Which generation of the Tacoma is right for you?
With thousands of vehicles in our inventory, we’re here to help make car research easier for you. We’ve partnered with car-review experts from Edmunds to weigh in on what matters most when you’re looking to buy a truck or car.
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The Toyota Tacoma is one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States, trailing only the Camry and RAV4 in the Japanese automaker's lineup. That's for a good reason. The Tacoma is a capable truck in a more accessible package than what you'll find from full-size pickups like the Ford F-150.
It doesn't hurt that the Tacoma comes in so many different flavors. If you need the truck for city use, a lower-trim Tacoma will get the job done. Looking to do serious off-roading? There's a Tacoma for that. Overlanding? Yep, you can get a Tacoma that will get the job done.
Toyota introduced a new generation of Tacoma in 2024, ending the eight-year run (2016-2023) of the third-generation Tacoma. It delivered some big changes, like a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a more modern interior with a brand-new touchscreen. But as anyone will tell you, newer isn't always better. So, is the fourth-generation (2024-present) Tacoma the right choice? Or is the tried-and-true third generation the way to go?
Third-Generation Toyota Tacoma Basics
Toyota introduced the third-generation Tacoma back in 2016 and introduced some significant changes in 2020. This generation of Tacoma came with two available engines: a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine (159 horsepower, 180 lb-ft of torque) or a V6 (278 hp, 265 lb-ft). There were two cab choices: Access (two doors) with a 6.1-foot bed and Double (four doors) with a 5-foot bed.
Toyota first introduced Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ in 2020, so if that's important to you, don't bother looking at earlier models. The entry-level SR trim came with a seven-inch touchscreen on 2020 and newer Tacomas, while every other Tacoma came with an eight-inch touchscreen. Neither is impressive by modern standards, largely because of the slow software Toyota runs on them. Base-model (SR) Tacomas from 2016 through 2019 came with a 6.1-inch touchscreen. All higher trim Tacomas got a 7.1-inch screen.
Fourth-Generation Toyota Tacoma Basics
Toyota made a couple of big changes for the fourth-generation Tacoma. First, there is no more V6. Instead, you have the choice of three four-cylinder engines. The base SR trim comes with a 2.4-liter engine (228 hp, 243 lb-ft); most other trims come with a turbocharged version of this engine (278 hp, 317 lb-ft); and the range-topping hybrid (326 hp, 465 lb-ft) is available on the TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and Limited trims. It's standard on the TRD Pro and Trailhunter trims.
The other big change is inside the cabin. A brand-new eight-inch touchscreen running Toyota's latest infotainment software is a standard feature. And if you choose one of the top three trims (Limited, TRD Pro, Trailhunter), you get a massive 14-inch touchscreen; it was also available as an option on TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road trims. Toyota made other changes in an effort to modernize the Tacoma; it certainly feels like a more modern truck.
Tacoma vs. Tacoma
In a battle between old and new, which Tacoma comes out on top? Let's look at some of the key categories.
Engine choices
The fourth-generation Tacoma comes with the most powerful engines, including a hybrid that is more interested in power than efficiency. The biggest difference here is the spread. There is not a weak engine in the fourth-generation Tacoma's lineup, while the base engine for the third-generation Tacoma leaves something to be desired in the power department.
The V6 offered on the third-generation Tacoma offers the same amount of horsepower as the middle engine in the fourth-generation Tacoma. Fuel economy is also generally better on the fourth-generation Tacoma with an EPA-estimated spread of 20-24 mpg in combined driving. That's compared to the EPA-estimated
spread of 18-21 mpg in combined driving for V6-powered versions of the third-generation Tacoma.Jake's take
If you just need the Tacoma to run around the city and your primary goal is saving money, definitely check out the third generation. For everyone else, the fourth generation wins here.
Passengers and cargo
Both generations of Tacoma offer a two-door, two-seat pickup and a four-door, five-seat pickup. The vast majority of Tacomas sold are of the four-door variety, but that second row is anything but comfortable. Edmunds owned and drove a Tacoma for a year, and many editors complained about the limited leg space in the second row. It can also be challenging to get a rear-facing car seat into the second row, limiting the Tacoma's utility as a family vehicle. That said, the fourth-generation Tacoma has a little bit more legroom than its predecessor.
Cargo space is just about identical. Both generations of the Tacoma are offered with a 5-foot or a 6-foot bed. The third-generation Tacoma offers a maximum towing capacity of 6,800 pounds
, which is a smidge better than the 6,500 pounds offered by the fourth-generation Tacoma. That's more than enough for towing a small or medium trailer.
Interior storage space is superior in the fourth-generation Tacoma, though that's primarily because it's not very good in the third-generation Tacoma. The front and rear doors of the fourth-gen Tacoma offer cubbies, and there's a handy tray on top of the glovebox.
Jake's take
I'm giving it to the fourth-generation Tacoma because it's more livable on a daily basis. But if you don't care about where you put your phone or your purse, the third-generation Tacoma is fine.
Interior and tech
The fourth-generation Tacoma is a big improvement in the interior and tech department. The third-generation Tacoma felt dated for years before it was redesigned, and Toyota did a nice job with the updated interior on the new model. It's not just the new screens and the much-improved software (although that's a big part of it); it's the entire vibe of the updated cabin.
But yeah, the new tech makes a big difference. Toyota deserves credit for modernizing the Tacoma's tech without putting too many controls in the touchscreen. The fourth-generation truck still uses big knobs for climate control and volume, something you'll be thankful for if you ever take your Tacoma to cold climates or do any off-roading. And the new screen runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto much more smoothly than the previous generation, which only introduced the feature in 2020.
Jake's take
Oh, you still want a take after all that? OK, the fourth-generation Tacoma wins. By a lot. It's not close.
What Do You Want the Tacoma for?
This is important! Are you looking for (relatively) inexpensive, competent transportation with the added bonus of truck utility? Do you not care about having modern tech? Is small-item storage not that important to you? If so, save some cash and get the third-generation Tacoma. It's a good truck.
But if that stuff is important to you, the fourth-generation Tacoma is the way to go. It's a better truck in just about every way I can think of, even if not by a wide margin.
Jake Sundstrom has worked in the automotive industry since 2017 and written hundreds of car related articles over the course of his career. Jake is an editor at Edmunds, where he helps produce the best used car content on the web. He has also contributed to the National Hot Rod Association and other motorsport publications. When he's not writing about cars, he's probably driving them to his next vacation; he's still working out how to get a Wrangler from Los Angeles to Maui.
