Will the new 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder 2024 Toyota Tacoma beat the previous generation Tacoma V6? How big is the gap? Also, will the new turbo Tacoma be able to keep up with the very powerful new turbocharged Chevy Colorado? We also throw in a 1st-generation 1997 Toyota V6 that has been supercharged all of its life – which is 765,000+ miles! Let the races begin.
2024 Toyota Tacoma
The all-new Tacoma is powered by a newly developed 2.4L turbo I4 with a rating of 278 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 317 lb-ft of torque @ 1,700 rpm. This new engine is mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission and a 3.58-to-1 rear axle ratio.
The previous 3rd-generation Toyota Tacoma uses a naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 that is rated at 278 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 265 lb-ft of torque @ 4,600 rpm. The truck we are testing is a TRD Off-road model with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a standard 3.91-to-1 rear axle ratio.
While the top-end horsepower numbers are about the same, the new turbocharged engine has gobs more low-end torque. The new 8-speed has more ratios to offer and it’s well matched to the new engine. The result is clear. The new 4th-generation Tacoma is quicker at 0-60 MPH and in the 1/4-mile, but the gap to the older V6 is not as big as we expected.
Next up, the high-output Chevy Colorado has a higher horsepower and torque rating. The new Chevy Colorado TurboMAX 2.7L I4 has 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. It is obvious in a side-by-side drag race. The 2023 Colorado Trail Boss off-road model is significantly quicker than the new 2024 Tacoma Limited.
What happened with the 1st-generation Magnuson supercharged V6 Tacoma with 765,000+ miles? Let’s just say that I spun my tires a lot, but the truck’s owner (John) got a great launch in 4×4 for a very impressive 1/4-mile time that is on par with a new 2024 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro (Hybrid). Whoa!
