This year the Toyota Tacoma midsize pickup is finally getting some competition from GM’s new Colorado and Canyon pickups and even though the Toyota gave the 2016 Tacoma a big refresh, there’s one area that Toyota will not compete in – diesels.
This year the Toyota Tacoma midsize pickup is finally getting some competition from GM’s new Colorado and Canyon pickups and even though the Toyota gave the 2016 Tacoma a big refresh, there’s one area that Toyota will not compete in – diesels.
The 2016 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon are going to be available with a new 2.8L diesel engine, but Toyota says that it will not release a competitor. During a recent live chat, Tacoma and Tundra chief engineer Mike Sweers was stated, “We will not be offering a diesel engine. We’ve looked at diesels, and diesel is a difficult topic right now because of the new Tier 3 emission regulations.”
Related: 2016 Toyota Tacoma gets new styling and a new V6 to keep it at the top
The new Tier 3 regulations from the EPA are set to take effect in 2017 and will seek to further reduce tailpipe emissions, which will make it harder for diesel-powered vehicles to pass. “The downside to diesel is the emissions has to be certified at the same level as a gas engine,” said Sweers. “So the way to do that is you have to put on an after-treatment system.” The after-treatment could add up to $3,000 to the cost of a vehicle.
Source: Autoguide
