2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Teases New Hybrid Powertrain

After a very clever, and well-thought out teaser image, the 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro has been announced by the automaker with a another teaser image. This time it is simply an image of the new Toyota Tacoma’s tailgate with the TRD Pro logo, as well as the badging for the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain.

What Do We Know About The 2024 Toyota Tacoma Powertrain?

This same powertrain is featured on the Toyota Tundra, which produces 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, which is plenty of power for a full-size truck. While the 2024 Toyota Tacoma probably won’t be this torque-heavy as its bigger brother, the the i-FORCE MAX hybrid will certainly give it some extra kick regardless. The Toyota Tundra is equipped with a V6 version of the i-FORCE MAX, but it is unknown whether the Tacoma will have the same powertrain as a V4 or as a V6. Prospective customers with their eyes on this new pickup will have to be patient for the next few months before the truck makes it official debut.

Aside from a hybrid powertrain, many believe the base gas engine will be the new turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four that is already being used by the Toyota Highlander which generates 265 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque. Currently the 2023 Toyota Tacoma is equipped with a 2.7-liter inline-four engine that produces 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque, and owners that require more output can choose the 3.5-liter V6 that can put out 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque.

The other likely possibility for a gas-powered engine would be the Hybrid Max engine that the automakers uses for the Toyota Crown and the Lexus RX500h. This powertrain capable of producing 340 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque, which could make the 2024 Toyota Tacoma a contender that could go toe-to-toe with the new 2.7-liter inline-four engine that GM will be installing in the new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. Whether or not this much power would make sense for the base model Tacoma, it may make more sense if it were to be included in a separate model with a focus on off-roading.

There is also speculation for whether the new Toyota Tacoma will exist as a fully-electrified model, though no details surrounding this theory have emerged.

What Will The 2024 Toyota Tacoma Look Like?

While the only official image we have of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma is the teaser image of the TRD Pro’s tailgate, some patent images of the truck were leaked after they were filed in a patent office in Brazil where files can be openly viewed by the public. What many eagle-eyed Toyota fans noticed about the images is that the 2024 Tacoma appears to borrow similar design elements to that of the current Toyota Tundra, like accentuated fender flares and the physical positioning of its headlights.

While these teaser images only give us a few clues for what the full vehicle is capable of, we can expect all of the real tasty details to emerge soon enough at the 2023 New York Auto Show.