Although most of us expected to see a diesel version of the popular truck already in this year, that won’t happen. The Japenese manufacturer introduced us with all the changes for the next year and there is no diesel version. However, that doesn’t mean Toyota gave up from an oil-burner. The competition is getting tougher and all the rivals will get their diesel versions soon. The Colorado has been offering such engine for years, while the new Ranger and Gladiator are about to do the same in the next year. Therefore, we have no doubt that the 2021 Toyota Tacoma Diesel is pretty much a certain thing.



2021 Toyota Tacoma Diesel Engine



Naturally, this is the most imortant thing about the 2021 Toyota Tacoma Diesel. We have no doubt that Toyota will rely on its proven 2.8-liter turbodiesel. The same engine powers HiLux for years and it proved itself as a capable and very reliable unit. It delivers a max output that goes around 177 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. Still, we won’t be surprised if we see a slight power boost for this occasion. Some reports are suggesting a max output of around 200 horsepower, which sounds like a perfect match for the Tacoma.



Fuel Economy



Of course, the most important benefit from this engine, along with towing capacity, will be the fuel economy. Current gasoline engines and strong and reliable, but fuel economy definitely isn’t a strong point. The best you can get is around 21/22 mpg in a combined ride with the base engine. Therefore, we expect pretty solid 2021 Tacoma Diesel sales, as this engine should provide an average fuel economy of around at least 27 mpg in a combined ride and more than 30 mpg on the highway.

Towing Capacity



With lots of additional torque, this is another big benefit from a diesel engine. The current V6 gasoline engine ensures max towing capacity of 6.800 pounds, which is quite decent. Still, the 2021 Toyota Tacoma Diesel should be notably better and provide more than 7.000 pounds of max towing capacity, maybe even full 7.500 pounds. When it comes to payload capacity, we don’t expect changes, so count on class-leading 1.620 pounds.



2021 Toyota Tacoma Diesel Design



In terms of base design characteristics, the 2021 Toyota Tacoma Diesel won’t be much different compared to standard gasoline models. Count on the same layout, on a design that is coming with notable updates this year. The changes for the 2020-year model have been already listed and there is really a fine amount of them. Visually, the new model won’t suffer drastically. We will see a new grille and new LED lighting, while the overall styling is about to remain pretty much the same.

On the other side, notable updates are about to come in the TRD Pro model, which will get new shocks and a couple of more mechanical upgrades. It is also important to mention that this off-road version will also be available with Double Cab layout. Unfortunately, we still don’t have information about whether this performance version will come with the new diesel engine in the offer or not.



Interior



Once again, don’t expect bigger differences compared to standard gasoline models. That would also mean that 2021 Toyota Tacoma Diesel is about to come with all the novelties that are coming for the next year model. As you probably know, there are some pretty interesting novelties, such as power-adjustable driver’s seat and a new infotainment system. The touchscreen is bigger, graphics are better, while there are also smartphone integration goodies like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa.



2021 Toyota Tacoma Diesel Release Date and Price

We expect that the 2021 Toyota Tacoma Diesel will come next year. It is still hard to predict the price, but some rough estimation would go around 30.000 dollars for the base model.