Tacoma remains a maybe for Australia: Toyota

TOYOTA Australia has not ruled out bringing the hybrid-powered Tacoma ute to this market, with a senior executive telling GoAuto the North American model would be assessed if it became available in right-hand drive.

Comments to this effect came at last week’s launch of the HiLux BEV in Melbourne, an event that inadvertently highlighted the absence of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid in Toyota’s local ute line-up to slot between diesel mild hybrid and battery electric versions of the HiLux.

While BYD has found sales success with its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute and plenty of electrified Chinese utes are inbound, buyer apathy toward plug-in pickups beyond the popular BYD – including the Ford Ranger PHEV and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV – could tell a cautionary tale that validates Toyota’s position for the time being.

Still, omission of a hybrid HiLux seems at odds with Toyota’s multi-pathway approach to emissions reduction and one that may place it in the firing line of tightening NVES regulations, particularly given hybrid versions of the slightly larger Tacoma are already in production for the North American market.

Compared with the recently launched HiLux that represents a major facelift rather than generational change, the latest Tacoma took a leap over its predecessor with the switch to a modern TNGA-F architecture related to that of the LandCruiser Prado, 300 Series and Tundra.

Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations John Pappas said the Tacoma would be considered if it were made available in right-hand drive.

“The benefit of being a global organisation is that we have access to a lot of different vehicles – assuming they’re available for our market,” he said.

“Every market reassesses (their product portfolio) based on its availability to other markets, whether a vehicle is left- or right-hand drive, and so on.

“If those vehicles are available to us – the Tacoma or whatever it might be – then we will always assess them based on our needs. If we think they’re able to meet the needs of our customers, then we will certainly look at each and every one of those (opportunities).”

Whether there is space for an entrant to slot between the HiLux and Tundra is up for debate, but Mr Pappas pointed to Toyota Australia’s existing capability to convert North American models for local consumption.

“Now, as you mentioned, we are the first market outside of the US to do the right-hand drive conversion of Tundra … and that shows that we have that capability here in Australia to do something like that,” he told GoAuto.

“If we do make such a call, then we will be definitely happy to share it with you.”

Bringing the Tacoma to Australia could also open the door to the related 4Runner SUV as a successor to the HiLux-based Fortuner that was positioned below the Prado and has no successor in sight once local stock runs out this year.

In the US, the Tacoma is powered by a turbocharged version of the 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (T24A-FTS) offered elsewhere in the Toyota line-up, available with and without hybridisation.

The non-hybrid i-Force engine produces 207kW and 430Nm – 57kW more and 70Nm less than the turbo-diesel HiLux – while the electrified i-Force Max jumps to 243kW and 630Nm, representing gains of 93kW and 130Nm over its smaller sibling.

Fuel consumption is less favourable, however, with the US-market Tacoma returning a combined cycle average of 11.2L/100km in turbo-petrol form and 10.2L/100km as a hybrid. 

Even with discrepancies between United States and Australian fuel consumption testing metrics taken into account, the diesel HiLux promises superior efficiency, consuming as little as 7.1L/100km on the combined cycle when paired with 48-volt mild hybrid assistance.