New vehicles are much more expensive than they used to be. This price increase is part inflation and part added technology. Gone are the days of buying new vehicles for less than $15,000, but that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable for them to be extremely expensive. The new 2024 Toyota Tacoma has an expected price range of $30,000 to $50,000, but two trims are much more expensive than that.

Is this price range too high for a midsize truck?

If you stick to the lower portion of the price range, the Tacoma might be affordable, but once you move up through the trims, things change. A base-model full-size Toyota Tundra starts at around $40,000, which might cause a comparison between these two Toyota pickups to find the sweet spot.

The Kelley Blue Book starting prices for the midsize truck class offer some perspective:

• Honda Ridgeline – $41,145
• Jeep Gladiator – $39,790
• GMC Canyon – $37,595
• Toyota Tacoma – $32,995
• Nissan Frontier – $32,020
• Chevrolet Colorado – $31,095
• Ford Ranger – $28,895

This puts the new Toyota Tacoma in the middle of the pack in terms of starting price, but that’s not the end of the story.

The desire must be strong for the top two Tacoma trims

The new 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and Trailhunter trims start above $60,000. In fact, MotorTrend tells us the Trailhunter starts at $64,395 while the TRD Pro begins at $65,395. These top-end Tacoma trims pack a serious punch in terms of power, off-road equipment, and capability, but are they worth more than $60,000? That’s for you to figure out.

These top Tacoma trims come standard with the i-Force Max hybrid powertrain, producing 3326 horsepower, but there’s a lot more to them than this powertrain. Here’s some specialized equipment in each of these Toyota midsize trucks.

Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter

• Old Man Emu shocks
• 33-inch tires
• ARB steel rear bumper
• High-inlet air snorkel
• Rock rails
• Bronze TRD wheels
• Front anti-roll-bar disconnect
• Integrated air compressor
• 2,400-watt inverter

Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

• 33-inch tires
• FOX 2.4-inch internal-bypass shocks
• Red-colored forged aluminum front upper control arms
• Black-painted TRD wheels
• IsoDynamic shock-absorbing front seats

Can you get a well-equipped midsize truck for less?

The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 matches off-road equipment with these two Tacoma models and comes at a much lower starting price. The Colorado ZR2 begins at $48,395, saving owners at least $16,000 compared to these two Tacoma models.

The 2024 Toyota Tacoma can be an affordable midsize truck or it an extremely expensive model; it all depends on the trim selected.