2024 is a big year for the Toyota Tacoma. The best-selling midsize pickup gets its most powerful engine ever in the form of a 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid that also promises better fuel economy, plus the vehicle becomes more hardcore than ever by offering big 33-inch tires on a new overlanding/rock-crawling trim called “Trailhunter” as well as on the TRD Pro. I had a chance to drive the hybrid TRD Pro and Trailhunter, and while they were seriously impressive off-road, I don’t think I’d want either of them over the milder Tacoma TRD Off-Road; here’s why.
I’ve already written a review on the new 2024 Toyota Tacoma, with my headline calling the mid-size pickup “the truck you hoped it would be” thanks to a nice new powertrain, an amazing available manual transmission, a decent interior, improved EPA fuel economy, and more. But earlier this month — as part of a humongous “Toyotathon” event featuring the new 4Runner, the Tacoma, the Land Cruiser, the Camry, and the Crown Signia — I got the chance to drive the hybrid version, with most of my time spent off-roading the new hardcore TRD Pro and Trailhunter. Overall, I was impressed.
[Full Disclosure: Toyota flew me from a wedding in Vancouver to LA, where I hopped into my girlfriend’s Lexus RX350 and drove to Catalina Island, where Toyota put me up for a night and fed me food that I’d never spend my own money on. Not because it was bad, but because it was delicious, and therefore expensive. I’m cheap, which is why I let Toyota pay for all the gas I used driving the new Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and Trailhunter. -DT].
What Are The Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro And Trailhunter Hybrids?
The two most hardcore variants of the Toyota Tacoma, the TRD Pro and Trailhunter, are hybrid-only, meaning they wedge a 48 horsepower electric motor between the same 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four and eight-speed automatic found in non-hybrid Tacos.
That motor is fed by a small 1.87 kWh Nickel-Metal Hydride battery located under the truck’s rear bench. Together, this powertrain is what Toyota calls the i-FORCE MAX, and it cranks out 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque — 48 more ponies and 148 lb-ft more than the non-hybrid 2.4-liter “i-FORCE” Tacoma, which makes 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft.
Depending upon drivetrain and trim level, the standard automatic Taco’s fuel economy ranges between 19 MPG and 21 MPG in the city, between 23 and 26 MPG on the highway, and between 21 and 23 MPG combined. (The stickshift is a bit worse, but the hybrid doesn’t come as a stick, so there’s no point in comparing it).
The hybrid TRD Pro and Trailhunter trucks, Toyota says, will score 22 MPG city, 24 MPG highway, and 23 MPG combined, which doesn’t sound terrible given the bigger tires and larger frontal area.
Let’s talk about the two trucks, beginning with the TRD Pro. The vehicle looks absolutely menacing; seriously, look at the photo at the top of this article and tell me that doesn’t look mean. Part of that has to do with the 33-inch tires, which dwarf the outgoing TRD Pro’s 31s, leading Motor Trend to write: “The 2024 Toyota Tacoma Finally Gets Big Factory Tires.” Part of that is the wider stance. Part of that is the hood bulge. Part of that is the fender flares. Part of that is the wheels.
I could go on and on, but the point is that the TRD Pro Tacoma, at least stylistically, offers an overall package that just works. But it’s not just aesthetics — there’s a locking rear diff, a sway bar disconnect, Fox remote-reservoir three-way adjustable internal bypass shocks, 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory RT tires (similar to aggressive all-terrains), a front lightbar, and rocker panel guards.
The Tacoma Trailhunter is an all-new trim for 2024, and Toyota wants you to think of it as the “Overland Taco,” whereas the TRD is the “Rally Taco.” It features the same 33-inch Goodyear RT tires (I’d call them all-terrains), the same wider track width (much of which comes from the wheel offset), the same suspension lift, the same rear locker, the same ARB-designed steel rear bumper, the same sway bar disconnect, and of course the same powertrain as the TRD Pro, but it swaps the Fox shocks for Old Man Emu “position sensitive 2.5-inch forged monotube shocks with rear external piggyback style remote reservoirs.”
It also adds additional skidplating, and has legitimate rock sliders along the rocker panels that tie into the frame instead of bolting directly to the floor (as on the TRD Pro).
The hood bulge goes away, but there’s a “bed utility bar” out back and a standard high-mounted intake:
The general suspension setups between the two trucks are the same — there’s a double-wishbone independent setup up front and a five-link coil-sprung solid axle out at the rear — all hooked to a new TNGA-F body-on-frame platform shared with the Sequoia, Tundra, Land Cruiser, Lexus GX, and 4Runner. Here’s a look at the TRD Pro’s hardware:
Here’s the Trailhunter:
Neither truck has a fuel tank skidplate, but the tank is tucked reasonably high up between the frame rails, so it’s probably not the end of the world; plus there’s some plastic there to help prevent puncture:
Both the TRD Pro and Trailhunter feature front skidplates:
And the two have a tiny skidplate at the base of the transfer case, though the Trailhunter is the only one of the two with a transmission skidplate (albeit a flimsy one, though it should help):
Here you can see the TRD pro’s exposed transmission oil pan:
While we’re on the topic of protection against the elements, here’s the TRD Pro’s rocker panel guard:
And here’s the Trailhunter’s rock rail setup; notice how the rail is tied into the truck’s main structure (the frame):
It’s worth noting that the underbody protection/rock rails are a key reason why the TRD Pro has a better breakover angle than the Trailhunter. While I don’t have the “Overlanding Taco’s” figures, the TRD Pro’s (sans tow package) are: 33.8-degree approach angle, 23.5-degree breakover angle, 25.7-degree departure angle. Those are all great for the mid-size truck segment.
What Are The Interiors Like?
The new Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro’s interior is Tonka Truck-chunky. The old-school PRNDL shifter has a big handle, the drive mode dial is knurled, and the shapes around the dash and door panels are angular with loud accents. There’s a big physical volume dial between the vents on the center stack just below the 14-inch screen, and just below that are physical switches for climate control and seat heaters. It’s all well laid out and easy to use.
Driving-related functions, especially those having to do with off-roading, are on the center tunnel flanking the shifter.
The Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter’s interior is quite similar to the TRD Pro’s, but not quite as loud. This green-ish, gray-ish interior is absolute fire:
As for the back seats, the TRD Pro comes standard with Toyota’s patented “IsoDynamic Performance Seat,” which the automaker describes thusly:
The IsoDynamic Performance Seat uses an air-over-oil shock absorber system allowing for vertical and lateral seat movement simultaneously to dampen body movement and stabilize the head and neck to keep alignment with the spine.
They’re basically stabilizing seats that should make especially the passenger feel more comfortable/less fatigued/less likely to vomit off-road.
There’s very little legroom in the rear thanks to these seats, and while I’m critiquing second-row comfort, the door opening feels a bit narrow and very high off the ground.
The Tacoma Trailhunter’s rear row does without the IsoDynamic hardware, and is a lot more comfortable for anyone with legs:
What’s It Like To Drive?
Toyota had me drive the Tacoma TRD Pro, the “Rally Taco,” quickly around a mostly-dirt home-built rally course near the California-Mexico border. Here’s what that was like:
The jump, which you can see in the photo at the top of this article, was buttery smooth, with the TRD Pro landing without bottoming out on the jounce bumpers — or if it did, they’ve got those jounce bumpers dialed in. More impressive to me than the air on that jump was the speed with which I was able to pilot the TRD Pro, as the landing strip was littered with medium-size rocks that I could see but not feel.
The rest of the trail beyond the jump, though was mostly a bunch of tight dirt trails that largely highlighted how big the TRD Pro’s turning radius is now thanks to that widened track and also how much that black hood bulge not only jiggles around but also obstructs one’s field of view (though I have to give credit to the front-facing camera, which turned on automatically as I crested hills).
I’d like to take the TRD Pro out to Johnson Valley or some sand dunes to really see if that suspension can compete with the Ford Ranger Raptor; the course that Toyota set up wasn’t quite enough for me to make that assessment.
The Trailhunter’s off-road course was a much slower, more technical one. It wasn’t crazy either, but it tested the truck’s articulation, and showed the value of that sway bar disconnect and the rear locker (which, like the four-wheel drive low-range, took a second to connect. I had to watch the screen waiting for it to kick on).
I actually quite liked the Trailhunter. As shown below, its bulge-less hood meant forward visibility was better than the TRD Pro’s (plus the hood didn’t jiggle as much), articulation was solid, the locking diff and short gearing kept the truck moving confidently, Crawl Control means one never has to touch the accelerator pedal to slowly creep over obstacles, and the better underbody protection (than the TRD Pro’s) meant I could take more challenging lines without worrying.
As you can see, I’m a fan:
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What About On The Street?
I wasn’t able to take the TRD Pro or the Trailhunter on-road, as those vehicles were relegated to off-road courses, but I did drive the new Limited trim, which is a fancy truck that comes with full-time all-wheel drive.
Check out my first Tacoma review to read about ride quality and driving dynamics, as this truck felt largely the same; for this review, I’ll just give a quick assessment of the hybrid powertrain. On the street, the hybrid powertrain didn’t feel like a huge jump in power. Fifty ponies may seem like a lot, but let’s be honest: We’re talking about a 5,000+ pound truck making just 326 horsepower. It’s not fast.
Here’s a look at how much weight the hybrid system adds:
The torque is there, and that’s really what you notice; on tip-in, the vehicle accelerates immediately, and doesn’t require lots of revs. “When equipped with i-FORCE MAX, Tacoma can ascend an 8-percent interstate grade without the need to downshift, making long road trips more pleasant than ever in a Tacoma. Fuel economy estimates for all powertrains will be announced closer to their on-sale dates,” Toyota says in its press release, and I believe it.
The vehicle crawls in EV-only mode at low speeds, and overall the powertrain just feels like a good match for the truck, with waves of torque gently pushing the driver from behind with confidence.
Conclusion
As much as I like the look of the TRD Pro and the Trailhunter, I actually think I’d pass on both of them. First, the TRD Pro is a non-option because of those IsoDynamic seats that render the second row all but useless. There’s no way I’m spending over $60 grand on a truck with this little rear-seat utility:
I like the Trailhunter. I like its bulgeless hood and I like its more thorough underbody protection, but I don’t love the way it looks. I think the air intake and the headache rack are a bit “much,” and though I like that the rock rails tie into the frame, I think they ruin the proportions and give the truck too much visual “heft” from a side view (I prefer the TRD Pro’s rocker guards).
I also don’t like how much less maneuverable these trucks felt over the standard TRD Off-Road Taco, which I will say looks pretty good even with its narrower track and smaller tires:
You can bet the TRD Off-Road Taco will offer significantly better fuel economy, and what’s more: It’s much cheaper. Car and Driver mentions Taco pricing in its recent article, writing:
The TRD Off-Road model appears to be the value play of the lineup, though it is $4800 more than the non-hybrid. With a $48,085 base price, the model comes with 17-inch wheels and adds a composite front skid plate for protection off-road
The top of the lineup is where the real excitement surrounding the Tacoma is. That’s because the performance-focused and hybrid-only Trailhunter and TRD Pro models live at the top. Starting at $64,395 and $65,395 respectively, the Trailhunter and TRD Pro are considerably more expensive than the lower trims in the lineup.
That’s a $16,000 delta, and while the Trailhunter and TRD Pro are undoubtedly more capable off-road, they also come with significant drawbacks, and because of their size, they’re never really going to be elite off-roaders anyway, especially on the rocks. Plus, I find the Tacoma TRD Off-Road to be plenty capable. I drove one while at the event, and after having driven the bigger TRD Pro and Trailhunter, I just felt more at home in the TRD Off-Road. It’d be my pick.
Top photo credit: Jonathan Harper (thank you!)
Midwest viewpoint – “Overlanding” models are mostly show, with little “go”. . .
I’m glad they have this option but wow! Pricy!
Ah the Mythical land bridge to Catalina Island strikes again…. For those of you wondering how you too can drive to Catalina- you drive your car onto the Balboa Island ferry and take it to the FunZone where you hop on the Catalina Flyer……
1: 16k would buy you the best suspension you could imagine on God’s green earth and would run and jump laps around the pro.
2: Who is buying this over a cheaper and likely very much better Ranger Raptor?
I have not seen mention of whether the body is mostly aluminum or steel.
I’m also waiting on the 5000 words about gearing and torque like with the JLU and Bronco. 4:1 TC gears in the Trailhunter would help differentiate it from the TRDOR.
The increased track width coming from wheels and not the control arms is such a huge miss. In my mind, the wider track is all downsides. More stress on the knuckle, decreased turning radius, and harder to navigate between trees. In theory, they already have an assembly line for wider control arms in the new Tundra.
Any specific notes on the isodynamic seats? My take is that no news, in this case, is bad news, and they aren’t worth the lack of rear legroom.
I feel like the back seat of that version is just a weatherproof gear storage location. Making anyone sit there probably violates the Geneva Convention. 😉
They really should have just put the PreRunner gear storage back there. Would have been more useful and more honest.
I learned the hard way to just get the cool parts for off-roading from the factory. I bought a Wrangler Sport because it was $10k less than the Rubicon and thought I would just get the extra stuff as I could. turns out my wife is OK with car payments not OK with coming up with thousands in cash for lockers, lifts and armor. I had the same issue with a motorcycle and accessories for that too.
I would just buy the trailhunter, do not care if the lines are not as nice looking. I would lose that ugly rack that looks right from 1985.
Kinda sounds like a wife problem.
Truly an amateur at wifeing. First you buy her an expensive toy, then you buy yourself an expensive toy. Duh.
Best Taco appears to still be the cheapest used one local to you. These are the only vehicles I would actively tell people to buy the worst option available, it will still probably go another 100,000 miles.
eh, you could say that about any truck. Here in Maine any used Taco is has one foot in a rusty grave.
“326 horsepower. It’s not fast”. I was not expecting that from you, David.
Man, my 454 doesn’t even make CLOSE to 326 HP. How times have changed…
It’s that curb weight. Thing has roughly the same power-to-weight as a base four-door Jeep Wrangler. It’s fine.
16 lbs/hp should still be pretty spritely in a mid size 4×4! Though it seems that if you want to go ‘fast’ in a Tacoma, get the base engine in the 4×2 Xtra Cab – 15 lb/hp. Plus, you can dust your local flat-brim in swimming in debt from financing his $60k TRD Pro at the green light in your strippo work truck… 🙂
Okay I’ll try to do better and approach this seriously and not just in ranting anger against Toyota!
1) The snorkel integration is surprisingly well done, probably the cleanest one I’ve ever seen. Very nice.
2) When searching for Tacoma suspension a while back, OME sometimes got squeaky a bit easier than the Fox or King setups. Do you think there will be any of that in these OEM suspensions?
3) Why are there holes in the bottom of the frame. Does Toyota really love replacement frame recalls that much? In a previous article it was shown how they really tried to improve that. Is there a reason a frame couldn’t be completely closed? Also putting the side steps into the frame like that seems like another failure point for that.
4) The PRO seats are disgusting and that back of the seat is entirely insane and cruel to your rear passenger. Who could hate their children or pets that much?
5) The Trailhunter blows the Pro out of the water on interior and practicality imo, hopefully it does well. The adults in the room will be buying that model and getting the pro for their 16 year olds.
6) LOWER THE G-D INFOTAINMENT SCREEN TOYOTA!!!! (sorry I couldn’t not rant a little bit)
Good article, I dont see the IMAX moving tundras around here, the premium isn’t worth it for many.
3) I would imagine the holes being at the bottom of the frame is to let water OUT. Water will always find ways IN, but getting out is harder. Hopefully this helps.
4) 100% agree! Talk about a feature literally NO ONE asked for. Still no front locker though.
6) The interior including the screen totally ruins these trucks for me. The competitors have done a MUCH better job of interior design and screen integration.
Even adjusting for inflation I couldn’t imagine my parents spending $64K on my first car at 16.
Oh 100% for most of us, but in some areas of the country that’s no big thang. It was more of a joke on the target audience with those interiors.
Let’s just say I have knowledge that ARB/OME did not actually develop the OME branded shocks that are on this truck. But even if that was not the case, the OE-spec shocks are often different than the aftermarket shocks from the same manufacturer, so you can’t always judge the OE shocks on the performance of the aftermarket, or vice versa.
Interesting!! I appreciate that insight!
I think the gas only version is going to be the sweet spot. A TRD Sport for on road customers or if it was me a TRD Off Road with a manual for under $45K.
I’m not spending my $65K fictional dollars for the most useless backseat in the truck industry, let alone real money, though.
The Trailhunter looks dope but the price tag is insulting for anyone but the hardest core Toyofans. Other than the added hardware (and weight) the Hybrid is there only to offset those added features but not exactly bringing fuel economy nor performance which is too bad. The only thing keeping these prices unbelievably high is the high demand for the truck so it looks like >$60K midsized trucks are here to stay.
I can’t imagine spending this kind of money just to go beat the shit out of it off-road. Even moreso for trucks like the TRX. I realize that a lot of them will never see more than a gravel road but holy hell. I can’t imagine being that wealthy to not care.
Remember last week’s Autopian Asks about what car makes you feel old?
Answer: a SIXTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR Tacoma.
Holy hell.
Curb weight on a 1999 Taco is 3300 pounds.
Curb weight on the same year Tundra is 3,900-4,200 pounds.
It’s wild that the Tacoma (generally considered a compact pickup then, mid-size now) is bigger than what was considered a full-size truck 20 years ago.
“Not terrible” is a very diplomatic way to describe 23mpg combined from an all-new *hybrid* midsize truck.
Considering Toyota has the tech and the know-how to send a 4000lb+ Highlander to 35mpg, they need to start fresh and introduce a new medium/compact truck that competes with the Maverick.
These new TNGA pickups are basically light and heavy half tons. When your “medium” sized truck weighs more than an f150 of similar spec, what is even the point?
Yes this 100%
Totally agreed, both the TRD Pro and Trailhunter would be kinda overkill for me, despite the fact that I live in SoCal right near the mountains and deserts and enjoy the outdoors so I’m kinda the target audience. I’m sure those suspension seats are cool but IMO they’re a gimmick that will be appreciated 2% of the time and probably annoying the other 98%.
Leaving the ol’drove to catalina’ disclaimer, eh?
Musta been a helluva wine mixer.
OH!
I mixed that up with Coronado! THAT’S why people thought it was funny. Meanwhile I was thinking “Folks…there’s a bridge. Relaxxxx.”
D’oh!
Is that long plastic bin hanging out below the frame rails the fuel tank? I don’t call that reasonably tucked under, especially without a skid plate.
It’s not too vulnerable given its location, but it’s not ideal.
Those seats in the TRD Pro are the real joke though. Did you actually feel any difference in them?
Still sticking with that story, eh? Despite the fact that Catalina Island has no bridge and doesn’t allow full size cars.
They do allow full size vehicles on Catalina (I saw a couple of Tacomas there recently), but most residents opt for something like a kei truck or Scion iQ (they’re everywhere!) due to space constraints.
True. According to Wikipedia, permits for full-size vehicles are rare and very difficult (or just super pricey?) to get. Also, there is no ferry service for vehicles, so an owner would have to have the car shipped over. But it can be done. That said, seems like Catalina would be a Kei car heaven.
/looks at picture of engine bay
Welp, it appears we’re back to 1980s levels of “engine spaghetti,” not to be confused with shower spaghetti…David.
I was also surprised by the “biblically accurate engine”. It looks like one of those pictures where everything looks normal and familiar, yet you can’t quite figure out what anything is.
That is why plastic engine covers exist on so many vehicles. Then enthusiasts complain about not being able to see the engine due to said covers.
it reminds me of all the vacuum lines and the 8 spark plug wires coming out of the distributor of my mid 80s Nissan truck
seriously! is this all new cars, or just the turbo/hybrid ones? Good luck diagnosing a vacuum leak when these have 200k on the clock.
I’d still go for the 2-door, manual regular Tacoma, but can only be impressed by the tech/capabilities of these alt market moon crawlers. Tacos for everyone is a good strategy. Also, don’t think we didn’t notice this was posted on a Tuesday and at O Dark Thirty, so … breakfast Tacos!
Another excellent DT article
The F150 Raptor is $10k more and the Ranger Raptor is $10k less. Are they trying to split the difference?
I bet that’s exactly what they’re doing, meow
On Bill Burr’s podcast yesterday, he called the Raptor “The G Wagon of Ford trucks.” Pretty accurate, lol.
Go on any tacoma or tundra forum, and you will see that its worth it to buy a toyota for ummm, because they are reliable! But not the first few years, don’t buy one until the 3rd year and all the kinks are out.
I am sure any forum is like that and full of fan boys, but there are plenty of people who will shell out that amount and never even go to Ford.com because Toyota was reliable 20 years ago and their cousins boyfriend’s Ford was always in the shop.
Does anyone buy the Limited trim? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the wild.
I hate that big stupid ugly front air dam, and that the only trims without it are the expensive off-road versions.
5000 pounds weight from the battery pack and all those add-ons is the reason these trucks feel slow, they were 4000 pounds 10 years ago. And how long is that battery pack going to last? Is it going to cost $10000 to replace in 10 years?
Toyota’s NIMH packs tend to last 15-20 years or 250k – 300k miles, whichever comes last. They are also modular, so if most of the pack is healthy but one module is causing problems, you can replace just the bad module. Buying one module is about $100. Buying an entire battery pack is $1900 – $5000, depending on whether you are ok with refurbished.
These battery packs are well understood at this point.
but with offroad duty will they still last that long?
Probably. NIMH is not terribly sensitive to vibrations. The only way I’m aware of to significantly shorten their lifespan is overheating due to overcharging the batteries, and Toyota’s battery management keeps hybrid packs between ~40-60% charged — unlike EV’s, there’s no real risk of overcharging or over draining the battery pack.
I saw a new Taco in person for the first time the other day and I was surprised at how big it appeared. I have to think that these are now getting close to the size of the original Tundra,. I had 1995 and 2002 Tacomas and these new ones are just too big IMHO. I hope Toyota comes out with a smaller truck to compete with the Maverick, if only in size.
Also, not to be that guy but *border, not *boarder, unless you were testing the truck near somebody who was staying overnight…
I am the that guy and I approve your message.
I saw one finally the other day, they don’t look bad.
Toyota just released the best truck probably made in the world, and it won’t be allowed in the USA.
https://www.theautopian.com/the-adorably-utilitarian-toyota-rangga-concept-pickup-truck-looks-ready-for-anything/
Is it just a concept at this point or will it be produced?
I am pretty sure (99%) that its being produced this year or next and it’s a confirmed real deal. Things can always get canceled, but I don’t see how this isn’t a huge hit.