2024 Toyota Tacoma Road Test and Review

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road ・ Photo by Brady Holt

The Toyota Tacoma was a throwback, and that’s just how some owners liked it. This mid-size pickup truck got its last comprehensive overhaul in 2016, and even that was just refreshing bones that went all the way back to 2005. 

For 2024, the Tacoma got its first complete redesign in nearly two decades. Toyota faced competing priorities – maintain the Tacoma’s rough character, but also modernize the pickup to compete with newer trucks. We just spent a week testing the redesigned 2024 Toyota Tacoma in its midlevel TRD Off-Road trim to explore how it stacks up on both fronts. Keep reading as we explore the new Tacoma’s pros and cons to see if it’s the right small truck for you. 

Wide Model Range

The Tacoma has a broader model range than other mid-size pickups. It starts at $31,500 for the base SR with two seats, an extended cab, and rear-wheel drive. A four-wheel-drive SR5 four-door crew cab with more power and more amenities starts at $40,400. Our test truck is a TRD Off-Road 4WD crew cab, which starts at $42,900 and rose to $54,829 with options (including power-adjustable leatherette seats, a bigger touchscreen, a moonroof, and a towing package) and the mandatory $1,495 destination charge. These aren’t bargain prices, but other mid-size pickups can also get expensive quickly. Historically, the Tacoma has also held its value uncommonly well, too. 

Other notable trim levels include the resurrected PreRunner (an off-road-ready version of the two-wheel-drive extended-cab model), $38,100; the luxuriously equipped Limited crew cab, $52,100; the extra-capable TRD Pro and Trailhunter, $63,900 and $62,900 respectively. 

As we’ll discuss later, this year introduces a new gas-electric hybrid Tacoma, which promises both better gas mileage and quicker acceleration. It costs about $3,000 to $4,000 more than the standard gas engine on certain trim levels, all of which are four-wheel-drive crew cabs and begin at $46,300 for the TRD Sport Hybrid. The hybrid is standard on the TRD Pro and Trailhunter. 

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Mini-Tundra Style

The Tacoma is the second Toyota pickup to recently go through its first overhaul in ages. The first is the full-size Tundra, redesigned for 2022. The new Tacoma wears the Tundra’s more sharply defined body creases and slim, angular LED taillights. Its face is more similar to older Tacomas than to the Tundra, though. (The new Tacoma also rides on a scaled-down version of the Tundra’s frame.) We might have wished for bigger headlights, but that’s a matter of personal taste. 

The different Tacoma models look pretty different. We’re fans of our mid-level TRD Off-Road test vehicle – its front fascia and wheels aren’t as plain as the SR5 or the chromed-up Limited, yet it’s less extreme than the TRD Pro and the extra-wild Trailhunter. And we appreciate that the TRD Off-Road skips the pronounced plastic air dam that hangs below the front bumper on most trim levels. The TRD Pro and Trailhunter deliver a factory-spec cool factor for the right buyer, while others will love the SR’s steel-wheeled simplicity chic. 

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Rugged, Simple Interior

Many modern pickup trucks have luxurious interiors. That makes sense, given their high price tags. But Toyota bet that Tacoma buyers prefer rugged simplicity, and we think it was a reasonable choice. 

The new Tacoma interior looks thoroughly modern, especially if you upgrade from the standard 8-inch infotainment touchscreen to our test vehicle’s big 14-inch unit. It’s no throwback. Nor is it merely a cheap interior; we like the vibe of its hard but solid plastics and grippy rubber surfaces. But it’s like a Jeep Wrangler – even when it crests $50,000 or even $60,000, this interior won’t feel fancy. 

We do appreciate its simple controls – physical buttons and big knobs. Toyota’s infotainment system isn’t our favorite; especially on the big screen, most of the space is wasted. Rather than displaying multiple pieces of information side by side, you have to navigate through different menus. On the other hand, technophobes may appreciate its big labels and fonts. It’s basically the small screen rendered in a bigger size.  

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Comfortable Front Seats

The old Toyota Tacoma wasn’t the most comfortable truck for tall people. Even after Toyota let you start adjusting the driver’s seat height a few years ago, there just wasn’t much space between the floor and the ceiling. The new model is more accommodating. You can sit higher without crowding your head against the roof. 

The rear seat remains on the small side even for a mid-size truck, though. Adults can wedge in better than before, but not as comfortably as in a Ford Ranger or even Chevrolet Colorado. And we had to move the driver’s seat uncomfortably forward to fit a forward-facing child seat in the back, to say nothing of a rear-facing unit. You can either fold down the rear seatback or flip up the seat cushion to carry cargo in the cab instead of passengers. 

Unlike most of its competitors, the Tacoma continues to offer a choice of body styles. In addition to the best-selling crew cab with four full-size doors, which Toyota calls a Double Cab, you can get an extended-cab “XtraCab” model. The Tacoma XtraCab doesn’t even pretend to have a backseat; it has only a bit of storage behind the front seats. 

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Haul up to 1,710 Pounds

The new Tacoma can handle a respectable payload of up to 1,710 pounds, depending on the trim level and body style. That’s not the highest of any mid-size pickup, but it’s among the best. And while you could get up to 1,685 pounds on the previous-generation Tacoma, that was only on a base-model two-door truck. The most popular four-door four-wheel-drive Double Cab is the version with the max payload these days – a combination that could handle a mere 1,355 pounds last year. (Payload still varies by trim level.) 

Another handy thing for Tacoma hauling is its available 6-foot-long bed, an option you can’t get on the Colorado or Ranger. You can option it on select trim levels with Double Cab, and it’s standard on the XtraCab. Our test truck has a 5-foot bed, the typical size for this class. 

Towing is less remarkable. The mightiest Tacoma can pull 6,500 pounds, which is a decent-sized trailer but a lower capacity than its peers. It’s also a slight drop from last year’s maximum of 6,700 pounds. 

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Fewer Cylinders, More Power

One of the new Tacoma’s biggest changes is under the hood. Toyota swapped out its proven but aging naturally aspirated four-cylinder and V6 engines. Now, every Tacoma now has a version of a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder. This “i-Force” engine is tuned for 228 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque on the Tacoma SR, while higher trim levels get 278 hp and 317 lb-ft. That’s a big jump from last year’s Tacomas: a 2.7-liter four-cylinder with 158 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque, and a 3.5-liter V6 with 278 hp and 265 lb-ft. 

Between the extra output and the snappy new eight-speed automatic transmission, the Tacoma accelerates with a newfound vigor. (A six-speed manual remains available on some trim levels, the last stick-shift pickup in the U.S.) Some competitors are quicker still, but the Tacoma finally avoids feeling strained. We liked our test truck’s hearty roar, though some critics have wished for a smoother engine note. 

Another new Tacoma option is a gas-electric hybrid, also based on the 2.7-liter turbo. This “i-Force Max” powertrain isn’t here on a fuel-sipping mission. It’s here for maximum speed: 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. And yet it does also improve fuel economy, with EPA ratings of 23 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg combined, which is excellent for a pickup. Gas-only Tacomas get 20 to 23 mpg combined, depending on the configuration. Our gas-only 4WD test truck – estimated at 19 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined – averaged 22 mpg during our weeklong test. 

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Improved Ride and Handling, Too

The old Tacoma was a rough, bouncy truck that rocked on its springs even when you braked gently to a stop. The new one still isn’t a luxury vehicle, but it rides and handles better than before. Even with the expectedly low handling limits and bouncy ride, the new Tacoma feels more cohesive than before. Even in TRD Off-Road form, our test truck felt easy and natural to drive – more so than, say, a Nissan Frontier. Most trim levels receive a new multilink rear suspension instead of the old leaf springs.

The Tacoma is also an off-road champ, especially in upper trim levels. The TRD Pro and Trailhunter have wider tracks and upgraded suspensions, optimized (respectively) for blasting through the desert and crawling over rocks. Even the less-extreme TRD Off-Road like our test vehicle is pretty capable, with a locking rear differential, skid plate, upgraded off-road suspension, and higher ground clearance. 

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Tacoma vs. the Competition

The Tacoma tends to cost more than the competing Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, and Nissan Frontier. And as we mentioned, it tends to lag the Ford and Chevy for towing, payload, and cabin space. 

On the other hand, the Toyota is the fuel economy winner, especially with the class-exclusive hybrid. And like the Frontier, it has a vibe of simple honesty – more rugged than flashy, especially on its dashboard. What’s more, the Tacoma has the biggest range of body styles, trim levels, and bed lengths. For example, it doesn’t matter if a Ranger can carry a few pounds more than a Tacoma if you can’t fit everything in the Ford’s 5-foot bed. 

2024 Ford Ranger XLT ・ Photo by Brady Holt

New and Improved

The redesigned 2024 Toyota Tacoma addresses some of the old model’s biggest weak points. It drives better, it gets better gas mileage, and it’s more comfortable and functional inside. 

All the while, the modernization doesn’t cost the Tacoma its character. It’s not slick and anonymous like many versions of the Ranger and Colorado, and it’s more advanced and easier to drive than the authentically ancient Frontier. Competitors do have various advantages over the Tacoma, but the new model is a significant improvement in key ways. 

2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road ・ Photo by Brady Holt