LIKES
- Fresh look
- Fresh tech
- Strong twin-turbo V-6
- Stronger hybrid option
- 12,000-lb towing capacity
DISLIKES
- It's about time
- Price?
- EPA ratings?
BUYING TIP
- The hybrid V-6 is available on Limited, Platinum, and 1794 trims, but we’ll withhold our recommendation until pricing and drive impressions are available.
The new 2022 Toyota Tundra takes a big leap forward with a hybrid powertrain, coil-spring rear suspension, and the latest tech.
What kind of vehicle is the 2022 Toyota Tundra? What does it compare to?
The 2022 Tundra is a full-size pickup truck with a new hybrid option and the usual multitude of bed and cab configurations. It competes with the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Chevy Silverado.
Is the 2022 Toyota Tundra a good truck?
Long overdue, the redesigned Tundra looks and sounds like a welcome upgrade to the full-size pickup truck segment, but we’ll withhold our rating until we drive it.
What's new for the 2022 Toyota Tundra?
The first new Tundra since 2007 makes the full-size truck new again with an available hybrid powertrain, a multi-link rear suspension, 12,000 lb of towing capacity, and the latest in standard safety and convenience features. Toyota will sell it in SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794, and TRD Pro models, with select TRD packages.
The broad, muscular exterior, with low lines stretching the length and width of the vehicle, reverberates across its horizontal dash even when equipped with the large 14.0-inch touchscreen. D-shaped vents flank the screen like ears, and horizontal climate buttons and a large volume knob limits the reliance on touch. A gear shifter occupies a wide center console with available wireless smartphone charging, padded armrests, and other soft-touch materials on most trims.
Toyota retired the V-8 and its outdated 6-speed automatic in favor of two twin-turbo V-6s with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The base 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 puts out 389 hp and 479 lb-ft, which outperforms the outgoing 5.7-liter V-8’s 381 hp and 401 lb-ft.
Like the 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid, Toyota fits the 2022 Tundra with an available 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 hybrid making 437 hp and 583 lb-ft at 2,400 rpm. A motor generator sandwiched between the engine and transmission provides boost to the engine while driving, yet the hybrid system will power engine stop/start, regenerative braking, electric assist, and EV driving at speeds under 18 mph. Sport and Sport+ drive modes complement a Tow/Haul mode on the console drive selector. The 288-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack sits under the rear seats in the Tundra Hybrid.
Efficiency ratings haven’t been announced yet, but both V-6s should outperform last year’s EPA-rated 13 mpg city, 18 highway, 15 combined on the V-8 with rear-wheel drive. The 2021 F-150 Hybrid has a 24 mpg combined rating with 4WD.
The Hybrid is as notable as the new suspension and the change from a ladder-style frame to a wider fully boxed frame. A new, lighter double wishbone suspension up front and a multi-link rear suspension with coil springs replacing the old leaf springs promise to soften the ride and improve the handling. Higher trims mount the cabin to the frame with hydraulic cab mounts, and larger crossmembers reinforce the chassis to make it more rigid.
An available air suspension with three heights simplifies loading the bed and for low-speed off-roading in High mode. Available adaptive dampers smooth over road imperfections for a more comfortable street drive. TRD Pro grades get 2.5-inch Fox internal bypass shocks with a 1.1-inch front lift, a TRD-specific front stabilizer bar, aluminum front skid plate, and all-terrain Falken tires.
The hybrid powertrain is standard on the TRD Pro, and offered on Limited, Platinum, and 1794 models.
Safety and Infotainment features
Toyota continues to prioritize safety by equipping every Tundra trim level with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, blind-spot monitors, automatic high beams, and a rear-seat reminder. That gear makes it the best equipped full-size truck when it comes to safety. Federal and independent crash testing will be conducted once the new Tundra goes on sale.
Perhaps the biggest news for Toyota’s biggest model is the big 14.0-inch touchscreen and new infotainment system that was designed in and made for the American market. Like the system debuting in the 2022 Lexus NX, the setup sports a fresh font, sharper visuals, pinch-and-zoom functionality, enhanced voice commands, dual microphones for both front passengers, and it has five times greater processing speed, according to Toyota.
A large volume dial and 8.0-inch touchscreen come standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as does a power tailgate. A wi-fi hotspot enables connections for up to 10 devices, and available navigation stays fresh with over-the-air updates. Options include a panoramic roof, heated and cooled front seats, and heated steering wheel. An available 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster comes standard with the hybrid engine and on Platinum, 1794, and TRD Pro models. The standard cluster on SR and SR5 models has a 4.1-inch vehicle info display.
The TRD Off-Road package available on SR5, Limited, and 1794 has 18-inch or 20-inch TRD wheels, monotube Bilstein shocks, a special grille, skid plates, mud guards, and on 4WD models, an electronic rear differential lock. The TRD Sport package available on SR5 models adds 20-inch TRD wheels, a special grille, and a lowered sport suspension.
An available surround-view camera system projects bird’s-eye views of the truck and trailer, the cargo bed, and the hitch. New power side mirrors are larger, heated, and come with available cameras to project blind-spot views on the touchscreen. The mirrors also house LED trailering lights to help park the trailer at night.
Toyota provides a 36-month/36,000-mile basic warranty on the 2022 Tundra, along with factory scheduled maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance for two years or 25,000 miles.
How much does the 2022 Toyota Tundra cost?
Prices will be announced near the sale date at the end of the year. Expect it to cost more than the $36,000 starting price of the outgoing model.
Where is the 2022 Toyota Tundra made?
In San Antonio, Texas.
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