2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Starts at $65,395 and Wow, That’s a Lot of Money

I'm sorry to sound like Captain Obvious but nearly everything is more expensive these days. That includes the Toyota Tacoma, as the country's best-selling midsize pickup leaps into a new generation with available hybrid power. The lowly SR Xtra Cab 4x2 base model is up roughly $2,000 with a starting price of $32,995 including destination, but the increase is way more noticeable at the top end. The flagship Tacoma TRD Pro—with its standard hybrid power, Fox suspension goodies, shock-absorber seats, and more—costs $65,395.

That's a ton of money. At least you get everything the fourth-generation Tacoma has to offer for that price. The TRD Pro packs an electrified 2.4-liter turbo-four powertrain making 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, with the latter being best in class. Suspension-wise, it has 2.5-inch Fox internal bypass shocks all around with a rear multi-link coil setup. There's an electronic stabilizer bar disconnect, an aluminum front skid plate, a steel ARB rear bumper, and 33-inch Goodyear Territory R/T tires. One feature that also sets the TRD Pro apart is its IsoDynamic seats, which sport air-over-oil shock absorbers for better control, comfort, and stability at high speeds. Indeed, this machine is more serious than ever.

I drove a 2023 Tacoma TRD Pro last year that stickered for $51,229, and that was with a few options. The trim's base MSRP was $48,520, meaning that for 2024, the TRD Pro is nearly $17,000 more expensive. It's a lot more advanced, no doubt, as the old one had a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 making 278 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. It also didn't have the 14-inch infotainment screen like the new truck, or a fully digital driver display, or an eight-speed automatic, or heck, even four-wheel disc brakes. This new top-dog Tacoma is simply in another category and it has the price to reflect that.

If you want to compare it to other midsize performance pickups, let's look at the Ford Ranger Raptor. That truck makes 405 hp and 430 lb-ft from a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6, has Fox Live Valve shocks, a little less ground clearance at 10.7 inches compared to the Tacoma TRD Pro's 11, and a similarly screen-themed interior without the fancy seats. It