The Toyota Tacoma tends to stick around for a while. The last full Tacoma generation lasted a whopping seven years. During that time, it turned into a favorite of ours in the truck market. It did just about everything, providing high-dollar off-road-focused trims all the way down to simple, stripped-out work trucks with nothing but a radio and a gearshift knob inside.
That appeal is still there, but the latest Tacoma, introduced in 2025, is also more complicated, more technologically advanced, and more expensive. It’s objectively a better truck on paper, with more power, efficiency, features, and a greater variety of trims to choose from. But some of the shine still clings to the older third-generation Tacoma.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Toyota and other authoritative sources, including Edmunds.
What’s New In The Fourth-Generation Tacoma
Toyota’s Tacoma was essentially new from the ground up in 2024. Most obviously, it received updated styling that appears built off the look of the Tacoma prior. There’s a large grille, bold TOYOTA badging, small lights, and an upright cab. Dimensionally, the truck didn’t shift much, but a host of new features and more off-road trims like the Trailhunter and the continuation of the TRD Pro trim also mean the new model is more versatile than ever.
A New Hybrid Engine
Most notably, Toyota did away with the old Tacoma’s V6 engine. In its place resides a new run of hybridized and turbocharged four-cylinder engines. These are undoubtedly more efficient and more powerful than the old V6. Outputs range from 276 horsepower up to 326 horsepower in Toyota’s hybrid iForceMAX drivetrain, typically reserved for top-tier Tacomas. Don’t worry, though, some trim levels still offer the six-speed manual some truck owners love.
Engine Options
| Engine | 2.4-Liter Turbocharged Inline-Four | 2.4-Liter Turbocharged Inline-Four | 2.4-Liter Turbocharged Hybrid Inline-Four |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission | 6-Speed Manual or 8-Speed Automatic | 6-Speed Manual or 8-Speed Automatic | 8-Speed Automatic |
| Horsepower | 228 HP | 278 HP | 326 HP |
| Torque | 243 LB-FT | 317 LB-FT | 465 LB-FT |
| Driveline | RWD or 4WD | RWD or 4WD | 4WD |
A Techy New Interior
Toyota fully redid the Tacoma’s interior, offering more tech within. The optional 14-inch touchscreen is monstrous inside the midsize truck’s cabin, though smaller ones are standard on a few of the Tacoma’s trim levels. Regardless, it’s all the same software, and it is a big improvement over the old Tacoma in both functionality and speed.
Each screen’s resolution is also higher, but we’re happy that Toyota elected to keep a lot of physical controls present, rather than migrating things to the screen. Off-road-focused TRD and Trailhunter trims also offer selectable four-wheel drive and a ton of drive modes built to tackle various terrain. In many ways, the new interior feels like the most “new” part of the truck, and it’s light years ahead of the previous model.
Trims
| Model | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|
| SR | $31,500 |
| SR5 | $36,200 |
| TRD PreRunner | $38,100 |
| TRD Sport | $39,400 |
| TRD Off-Road | $41,800 |
| TRD Sport i-Force MAX | $46,300 |
| TRD Off-Road i-Force MAX | $46,600 |
| Limited | $52,100 |
| Limited i-Force MAX | $55,800 |
| Trailhunter | $62,900 |
| TRD Pro | $63,900 |
How The 2025 Tacoma Stacks Up Against The Old One
Of course, all that new stuff may have some drawbacks. For one, the new Tacoma is pricey, as illustrated by the table above. With model years spanning close to a decade now, the previous Tacoma is a much more affordable truck. There’s no denying the appeal of a truck that’s also been around for a while, with most of the kinks sorted out by recalls or aftermarket parts companies. All this to say nothing of the fact that the old Tacoma has had a few years to build a reputation for itself. People know these work, they know they can afford it, and we place a lot of value on known quantities here at TopSpeed.
Why Buy An Old Tacoma In 2025?
A big part of that is, of course, yet another silly, reliable pair of Toyota engines. Both the model’s 278-horsepower V6 engine and its 159-hp four-cylinder have earned a reputation as reliable powerplants over the years. While that little four-cylinder is absolutely underpowered in 2025, with less than 200 pound-feet of torque, it’s also going to work for a very long time. Still, get the V6. Toyota’s larger motor is absolutely the more desirable one, and most Tacomas of the day were ordered with it anyway. Make sure to avoid the six-speed auto and go for the manual.
Powertrain Specifications
| Engine | 2.7-liter 4-cylinder | 3.5-liter V6 |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic | 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic |
| Horsepower | 159 hp | 278 hp |
| Torque | 180 lb-ft | 265 lb-ft |
| Driveline | RWD, 4WD | RWD, 4WD |
| Fuel Mileage | 20/23 mpg, 19/22 mpg | 17/24 mpg, 19/24 mpg |
| Towing Capacity | 3,500 pounds | 6,800 pounds |
| Payload Capacity | 1,155 pounds | 1,525 pounds |
The Old Taco Isn’t Perfect
Of course, even the old truck, with its deserved reputation for durability and capability both on and off-road, has its problems. For one (though this may be a “pro” if you’re anti-tech), the screens in these trucks are very, very old by now. Most of them are just laggy little boxes for you to project CarPlay or Android Auto onto. There isn’t much in the way of driver aids for the first few model years either. Many examples have also been modified pretty heavily over the years, which is something to consider when Toyota will sell you a brand-new Tacoma with a warranty.
There are also the traditional Tacoma drawbacks — in both trucks. 2025’s new engine is, on paper, better than the old combination of powerplants. But it’s also noisy, something the older V6 managed to avoid. In both trucks, the back seat is cramped, and competitors like the Chevy Colorado have gradually improved to the point where there are now serious alternatives to both. However, the Tacoma is still the Tacoma, and the older, more simplistic models absolutely hold some sway over the shiny new thing. Whether we’ll be saying the same about this current Tacoma in a decade remains to be seen
