Engine size is a critical consideration in choosing a vehicle. In general, a V8 engine is more powerful than a V6 engine. In this regard, is there a V8 Toyota Tacoma?
Unfortunately, there is no V8 engine in stock for Toyota Tacomas, even in its 2022 version. Depending on the trim level, the current Toyota Tacoma comes only with as much as a 4-cylinder or a V6 engine.
Some people may be disappointed that there is no V8 engine for the current Toyota Tacoma models. Though that may be true, other Toyota Tacoma models still offer powerful solid engine options.
Read on to learn more about the Toyota Tacoma, if it has a V8 engine, and if not, why, and other engine options for this Toyota vehicle.
Is There a V8 Toyota Tacoma?
Many people wonder if a Toyota Tacoma with a V8 engine exists. Currently, no Toyota Tacoma is powered by a V8 engine. Toyota Tacomas are powered by a four-cylinder or 6-cylinder engine, depending on the trim.
The absence of a V8 engine for the Toyota Tacoma disappoints many Tacoma lovers. However, though that may be true, other engine options still make the Toyota Tacoma robust and powerful.
For instance, Tacoma has a V6 engine version. This is a 3.5 liter, 278 horsepower engine. It is the regular 2021 version of this pickup truck. This Tacoma engine is coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Toyota has no plans to manufacture a much bigger engine, such as a V8 for the Tacoma. So, if you want the Tacoma version of a Toyota pickup, you only have a four-cylinder or a 6-cylinder Tacoma. A 2.7-liter, 159-horsepower engine powers its four-liter version.
Why Doesn’t Toyota Make V8 Tacomas?
You may be surprised, but it’s not only Toyota that does not manufacture V8 engines. Other car makers are not using V8 engines for their vehicles the size of the Tacoma.
All car manufacturers must follow clean air regulations that adhere to and maintain US laws. Unfortunately, V8 engines were not able to cut.
Though that may be the primary reason, other reasons discourage Toyota from manufacturing a V8 Tacoma. Only the engineers at Toyota know the actual score on this matter. Be that as it may, there are Tacoma owners who have upgraded their pickups with V8 engines.
Toyota, it appears, is distancing itself from V8 engines as an option for their Tacoma pickups. However, as in everything we may see in the future, Toyota Motor Co. is coming up with Toyota vehicles powered by V8 engines that satisfy governmental regulations and power requirements.
What Is the Biggest Tacoma Engine?
Right now, the biggest and most powerful engine of the Toyota Tacoma trim is the 3.5-liter, four-cylinder, 278-horsepower, V6 engine. A smaller engine is also available for this model, the 2.7-liter, four-cylinder, 159-horsepower engine.
There is a noticeable difference between these two engines, though. You will feel it when driving them both one at a time. The V6 Tacoma is more energetic with its stronger horsepower, while the smaller four-cylinder version is less energetic.
Did the Tacoma Ever Come with a V8?
You may wonder if Toyota produced a Toyota Tacoma with a V8 engine. Yes, indeed. In 2008, Toyota did manufacture a Tacoma powered by a V8 engine.
It was the Toyota Tacoma Incross. Toyota presented this vehicle at the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) motor show.
It was a custom-built vehicle built with a 4.7-liter V8 engine. This vehicle has other features that are only made for this vehicle. However, Toyota only presented it as sort of a concept car. It didn’t reach the manufacturing floor and was never produced as a production vehicle.
It is unsurprising because the Toyota Tacoma is generally classified as a mid-size or compact pickup truck. The current generation of Tacoma is already the third. Its earlier generations only have the 4-cylinder and the 6-cylinder versions.
There have been no V8 options for the Tacoma since Toyota introduced it. It appears that this has disappointed many Tacoma lovers. However, this is only a natural consequence of the market situation.
During those years, it is very rare to find a vehicle in this class with V8 engines. More often, pickup trucks that weigh more than one-half ton are the ones with the V8 engine size, not the smaller ones like the Tacoma.
Did Toyota Build a Tacoma V8 Before?
However, Toyota did build a Tacoma with a V8 engine – but only as a concept car. It was influenced by the SEMA or Specialty Equipment Market Association, which encourages car makers to build automotive specialty equipment and custom vehicle.
The V8 Toyota Tacoma was designed and presented as the first and only custom-built concept vehicle equipped with a V8 engine in 2008. As I’ve said, this concept truck is the Toyota Tacoma Incross.
Features and Specs of the Toyota Tacoma V8
Being a concept car, the Toyota Tacoma Incross has unique features and specs. Here are some of its most notable features:
Combined access and double cab create a spacious cabin
High-quality audio and navigation system
Is It Possible to Put V8 Engine in the Current Toyota Tacoma?
It is possible to put a V8 engine in the current Toyota Tacoma. Some people have already done it. The best-known persons who did it were the father and son tandem of Doug and Brad Deberti. They owned the Deberti shop where they built this special Toyota Tacoma.
Another person changed the power plant of their stock Tacoma with a V8 engine. And it is not just a regular V8. It is a NASCAR V8 engine. So, other people already did it, making the project doable.
However, these people are of a different kind as well. Any ordinary Toyota Tacoma owner may not have the heart to undertake this project. This project is not practical for the average Joe.
Most people who want a V8 engine for their pickup would settle for a Nissan Titan, a Ram 1500, a Chevy Silverado 1500, or a Ford 150, all with V8 engine options.
There is not even a V8 engine option for the Toyota Tundra, which is generally more powerful and bigger than a Toyota Tacoma. However, some of the earlier Tundra models have engines this big.
Again, is there a V8 Toyota Tacoma? A V8 engine is not available in Toyota Tacoma. Tacoma has a 4-cylinder or a V6 engine, depending on the trim level.
2022 Toyota Tacoma Key Specs
To repeat, the biggest engine of Toyota Tacoma is the V6 engine, ever since Toyota launched this pickup model in 1995. Toyota started to put the V6 engine in their third-generation Tacoma.
This engine was specifically used to add high-power performance and off-road capabilities to the Tacoma. It can provide power as much as 278 hp at 4,600 rpm. This engine is a direct injection Atkinson-cycle mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
It can tow vehicles with cargo weighing from 6,500 to 6,800 pounds. The standard engine of the Tacoma is available at 2.7-liter or 3.5-liter displacement.
The 3.5-liter V6 version is suited for you if you are looking for a pickup truck with a heavier payload and if you want to tow a bigger camper or trailer.
Is There a Toyota Vehicle with a V8 Engine?
No Toyota vehicle is equipped with a V8 engine. Toyota almost phased out this type and size of engine entirely in its vehicle lineup. The only Toyota vehicle powered by the V8 engine is the Toyota Sequoia.
However, according to Motorbiscuits, Toyota will drop this particular engine from the Sequoia by 2023. Toyota dropped their V8 machines in the Lexus LX 570 and the Tundra LX Land Cruiser in 2021.
2022 Toyota Tacoma Engine Options
Even if the current model of the Toyota Tacoma is not equipped with a big V8 engine, it is still powered by engine options that can provide robust and reliable drive and a heavy towing capacity.
There are two engine options for the Toyota Tacoma 2022 model. The following table will show the key specs of these options:
Particulars
Engine 1
Engine 2
Engine type
DOHC
Atkinson cycle, V6 direct injection
Displacement
2.7 liters
3.5 liters
No. of cylinders
4
6
Horsepower
159 hp. at 5,200 rpm
278 hp. at 6,000 rpm
Torque
180 lb.-ft. at 3,800 rpm
265 lb.-ft. at 4,600 rpm
Transmission
6-speed manual transmission
6-speed electronically controlled manual trans.
Valve train
16 valves
Towing capacity
3,500 lbs.
6,400 lbs.
Is the Current Toyota Tacoma Worth Buying?
Suppose you are looking for a capable pickup truck capable of handling and towing a decent amount of payload. In that case, the current model of the Toyota Tacoma is worth your consideration.
The 2022 Toyota Tacoma has a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that may not be as strong as the V6 version, but it is estimated to last more than 300,000 miles if well-maintained.
Some owners of this vehicle reportedly have enjoined 10 to 15 years of uninterrupted service without requiring even one major repair. It has a simple design and is built for easy maintenance. It is one of Toyota’s most popular TWD and 4WD vehicles.
The Toyota Tacoma’s power range is between 150 to 161 hp depending on the trim level. This power capacity is more than enough for a compact-size or light pickup truck.
In Closing
Unfortunately, the current 2022 models of the Toyota Tacoma have no V8 engine version. The Toyota Tacoma current models come only with a 4-cylinder or V6 engine, depending on the trim level.
Some Toyota Tacoma lovers may be disappointed that there is no V8 option available. However, some Tacomas still offer powerful solid engine options that satisfy their need for robust power.
