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We've spotted a dark, shadowy teaser on Toyota's official Instagram account, depicting a figure that seems take the unmistakable shape of a pickup truck. It can't be the full-size Tundra, since it received its long-awaited redesign in 2021. This leaves the midsize Tacoma as our best guess, and it makes sense considering it's been about eight years since the outgoing generation made its debut.
Despite its age, the Tacoma manages to come out on top in the small truck segment, which has been growing in popularity recently. It would be perfect timing for a next-generation Tacoma to hit the market, as main rivals from Ford and GM are in the process of getting redesigns of their own. As the Big Three begins to catch up to the segment leader, it's crucial that this redesign gets things right.
The new Tacoma is likely to arrive as a 2024 model year vehicle, bearing an evolutionary redesign that retains the distinctive, upright profile it's always been known for. The most noticable changes will occur with the front and rear fascias, which will take inspiration from the larger Tundra. Fortunately, the Tacoma is expected to keep a similar grille shape to the outgoing version, meaning it won't have the Tundra's more polarizing look.
A body-on-frame layout will be carried over too, though the latest Tacoma will ride on Toyota's TNGA-F platform that also underpins the Tundra and Lexus LX. Under the hood, it's been rumored that the truck will switch to a hybridized 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine, cranking out 366 horsepower. While this alleged powertrain is slightly smaller than the existing, non-turbo 2.7 liter four-cylinder, it delivers significantly more power than both the aforementioned unit and the larger V6. As for the latter, Toyota has been phasing out its V6 offerings, so that engine is unlikely to return for another generation.
The next Tacoma should be unveiled fairly soon, and like we said before, it will almost definitely be a 2024 model.
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Images: Toyota
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