I owe it to the members of this forum, to declare I have indeed been tricked by some people at Toyota Motor North America and at least 1 of their Tier 1 suppliers, over the last 4+ months regarding the 2024 Toyota Tacoma "debuting" on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.
I don't believe that the V6 carries over nor the fact on Tacoma World, that now-deleted Tier 1 supplier poster (DJinTN) possibly told me false information, on how the 2.7L I4 would continue for 2 years. Then he disappeared into thin air...(sighs)
Refused to answer any further questions regarding 2GR in private, cutting me off and then vanished before I respond in kind. He's not the only one...
Also, I admit that I might have overreacted to a post in this forum a few pages back, my previous one. The core points I intended to make, I still stand behind them. I was quite livid at the implication I am lying about the future of the 4Runner and making shit up. I've thankfully seen the proof otherwise. They've delayed it multiple times internally, but are still committed to the nameplate and Land Cruiser too.
Unlike my bad powertrain info, 4Runner info doesn't appear to be shared in bad faith, like with powertrain info on the Tacoma. Something very embarrassing to face, considering the hard time I give David Chao at Automotive Press. I didn't see it coming, seeing as I took a very conservative approach prior to December 2022 on discussing all insight, especially powertrain details.
Now, although my other Tier 1 source has done his best to keep me informed on the 4Runner, I am not sure I trust his (good faith) insight on the production shift to Mexico for the 2025 4Runner.
Source doesn't even have the program codes. They get the 610L(2) substitute, while ironically DJinTN might've even leaked the 4Runner code as
930B. It doesn't make sense at all, as "DJ" had been pretty reliable too and is why I trusted him as an additional source. Very concrete and straight to the point, no filler.
Toyota did idealize expansion of TMMGT production volume to 300,000 units by 2025 (
1,
2), but that was envisioned years ago. They are 15 months out from Job 1 and I don't see any sufficient evidence, to support his intel on some shift to Mexico. It's cutting very close at 15 months, zero announcement.
Maybe I'm imagining it, but I feel the main Tier 1 supplier source dances away from answering those MX vs JPN questions nowadays or maybe I am too 2nd-hand embarrassed to ask him, on the belief it was bad info.
Per example, I'll refer to how early Toyota usually reveals their production location changes.
Back in 2016-17, I learned about Toyota wanting to build the Lexus NX in Canada by the next generation (current model). The 1st generation model was approaching midcycle and as usual, I then turn my focus to next gen plans.
I was worried I might be providing bad info in being too early, but then Toyota shockingly
announced this to be fact here, in April 2019. As a young engineer rising up the ranks and settling in a new job, for the first time stateside, I was shocked that the information I secretly discovered years earlier was correct from outside of Toyota official channels.
No one at Toyota confirmed that for me in 2016-17, as my discovery was reminiscent of some of the sleuthing I see from other members here. The media knew absolutely nothing for 2 more years, but
I shared it in June 2017 on a Lexus forum my findings. Luckily it turned out to be true, as Canada production did begin in
March of 2022.
I only didn't realize in 2016-17 that the 2G NX would adopt midsize TNGA-K, not compact TNGA-C. Like I have been hypothesizing for the 6G 4Runner, this came after JPN production began in Q3 2021.
Toyota had also announced on April 19, 2013 prior to the NX shift, the production shift of Americas Lexus ES 350 assembly from Japan to the Camry Kentucky factory of TMMK back in 2013. First units didn't roll off
until October 19, 2015, exactly 30 months or 2.5 years to the exact day of announcement.
With the Sequoia, they announced on January 17, 2020 (
1)(
2) the new production shift of the Sequoia to TMMTX in San Antonio, Texas, pushing out Tacoma production (since 2010). It came to fruition in Q3 2022 (July), albeit with some serious hiccups that delayed dealer launch apparently to October 2022.
Toyota clearly has set a pattern of 2-3 years in advance, for announcing production location changes. Obviously, I smell BS. Unless that the 4Runner won't be built in Mexico until the 2026 MY, I am not buying that theory one bit anymore.
Although it will be a challenge, I imagine it will stay in Tahara until proven otherwise by Toyota announcing a production location shift. 15 months is not enough time per their standards, but it's not unheard of?
Toyota back in 2020, might have indeed announced Sequoia pushing out Tacoma production, but I believe they refused to directly
address Tacoma shift to 100% Mexico production.
In fact, when the last Tacoma was built at TMMTX in September 2021, there was no special ceremony acknowledging it at all. Sure there was COVID, but that's a BS excuse nonetheless.
I didn't even find out about the end of Texas production, as investigative as I am, until January 2022. Toyota basically sidestepped that production move, unlike the
big story they gave the Tacoma production shift from NUMMI in Fremont, California in March 2010 (to TMMTX in the summer of 2010).
I'd say that the person in charge of their press announcements in September 2021 and also the press chief at TMMTX, purposely sidestepped that production shift from 20-33% USA to 100% Mexico and hoped Tacoma pickup truck buyers wouldn't really notice...
And they wouldn't have, if I didn't remind them about it myself or some of 'em checking the window sticker/door jam to notice on other '22 models next to zero 2022s being assembled at TMMTX.
I wouldn't put it past Toyota either, to quietly retool TMMGT for a new 4Runner and disclose it last minute in a low key capacity, to save face. I guess we'll see, what they do?
For the 2025 4Runner, I vote for Tahara start of production from July 2024 as previously stated, but my source is the one who gave me that Job 1 date in the first place and if it's right, then why does he have the
wrong factory, but keeps proving dead accurate on several other things? We'll see, we'll see...
A late January 2024 reveal is what you should expect. RAV4 will follow in 12 months time it seems.
If you wanna chat further, send me a PM. I'm generally not gonna be posting publicly. Glad that on Tuesday, 1 of 4 new TNGA-
F vehicles will debut, because
F the bad info I was purposely sent on the Tacoma to make me look foolish.