There's a new, tougher full-size pickup in town. It's built in San Antonio, Texas, and it's gunning for the class-leading American trucks. It's name is Toyota Tundra.
The third-generation TRD Off Road Tundra is armed with more power and an available hybrid, better road skills and smarter technology inside and off-road.
No one is saying the 2022 Tundra will catch the big fellas anytime soon: American makers Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 still have it beat when it comes to towing and payload capacities, and brand loyalty is strong, too. But the new Tundra is more competitive in many ways, and it will continue to attract Toyota loyalists.
This is a long-overdue redesign from the Japanese carmaker — the first in 15 years — and it introduces a new twin-turbo V-6 engine that can be linked with a hybrid setup. It has a more comfortable and composed ride than last year and a more refined interior, too.
It's two inches taller this year, 4.7 inches longer, and has three bed options and two-four-door cabs. And talk about variety: It's available in more than 10 trim levels, including seven grilles and eight wheel designs.
Each Tundra has a broad and deep grille, flanked by narrow LED headlights that wrap around in front of its bulky fenders. A raised hood is nicely sculpted and adds to its muscular look.
But under the hood is where the big story is. Toyota dropped the 5.7-liter V-8 in favor of a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 (it's now the only full-size pickup without a V-8 option). But the V-6 outperforms the old V-8: It gets 389 horsepower and a strong 479 pound-feet of torque, compared to the previous 381 hp and 401 pound-feet, and it pulls to 60 mph in around 6 seconds.
Want more power? If it's paired with a hybrid system, the powertrain puts out 437 hp and a crazy 583 pound-feet of torque. The electric motor contributes 48 horses, while the battery pack is tucked away neatly under the rear seat.
Both versions are mated to a smooth 10-speed automatic transmission, a first for Tundra. It shifts smoothly on the way up, but is sometimes slow-to-the-draw in the downshifts.
On the open road, Tundra's ride is quiet and comfortable. Steering is responsive and handling is confident around town, with light body lean on corners. Road bumps and dips are pleasantly handled by the Bilstein monotone dampers, part of a new TRD Off Road package.
The Off Road package provides an exclusive TRD grille, skid plates and mud guards. Four-wheel-drive adds an electronic locking rear differential, Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control. You can get an Off Road appearance package even if you don't need the 4x4 system.
Besides Sport and Comfort while on the road, the Tundra has Off Road modes that include Sand, Mud/Rut and Rock Crawl. They'll adjust steering, throttle and transmission to meet the demands of the trail. Crawl Control monitors the throttle and brakes up to 5 mpg so the driver can focus on steering.
This year's system is much improved over last year — and quieter, too. After dialing into it, grab the wheel and enjoy the show while the three-ton beast tackles the terrain.
For daily, mundane chores the Tundra is a fine workhorse, too, though there is no single-cab work-truck version. It can haul up to 1,940 pounds, which is 210 better than last year. But it's well behind the F-150 at 3,250 pounds. Cargo beds come in 5-foot-six, 6-foot-six, and 8-foot-one, with the latter only available with an extended cab. They are wide enough for standard sheets of plywood.
Oh, and a bump switch near the rear allows hands-free opening of the tailgate: Just tap it with your hip, elbow or any other body part that's available.
When it comes to towing, the Tundra can pull up to 12,000 pounds, better than the second-gen by 1,800 pounds but slightly less than its foes. The F-150 has it beat by 2,000 pounds.
But Toyota added tech to make the task easier. An extra tow mode, called Tow Plus, adjusts throttle, shifts and steering for safer and more steady towing. And a surround-view camera offers full views of the truck, trailer and hitch.
Toyota made cabin enhancements, too. They are roomier and have upgraded materials on the center console, dashboard and doors. The dash can be accented in walnut or leather.
Front seats are supportive, heated and cooled, have 8-way power adjustment and are trimmed in a soft, synthetic leather. Front and rear seats have an extra inch of head room this year, and rear-seaters have an expansive 41.6 inches of legroom — more than the front seats!
There's adequate room for stuff in cubbies on doors and the versatile center console, which is large and contains two trays.
The driver gets a new 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, but the tech star this year is Tundra's new infotainment system and a new, horizontal 14-inch touchscreen — largest in the segment. Toyota says the system, borrowed from Lexus, has a processing speed five times faster than before.
Colors are crisp, graphics sharper, and it has pinch-and-zoom capability. Voice commands also have been updated: The driver or front passenger can say "Hey, Toyota," then offer a command to change the temperature, for example. It also features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a wireless hotspot that can connect up to 10 devices.
The audio setup includes a manual volume knob but engineers somehow left out a manual tuning knob. The latest version of the 12-speaker JBL audio system has been called much improved by audiophiles.
Standard safety features on all Tundras include adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-depart warning and assist, and rear-seat alert.
With an improved ride, performance and comfort, this new truck from out West is one to be reckoned with. It may not run F-150 and Ram out of town, but it is bold enough to challenge them at high noon.
2022 Toyota Tundra Limited 4x4 with TRD Off Road package
MSRP: $51,900
What's all the excitement about? Fully redesigned Tundra has new twin-turbo V-6 engine with hybrid option, improved off-road ability, refined cabin with Lexus infotainment system and segment-leading 14-inch touchscreen
Powertrain: 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine good for 389 hp, 479 pound-feet of torque; Linked to 10-speed automatic
How's the performance? Comfortable and quieter on road, more capable off road. 0-60 mph in around 6 seconds
Fuel economy: 17 mpg city, 22 highway, 19 mpg combined
