4th generation - timing? details?

On occasion, I have lurked on this forum, but I have not logged in for many months from lazily forgetting my password.

I must state, it's good that a number of users, have been closely following the future of the Tacoma, but I am rather annoyed at the typical edgelord/pessimist skepticism of certain automotive forums, which not only attempts to cast doubt on credible insight, but misguide or gaslight anyone else following it (wisely).

People are entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts and then forcing it on others to their detriment, when they don't have any insight to refute someone else's claims.

Elsewhere, I recently provided a great deal of early information regarding the 2021 Bronco over an 18 month period, because of both personal and professional access to said information.

Virtually everything I was doubted on (when briefly MIA over there) out of misplaced aggression by a few loudmouth skeptics, was 100% accurate against contradictory reporting by automotive news media focused on easy clickbait.

I bowed out towards its July reveal, as everyone was now on the same page and didn't need my insight. I have since ordered 2 Broncos and bought my first Tacoma as well (2020 Pro 6MT).

I generally do not approach anything I am not informed on as a topic of discussion. Doesn't serve one well at all.

I have no interest in making up anything regarding ongoing development for the 2024 Tacoma nor 780B Tundra program. Everything I have said as of late is 100%, especially factoring in COVID.

I honestly don't know why anyone should be mentioning 2026, as that's a 6-7 year run from mid-cycle (2019 as MY2020) against 4 year initial run (2015-19). "Cuz last generation..." is not a credible answer. Product planning philosophy changes, especially seen with 4th gen vs 5G 4Runner lifecycles.

In 2015, I laid out my predicted model year cadence for the then new 2016 Tacoma (elsewhere) and I was proven correct in every instance. MY2018 brought a new grille as I suggested and some other minor changes. MY2020 was the mid-cycle refresh and happened as I expected back in 2015, fall of 2019. Next step = major redesign.

Only thing that changed was a delay from MY 2023 redesign to MY 2024, because of Tundra, like a domino effect. I had based all my predictions then on the MY 2023 redesign plans (I had visual confirmation of), accurately deducing that the Gen 3 midpoint was MY 2020. I did not know about TNGA-F until about late 2016, but knew Gen 3 wouldn't run to 10 years.

I have already said why the 2nd generation Tacoma ran very long and why the first generation ran as long as it did. I intensely am not interested in repeating it, because a many of you choose not to listen and repeat the same contradictions, as a means to discredit or be pessimistic. Please stop using that as an example to follow, because decisions made then, do NOT apply to the present.

Another very big point of contention I have with a lot of people is, forgetfulness regarding when a new generation actually hit the streets vs Model Year designation. Typically new stuff is released the previous autumn of the "year" in question (ie 2021 models right now). THAT is what counts for product planning departments, not the limited scope of general public.

The 3rd Generation Tacoma has been in production since the summer of 2015 and was launched the second week of September 2015. IIRC the 10th or 11th of that month. To Toyota, that reaches 8 years in September 2023, just as the 4th generation enters production.

I keep hearing, "it came out in 2016". Well...2016 is not when the timeline starts nor is it of relevance to Toyota product planners, accountants, execs, and engineers. Job 1 and on-the-sales-floor dates are solely what matter. If you could buy one in 2015, then it has been around since 2015 and not 2016. That's 5 years and 3 months as of now, not 4 years.

I just spoke in depth 1 or 2 weeks ago with a former Toyota product planner for the third generation pick up. Both of us have discussed what the 4th generation will entail, privately between each other. Any product planning insight on the current gen I didn't have, was answered wholeheartedly by him.

Apparently he used to post here too, but says many folks don't care to listen and just skipped past the info and/or warnings. There's a reason for this too, but I won't say it aloud... So it wasn't worth the risk, as Torrance folk came after him for it (back then).

Many disputed his mention of no more 4.0L (as "Toyota ain't gonna change nada bro"), yet it was accurate according to him.(2GR-FKS would like to have a word with those folks)

As I said myself, he echoed that this third generation Tacoma is a heavily updated second generation vehicle and was a placeholder developed from 2011 to 2015, to later align next Tundra and Tacoma after 2020. He also said that the vehicle was designed to run 6 to 8 years STRICTLY, from 2015 to 2021-23.

These decisions were made in 2010 and 2011 in favor of TNGA, not in 2016 or 2018. So any delays made to the new Tundra program, came much later and affected Tacoma by consequence. As well as 4Runner.

June 30, 2022 was earmarked end of production date of 3rd gen Tacoma as of Q3 2015, yet slipped (as I said before) and it became a 2024 model.

Although I am not involved personally, I do have privately held visual evidence, various other people at Toyota vetting it, as well as the specific knowledge that a full-size clay design model is being worked on at internal USA design studios, so it is not 5 years out.

I am honestly sick of hearing 2025 or 2026 for either model year or calendar year of launch, as this isn't even based in any substantiated reality. It's just other people throwing out numbers far into the future on a limb.

Using examples of the almost 11 year (10 years, 10.5 months) run for the 2nd generation pickup, is so disingenuous, if not lazy and insulting to one's intelligence.

The 2nd gen was intially earmarked for a 2002 redesign as of 1996/early 1997, but it was deemed more convenient to wait it out and instead invest in a 2nd heavy Gen 1 facelift for October 2000 launch (following Oct '96 & July 1997 refreshes) and then revolutionary redesign in late 2004 alongside next Hilux. Ultimately 9.5 year run through 2004. I have already broken that down previously, so I'm not going to go there again at the risk of TL;DR.


Simply put, the next generation Tacoma is a 2024 model per internal documentation, private discussions I've had, and product planning intended for the incumbent Tacoma, which only lasts into the early 2020s and not beyond that.


No amount of skepticism or pessimistic pissing around here has any bearing on that. Next Tacoma is already running behind by more than 1 year. Any of you still throwing around 2026, are really out of the loop and/or intently not paying attention to anyone who is well informed on this subject.


There is no reason to play obtuse at this point and be throwing numbers around, then also be trying to discredit others, when all you did was guess.


I already know that a select number of people here tend to oppose anything I state (very apparent), for whichever reason, even if I said the sky is blue on a clear, sunny day.I just don't log in much.

I might honestly give up trying to right the ship (against misinformation) on Gen 4, as I have seen a few other users like @TacoBuffet try to as well (like the former Toyota USA product planner used to for Gen 3), but some folks really don't bother and prefer to loudly drum up off-base theories, that will eventually discredit them when the release draws closer.

You can have your opinions all you want of course, but don't try to discredit me offhandedly (based off of 'cuz 2005/16 or 4Runner is 50 years old), as it serves me no purpose to discuss this in the first place in any public forum. to anyone who wants to stay ahead of the general public and is awake LOL.

I'm just passing along what I know to be true for the millionth time, directly from Toyota personnel on various fronts (marketing, design, and engineering), where it doesn't reach the entire public and negatively affect buyers for Toyota. Signing off.

 

Lots of good information between this and your previous posts. Thanks for taking some time and sharing it on the forum.
Hopefully you stick around and keep spreading the knowledge to all of us Toyota enthusiasts.

 

Thanks for the great information @Carmaker1 can we know more about the engine in the 4 gen tacoma
Is the big 3.3 will come to US or not, and the all new 4 cylinders etc

 

While I (mostly) believe and appreciate @Carmaker1 and the information he provides, his bitterness about people not believing him is a bit much. As a rule, none of us should blindly accept information given to us by an anonymous poster online, even if that information appears to be credible. It is healthy of be skeptical online.

 

Thanks for the mention and congrats on your AG Pro as well as Broncos, 2 and 4 door? I hope you continue to provide insight here as it's always been spot on as you laid out and gives many of us some great inside information (myself included) that even my regional manager friend doesn't have. I have interacted/seen your posts on other auto enthusiast sites and unlike some members here have a good understanding/observation of your legitimacy, it's unfortunate the world we live in today that often digs itself in on opinions and self-righteous beliefs over actual facts or expert first-hand knowledge, but I digress. I hope you continue to log in here and post as you are one of a handful of members that have been here a while and actually contribute.

 

And I agree but he's proven he's a credible source that's been here awhile (just not as active as most), he also posts not just here but if you are on other forums and auto enthusiast sites you'll see his information is spot on.

 

I have seen his information on other sites and I generally accept the information he provides as accurate, but I do not blame anyone who chooses to be skeptical of him, and I don't think @Carmaker1 should be so upset about it as well.

 

I am seeing both F150 and Silverado in this design - not good!

 

Fair enough, I think he's just frustrated understandably with how some people choose to go about trying to discredit or argue, I would just hate to lose a good source for inside information, I mean we all are enthusiasts at the end of the day right?!

 

@Carmaker1 Thank you for all you do for us here. To anyone that doubts you they are akin to flat earth people in my opinion. There are people here like me that really appreciate you taking a big risk and giving this community insider information.

 

You are right. I certainly do not want to lose the insider information @Carmaker1 provides. I get excited when I see a post from him. However, the tone he took is his post this morning made him appear less credible than usual.

I am trying to be diplomatic and not argue. I appreciate the insider information but I also don't like this post.

 

This is a very familiar Planning/Marketing term. They used to say frozen. In essence, it compares to water more than say, a 2-part epoxy in that if some heat is applied by corporate/bean-counters, it will revert to a liquid form until appropriate mandated changes are made. It may then be re-frozen--or solidified--until the next heat is applied. Truly humorous stuff--to me at least.

 

Do you have any new insight on the Taco engines and transmissions?

 

So by your own admission, next gen comes out at the end of 24 for a 25 MY release, which is a 9 years cycle (10 if you count the early fall 15 release of the 16 MY). That's what a lot of us "nay-sayers" have been saying all along. Seems like we've all been saying pretty much the same thing to me

 

@Carmaker1, would like to hear your thoughts (if you have them) on why the 2GR-FKS only powered the Sienna for 3 years (2017-2020) until jumping ship this year to the I4 hybrid with less power.

 

Please don't.

Your posts are as close to gospel as it gets on TW on this subject.

 

Being skeptical is one thing, being argumentative armed only with an opinion and trying to discredit someone who has repeatedly shown to be the real deal is the issue.

 

You read that wrong, MY24, released late 2023.

2016-2024 is 8 years not 10

And, as he alluded to everything was shifted due to the late Tundra launch (shares TGNA-F platform, cant do multiple new-gen launches simultaneously on the same platform like that) and then COVID, but please continue...go back and read his prior posts (like years back) for better reference before you try to argue what you just implied without context.

 

This.

 

Lol that would be an improvement. Current Tundra looks like its obese.