Although the Toyota Tacoma has been the most popular midsize truck in the market for years, it’s never been built to reach the power of other trucks. Now it is.

For years, the Taco truck has had to watch as the Ford Ranger and Chevy Colorado outdid it in terms of power and capability. The only solace for this midsize Toyota was the top-level sales figures it boasted annually. The new 2024 Toyota Tacoma brings sharp looks, impressive powertrains, and more options than anything you’ll find from Ford or GM.

What are some of the pros and cons of the new Tacoma?

Pros

This new Toyota pickup continues to offer a wide range of body styles and trims, making it easy to find a truck that fits almost every driver. The tech is upgraded, and a new coil-spring suspension makes it smoother on the road.

Cons

Unfortunately, the Tacoma still doesn’t haul as heavy a load as other trucks in its class. The off-road models are extremely pricy, and fuel mileage improvements are negligible at best.

Overall, this new Tacoma is much better than before and has the chops to take on the competition and come out ahead in many areas, not just sales figures.

What’s new for this Toyota pickup?

The new 2024 Toyota Tacoma boasts modern, aggressive design cues and a full redesign to enter the fourth generation for this truck. The TNGA-F platform underpins this pickup, giving it improved stability and strength on the trails or at the job site. The new Tacoma has:

• Updated powertrains
• Modern features
• More trim levels

These improvements make the new Tacoma a more desirable truck than ever before.

One engine delivers three levels of power

Every Tacoma has a 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. It seems Toyota is taking a page out of GM’s book for midsize trucks. The base engine returns 228 horsepower and is only used for the SR model. Once you take a step up, you’ll reach the i-Force version with 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. Above this, you will find the hybrid i-Force Max powertrain, which offers an incredible 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque.

The i-Force Max powertrain comes standard for the new Trailhunter and TRD Pro trims, giving these tip trims the most powerful system available. For other Tacoma trims, the i-Ford Max hybrid powertrain is optional.

How much can this midsize truck tow?

The middle engine power level is the most capable in terms of towing and payload. A 2024 Toyota Tacoma with the i-Force powertrain can pull up to 6,500 pounds and carry a payload of 1,705 pounds.

The i-Force Max hybrid powertrain can tow up to 6,000 pounds but carries a little more at 1,709 pounds of payload. These figures are relatively competitive in the midsize truck market but don’t reach the 7,700 pounds of towing power offered by the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.

Better fuel mileage was expected

The Tacoma enters its fourth generation with modern powertrains, which brought an expectation of improved fuel mileage. While the fuel economy is slightly better, the previous V6 models reached 22 mpg combined. The new Tacoma with RWD reaches 21 city/26 hwy mpg, but that’s not an impressive difference compared to the deleted powertrains.

The EPA hasn’t rated the i-Force Max powertrain yet, but it’s unlikely to return better figures, considering this powertrain is made for power and not efficiency.

Interior improvements for the Tacoma

The new 2024 Toyota Tacoma features a redesigned cabin that makes it more stylish and sporty while improving comfort. The dashboard materials are much better, adding high-resolution screens and traditional switchgear. Most models have a 7.0-linch digital gauge cluster, but the TRD Off-Road trim takes things up a notch with a 12.3-inch screen. At the Limited trim and above, you’ll find a head-up display offering desired readings for your information.

Once you reach the Limited trim, you’ll find heated and cooled front seats to add the comfort features you want to enjoy. All versions also have a raised seating position and more headroom, which means a much better driving position in this new Tacoma.

The new 2024 Toyota Tacoma has a lot to offer and comes much closer to competing directly with other midsize trucks for the top spot in the market. This new Taco truck is ready to deliver the goods with several trims, cab, and power options that can make it easy to find the right truck for every adventure.

Will you drive this new 2024 Toyota Tacoma?