Toyota has released full details and pictures of the all-new Tacoma pickup truck that will go on sale in the North American market first. The Tacoma is the North American equivalent of the globally popular Hilux pickup on sale in India.
- All-new Tacoma gets a new platform, powertrains
- Gets two off-road-focused variants
- Will go on sale in North America initially
New Toyota Tacoma design
The new Tacoma has square, swept-back headlamps and a slim LED DRL. It also has a tall front bumper with fake side air vents and a prominent grille with a big Toyota logo in the middle. The Tacoma Sport and lower models have more black trim on the nose, while the top models have more chrome on the front, sides, and alloy wheels. It has boxy proportions and a butch front end, while a new bumper design and C-shaped taillamps give it a fresh rear end.
New Toyota Tacoma platform
The new Tacoma depends on Toyota’s high-level TNGA-F stage that will be persisted to future India-bound Toyota models too. The Land Cruiser 300, the Lexus LX500d, and even the Tundra pickup are all based on this brand-new platform, which has been around for a while.
The Fortuner and Hilux of the next generation are also expected to be built on the same platform as the new Tacoma and share many features with it. For increased rigidity throughout the chassis, high-strength steel is used, and aluminum is used on the upper body to help reduce weight. Suspension settings for Tacoma vary based on variant and usability.
New Toyota Tacoma powertrain
- New Tacoma gets four powertrain options, with the entry-level variants getting a 231hp, 2.4-liter petrol mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
- Next in line is the same 2.4-liter engine with 274hp that comes with a 6-speed rev-matching manual.
- The automatic gearbox option on the higher output 2.4-liter engine churns out 282hp.
- The top-of-the-line Tacoma gets a 2.4-liter petrol hybrid engine that gets a 1.9 kW battery and a 48hp electric motor, with a total output is 330hp.
Will It Be a Diesel Variant Or a Hybrid?
As diesel actually represents a decent amount of SUVs in India, Toyota will keep offering a diesel motor on the cutting-edge Fortuner. However, the next-generation SUV is expected to feature diesel-hybrid powertrain options in addition to meeting stringent emission standards and the heavy body-on-frame architecture.
While the Tacoma will not come to India, there are chances that its hybrid powertrain, with different power output, will make its way to the next-gen Fortuner and Hilux in some markets, including India.