has been releasing. Of particular interest is what this variant is, and since the rugged white Tacoma we see here matches the vehicle in the teasers, then what you're seeing here is the TRD Pro variant. There are numerous other variants that will be available, including a new trim that Toyota calls the Trailhunter. This is most likely catered to the camping or what kids nowadays call “overlanding”, so expect accessories such as an awning or even a roof-mounted tent to be equipped in this variant.
Some of the other features we could expect are a host of digital tech such as bigger screens, wireless charging, and get this, removable Bluetooth speakers developed in collaboration with JBL—the latter of which is not an April Fools' joke because this particular feature was already teased by Toyota themselves.
Expect A Manual And A Hybrid Powertrain
As for what will power the 2024 Toyota Tacoma, the Japanese automaker already confirmed the presence of a six-speed manual transmission for those who prefer to row their own gears. What is also confirmed is a hybrid powertrain just like in the Tundra. It is still unknown if it will use the same 3.5-liter turbo V-6 electrified gas mill of its bigger brother that produces 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, or if it will indeed use it but detuned slightly for the smaller and lighter Tacoma. Heck, Toyota might even create a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain altogether.
The TRD Pro Will Be The Tacoma For Enthusiasts
Splurging for the Tacoma TRD Pro will also land you a few upgraded chassis components, one of which is the option for Fox QS3 shocks helping the truck survive all the mudslinging you’ll probably (and hopefully) throw at it as opposed to simply using this as a grocery getter. The new Tacoma is also expected to migrate to the new TNGA-F platform that the Tundra, Sequoia, and Land Cruiser all utilize, bringing with it significant changes to how it will drive compared to the outgoing Tacoma.
For instance, a rear coil suspension has been indirectly confirmed from the teaser photos, but whether this is the suspension for all variants is still unknown. Toyota ditched the rear leaf springs in favor of this more sophisticated suspension found in the larger Tundra, so we won't be surprised if this will also be the case for the Tacoma. For the first time, the Tacoma is also finally going to get rear disc brakes. We know that the current Tacoma is more than 10 years old at this point, but we still find it amusing that it took them a while to finally give this pickup proper rear discs.
While this has not been confirmed, we also predict that the manual transmission option that Toyota has been teasing for the Tacoma will be available or even limited to just the TRD Pro. As a vehicle that's meant to cater to off-roading enthusiasts, offering a manual for this particular variant is something we pretty much expect to happen.
Expect The Tacoma Recipe To Remain Similar (Albeit Refined)
While these teasers and leaks showcase a Tacoma that's radically improved in every way, the fundamental recipe will most likely be the same as the outgoing model. Of course, it'll drive significantly better with the new drivetrains, but if there's one thing Toyota won't do, that would be messing with a recipe that has been successful for more than a decade. There's a reason why even if the Tacoma is the automotive equivalent of a Nokia 3310, this pickup still sells by the hundreds of thousands annually. Not everyone wants the flashiest or newest pickup, but what they want is a pickup that will take them down the beaten path in a reliable and durable manner and won't leave them stranded.
But of course, there's only so much loyalty that a car that's more than a decade old can do, and if you want to bring in new customers to the brand as opposed to just attracting the same crowd over and over again, Toyota still needs to improve upon a successful concept without ruining what made the Tacoma so popular in the first place. We won’t have to wait any longer before the 2024 Toyota Tacoma is revealed, which is expected to be on May 19. With these alleged leaks finally showing what the truck looks like, would you pick the Tacoma over the upcoming Ranger and new Colorado?