Super Bowl Ad Calls Toyota Tacoma 'Most Powerful Ever,' but Why?

• Toyota’s new Super Bowl ad for the 2024 Tacoma claims that it’s “the most powerful Tacoma ever.”
• That statement applies specifically to the Tacoma’s top hybrid four-cylinder powertrain configuration.
• All Tacomas come powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four, but the engine offers various strengths depending on trim level.

For some viewers on Super Bowl Sunday, the real action comes when the football takes a pause and the famous ads take center stage. This year, Toyota’s Super Bowl ad kicks off with the narrator introducing, “the most powerful Tacoma ever,” but we thought it would be useful to hone in on what exactly that means.

2024 toyota tacoma

First, some background: After a long wait, the ever-popular Tacoma is fully redesigned for 2024. Now sharing the TNGA-F platform with the Tundra, the new-generation Tacoma earns updated powertrains, more modern features, and a wider selection of trim levels.

Every new Tacoma is powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, though the engine’s potency changes as you rise through the ranks. The base engine is found on the entry-level SR trim and makes 228 horsepower. Moving up from there, the 2.4-liter is cranked up to 270 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque when it’s paired with the six-speed manual transmission available on the TRD Sport trim. When paired with the eight-speed automatic transmission on all other trim levels, the four-pot cranks out 278 ponies and 317 pound-feet of torque. That’s the same amount of horsepower as the previous generation’s 3.5-liter V-6.

Hybrid Power

Now we’ve covered all the Tacomas that are decidedly not “the most powerful Tacoma ever,” so you’re probably wondering: what is? Well, that title belongs to the 326-horsepower Tacoma Hybrid, which isn’t available quite yet. This new powertrain, which Toyota calls iForce Max, also uses the turbo 2.4-liter, but it sandwiches an electric motor between the engine and the transmission. A small nickel-metal-hydride battery is tucked under the rear seat.

We’re still waiting for Toyota to divulge pricing for the hybridized Tacoma. We think it’s a safe bet to assume the Tacoma Hybrid will follow a similar pricing structure to the Tundra Hybrid, which offers the hybrid powertrain as an option that ranges between $3930–$5770 depending on trim level. On the Tacoma, the iForce Max option will be available starting at the TRD Sport level. With the nonhybrid Tacoma TRD Sport starting at $40,895, we’d expect the Tacoma Hybrid’s prices to start at around $43,000 and range up to around $65,000 for the most expensive TRD Pro Hybrid.