Say what you will about the 2024 Toyota Tacoma going hybrid and adding complexity, but it will still offer a tried-and-true manual transmission. There’s a slim chance the stick shift will actually be paired up with the electrified powertrain, but hey, we’ll take what we can get. At a time when essentially every other midsize truck manufacturer has ditched the third pedal—well, except for Jeep—news like this is enough to make anyone’s day.
We don’t know anything about which trims will get the manual transmission, though Toyota confirmed it’ll be a six-speed. My bet is it’s very similar to if not exactly the same as the manual you’ll find in the current Tacoma. That gearbox does a lot for the truck’s driving experience as the automatic is notorious for keeping the engine out of the powerband.
Here’s hoping that power won’t be such an issue for the 2024 Tacoma. It’s rumored to receive Toyota’s 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder, which would be a healthy improvement over the truck’s current 3.5-liter V6. The smaller engine makes 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque in the new Highlander crossover without any battery assist; compare that to the Tacoma’s V6 with 278 hp and 265 lb-ft. A minor tune could help the four-banger leapfrog the wheezing six-cylinder, but again, it’s all speculation at this point.
What’s for certain is that at least some 2024 Tacomas will get a stick, and that’s something to celebrate. Most other pickups in the category have already gone auto-only, like the Ford Ranger and its 10-speed as well as the Nissan Frontier and Chevy Colorado with their eight-speeds. The only truck besides the Tacoma that still offers a six-speed manual is the Jeep Gladiator, mated to that rig’s 3.6-liter V6.
We’ve seen almost all there is to see of the 2024 Tacoma without it being revealed in full. Toyota has already let us know it will have an electrified TRD Pro model, an overlanding Trailhunter trim, a removable JBL speaker, and four-wheel disc brakes. Seemingly all that’s left are the engine and interior deets. Those should come soon enough as the Tacoma will hopefully be revealed in the next month.
Hopefully.
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