2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 6MT
Toyota's Tacoma is no stranger to the great Canadian outdoors. Whether it's tackling the forestry service roads outside Squamish, trudging through a snowed-in logging trail in the Kootenays, or just looking composed at a ferry terminal queue in Horseshoe Bay, the Tacoma has earned its stripes in British Columbia and beyond. The 2024 model year marks a significant evolution of this iconic midsize truck, with Toyota delivering a full redesign that modernizes the Tacoma while aiming to retain the character that’s made it such a consistent favourite.
My TRD Sport tester came with a six-speed manual transmission—one of the last of its kind offered in a midsize pickup in Canada. In an era dominated by 10-speed automatics and hybridized powertrains, this Tacoma wants to give enthusiasts something tactile.
What’s New?
Everything. Seriously—Toyota didn’t just give the Tacoma a facelift; they rebuilt it from the ground up. The 2024 Tacoma sits atop Toyota’s TNGA-F platform, a global truck and SUV architecture that also underpins the new Land Cruiser and 4Runner. That means this new Tacoma is stronger, more modular, and built for electrification down the road.
Highlights of the redesign include:
New 2.4L Turbocharged Engine: Replacing the outgoing V6, this inline-four offers more torque and better efficiency.
Optional Hybrid Powertrains (not available with the manual, though).
Coil-Spring Rear Suspension: A first for the Tacoma, replacing the old-school leaf springs for improved on-road comfort and wheel articulation off-road.
Fully Redesigned Interior: With better ergonomics, technology integration, and materials that elevate the Tacoma beyond its traditionally utilitarian feel.
Updated Towing and Payload Figures: Now offering up to 6,500 lbs of towing (when properly equipped) and 1,700+ lbs of payload.
Perhaps most notable to enthusiasts: the manual transmission is no longer available across the range. It’s now limited to the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road trims, and even then, only with the standard 2.4L turbo engine and part-time 4WD.
This makes the TRD Sport manual an increasingly rare breed in 2024.
TRD Sport vs TRD Off-Road vs TRD Pro: Which One’s Right for You?
Toyota’s TRD (Toyota Racing Development) badge appears across multiple Tacoma trims, but they each serve distinct purposes—and come with hardware to match.
TRD Sport: Road-focused, with sport-tuned suspension, 18-inch wheels, and body-coloured styling. It’s the street truck of the family. The manual is still offered.
TRD Off-Road: Balanced, rugged, and trail-ready. It brings Bilstein shocks, a locking rear diff, Crawl Control, and Multi-Terrain Select. Still offers a manual.
TRD Pro: The ultimate off-roader. FOX shocks, unique styling, forged wheels, and a hybrid-only powertrain—plus a steep price tag. Auto only.
If you're a driver who still loves shifting gears and spends more time on the paved path versus the trail, the TRD Sport is the Tacoma to get.
Exterior Styling
From the moment you see the 2024 Tacoma TRD Sport in the flesh, it’s clear Toyota had function and form top of mind. The proportions are balanced yet purposeful. Strong horizontal lines across the hood and grille give it a broader stance, while flared wheel arches housing BFGoodrich Trail Terrain scream capability. The profile is instantly familiar but subtly more modern, with more aggressive rake and a longer wheelbase enhancing both looks and approach angles.
Yet despite its rugged credentials, the TRD Sport comes from the factory with a front air dam that looks more at home on a city-bound crossover. This plastic appendage immediately raised eyebrows during our test, especially after scraping it lightly while parking at the mall in West Vancouver. Dig a little deeper and the reason for its existence becomes clear: fuel economy.
Toyota’s chief engineer for the Tacoma confirmed the air dam is designed to improve highway aerodynamics and help the truck meet stricter emissions targets. In other words, it’s a compromise for efficiency, not capability. While it may save a few litres over the course of a road trip to Calgary, it’s very much in the way if your weekend plans involve anything bumpier than a gravel path.
The good news? It’s removable. Many owners on Tacoma forums like Tacoma4G and 4GTaco have already posted DIY guides showing how to detach it with basic tools. Toyota even tacitly encourages this for off-roaders. Once removed, you’ll gain valuable front clearance and avoid the embarrassment of ripping it off in front of your trail buddies.
Other standout details include the TRD-specific grille with heritage-style “TOYOTA” badging, functional recovery points, and an optional TRD steel skid plate underneath to protect the front differential and oil pan.
Overall, the Tacoma’s design in TRD Sport guise balances daily drivability, so long as you’re willing to lose the aero-enhancing chin spoiler before you get serious off-road.
Cabin Technology and Interior
Slide into the 2024 Tacoma and you’ll notice the interior is no longer a secondary consideration. Gone are the hard plastics and dated ergonomics of the outgoing generation. In their place is a surprisingly refined and functional cabin that feels like it finally caught up with the rest of the midsize truck market.
The driving position is dramatically improved. You no longer feel like you’re sitting “on” the truck but rather in it. Toyota lowered the floor, adjusted the pedal box, and added greater adjustability to the seat and steering wheel to create a more SUV-like posture. Taller drivers especially will appreciate this—no more awkward knee-to-dash geometry during long drives or when bouncing around forest service roads.
Material quality is a step up as well. The dash and door cards are still rugged and ready for mud, but they now feature soft-touch surfaces in key contact points. Controls are logically laid out and sized for use with gloves, a nod to the truck’s utilitarian roots. The TRD Sport trim features TRD-branded all-weather floor mats, and like other Tacomas, chunky rubberized dials for climate and terrain modes..
Technology is another leap forward. My test vehicle featured the standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, but higher trims get a massive 14-inch screen. Regardless of size, the new interface is fast, clear, and finally competitive. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wireless, and physical volume and tuning knobs remain—a blessing in a world increasingly addicted to capacitive touch panels.
Audio quality from the standard six-speaker system is decent, though audiophiles will be happy to know that the TRD Sport comes with the upgraded 10 speaker JBL system, which includes a portable Bluetooth speaker built into the dashboard. It’s a fun touch that fits the Tacoma’s adventurous character, especially for impromptu campsite tunes or paddleboard outings.
Storage space remains modest compared to full-size rigs, but there’s decent room under the rear seats for tools and recovery gear. The rear bench is best suited for kids or short stints with adult passengers, though the upright seating angle may earn complaints on longer trips. Still, this is a compact truck—utility takes precedence over rear legroom.
In day-to-day use, the cabin is quiet at speed and insulated well enough to enjoy podcasts even on coarse asphalt. The HVAC system works quickly, and dual-zone climate control helps settle disputes over temperature settings during B.C.’s shoulder season drives.
All told, this interior bridges the gap between trail-ready toughness and modern-day comfort better than any Tacoma before it.
Under the Hood: Powertrain, 4WD System
Under the hood of the 2024 Tacoma TRD Sport is Toyota’s all-new 2.4-litre turbocharged inline-four engine, dubbed the T24A-FTS. Don’t let its modest displacement fool you—this little four-cylinder churns out 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque when paired with the 6-speed manual transmission. That torque figure surpasses the old 3.5L V6 it replaces and peaks much lower in the rev range, giving the truck a noticeably gruntier feel at low speeds.
This engine is paired with a traditional part-time 4WD system with a two-speed transfer case. Engaging 4-High or 4-Low is done via a beefy, tactile dial located next to the gear shifter, and the truck can be driven in 2WD on dry pavement to conserve fuel. Unlike full-time AWD systems found in some rivals, Toyota’s setup is simpler and more robust for actual trail work, though it requires driver engagement when road conditions change.
The TRD Sport come with what Toyota calls “Sport-tuned” suspension, though It didn’t feel particularly sporty to me. The TRD Off-road’s rear locking differential is also deleted with this package.
Onboard is Multi-Terrain Select, which allows drivers to tailor traction and throttle response to suit sand, rocks, mud, or dirt. It works well and is integrated into the new digital instrument cluster for intuitive use.
Now for the elephant in the room: the manual transmission. As enthusiasts, I wanted to love it. Rowing your own gears in a pickup is a rare and nostalgic pleasure, and Toyota deserves credit for keeping the manual alive. But the execution isn’t perfect.
Shifter feel is rubbery, with long throws and a vague gate that never quite inspires confidence. Worse, the engine’s programming introduces significant rev hang—a pause in RPM drop when you lift off the throttle—making it difficult to shift smoothly. This trait has been widely criticized on Tacoma forums, and I can confirm it’s a real issue. Whether you're upshifting at 4,000 RPM on an on-ramp or crawling over rocks at 3 km/h, the delay between clutch-in and gear engagement throws off your rhythm.
Some may adjust with time, but it’s frustrating enough that I’d recommend trying the automatic before making your final call. For technical off-roading where throttle finesse and clutch control are paramount, the rev hang is especially annoying. It feels like Toyota engineered this powertrain for emissions compliance, not enthusiast joy.
In a nutshell: the engine has punch, but the manual gearbox detracts from an otherwise stellar mechanical package.
Final Thoughts
The 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport is, in many ways, a love letter to traditional compact truck enthusiasts who want an everyday usable compact pick-up but don’t have any intention of off-roading very often. Choose the TRD Off-road or TRD Pro trim if that’s what you’re looking for.
Toyota’s redesign has addressed nearly every major complaint about the outgoing generation: ride quality is improved, the interior is finally modern, and the feature set rivals the best in the midsize segment.
But that manual transmission? It’s a letdown.
As one of the last midsize trucks to offer a stick, expectations were high. And while the gearbox isn’t terrible, it’s hampered by rev-hang and vague shift feel that dulls what could’ve been a segment-defining experience. Off-roaders who spend their time modulating throttle and clutch in technical terrain may find it frustrating, and daily drivers will have to weigh the engagement factor against smoother, more refined automatics.
Still, the TRD Sport (and TRD Off-road) trim hits a unique balance. It’s not as shouty or expensive as the TRD Pro, and it’s one of the last new trucks that’ll let you row your own gears—flaws and all.
For Canadian buyers who want something that can handle the backroads of B.C., the ice ruts of Alberta, and the rain-soaked coastlines of the Sunshine Coast, the Tacoma remains a dependable, well-rounded choice.
Just maybe skip the air dam, and bring some patience for that second-to-third shift. Or just spring for that automatic transmission.
