New Toyota Tacoma boasts American-made muscle



It's hard to blame Toyota for dragging its feet on a Toyota Tacoma update; almost two decades after its last major redesign, it's still the best-selling mid-size pickup in the world.

But there's a limit to the patience of even the most dedicated Taco driver. Which is why the automaker finally gave the beloved workhouse a major makeover for 2024. It was worth the wait.

The first thing you notice is the modern and comfortable interior, which finally catches the Tacoma up to competitors like the Chevy Colorado and the Ford Ranger. But this vehicle's improvements go more than skin deep — this is a better truck in every way.

The TRD Sport-trimmed Tacomas in particular are highly configurable. Gone is the old V6; the new Tacomas come equipped with your choice of a turbocharged, 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine (with 278 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque) or the i-Force Max hybrid (with 326 hp and 465 lb-ft).

The TRD Sport also offers a six-speed manual option in addition to an eight-speed automatic, and you can spec either 2WD or 4WD. Toyota does make one restriction: This one's available only as a double cab (crew cab).

One major drawback is the price. With an MSRP of $65,395, the TRD Sport is a full $17,000 more expensive the similarly-specced Colorado. That said, even the more basic trims offer huge improvements.

These engines, by the way, come from Toyota's Huntsville, Alabama, plant, which the company recently expanded with a $222 million investment.

Check out my in-depth review of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport below:

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Democrat lights into Biden for bowing 'to the whims of politics,' reversing Trump-era decision on Space Command HQ



Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell lashed out at President Joe Biden on Monday over his decision to keep the United States Space Command in Colorado.

What is the background?

The Pentagon announced on Monday that Biden decided that Colorado Springs will be the permanent headquarters of the U.S. Space Command. The decision reverses a Trump-era decision to move the HQ to Huntsville, Alabama.

According to the Associated Press, Gen. James Dickinson, commander of Space Command, argued moving HQ would impact military readiness. Air Force commanders, however, disagreed with that analysis and thought relocating Space Force HQ to Alabama was the right decision. Subsequent government studies had affirmed the move.

What did Sewell say?

Sewell, a Democrat who represents Alabama's 7th Congressional District, did not buy the excuse. In a statement, she blasted the Biden administration and argued Biden bowed "to the whims of politics over merit."

"Huntsville's merits won this selection process fair and square. In three separate reports, Huntsville reigned victorious, whereas Colorado did not come in second or even third. This reversal is as shameful as it is disappointing," Sewell said.

"I expected more from the Biden Administration," she added. "A decision of this magnitude should not be about red states versus blue states, but rather what is best for our national security."

According to Sewell, the Alabama Congressional Delegation stands united in opposition to this decision. Indeed, House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) was equally outraged and promised an investigation. He said in a statement:

It’s clear that far-left politics, not national security, was the driving force behind this decision. The Biden administration’s shameful delay to finalize the permanent basing decision for U.S. Space Command warranted the opening of a Congressional investigation. I will continue this investigation to see if they intentionally misled the Armed Services Committee on their deliberate taxpayer-funded manipulation of the selection process. I will continue to hold the Biden administration accountable for their egregious political meddling in our national security. This fight is far from over.

What did the WH say?

The Biden administration, however, is denying that politics played a role in the decision.

"The deciding factor for President Biden in deciding to keep Space Command in Colorado Springs was operational readiness, pure and simple," John Kirby of the National Security Council claimed.

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