Toyota Rebuilt the Tacoma and Made It Thirstier
The 2024 Tacoma ditched its old V6 for a turbo four-cylinder. Real-world fuel economy, first-year ownership costs, and who should actually buy one.
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After two decades of selling essentially the same truck, Toyota tore the Tacoma down and rebuilt it. New platform. New engine. New interior. The result is a better truck in almost every measurable way, except the one that gets quoted most often at gas stations. The 2024 Tacoma's new turbocharged four-cylinder gets worse fuel economy than the V6 it replaced. That is not a typo.
That tension sits at the center of this truck's story. It is worth understanding before you spend $35,000 or more.
What This Truck Actually Is, and Who It Is For
The Tacoma is a midsize pickup truck. It has been the best-selling midsize truck in America for decades, and Toyota knows it. That market position gives them confidence to charge more than competitors and still move inventory.
This truck is genuinely for people who need a pickup for light to moderate off-road use, towing under 6,500 pounds, and hauling gear in an open bed. It holds its resale value better than almost anything else in the segment, which matters if you plan to sell it in four or five years.
It is not for people who drive mostly highway miles and want efficiency. It is not for buyers who prioritize a quiet, car-like cabin. And it is probably not for anyone shopping purely on value per dollar, because the Tacoma asks a premium that requires some loyalty or a specific use case to justify.
The Engine Change Nobody Asked For (But Toyota Made Anyway)
The outgoing Tacoma used a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 278 horsepower. The 2024 model replaces it with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 228 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque. On paper, the torque number looks competitive. In practice, the EPA numbers tell a harder story.
The 2024 Tacoma with the standard 2.4-liter turbo and four-wheel drive is rated at 15 city, 19 highway, 17 combined mpg. The old V6 4WD Tacoma managed 17 city, 22 highway, 19 combined. That is a step backward.
Toyota also offers a hybrid version called the i-FORCE MAX. It pairs the same 2.4-liter turbo with an electric motor for a combined 326 horsepower. The hybrid does much better: 23 city, 24 highway, 23 combined for the 4WD version. That hybrid powertrain is available on higher trims and adds roughly $3,000 to $4,000 to the price.
If fuel costs matter to you, the hybrid is the obvious choice. At 15,000 miles per year and $3.50 per gallon, the standard engine costs about $3,088 annually in fuel. The hybrid drops that to roughly $2,283. That is about $800 saved each year.
Trim Levels and What You Are Actually Paying For
Toyota offers the Tacoma in six main trims. Prices below are base MSRP before destination charges, which run about $1,595. You can configure your own on Toyota's build page.
| Trim | MSRP | What You Actually Get |
|---|---|---|
| SR | $33,500 | Basic cloth interior, 7-inch touchscreen, no Apple CarPlay on base trim |
| SR5 | $36,600 | Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, upgraded 8-inch screen, rear camera standard |
| TRD Sport | $41,000 | Fox shocks, sportier styling, 8-inch screen, available i-FORCE MAX hybrid |
| TRD Off-Road | $42,500 | Locking rear diff, crawl control, multi-terrain select, serious trail hardware |
| Limited | $46,000 | Leather seats, 14-inch touchscreen, JBL audio, premium interior materials |
| TRD Pro | $60,000+ | Fox internal bypass shocks, standard i-FORCE MAX hybrid, most capable from the factory |
The SR is mostly a fleet or commercial truck. Most private buyers land on the SR5 or TRD Off-Road. The TRD Pro sticker is approaching full-size truck territory, which is a fair critique.
Where the Interior Finally Stops Being Embarrassing
For years, Tacoma owners defended a cabin that belonged in 2009. Scratchy plastics, a cramped layout, a tiny screen. Toyota finally fixed it.
The 2024 interior is a genuine improvement. The available 14-inch touchscreen on the Limited trim is large and responsive. Even the base 8-inch screen runs Toyota's newer software, which is less confusing than what came before. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come on most trims.
Front seat comfort improved noticeably. The dashboard design is clean without being sterile. Storage is thoughtful, with a large center console and door pockets that actually hold things.
The back seat in the Double Cab is still tight for adults on long trips. That is a segment-wide problem, not unique to Toyota, but it is worth knowing before you promise anyone a comfortable rear seat.
What Toyota Got Wrong for the Money
The base SR trim ships without Apple CarPlay. In 2024, on a $33,500 truck, that is not acceptable. You have to step up to the SR5 to get wireless connectivity that every $25,000 car in America now offers as standard.
Rear seat legroom is still inadequate in the Double Cab if your buyers are adults. The Crew Max body style fixes this, but it costs more and reduces bed length.
The standard engine fuel economy regression is a real problem that Toyota has not adequately explained. If you buy the non-hybrid Tacoma and drive 20,000 miles a year, you will notice the difference from the old V6 at every fill-up.
And the TRD Pro at $60,000 is hard to defend. A Ram 1500 with serious off-road credentials and a far more comfortable interior can be had for similar or less money. The Tacoma name and resale value are doing a lot of work at that price point.
Safety Ratings: Check Back Later
As of this writing, the 2024 Tacoma has not received full NHTSA crash test ratings. You can monitor updates directly at nhtsa.gov. The IIHS has also not published a complete evaluation for the 2024 model year at iihs.org.
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 comes standard across all trims. That includes pre-collision warning with automatic braking, lane departure alert, radar cruise control, and automatic high beams. The technology suite is strong. The independent crash test results are simply not in yet.
Buying any new generation vehicle before safety ratings publish is a calculated risk. Most buyers accept it. You should at least know you are accepting it.
What It Costs to Own in Year One
Using the TRD Off-Road 4WD at roughly $42,500 as the mid-level benchmark:
Depreciation: New vehicles typically lose 15 to 22 percent of their value in the first year. Tacomas depreciate more slowly than most trucks, so expect the lower end of that range, closer to 15 percent. On a $44,000 out-the-door price, that is roughly $6,600 in lost value.
Fuel: At 15,000 miles per year, 17 mpg combined (standard engine), and $3.50 per gallon: approximately $3,088.
Insurance: Expect $1,800 to $2,800 annually depending on your location, driving record, and coverage level. Trucks generally sit in the middle of the insurance range. The Tacoma is not cheap to insure, but it is not a sports car either.
First service: Toyota recommends the first oil change at 10,000 miles under normal driving conditions. Synthetic oil service runs $80 to $130 at a dealer. The first year is otherwise light on scheduled maintenance.
Rough year-one total: $12,500 to $14,500, not counting your loan payment or registration fees. That number is real ownership cost, not just the monthly payment Toyota's website wants to show you.
Against the Competition
Ford Ranger: The 2024 Ranger has a more powerful standard engine and a quieter highway ride. The Tacoma wins on resale value and long-term reliability reputation. The Ranger wins on refinement and outright power for the money.
Chevrolet Colorado: The Colorado ZR2 is arguably better off-road than anything Tacoma offers outside the TRD Pro, and it costs less. The Tacoma wins in resale and parts availability over a 10-year horizon. The Colorado wins if you want maximum off-road hardware per dollar spent.
Ford Maverick: Not a direct competitor in size, but worth mentioning for city buyers. The Maverick hybrid gets 42 mpg city, starts under $25,000, and fits in a normal parking garage. If you do not actually need a midsize truck's capability, the Maverick makes the Tacoma look like a lot of truck for a lot of money.
Who Should Buy This and Who Should Walk
Buy the 2024 Tacoma if you plan to keep it for eight or more years, use it for genuine off-road or towing work, and want the confidence that comes with Toyota's reliability record and parts network. Get the i-FORCE MAX hybrid if fuel costs matter. The TRD Off-Road is the sweet spot in the lineup.
Skip it if you drive mostly highways and care about fuel costs. Skip it if you want a refined daily driver and light-duty hauler, because the Ranger or even a well-equipped Honda Ridgeline will serve you better with more comfort. Skip the TRD Pro almost unconditionally unless you are buying used at a discount, because $60,000 for a midsize truck is a hard number to justify.
The Tacoma earned its reputation over twenty years. This new generation is a real improvement. But it still asks you to pay a name-recognition premium, and the fuel economy regression on the standard engine is a genuine flaw that Toyota should own rather than paper over with marketing about torque curves.
Go in with clear eyes. This is a good truck. It is not a perfect one.
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