The 2024 Toyota Tacoma made a big splash when it was revealed this past summer, with the retention of a manual-transmission option sparking lots of giddy discussion among the Car and Driver staff. Now the 2024 Tacoma’s online configurator is live, so we decided to have a bit of fun and craft our ideal mid-size Toyota trucks. There is a caveat, however: the iForce Max hybrid powertrain is not yet available on the configurator, eliminating the possibility of speccing the top-dog TRD Pro. But given out penchant for stick-shifts, we were still content with the array of choices, as three of us opted to row our own gears. (Though sadly, the configurator tool doesn’t show the manual shifter in the images yet.)
Jack Fitzgerald’s $38,395 2024 Tacoma SR
The impetus behind this truck was simple: to spec the cheapest manual Tacoma I could. Part of what has made the Tacoma so historically great is the accessibility of it. In reality, my truck ended up being more expensive than I expected, and honestly way closer in price to some of the higher trims than I’m comfortable with.
While the SR shows a base MSRP of $31,500, the manual transmission requires you to upgrade from the XtraCab to the four-door Double Cab setup, pushing the base price to $33,700. The six-speed manual transmission is also only available with four-wheel drive, which brings us to the true stick-shift base of $36,900, with $1495 for destination and handling taking this build to $38,395. Outside of the transmission/drivetrain, I didn’t choose any other options. I went for the (no-cost) Underground gray paint option and kept all package and accessory boxes unchecked. No heated seats or blind spot monitors for me. Additional creature comforts would be nice, but we’re balling on a budget and we’ve got to save our pennies for modifications down the line. —Jack Fitzgerald
Caleb Miller’s $44,335 2024 Tacoma TRD Sport
My number one priority for my 2024 Tacoma was a manual transmission. While the DIY gearbox can be had on the base SR model, I upgraded to the TRD Sport. Starting at $39,400, this adds a coil-spring rear suspension. Since the truck would spend most of its time under my care on the pavement, the added ride comfort versus the SR’s leaf springs felt worth the extra dough. The TRD Sport also has standard blind-spot monitoring—a boon for highway lane changes—and a 400W/120V AC power supply and LED bed lighting. The TRD Sport’s flashy 18-inch machined alloy wheels were also appealing, and the extra grip from the larger 265/65R18 tires would be useful in the winter.
I stuck with the five-foot bed, since I rarely haul anything much bigger than that. Selecting the stick-shift raised the price to $41,800, so I decided to keep the options to a minimum to avoid brushing up against the $50K mark. Luckily the vivid Blue Crush Metallic paint is free while still helping the Tacoma stand out in the parking lot, and I paired it with the white interior accents for a slightly retro feel. I threw in heated seats for $585—a requirement for surviving in Michigan from November to March—and the rear-mounted BedStep for $455 to ease loading and unloading cargo. Add in $1495 for destination and handling, and my total came to a fairly reasonable $44,335. —Caleb Miller
Carter Fry’s $49,824 2024 Tacoma TRD Sport
I’m not paying $50,000 for a midsize pickup truck with a stick shift. But I will pay $49,000 for one! Not really—but I’m making $50K my limit for this. I currently daily a third-generation manual-gearbox Tacoma TRD Sport and the best part of Taco ownership (excluding reliability/capability) is the truck’s modular customization. I love working on my truck so my plan was this: don’t buy from Toyota what I could probably get in the aftermarket and install myself for less.
For that reason, I opted for the TRD Sport Upgrade Package with a moonroof, a $5475 add-on. My biggest gripe with my own Taco is its enclosed roof but some of my favorite features are its power rear window and AC power inverter in the bed, both included in this package. Also, since I would modify my ’24 Tacoma, the pre-wired AUX switches are a nice bonus. I don’t need heated seats (in my opinion they’re only necessary with leather) or Toyota’s new comically large 14.0-inch infotainment screen. I also have always wanted a red truck so I’ll take Supersonic Red paint for $425, please. The only other accessory I chose was paint protection film for $439. Tack on the destination fee and the total comes to $49,824. It’s a shame that I still couldn’t get the power tailgate with this spec, but at least I get the hood scoop. Now to remove that air dam! —Carter Fry
Eric Stafford’s $54,425 2024 Tacoma TRD Off-Road
The new Toyota Tacoma is a sight for sore eyes. It’s been a minute since the popular mid-size truck received a proper redesign, but the fourth generation catapults into the modern age with a punchier turbocharged powertrain and an available coil-spring rear suspension. The latter comes standard on the TRD Off-Road model, which also only comes with four-wheel drive and a four-door Double Cab.
It starts at $43,295 with the six-speed manual transmission and the five-foot cargo bed (including the destination fee); opting for the eight-speed automatic adds $1100 and the longer six-foot bed is another $500. I’d stick with the standard box size and upgrade to the autobox that raises the 2.4-liter turbo four’s output from 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque to 278 and 317, respectively. What makes the TRD Off-Road different from other Tacomas is its exclusive hardware, including 33-inch BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A tires and Bilstein external-reservoir dampers. To maximize its front wheel articulation and make clambering over obstacles easier, I’d add the optional $1230 disconnecting front anti-roll bar.
Personally, I dig the look of the Bronze Oxide paint, and it doesn’t cost an extra penny. While Toyota offers myriad packages with increasingly better features, I want—nay, need—heated and ventilated front seats, so I’d splurge on the $8800 Premium package. Along with a 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a JBL stereo with a portable Bluetooth speaker, and leather-trimmed power-adjustable front seats that are included with less expensive packages, the Premium kit also includes a camera-fed rearview mirror, dual-zone climate control, and a useful 360-degree camera system to help when I go off-roading without a spotter. Altogether, my Tacoma TRD Off-Road stickers for $54,425. That sounds like a lot for a non-full-size pickup with a small back seat, but that’s the going rate for well-equipped mid-sizers these days, and I think the new Taco is worth it. —Eric Stafford