The popular midsized Tacoma has (finally) received a clean-sheet redesign for the 2024 model year, adapting the platform from the latest full-sized Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV, sharing similar suspension design, frame dimensions, and technology. The new pickup truck is an improvement in several ways, but frankly, that isn’t saying much.
Sure, it’s quicker, delivers better fuel economy, has a less awkward driving position, and it’s slightly easier to get in and out of. But it remains a crude truck because of its stiff ride and clumsy handling, and now a coarse-sounding turbocharged four-cylinder engine has been added to the mix.
As such, its road-test score—while an improvement over the outgoing model—is still well below midsized pickup-truck rivals like the Honda Ridgeline, Chevrolet Colorado, and Nissan Frontier.
We bought a Tacoma SR5 Double Cab 4x4 for $46,787—anonymously from an area dealer, as we do with every vehicle we test—for the purpose of this road test review.
Most Tacomas have a 278-horsepower, 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It packs strong midrange torque and gets the truck to 60 mph about a half-second quicker than the outgoing V6 model. But the engine sounds gritty and unrefined, and occasionally bumpy downshifts from the eight-speed automatic transmission further fuel the truck’s lack of refinement. Speaking of fuel, the new Tacoma is slightly more efficient with the turbo four-cylinder. We measured 20 mpg overall in our testing, which is 1-mpg better than the Chevrolet Colorado and the previous-gen Tacoma.
But unlike the Chevy, the Tacoma lacks an automatic four-wheel-drive setting, which means the driver will need to remember to shift the truck into 4WD manually in slippery conditions—and then shift it back into rear-wheel drive when the road clears.
Higher Tacoma trims are available as a 326-hp hybrid—unique among midsized pickup trucks—boasting stronger power and slightly improved fuel economy. Another distinguishing feature of the Tacoma is that the base SR model can still be had as a two-door extended cab with a 6-foot bed, now with a 228-hp version of the new turbo four-cylinder. This makes it a lower-cost configuration well suited for value shoppers and commercial use.
Unlike the Colorado and Ridgeline, which deliver some responsiveness in the handling department, the Tacoma feels clumsy through corners, with slow steering that delivers almost no feedback to the driver about tire grip. At least the stiff suspension keeps the truck from displaying too much body roll. It proved ultimately secure in emergency handling tests at our track, but it showed less cornering capability than competing models.
Toyota equips most versions of the new Tacoma with a coil-spring rear suspension (instead of the leaf springs that come on most body-on-frame pickup trucks) in an attempt to achieve a smoother cruise. We expected a noticeable improvement, but the reality is that, while slightly more comfortable, the ride remains stiff, choppy, and unrefined. The truck jiggles and bucks at every pavement flaw. Of note, the available adaptive suspension on the higher Limited trim does make for a decidedly smoother ride.
We’re happy to see that panic-brake stopping distances have been improved. It stopped in 136 feet from 60 mph on our dry surface, which is similar to other midsized trucks and a notable 10-feet shorter than the last Tacoma we tested.
Both the Tacoma’s 6,400-pound tow rating and 1,200-pound payload capacity trail some rival pickups. At least its off-road ability remains impressive: The truck scaled the challenging Rock Hill at our test track with ease.
The cabin has a rugged look to it, but the quality of the materials is dismal, even for a pickup truck. There are yards of hard plastic, too many uneven panel gaps, and several rough edges. At least the buttons for the heated seats have a high-quality feel to them, and the knurled climate toggle switches look rather unique.
The most improved aspect of the new Tacoma may very well be the driving position. You no longer feel like you’re sitting awkwardly on the floor, thanks to a chair-like perch that’s more natural. The Tacoma driver also benefits from good headroom and knee space. The front seats have ample side bolsters to hold you in place through turns, but bottom cushion support wanes on longer drives. The rear seat in the four-door crew-cab (Toyota refers to it as “Double Cab”) model we tested is tight even by midsized standards, with limited knee room and an uncomfortably upright seatback, although headroom is generous. Access is awkward front or rear due to the truck’s high step-in.
The Tacoma’s cabin benefits from large, glove-friendly buttons and knobs, and most common functions are easy to operate. We appreciate that it has a physical volume knob and a conventional gear selector. The 8-inch infotainment touchscreen offers a clear display with a seemingly simple layout, but the lack of a home screen or split-screen ability forces users to switch back and forth between different features. Some difficulties are offset by the easy-to-use steering wheel controls.
The driver’s instrument screen is also a bit confusing to use. Not only is it cluttered with tiny icons and text, but the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) menu is full of puzzling acronyms.
Active safety and driver assistance
Standard active safety and driver assistance features on the Tacoma include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcycle detection, along with automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Rear occupant alert and rear belt-minder systems also come standard.
The second-tier SR5 we purchased comes with blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning, but they are optional on the base SR trim instead of standard. Toyota’s Proactive Driving Assist system provides light braking and steering assistance when entering turns, and helps for reacting to other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians.