The situation on the mid-size truck market could become a little bit tricky for the Japanese manufacturer, despite that Tacoma is currently by far the most popular model in the class. The reason lays in the fact that there are more competitors these days. Moreover, most of them are characterized by a good diversity in terms of powertrain. This particularly refers to oil-burners, considering that diesel versions of Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator are on the way. Add to this already present Chevy Colorado Diesel and we have more than enough reasons to speculate about the 2022 Toyota Tacoma Diesel.
The reason for such speculations is quite simple. Tacoma doesn’t have any alternate fuel options in the offer at this moment. The hybrid model won’t appear before the redesign, while a current couple of gasoline engines doesn’t seem enough. Simply, these two are too thirsty for today’s standards, while the max towing capacity is another issue that can be fixed with a good oil-burner. Therefore, we believe there is a big chance to see 2022 Toyota Tacoma Diesel in the next year.
2022 Toyota Tacoma Diesel Specs
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind about the 2022 Toyota Tacoma Diesel is the engine. Fortunately for Tacoma lovers, Toyota already has an engine that would be a perfect fit for this truck. In Australia and several more markets, you can find a Hilux equipped with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel, which proved itself as an excellent unit for trucks and off-road vehicles in general. The same engine can also be found in Land Cruiser and a couple of more models.
This engine is good for about 177 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. Such numbers seem pretty much okay for a truck like Tacoma, which is similar to Hilux in terms of size and weight. With this engine, Hilux can easily tow 7.700 pounds, so we presume Tacoma would be able to do the same. We are talking about class-leading numbers, something that only Chevy Colorado Diesel can match at this moment.
Also, a big benefit from this engine would be fuel economy. We presume that the 2022 Toyota Tacoma Diesel would be able to return around 26 mpg in a combined ride, which is way better compared to the current gasoline guzzlers.
2022 Toyota Tacoma Diesel Engine Alternatives
Although the 2.8-liter unit seems like a perfect and almost certain pick for the 2022 Toyota Tacoma Diesel, there are a few more units that seem interesting. One of them is an older-generation 3.0-liter engine, which is good for about 165 horsepower. It doesn’t offer the same level of efficiency as the 2.8-liter unit but it has proved itself as one of the most reliable and durable units in the business.
Another unit we should mention is a smaller 2.4-liter turbodiesel, which is available in the European version of Hilux. This unit is good for about 150 horsepower and it is also pretty decent in terms of capability. On the other side, the obvious advantage is excellent fuel economy.
Despite these two units seem interesting, the 2.8-liter turbodiesel would still be out first pick.
2022 Toyota Tacoma Diesel Design
The 2022 Toyota Tacoma Diesel wouldn’t feature any major difference compared to gasoline models, at least when it comes to base design characteristics. Therefore, you may count on a familiar design, which has been slightly updated for this year and comes with a new grille design.
The same thing goes for interior design. We saw a couple of nice updates, particularly in terms of new tech goodies, although there is also a new, power-adjustable driver’s seat. Practically, the only major difference should be a new instrument cluster, adapted to diesel powertrain.
Another thing that bothers us is about trim level. It is hard to predict which trim levels would be available with this engine. While some experts suggest just a certain number of them, others suggest that the new engine would be offered across the whole range, which includes TRD-badged models as well.
How about Tacoma Hybrid?
The Tacoma Hybrid is definitely one of the most anticipated things about this pickup truck. However, we are pretty sure this version won’t come before the complete redesign. At this point, it is hard to predict some more specific details, but we believe that the new powertrain will probably be based on a four-cylinder engine and that the new truck will be a class leader both in terms of efficiency and capabilities. More details about this version should be known in the near future.