2024 Toyota Tacoma Review
2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad
Price as tested: $54,829
2.4 Liter Turbo 4
278 HP / 317 TQ
MPG as observed: 19 in combined driving
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Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi
The Toyota Tacoma is one of those vehicles that seem to elevate itself from a mere transportation device to something more akin to a mythical beast or possibly more aptly…a fact of existence. Like water is wet, sky is blue and the Tacoma is the most durable and unkillable pickup truck in the world. If there is something that needs to be done…grab a Tacoma (and a Land Cruiser).
There is nothing on earth, other than maybe the Land Cruiser, that can claim that they can survive the gambit from literal open warfare (seriously…check out @toyotasofwar on IG) to North Pole expeditions…nothing.
“It just… does and will keep ‘doing’ until the Earth stops spinning. ”
Now, unlike other vehicles, there is not just a single ‘golden year’ for the Tacoma. It’s every single generation! Every new generation just adds to the legend that is the Tacoma nameplate.
So to say, the pressure was on Toyota not to massively screwup this new generation is a bit of an understatement.
…and you know what?
This new Tacoma is everything a new Tacoma should be and nothing it shouldn’t be! It launches the Tacoma into modernity without letting current fads get in the way.
Let’s go ahead and break it down:
The Great
Engine: The 2.4 liter iForce powerplant is a torque monster. Producing 52 ft/lb more torque than the old and tired V6 and delivering equal MPG to boot….this new engine is a welcome change. If anyone who argues different, clearly never tried to merge on the highway with the last generation’s V6, which required a downhill slope, gale force winds at your back and divine intervention to pass anyone! Seriously, the last generation’s engine felt strained just running around town..whereas this new powerplant just effortlessly glides on a wave of torque.
Transmission: Without hesistation, this is the best programmed transmission in all of truckdom. It’s smooth when it needs to be and when the opportunity calls for it…it downshifts to the absolute PERFECT point in the powerband to take advantage of that juicy torque.
Looks: Aggressive, mean and just effing spectacular.
The Good
Interior: It’s simplicity at it’s best. A shifter is a shifter, not just electronic doohickey that requires the macrena to engage reverse, A steering wheel is a wheel, not a yoke or festooned with touchpanels…it’s a wheel you use to turn.
Buttons: Eschewing the new fangled ‘let’s slap a screen on everythang’ fad, the Tacoma is a refreshingly easy to use. There is a knob and button for everything you adjust on a daily basis. In other words, the seat heater controls are a button, it’s not shoved under 15 layers of UI.
Brakes: The best feeling brakes in it’s class. The pedal response is immediate and grippy….just the way I like it.
The Bad
Ride Quality: Could be either a combination of the tires or the suspension but our tester’s ride was just jiggly. Over anytype of road imperfection or pebble.
The Ugly
Price: If you’re trying to compare the new Tacoma to either the Colorado or the Frontier…brace thyself. This is one expensive Taco. The base starting price for either the Colorado or the Frontier is thousands less..like $4700 less for the Chevy and $3000 less for the Nissan.
Overall
The best Tacoma ever made makes the case for the best midsize pickup truck on the market today.
