Tacoma Drag Race Proves Boost Is the Replacement for Displacement
With matching horsepower figures and a torque advantage to the modern turbocharged Tacoma, it’s hard to favor the V6.
The argument between inline-four or V6 power is as old as the Toyota Tacoma itself. Older, in fact. Even as far back as the first-gen Toyota 4runner/Pickup, there’s always been a handful of folks very loudly voicing their opinion from either side of the fence. However, the new Toyota Tacoma solely offers a turbocharged four-cylinder. It does, however, match the power output of the outgoing model’s V6 offering. In addition, it sports a substantial upgrade in torque compared to the third-gen’s six-cylinder lump, too.
A recent video from The Fast Lane Truck gives us all the answers we need. They took the on-paper figures to the real world and put the third and fourth-gen Tacomas head-to-head in a drag race and braking test. The third-gen model’s naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 is rated at 278 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque. On the fourth-gen side, the 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder makes 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. How do they stack up?
More Torque and a Wider Powerband Makes a Clear Winner
Ignoring the fact that both trucks having the same horsepower figure quite literally equates to a turbocharger replacing the displacement of the missing two cylinders, the on-paper figures seem to reflect reality.
“This is an all-new truck, it’s four-wheel-drive, it puts down the power in a more efficient way, and it comes on faster,” says Nathan Adlen, who pilots the new Tacoma in the drag race.
From a standing start, the new Tacoma puts its efficient eight-speed transmission and bonus torque to use, completing the quarter mile nearly an entire second faster than the V6 third-gen model. History repeats itself when they go from a 30 MPH roll, too. The new Tacoma walks away from the V6 third-gen like it’s not even trying.
More Modern Amenities Make the New Tacoma a Worthy Upgrade
The Fast Lane Truck’s hosts also put braking to the test on both models, too. The primary reason for this test is that Toyota finally went to disc brakes all around as a standard feature on the newest Tacoma. Whereas the third-gen models use drums in the rear. Between those brakes and the tires on the new model, it managed to stop 10 feet shorter than the outgoing model.
Just for fun, too, they put the new Tacoma against a couple of other competitors. Unsurprisingly, the new Tacoma fell to the 310-horsepower Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss, which happens to be the most powerful mid-size truck currently on the market. In addition, they pitted it against a supercharged first-gen Tacoma with over 760,000 miles on it. Despite its mileage, the 400-horsepower high-mileage hero kept up with the new model, very nearly taking the win.
Overall, the new Tacoma proves that leaning into turbocharging technology offers the best of both worlds when it comes to power, torque, and fuel economy. Of course, the four-cylinder powerplant being akin to the iconic 22RE warms he ‘Yota enthusiast’s heart, too. Either way, check out the full video below for all the nitty-gritty details!