Toyota confirms hybrid option for next Tacoma

• The next generation will have a hybrid drive.

• We should know more later this year.

• The manufacturer will certainly choose a group of engines, rather than a single option as is currently the case.

In the midsize pickup segment, the Toyota Tacoma is an older model, but it’s still popular with fans of affordable pickups. But with the recent or future renewal of some competitors – think in particular of the GM duo, the Nissan Frontier or even the Ford Ranger that will be refreshed for 2024 – the Toyota representative must also move to the next generation.

And that’s exactly what Toyota is doing to our neighbors to the south, the American winger who posted this photo of the tailgate of the next version of the truck. We understand this is the next iteration of the TRD Pro, as the tailgate receives the same rugged signature found on the Tundra truck. The position lamp is also new, while we can also spot the small “i-FORCE MAX” badge to the right of this rear hatch.

Here’s a taste of what’s on offer in the new mid-size truck. Indeed, is Toyota about to use the same 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 hybrid found in the Tundra? Remember, this powertrain delivers 437 horsepower and an even more impressive 583 lb-ft of torque. It would be surprising if Toyota kept those impressive stats for a midsize pickup, but a less lively version of the V6 engine/electric motor tandem might find its way under the hood of the new truck.

On the other hand, it is not impossible that the engine of the new i-FORCE MAX is based on one of the four-cylinder engines of the brand. A 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is installed aboard the Highlander, and it’s the engine that puts out 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Unless the Tacoma inherits the HYBRID MAX option that Toyota is offering in 2023 aboard the new Crown. This option uses the same turbo four-cylinder engine, but adds two electric motors to the formula, boosting the numbers to 340 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.

No matter what’s aboard the new Tacoma, it’s now clear that a hybrid option will be offered on board the TRD Pro. All that remains is to see what mechanical option(s) will be available aboard the 2024 Tacoma, the pickup truck that will likely be revealed later this year.