Tacoma

Make
Toyota
Segment
Sports Car

Patent images from Brazil's National Institute of Industrial Property show what could be the next-generation Toyota Tacoma pickup truck. The images, via Motor1, first appeared on Brazil's official patent site, and they give us a general idea of what the long-awaited fourth-generation Tacoma will look like. To no one's surprise, the design looks a lot like the current Tundra but smaller. This was always likely to be the case since the two trucks will share an architecture.

Most of the details, such as the headlights and taillights, are shaped similarly to the Tundra, albeit with slightly reduced proportions. The truck features flared wheel arches, plenty of body creases, and slim vertical headlights. Overall, the design reminds us a lot of the Tacoma EV Concept that was teased back in 2021.

The industrial design registration was filed with the INPI on January 24, 2023, listing several authors including Matthew Niven Sperling, Scott Matthew Roller; Kengo Iwanaga, and Yeongmin Kong. Several of these designers work for Toyota's Calty Design Research center, which operates locations in Newport Beach, California and Ann Arbor, Michigan.

There are no design images showing the Tacoma's interior, but based on the exterior's similarities, we imagine the cabin will bear a strong resemblance to the Tundra once again.

Though the Tacoma will share the Tundra's TNGA-F architecture, leaked insider information says the two trucks will not have the same powertrain. The base Tacoma is rumored to use the same 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the Highlander, which produces 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. That engine is also used in the Lexus RX, where it's uprated to deliver 275 hp and 317 lb-ft. A more powerful Tacoma Hybrid Max would add electric motors, producing around 366 hp and 406 lb-ft.

Now that these patent images have been leaked, we know the next-generation Tacoma isn't too far off from its official debut.