Generation history
Toyota Tacoma generations and next redesign.
The Toyota Tacoma has been through 4 generations, starting in 1995, 2004, 2015 and 2023. The gaps were 9, 11, 8 years, an average of 9.3. The pace has been steady. The current generation began in 2023. On that cadence the next full redesign points to 2031 through 2033, centered on 2032. This is a projection. It comes from the model's own past redesign years, not from the manufacturer. A mid-cycle refresh usually lands in between. Public records describe the current generation this way: The fourth-generation Toyota Tacoma was revealed on May 19, 2023. Specifications, trims and the NHTSA safety record are on the Toyota Tacoma model page.
Every generation
The Toyota Tacoma, generation by generation.
| Generation | Code | Years | What changed |
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| First generation | N140/N150/N160/N170/N190 | 1995–2004 | The Tacoma was introduced in the US in February 1995 (with a market launch in March 1995) as a replacement for the Toyota Truck (which was the name used for the Hilux in the North American market since 1984). |
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| Second generation | N220/N240/N250/N260/N270 | 2004–2015 | In 2000, Toyota began development of the second generation Tacoma under chief engineer Chikuo Kubota. |
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| Third generation | N240/N260/N300/N310/N320/N330 | 2015–2023 | The new Tacoma was officially unveiled at the January 2015 North American International Auto Show, with sales in the United States beginning on September 10, 2015. |
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| Fourth generation | N400 | 2023–present | The fourth-generation Toyota Tacoma was revealed on May 19, 2023. |
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The Toyota Tacoma spent 9.3 years per generation on average. The current one is 3 years old. Treat 2031 to 2033 as a range, not a date.
Source: Toyota Tacoma (Wikipedia). The estimate is our arithmetic on those start years.
Open the Toyota Tacoma model page for specifications, trims, safety record and answers.
In more detail
What each Toyota Tacoma generation changed.
First generation, 1995 to 2004
The Tacoma was introduced in the US in February 1995 (with a market launch in March 1995) as a replacement for the Toyota Truck (which was the name used for the Hilux in the North American market since 1984). When comparing with the Hilux, the Tacoma receives engineering with greater priority on ride quality, handling, comfort, and safety over ruggedness and payload capacity. The design intends to better suit the needs of the US and Canadian market, where pickup trucks are used as personal vehicles rather than for commercial, agricultural, and off-road purposes.
Second generation, 2004 to 2015
In 2000, Toyota began development of the second generation Tacoma under chief engineer Chikuo Kubota. The majority of development work was handled by Hino in Japan. Designers Shigeya Hattori and Hideo Karikomi of Hino won the internal design competition in 2001. Final designs were frozen for production in 2002 and patents filed on July 3, 2003, with test mules being tested from early 2003.
Third generation, 2015 to 2023
The new Tacoma was officially unveiled at the January 2015 North American International Auto Show, with sales in the United States beginning on September 10, 2015. Dimensionally and mechanically, the third generation Tacoma is similar to the preceding generation. While the four-cylinder models retained their N240/260 series codes, the V6 variants were reassigned to the new N300 series.
Fourth generation, 2023 to today
The fourth-generation Toyota Tacoma was revealed on May 19, 2023. It is built on Toyota's TNGA-F global body-on-frame vehicle platform, shared with the larger Toyota Tundra (XK70).
Generation notes adapted from Toyota Tacoma (Wikipedia).
Today's Toyota Tacoma
What the current generation is, and how it has held up.
Toyota Tacoma at a glance
- Production
- January 1995 – present
- Model years
- 1995–present
- Class
- Compact pickup truck (1995–2004), Mid-size pickup truck (2004–present)
- Layout
- Front-engine, rear-wheel drive/four-wheel drive
- Predecessor
- Toyota Truck (1995)
Recent recalls (6 campaigns across the latest model years)
- August 2026, Suspension:Rear:Shock Absorber. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024 Tacoma Hybrid and 2024-2025 Tacoma vehicles. The metal flange on the front and rear shock absorbers may corrode and fail, resulting in detachment of the external oil reservoir. Consequence: An oil reservoir that detaches can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- March 2026, Equipment:Other:Labels. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Toyota Tundra, Tacoma Hybrid, Tacoma, RAV4 Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Lexus GX550, 2024-2026 Tundra Hybrid, 2025 Sequoia Hybrid, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, Lexus TX500 Hybrid, Lexus NX350 Hybrid, 2025-2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid… Consequence: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
- October 2025, Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025 Tacoma and Tacoma Hybrid vehicles. The front driveshaft constant-velocity (CV) joint may deform and break. Consequence: A broken driveshaft can impair steering. Vehicles with full-time 4WD may experience a vehicle rollaway while parked without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios increase the risk of a crash.
Owners filed 98 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Toyota Tacoma, most often about structure (39), power train (20), steering (10).