Displaying items by tag: Toyota Tundra

Friday, 07 January 2022 07:16

Tested: 2022 Toyota Tundra Pickup Goes Big

 

The Toyota Tundra is old. How old? It's so old, when it was introduced, the Dead Sea was just getting sick. It's so old, if you park one outside an antiques store, people will try to buy it. It's so old, it was introduced in 2007. Which is, uh, 14 years ago. The fact that Toyota still sells more than 100,000 Tundras a year is a testament to the effort it expended on that mid-2000s redesign—a 381-hp V-8 was killer then and still relevant now. But it's (long past) time for an update, and so the 2022 Tundra gets a thorough overhaul that sets Toyota up for another long production run. Maybe not 14 years this time, though.

 

2022 toyota tundra trd pro
 
 

HIGHS: Modernized interior, coil-spring rear suspension, turbocharged power across the board.

The other major hardware change concerns the rear suspension, which is now a coil-spring design. Optional air springs enable automatic load leveling but can also be manually controlled, to either lower the rear end to ease loading or raise it for off-roading. Which, given the fixed front ride height, means that the Tundra can Carolina Squat itself.

Trim levels mirror the previous-gen truck, starting with the basic SR and the volume-model SR5 and climbing through fancier Limited, Platinum, and 1794 variants. The TRD Pro is now hybrid-only, but the hybrid-adverse can build an SR5 that nearly replicates the TRD Pro's hardware. The new TRD Off-Road package includes TRD wheels and suspension (though not the Pro's Fox internal-bypass front dampers and remote-reservoir rears), along with a locking rear differential—the first time an electronic locker has been offered on a Tundra. If you want to go in the opposite direction, there's also a TRD Sport package that lowers the ride height.

 JESSICA LYNN WALKERCAR AND DRIVER

LOWS: No full-time 4WD system, no onboard generator for the hybrid, air suspension for the rear axle only.

Maximum payload is now 1940 pounds, and that almost-ton of stuff rides in a rugged new aluminum-reinforced composite bed—the "make the whole plane out of the black box" approach to bedliner. Nonetheless, Toyota still offers both a bed mat and a spray-in bedliner as accessories. Why? Because a certain group of people demand so. We won't say who, but they'd be the ones who make a bunch of money selling you a bedliner for your bed. (They'll also install a three-inch lift kit, among a portfolio of other accessories.) Those beds are available in 5.5-foot, 6.5-foot, and 8.0-foot lengths, and Tundra buyers can now pair the crew cab with a 6.5-foot bed.

From the outside, the Tundra's redesign is conservative—huge grille notwithstanding—with a definite Silverado resemblance in the cab, particularly the upward kick of the sheetmetal at the bottom of the rear side windows. But inside, it's a huge departure from its predecessor. An 8.0-inch center touchscreen is standard, but every truck at the launch event had the optional 14.0-inch infotainment screen. The navigation system is the most obvious upgrade, running a cloud-based system that will automatically store maps offline if you're heading into an area with spotty connectivity. There's also a "Hey, Toyota" virtual assistant that can understand natural questions and commands. One thing that's missing from both systems is a tuner knob for the stereo. If you frequently listen to SiriusXM or terrestrial radio, that could be a major aggravation—the hard buttons on the steering wheel scroll through presets, but not from channel to channel. Up above the rearview mirror is the switch to roll down the rear glass, which is nice for talking to hitchhikers riding in the bed.

2022 toyota tundra trd pro
JESSICA LYNN WALKERCAR AND DRIVER
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We didn't tow with the Tundra, but its 12,000-pound max tow rating is competitive with the other half-ton trucks. It also has a clever backup assist function. Drive around for a bit with your trailer and the truck learns how it behaves, then enables a mode where the truck steers the trailer straight back on whatever heading you put it on. That seems more useful than relearning how to reverse a trailer, which is essentially what Ford's backup assist requires.

With no center differential on any trim, the Tundra's default on-pavement mode is rear-wheel drive. So, take a rear-drive truck with an open diff, 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque, and you have a recipe for massive burnouts. In our testing, a TRD Pro hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, despite refusing to shift at redline (even in manual mode). The quarter-mile is dispatched in 14.5 seconds at 92 mph. That’s quick, but it still lags the 5.4-second zero-to-60-mph dash and 13.9-second quarter-mile we saw from the hybrid Ford F-150 Powerboost, which also undercuts the Tundra’s 6107-pound weight by 313 pounds. Fortunately, the Tundra’s coil-spring rear end helps imbue this three-ton hauler with a feeling of precision that was missing in the 2021 model. The whole truck feels more taut and better in control of its mass, both sprung and unsprung. The TRD Pro’s 0.71-g skidpad result qualifies as decent, given that model's Falken Wildpeak AT3W all-terrain tires.

2022 toyota tundra trd pro
 

When it's time to back off the throttle, the hybrid downplays its electrified nature. Although it's recapturing energy on deceleration, there's no display to show that, nor any Prius-style energy deployment graphic. All it has is a gauge showing how much muscle the electric motor is contributing, conspicuously paired with a similar one displaying turbo boost. Where'd that energy come from? Your Tundra won it in a game of poker, or hunted it with a bow and arrow, because that's what tough trucks do.

The fact that Toyota came up with "i-Force MAX" as a euphemism for "hybrid" is a clue that efficiency might not be the main objective here. We still don't have EPA numbers for the hybrid, but the truck's own reckoning from its trip computer put the mileage similar to the nonhybrid, which is to say high teens in mixed driving. We'd guess the i-Force MAX picks up 1 or 2 mpg in the city but doubt it betters the 22-mpg highway for the nonhybrid 4x4. The hybrid will go into EV mode at highway speeds, but with only 48 horsepower motivating a 6000-pound truck, it doesn't take much throttle to awaken the V-6.

2022 toyota tundra trd pro
Both powertrains are hushed, piping in some synthesized engine noises to provide a little drama when you dig deep on the throttle. So, whether in Eco mode or Sport+, there's a prominent growl when you floor the accelerator. It's not bad. And with the windows down, every now and then you catch the sound of the turbos spooling up.

Pricing starts at $37,645 for a rear-drive SR double cab, and the fancier trims can cross the $60,000 threshold (that's for the conventional powertrains, with the hybrid pricing as yet unannounced but presumably involving a premium). Toyota admits that it doesn't expect to outsell the domestic trucks, because if the 2007 Tundra couldn't, what would? Thus, three strategic concessions: air springs only on the rear axle rather than all four corners, no generator function with the hybrid, no full-time four-wheel-drive system that can be used on pavement. Because would any of those things convince longtime Ford buyers to jump to Toyota? Conversely, will their absence drive a loyal Tundra driver to another brand? Probably not. If the 2007 Tundra was ahead of its time, this one is of the moment—however long that should last.

Specifications

2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro
Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-motor, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup

PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: $57,000

POWERTRAIN
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.4-liter V-6, 389 hp, 479 lb-ft + AC motor, 48 hp, 184 lb-ft (combined output: 437 hp, 583 lb-ft; nickel-metal hydride battery pack)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic

CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 13.9-in vented disc/13.6-in vented disc
Tires: Falken Wildpeak AT3W
285/65R-18 116T M+S

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 145.7 in
Length: 233.6 in
Width: 81.6 in
Height: 78.0 in
Passenger Volume: 117 ft3
Curb Weight: 6107 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.7 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.5 sec @ 92 mph
100 mph: 18.0 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.5 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.5 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 107 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 194 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.71 g

EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/22 mpg

Published in Toyota
Tuesday, 02 November 2021 05:32

2022 Toyota Tundra Review: Better Where It Counts

 
 

The verdict: Redesigned at long last, the 2022 Toyota Tundra pickup truck prioritizes improvements for the many over novelties for the few. The lack of the latter may limit its ceiling for success, but core half-ton shoppers should find plenty to like.

Versus the competition: The new Tundra doesn’t offer the sky-high payload or towing packages, advanced driver-assist tech or sumptuous interiors you’ll find in certain other trucks. But it does spread plentiful features and excellent powertrains across all trim levels.

Fully redesigned for the first time in 16 model years, the 2022 Tundra comes in two cabs, three bed lengths, two powertrains and rear- or four-wheel drive. Trim levels and suspensions number a half-dozen each. At Toyota’s press preview in San Antonio, I spent a jam-packed day evaluating six Tundra configurations.

I’ll refer often to specific configurations, so here’s a cheat sheet up front:

  • Trim levels: In ascending order, trims are the SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794 Edition and TRD Pro. 
  • Cabs and beds: The Tundra’s extended cab, called Double Cab, has four forward-hinged doors and 6.5- or 8.1-foot beds. The crew cab, called CrewMax, comes with 5.5- or 6.5-foot beds, the latter a first for the CrewMax. A regular (single) cab remains unavailable, as no Tundra has offered it since 2017.
  • Drivetrains: Gas-only or hybrid V-6 powertrains, both turbocharged, pair with a 10-speed automatic transmission and rear- or four-wheel drive. The hybrid comes only on the CrewMax.
  • Suspensions: Passive shock absorbers with coil springs all around are standard. Rear air springs are optional, as are rear air springs with four-corner adaptive shocks. (You can’t get the adaptive shocks with rear coil springs.) Finally, three packages from Toyota Racing Development — the racier TRD Sport, trail-oriented TRD Off-Road and rock-crawling TRD Pro — build off the passive shocks and coil springs. The TRD Pro is its own trim level, while the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road are optional packages available on select other trims.

Toyota officials said the gas-only Tundra goes on sale in December, with the hybrid coming in spring 2022.

I seldom dwell on vehicle design, but the Tundra’s hood-engulfing grille deserves discussion — or, more specifically, its framework does. Hung in contrasting color above a black lower bumper on most configurations, the frame looks like a squashed arch that runs into a black abyss. The abyss — sorry, bumper — forms a chin so prominent it seems single-handedly responsible for the 2022 Tundra’s roughly 5 inches of additional length. (Indeed, those gains are all from overhang; the wheelbase for most versions is unchanged.) It’s worth noting that mammoth grilles haven’t stopped recent Toyota models from selling like gangbusters; you can’t say the automaker played it safe.

Engines and Transmissions

Gone is the Tundra’s longstanding 5.7-liter V-8, replaced by a turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6. It’s distinct from the turbocharged V-6 of similar displacement used in Toyota’s Lexus division, officials told me, and it makes 389 horsepower and 479 pounds-feet of torque. The hybrid powertrain, which Toyota markets as i-Force Max, sandwiches an electric motor-generator and clutch into the bell housing between the engine and transmission, with combined output of 437 hp and 583 pounds-feet. The electric motor draws power from a nickel-metal-hydride battery under the rear seat, and officials said both powertrains make their advertised outputs on 87-octane gasoline.

You won’t miss the V-8. The turbocharged V-6 is as potent, pushing the Tundra to highway speeds in scant time, complete with whooshing turbochargers. Accelerator response from a stop is fairly lag-free, and engine rpm builds quickly thereafter. This is as formidable as the Ford F-150’s turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 or the Ram 1500’s 5.7-liter V-8, to name two solid rival powertrains. And Toyota expects 20 mpg in EPA-combined fuel economy for the gas-only rear-drive Tundra. That’s competitive with similarly powered pickups, should the EPA corroborate.

If there’s any weak link, it’s the 10-speed automatic. A first for any Toyota-branded vehicle in the U.S., the 10-speed enables short gears and quick revving, but I detected a couple of clunky upshifts and consistent hesitation to downshift while already in motion. Light throttle brings single-gear kickdown without too much delay, but harder acceleration at highway speeds — shooting a gap in the passing lane to pass slower traffic, for example — incurs delays of 2 seconds or more in the driver-selectable Normal or Sport modes. 

Toyota’s a repeat offender for kickdown lag, and so it goes here. The 3.5-liter feels strongest at mid-to-high rpm, but the 10-speed delays getting there for too long. I’ve clocked half the kickdown time from the Chevrolet Silverado 1500’s excellent 10-speed; Toyota’s unit needs work.

A brief drive in the Tundra hybrid showed more decisiveness from the 10-speed — kickdown comes a little sooner, though it remains slow overall — along with even more power, particularly off the line. Toyota claims the hybrid is capable of electric-only power propulsion at speeds up to 18 mph, but it’s hard to distinguish between electric and engine power. Most of the time they seem to be working together, a characteristic I’ve also observed in Cars.com’s long-term F-150 hybrid.

Ride and Handling

The new Tundra shares underpinnings with the redesigned Land Cruiser, an SUV slated for international markets but not here. That means a fully boxed frame instead of the outgoing Tundra’s rear C-channels, plus rear coil springs in place of leaf springs. Options include air springs in back and adaptive shocks all around, the latter a worthwhile upgrade for body control. 

The air springs and passive shocks grant acceptable unloaded ride quality, with soft impacts but a degree of jittery reverb on par with most other body-on-frame pickups. (Adding payload can often improve how pickups ride, but I didn’t evaluate a Tundra thus outfitted.) The adaptive shocks clean up the jitters appreciably, though not completely, with a driver-selectable Comfort setting that mutes impact harshness further. At that, the Tundra approaches the very good ride quality in the light-duty Silverado and GMC Sierra in no small part because Toyota doesn’t pair the adaptive shocks with massive wheels and comfort-sapping, low-profile tires. Rims top out at a relatively modest 20 inches, with the accompanying tires a high-profile P265/60R20 spec. Most trim levels, including every example I tested, have that setup, though lower trims and select TRD models can come with 18s.

Available in the Tundra SR5, the TRD Sport Package has a sport-tuned version of the passive shocks and coil springs. I sampled one, and it’s not too hardcore — a touch more turbulent but still comfort-tuned, with steering too numb and slow-ratio to deserve much fun-to-drive billing. With 20-inch wheels, body-colored cladding and a half-inch lower ride height, it’s mostly an appearance package.

Off-Road

Available on  several trim levels, the TRD Off-Road Package pairs 20-inch wheels (18s on the SR5) with Bilstein monotube shocks instead of the standard twin-tube dampers. It also gets skid plates, mud guards, a locking rear differential and, if you get one with 4WD, a terrain-selection controller that optimizes various drive settings for the conditions outside. The 4WD TRD Off-Road also gets Toyota’s Crawl Control, a system popularized on the Tacoma mid-size pickup that can manage throttle for a constant, selectable speed. (You can also get the TRD Off-Road without 4WD, where it amounts mostly to an appearance package.)

On a wooded off-road course, a 4WD Limited model with the TRD Off-Road Package and Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires managed the hilly terrain with little drama. Crawl Control bogged down a few seconds if I dropped an axle into something deep, then applied dogged throttle to get moving again. It did so without palpable wheel slippage at any corner even over some uphill rock facings without the rear locking differential engaged. With the lock engaged, the Tundra crawled off-kilter over half-buried logs with minimal wheel spin.

Want more? The TRD Pro gets 2.5-inch Fox internal-bypass shocks (the Bilsteins are 1.8 inches, by contrast), a 1.1-inch front suspension lift and a 20% stiffer front stabilizer bar. It also gets unique underbody protection for the engine, fuel tank and transfer case. Built off the Tundra Limited, the TRD Pro has 18-inch wheels with 33-inch, P285/65R18 Falken Wildpeaks — the widest of any Tundra tire. Approach and departure angles are 26.2 and 24.2 degrees, respectively, on the TRD Pro, up from 21 and 24 degrees for other trims. Note, however, that those approach angles are shallower and result from the increased overhang mentioned above: In 2021, lower-level Tundras had a 26-degree approach angle, though the departure angle was only 16 or 17, trim depending. Only the 2021 TRD Pro had a generous 31-degree approach angle and 17-degree departure angle.

Towing and Payload Capacities

Towing and payload capacities improve over the outgoing Tundra, but they can’t touch the maximum packages offered elsewhere. Payload maxes out at 1,940 pounds for the 2022 model, up from the outgoing generation’s 1,730 pounds but well short of the Silverado 1500 (2,280 pounds), Ram 1500 (2,300) or F-150 (a bonkers 3,325).

A trend among redesigned pickups is a gaggle of bed innovations ranging from useful to gimmicky. Toyota didn’t throw much at the wall, at least from the factory. The new Tundra features no onboard generator, multifolding tailgate or in-bed trunk, though a purported 51 new or redesigned accessories (plus 64 carryovers) might have a surprise or three. Higher trim levels have a nifty release button tucked into the taillights, which you can elbow to drop the tailgate if your arms are full. (See, there’s something!)

More important is the Tundra’s newly standard, aluminum-reinforced composite bed material, which might save some shoppers the expense of adding a separate bedliner. Toyota says the material resists dents and corrosion better than steel or aluminum; indeed, its gritty, spray-in feel seems moderately durable. Regardless, shoppers with serious hauling needs may want to get a liner atop this, as the material doesn’t extend up the sides.

Maximum towing capacity for the 2022 Tundra increases to 12,000 pounds under SAE International’s J2807 standards. That’s a healthy gain over the prior generation’s 10,200 pounds but short of the Detroit Three competition (12,750 to 14,000 pounds, depending on truck). Available towing aids for 2022 range from rear-facing trailer lights on the optional tow mirrors to Straight Path Assist, a system that can automatically steer the Tundra while backing up to keep your trailer in a straight path; it’s similar to the F-150’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist. I sampled SPA with a short trailer hitched astern, and it mitigates the dreaded jacknife to back up straight, provided you line the trailer up beforehand in the intended direction. Adjusting your heading is possible, but expect a learning curve.

 

The Interior

Toyota did away with the Tundra’s high-shelf dashboard for something with a few graduated layers, plus an 8- or 14-inch touchscreen that juts a little bit above it all. (The outgoing Tundra had a 7- or 8-inch touchscreen, depending on trim.) Both screens use Toyota’s new Audio Multimedia system, a version of which we first saw in the redesigned NX from Toyota’s Lexus division. It’s a straightforward unit with oversized icons, simple menu structures and a purported five times faster processing regardless of screen size. Wireless integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard, and CarPlay works over the entire display — a problem with some of Toyota’s other oversized screens, which confine phone projection to a subset of the screen.

The dashboard controls are intuitive overall, with toggle switches for the air conditioning, an oversized volume knob with the 14-inch touchscreen and mercifully few operations buried in the submenus. Annoyingly, the 8-inch screen swaps the large volume knob for a tiny one that could evade operation with work gloves, and that’s in the trim levels likeliest to end up with contractors. Neither screen offers a tuning knob, and the rickety gear selector is like so many others from Toyota.

Cabin quality is otherwise fine, with soft-touch surfaces in areas your arms and knees touch. No trim level can match the leather-lined extravagance of a top-flight Ram 1500, a pickup so premium we named it our top luxury vehicle in 2020, but materials are class-competitive otherwise. Lower trim levels cheap out a bit, swapping in hard-touch plastics on the console sides and rear doors, but that’s to be expected among full-size trucks. The redesigned console limits knee width a tad more than in the prior generation, but the berth should still be wide enough for larger drivers; ditto for the Tundra’s wide, flat seats. Backseat knee clearance is workable in the Double Cab and generous in the CrewMax, with good headroom and cushion height regardless.

Cabin storage abounds, with console cubbies aplenty and, in most trim levels, storage bins under the pop-up rear seat cushions. Above them, the head restraints tip forward to improve visibility out back, with a camera-based rearview mirror on top trim levels to clear it up further. Still, the Tundra’s chunky B-pillars hamper visibility over your left shoulder regardless of cab style. Most trims offer a blind spot warning system, but no electronics can replace inherently good sight lines.

Safety, Driver-Assist and Other Features

The prior generation’s spotty crash-test scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety don’t carry over to the redesigned 2022 model, but the agency has yet to publish anything more recent. Standard features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, plus lane departure warning with steering assist. Impressively, adaptive cruise control and hands-on lane centering, two features typically optional among half-ton pickup trucks, are standard here.

Pricing and EPA mileage remain unavailable as of this writing, but standard features are impressive. Among them are the aforementioned safety and driver-assist tech, plus the 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three USB ports, one-touch power windows all around, single-zone automatic climate control and keyless access with push-button start. One curious omission is a height-adjustable driver’s seat, missing in the SR and standard SR5 grades. Absent the adjuster, some drivers may find the chair too low.

Power front seats with dual height adjusters are optional, as are dual-zone climate controls, vinyl or leather upholstery with heating and ventilation for both rows, regular or panoramic moonroofs, and a heated steering wheel with power tilt/telescoping adjustments. Optional on the SR5 and standard higher up is the 14-inch touchscreen; other tech extras include 12.3-inch virtual gauges, a 360-degree camera system, a head-up display, wireless phone charging and two more USB ports.

 

Should You Buy a Tundra?

Redesigned pickup trucks often see automakers throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. Styling notwithstanding, Toyota played it a bit safe. The Tundra offers no hands-free steering, a feature soon available on the F-150 and GM’s updated trucks. You don’t get a host of new bed features, nor towing or payload packages that outspec a few competitors. Top trim levels are nice but not groundbreaking, and the bottom end doesn’t reprise a single cab or fleet-grade engine. The Tundra hybrid is a feat, but Ford beat Toyota to the punch on that. And the 10-speed with either powertrain needs grooming.

But the Tundra is a strong choice for the heart of the half-ton market: crew-cab shoppers who want a truck in the $40,000 to $50,000 range. The effort here is clear, with few moon shots but many concrete gains. I’m not sure the one emphasis precluded the other, but there’s only so much investment a redesign can get. For most truck shoppers, I suspect the Tundra got plenty.

(https://www.cars.com/articles/2022-toyota-tundra-review-better-where-it-counts-442119/)

Published in Toyota
Monday, 06 September 2021 07:49

2022 Toyota Tundra in new images

New images of the new Toyota Tundra model year 2022 have appeared in public.


Sales are expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year, and in the US, the base 2022 Tundra will cost around $ 36,000 (the TRD Pro version should be priced at just over $ 50,000).


In addition to the standard version, there is also the Tundra TRD Pro which comes with black elements (front grille, sills, fender extensions, glass frames, markings), LED lights, black wheels and new suspension.

The Tundra TRD Pro will be offered with a CrewMax cabin and most likely with a new 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine (the new Land Cruiser has 415HP and 650 Nm).

In addition, the 2022 Tundra could later get a hybrid version.

Published in Blog/News
Tagged under

Will the next full-size Tundra pickup truly challenge the likes of the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500?

UPDATE: We've included exclusive MotorTrend renders based on leaks and various prototypes running around, showing aggressive front bumper and cutaways underneath the headlights. It should prove to be an interesting, bold evolution of the sort of styling Toyota has been exploring in its TRD Pro models, albeit much more extreme.

The current Toyota Tundra impressed us enough to earn the MotorTrend Truck of the Year award…in 2008. Since then, the Japanese automaker has merely put coats of lipstick on its aging pickup while rivals such as the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150, GMC Sierra, and Ram 1500 received at least one full-on redesign. In other words, the Tundra's been left in the dust. However, Toyota finally is doing something about it.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra is due to ride on the company's latest truck chassis. Reportedly coined Toyota New Global Architecture-F (or TNGA-F), the Tundra's body-on-frame underpinnings ought to benefit from greater use of high-strength steel and other weight-saving materials. Like the Ram 1500, we anticipate the next-gen Tundra will adopt coil springs—in place of the current truck's leaf springs—to go with its live rear axle. Such a setup will surely improve the truck's ride quality. Likewise, we expect the lither 2022 Tundra to notably improve upon the outgoing model's maximum 1,730-pound payload and 10,200-pound towing figures. Of course, it will have to, with more-modern light-duty competitors offering capacities that far outstrip those dated numbers.

Say goodbye to the Tundra's V-8 engines, because Toyota's big pickup will reportedly enter the world with a V-6-only powertrain lineup. Look for higher-end Tundra variants to utilize a variant of the 416-hp 3.4-liter unit found under the hood of the Lexus LS500. Lesser Tundras will likely employ the naturally aspirated 278-hp 3.5-liter V-6 engine of the Tacoma (possibly massaged to produce more than 300 horses).

Given Toyota's hybrid history, the brand may offer the 2022 Tundra with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain option, putting it on the vanguard in a segment that is just now warming up to electrification. Such a setup will allow the Toyota truck to properly compete with the 2021 Ford F-150 and its available hybrid powertrain.

2022 Toyota Tundra's Truck-Like Looks

Despite its relatively radical mechanical changes, the 2022 Toyota Tundra is anticipated to evolve upon the styling of today's truck. That's no bad thing, as the current Tundra has finally grown into its skin—the original version looked like a four-wheeled fish of some sort—and comes across as innocuous enough, if not fully handsome. Still, look for the big Toyota truck to sport a brasher front-end design incorporating a large grille and tall hood, providing the new Tundra with a flashier mug.

Inside, the new Tundra will welcome Toyota's latest Entune infotainment technology. This includes an available 12.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a large head-up display unit. Toyota's full Safety Sense suite of goodies are sure to be available, too, including automatic braking, advanced radar cruise control, automatic lane centering and lane-keep assist, and much more.

2022 Toyota Tundra On-Sale Date And Price

Although we expect Toyota to unveil the 2022 Tundra before the middle of next year, we don't anticipate the model rolling forth from Toyota's San Antonio, Texas, factory and reaching dealerships until the end of 2021. When it arrives, the 2022 Tundra may sport a base price close to that of the current truck's approximately $35,000 figure, or the brand might reintroduce lower, less-equipment-rich trim levels to the lineup in an attempt to capture fleet or entry-level buyers.

No matter what, opting for four-wheel drive, more technology, a larger cab or bed, and more powerful or advanced powertrain options will raise the truck's cost. Plan to spend north of $55,000 to get into the 2022 Tundra's pricier trims.

Source: motortrend.com

Published in Toyota

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