When the Toyota Tacoma was introduced in 1995, it was the replacement for the HiLux or better known here in the US market as just the Toyota Pickup truck. Over the generations, Toyota's smallest truck has evolved - it's hardly little anymore, having grown and matured in its years.
2024 was the year of the all-new Tacoma, replacing the generation that had been around since 2016. This new Tacoma got an all-new chassis, suspension and drivetrain. In fact, this fourth-generation Tacoma is the first ground-up redesign since 2005. Despite being a few years old now, today's Tacoma still gets its share of attention and looks.
The exterior design of the Tacoma is chunky and mean looking, but attractive with styling bits and pieces borrowed from its big brother, the Toyota Tundra. It is a little larger than the previous Tacoma, due to wider fender flares and a slightly longer wheelbase and it is available as either an extended cab, which Toyota calls the XtraCab or a crew cab (Double Cab). As before, the Double Cab comes with either a 5- or 6-foot bed.
Under the hood, Toyota's 2.4-liter turbocharged engine is making a name for itself. Replacing the durable and reliable 4.0 V6, the turbo four is available in four different configurations, depending on trim level and transmission type. And about those trim levels, well, there are eight of them, and they each really define the characteristics of the Tacoma
The base Tacoma is the SR. Meant as a simple work truck, it arrives making 228 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard but four-wheel drive is optional. The SR5, a nice step up from the SR, the TRD PreRunner, a desert version of the Tacoma, the TRD Sport, the sporty model, the TRD Off-Road and luxurious Limited get a more powerful version of this engine, coming in at 278 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque when paired with the eight-speed automatic. A six-speed manual transmission (yes! one can still be had) is offered with this engine, but power drops to 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Optional on the TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road and Limited is Toyota's i-Force Max. Using an electric motor with the turbocharged engine, this hybrid setup makes 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. It is standard on the Tacoma TRD Pro and top-of-the-line Trailhunter.
Pricing for the Tacoma SR starts at $35,950 and can approach $70,000. The tester, a Trailhunter, has an MSRP of $68,784.
As the Trailhunter, the Tacoma takes on the persona of the ultimate off-roader. Sure, we are all familiar with TRD, Off-Road, and Pro, which add bits and pieces to make the Tacoma a better off-road vehicle. The Trailhunter, on the other hand, looks like a cross between a big toy and an overland vehicle. Think Rambo went Tacoma shopping. Compared to other Tacoma's, the Trailhunter has a high-mount air snorkel intake system running up the passenger-side A-pillar, 18-inch bronze alloy wheels, an ARB modular bed utility rack and lots of auxiliary lights. What you may not see are the skid plates, ARB Old Man Emu suspension dampers, underbody armor, and an off-road exhaust that puts the muffler and tailpipe just ahead of the rear axle, underneath the truck's bed.
The Trailhunter comes only as a double cab, and inside that cab is a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster (standard on TRD Off-Road models and up - others get a 7.0-inch cluster) and a 14.0-inch center screen. A heads-up display, an upgraded stereo with a removeable JBL FLEX portable Bluetooth speaker and heated and cooled seats round out the notable interior options.
The interior is rugged-looking with big knobs and a thick shifter, all giving in to a big-truck atmosphere. The front seats benefit from a raised seating position and there is plenty of headroom. The rear seats aren't especially roomy, but I find that to be the case with most trucks in this segment.
On the road, the Tacoma Trailhunter feels very large from the driver's seat. This may be an optical illusion caused by the upward-bulging hood, but it takes some getting used to. Once over the size, the Trailhunter's bold styling and capable features make you feel very confident driving it. And that air snorkel, as it feeds air into the boosted engine, sounds so cool.
I haven't taken the Trailhunter off-road where it belongs, but in the concrete jungle, it sure feels as much at home as if it were on an expedition. While no rocket ship, the power and torque the i-Force Max offers is plenty enough, with the ability to hit 60 mph in about 7 seconds. The tricked-out suspension and huge tires have no problem taking on the bumps, ruts and obstacles thrown at it.
If the Trailhunter looks are a bit much for your taste but you still want some impressive off-road manners, the TRD Off-Road or the TRD Pro may better suit your style.
Toyota trucks have always been known to be tough and reliable. And for a while the Tacoma was the only entry in the mid-size truck market. Today, with the likes of the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon twins, the Ford Ranger, as well as the Nissan Frontier, there are choices for mid-size truck buyers. But leading the pack continues to be the Toyota Tacoma, and the Trailhunter shows just how extreme the Tacoma can be.