My .02...
Reviews are pretty solid and seem to be more positive than some of the remarks about the Land Cruiser powertrain, so I assume weight is the biggest change factor there?
Pretty strong reviews on how the TRD PRO handles and drives, which is exciting.
I think pricing for the middle to lower end trims is fair, but the Trailhunter and TRD PRO are pretty egregious. No doubt the new truck is better, nicer, more powerful, more efficient and more sophisticated but comparing price on 2024 vs. 2023 TRD PROs year over year:
2024 Vs 2023 MT: $17,360 more expensive (+36%)
2024 Vs 2023 AT: $14,655 more expensive (+29%)
Putting yourself in the shoes of someone who shopped Tacomas last year and thought they would hold off for the new model, or even who bought 2-3 years ago and is ready for a new one, those figures are eye watering. The Ranger Raptor starts at $8,330 less, the Canyon AT4X at $10k less, and the Colorado ZR2 at $17k less, and all three are new and capable trucks as well. There's a lot more competition here than the Tacoma has ever had before.
Toyota must have put the finishing touches and pricing on this truck in 2020-2022 when everyone had 0% interest and it looked like there was no ceiling for truck and SUV prices. That has quickly changed. The Trailhunter and TRD PRO are going to be alongside Tundras in the showroom, and a Tundra iFORCE MAX Platinum or 1794 are essentially the same price as these hybrid Tacomas, and right now, dealers are doing $5-10k off on all Tundras.
Last point: I've talked to a few dealer contacts over the last 2-3 weeks who have said that SR and SR5 Tacomas are selling well and very quickly, but some are now offering small rebates ($750-1,000) to help move TRD Sport and TRD Offroad models because supply has quickly caught up with demand, and many shoppers are now more price sensitive and not looking for $50k+ Tacomas. I am sure there will be an initial surge of folks wanting TRD PROs and Trailhunters, but I am curious to see how those trucks are selling a year or two after they're released.