2024-10-01

Was a turbo 4-cylinder engine a mistake for the new Toyota Tacoma?
Sales are down across the board for the extremely popular Tacoma
truck. A lot of internet pundits seem to think that the switch from
the legendary (but underpowered) 2GR V6 may be to blame.

I'm not that convinced. Truck sales across the board are down in
the US and it just so happens that the Tacoma has morphed totally
into a lifestyle vehicle more than any other previous generation.
Long gone are the base Work Truck versions that populated fleets
across the nation.

In that respect, I think that the market will eventually warm up
to the turbo-4 cylinder like they have for all other Toyotas where
the V6 has been replaced.

Afterall the Tacoma has no work truck pretensions so the reliability
and durability of the V6 doesn't seem to be anything Toyota wants
to offer.

That genuinely makes me sad. I love naturally aspirated engines
and especially Toyota ones since they are some of the most reliable
engines on the road. Will the new turbo-4 engines be reliable in
the long run? I think so.

Will they be as reliable as the V6 and V8 engines of yesteryear?
Doubtful.

I really wish Toyota would have offered a 48V mild hybrid option
for the 2GR V6. The 48V mild hybrid system in the diesel Hilux
trucks seems to be doing well. I think there's enough demand
worldwide for Toyota's existing 1GR and 2GR engines to spend the
R&D on a 48V system.

In particular, if that system and V6 was paired with a more modern
8-speed or 9-speed transmission, I think it could pair nicely as
a premium powertrain for the Tacoma and the 4Runner.

oh well. at least we can still buy a V6 Nissan Frontier...for now