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Toyota’s mid-size pickup Tacoma is due for an update soon. Though exact details on the new version of this truck are still scarce, it is safe to assume that it will be a completely new vehicle compared to the outgoing model. Apart from getting a new exterior design, a better interior, and an updated engine line-up, the 2024 Tacoma will also move to the light truck version of Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA).
In addition to being mechanically identical to the 2024 4Runner, the new Tacoma will have much in common with the next-generation Toyota Hilux as it, too, will use the exact version of the TNGA-F platform. That said, the similarities between these two pickups will not end here.
The Next-Gen Tacoma And Hilux Will Share A Common Platform
In 2015, Toyota introduced the TNGA to bring down the total number of platforms it used across its global product line-up. The brand currently uses five versions of this platform: TNGA-B, TBGA-C, TNGA-F, TNGA-K, and TNGA-L. Each version underpins vehicles in a unique segment. Out of these, the TNGA-F is the one currently in use across the latest generation of Toyota’s body-on-frame vehicles, such as the Land Cruiser 300 series and the 2022 Tundra.
In addition to underpinning full-sized SUVs and trucks, the TNGA-F, thanks to its modular construction, will also form the base of the next-generation of Toyota mid-sized body-on-frame vehicles, such as the Tacoma and Hilux pickups. The platform sharing will allow these trucks to have the same chassis hard points. This essentially means that these two pickups will have the exact locations of the axles, engine mounting points, and other mechanical components.
Sharing the same hard points does not mean that the next-gen Tacoma and the Hilux will look the same. Instead, it means they will essentially be the same mechanically, allowing Toyota to have economies of scale and keep the input costs low. This platform sharing also makes the job of Toyota engineers easy for future updates as the same new piece of hardware can be used across various models without significant modifications.
Both Mid-Size Pickups Might Share A Similar Engine Line-up
Having the same TNGA-F platform underneath allows the 2022 Tundra and 2023 Sequoia to have the same powertrain options. Both these body-on-frame vehicles share the same 3.4-liter, V6 gasoline-hybrid engine. In addition, they also use the same 10-speed automatic transmission, suspension setup, and mechanicals for the part-time 4WD system. We can expect a similar powertrain sharing between the next-gen Tacoma and the Hilux.
It is likely that with the 2024 model, Toyota will completely revise the engine line-up of the Tacoma. Base models could get a new four-cylinder engine borrowed from the brand’s existing model line-up, most likely the power unit of the Lexus NX350 crossover. Thanks to the same mounting points in the TNGA-F, higher variants could get the V6 hybrid from the Tundra. The transmission options of this truck will also undergo an update.
The next-generation Toyota Tacoma will retain the part-time 4WD system. It will also continue offering the TRD Pro grade with additional off-road capability. These systems and the mechanical components will likely make their way to the next-generation Hilux. Though the current generation of this truck does not have dedicated off-road trim, the platform sharing between the two pickups might open the doors for the same.
There will likely be an all-electric version of the Toyota Tacoma in the future. Toyota previewed the same in the form of the Electric Truck Concept a while ago. Details of this upcoming electric powertrain are still under wraps; however, the same will likely be a two-motor setup. If Toyota decides to introduce an all-electric version of the Hilux, it may be the same powertrain that will feature in Tacoma.
The New Tacoma And Hilux Will Get Better Connectivity Options
Upgrading to the new platform will allow the next-gen Tacoma and the Hilux to get Toyota’s latest infotainment and connectivity options. Both these trucks, in their current avatars, feature old systems which have now started to show their age and are far behind in terms of what the competition offers. Though the design of their respective interiors might be different and according to the markets they sell in, they are likely to get bigger infotainment systems, possibly the 14-inch unit seen on the 2022 Tundra and 2023 Sequoia.
Other common updates between the Tacoma and Hilux could include an all-digital instrument cluster borrowed from their full-sized siblings. In addition, the off-road dedicated grades of both these pickups could get the surround-view camera system, allowing for a better trail driving experience.
Moving to the TNGA-F platform will allow the next-generation Tacoma and the Hilux to implement Toyota’s suite of active safety features better than their current models. Called the Toyota Safety Sense, this system works with the help of radar and cameras to provide various driver assistance technologies such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure alert, automatic high beams, road sign assists, and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection.
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