Patent Pics: This is Likely the All-New 2024 Toyota Tacoma
The 2024 Toyota Tacoma is expected to be revealed this year, and these pics appear to give a preview of the design.
At this point, Toyota hasn’t even announced when we’ll get our first glimpse of the eagerly awaited 2024 Tacoma. But the smart money says that the wraps should come off later this year. And now, we have some patent drawings that appear to show the new design. These came to our attention thanks to the eagle-eyed folks over at Motor 1, which spotted the images on the site of the Brazilian patent office.
Curiously, Toyota doesn’t actually sell the Tacoma in the South American country, as Brazil gets the legendary Hilux instead. So exactly why Toyota would file the patent there is unclear. Though I wouldn’t put it past the marketing department to file in South America knowing these shots would get splashed all over the internet, and create some pre-reveal buzz. That said, the styling of the new rig looks wicked.
With the slats under the headlights, rectangular fog lamps, and deep creases on the hood, there’s an obvious family resemblance to its larger sibling, the Tundra. That’s hardly a bad thing, and I particularly like the pronounced box flares at all four corners. Hopefully, the air vents pictured on the front flares are functional, and not decorative. Because if you’re like me? You’ll agree that Toyota exhausted its lifetime fake vent allotment with the Supra. So keep your fingers crossed that these are the real deal.
Probably my favorite design cue visible in these shots is out back. I love the sharp upward crease just past the rear wheel well, and think it gives the hindquarters a chiseled, athletic look. The stance is also perfect, as the wheel and tire package make it look similar to a current-generation truck that’s been modded with a slight lift and set of beefy off-road shoes. So it’ll be curious to see what carries over to the showroom.
Now, if you’ve been paying attention to Toyota’s future product plans, this truck might look familiar — and there’s a good reason for that. Because we’ve already seen these design details on the mysterious electric pickup Toyota displayed at a 2021 Japanese media event. Since the Tacoma is widely expected to be built on the company’s TNGA-F platform (along with the Tundra, Sequoia, and Lexus LX), it’s unlikely we’ll see a fully electric version, as the architecture isn’t designed to underpin electric vehicles. Regardless, every day brings us closer to the Tacoma reveal, so stay tuned!
Photos: Toyota via Ministério do Desenvolvimento