As Ford Authority reported last August, the next-generation Ford Ranger and Ranger Raptor – already on sale in some international markets – will launch in North America this year for the 2024 model year. The U.S. version of the new Ranger will likely mirror its international brethren in a number of ways – most notably, it’s styling – so we already know pretty much what to expect from the mid-size pickup. At the same time, the current sales leader in that same segment – the Toyota Tacoma – is also set to undergo a redesign, and may also add a Ranger Raptor rival to its lineup. Now, the exterior design of the next-generation Toyota Tacoma has been potentially revealed after Ford Authority spotted a pair of prototypes testing in recent months.
This leak comes to us courtesy of a design patent registration in Brazil that was first uncovered by Motor1, and it’s quite revealing, to say the least. While it’s possible that the styling depicted here will vary on the U.S.-spec version, it gives us a good look at what we can expect from the new Tacoma, and that’s, well, pretty much more of the same.
These images depict a pickup that looks quite a bit like the current model, albeit with some updates to give it a more modern appearance. That includes quite a few cues taken from the new-for-2022 Toyota Tundra, including slats beneath the headlights, rectangular fog lights, creased hoods, large fender flares, and new, bracket-shaped taillights. There are many additional creases present throughout the body as well, giving it a more chiseled look.
The next-gen Toyota Tacoma will reportedly ride on the new TNGA-F platform that also underpins the Tundra, with two engine options expected to be available – a turbocharged 2.4L four-cylinder already in use in the 2023 Highlander, which generates 265 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque in that guise, as well as a turbo 2.4L four-cylinder hybrid shared with the Lexus RX 500h, which produces 366 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque in that luxury crossover.
We’ll have more on everything Ford’s competition is up to soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
Might be a total redesign but it doesn’t look shockingly different, as expected.
Toyota definitely builds solid vehicles. Their profit and revenue margins are wayyy ahead of Ford and continue to trend that way. Ford damned itself with their failed EV push. Toyota dealers are averaging $6k in markups/add-ons and they are still selling like crazy.
Now here’s J(ust)D(umb) of the K-street troll team trying again to advance the scripted narrative of “ICE Toyota is a winner, BEV Ford’s a loser”, such BS.
Please see my analysis and comment attempting to deal with this particular disinfo narrative (take out the space before the com):
Fordauthority. com/2023/01/ford-stock-value-analysis-performance-january-20-january-27-2022-2/#comments
By the way, I don’t like the wheel openings … too ungepatscht with the rest of the design language.