Toyota is moving production of its Tacoma pickup trucks from Mexico to Texas amid tense negotiations over the future of North American trade rules governing auto manufacturing and other sectors.
The Japanese manufacturer announced on Monday, July 6, a $3.6 billion expansion of its San Antonio plant to support a second assembly line that will build the Tacoma. Toyota says the expansion of the Texas plant will create 2,000 jobs and add 2.5 million square feet of space at its San Antonio campus.
The Tacoma is first built at Toyota’s plant in Tijuana, Mexico. Moving assembly of the vehicle to Texas is expected to take about four years, the company said.
“Toyota’s continued investment in North America is a testament to our confidence in the region’s workforce, innovation and long-term growth potential,” Ted Ogawa, president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, said in a statement.
He added, “By expanding our San Antonio plant, we are deepening our commitment to American manufacturing, creating meaningful and sustainable jobs, while furthering our mission of delivering high-quality vehicles that meet the changing needs of customers today and in the future.”
How long has Toyota been selling Tacoma pickup trucks?
Toyota first introduced the Tacoma in 1995. The vehicle has now reached its fourth generation, with the most recent update to be released in 2023.
Pricing for the 2026 version starts at $32,445 and is available in 11 different trims.
Toyota said in a website post, “The Tacoma is built to take on whatever comes your way. With a range of purpose-built suspension options, and available trail-conquering features like a multi-link rear suspension, stabilizer disconnect mechanism, and crawl control, it never encountered a challenge it didn’t like.”
How many Tacomas has Toyota sold?
Toyota will sell 274,638 Tacoma pickup trucks in 2025, up from 192,813 units of the vehicle sold by the Japanese maker in 2024.
Tacoma sales for the remainder of the current decade were as follows:
- 2023: 234,768
- 2022: 237,323
- 2021: 252,520
- 2020: 238,806
Reporting by Keith Lang, USA TODAY/USA TODAY. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.