Toyota Tacoma leaked online ahead of official reveal, hinting at new-gen Hilux sibling

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An image of Toyota’s next-generation Tacoma ute has been uncovered, days after a slew of teaser images were posted online. 

The image unearthed by internet sleuths on Tacoma4G.com also confirms what we previously saw of the ute when official patent images were revealed. 

Set to be revealed in full on May 19, this fourth-generation Tacoma will face competition from its fellow American-built mid-sized utes in the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, and the Nissan Frontier. 

While Australia is unlikely to score the Tacoma, reports suggest the American pickup and the Hilux will be far more related than the current generation, meaning that what we see here could preview details on our future locally sold model.

Fourth-gen Tacoma aesthetics may carry over to next Hilux

Given that Toyota’s Tacoma and Hilux are similar-sized utes for different markets, it’s likely that the overall aesthetic will be shared. 

From the leaked image, we can see that the new Tacoma is sporting wide fender flares, an aggressive front bumper, big off-road tyres, and a bulging bonnet scoop. 

The contrasting black roof and LED light bar that’s integrated into the front grille hint at this Tacoma being a high-spec model. Speculation on Tacoma4G.com points to the pictured model being a TRD Pro. 

Leaked image confirms teaser details

As well as releasing a patent render for this new Tacoma, Toyota has recently been building hype for this new model through posting teaser images online. 

A silhouette of the Tacoma was quickly followed by close-up shots, confirming key details for the upcoming ute. 

This includes a headlight shot confirming the ‘Trailhunter’ moniker, which is expected to be an off-road version of the ute. 

Another image shows a rear bumper, and red recovery point, both manufactured by Australia’s ARB. 

Tacoma confirmed to get I-Force Max hybrid power

Set to be revealed sometime in 2025, this fourth-generation Tacoma has been confirmed to be underpinned by Toyota’s TNGA GA-F platform, which is currently used on the Land Cruiser 300 Series and the Tundra full-sized ute. 

A rear teaser shot also confirms that the Tacoma will feature Toyota’s I-Force Max hybrid system that’s currently used in the Tundra. 

Here, this system pairs a 3.4-litre turbo-petrol V6 engine that produces 325kW/790Nm with an electric motor that itself produces 36kW of power and 250Nm of torque. A small 1.87kWh battery pack also features in the system.

Though it remains unclear as to whether or not Toyota will carry this exact powertrain down to the smaller Tacoma, it’s likely that the hybrid system will be paired with a smaller engine, such as the 2.4-litre turbo-hybrid setup from the Toyota Crown and Lexus RX500h.

This is all relevant to the next-generation Hilux as Toyota Australia has previously mentioned that electrification is a consideration for the ute. 

When the Tacoma’s hybrid powertrain is revealed in full later this month, it could well be an indication regarding what we can expect to see from Toyota’s hybrid-powered Hilux.