Toyota isn’t planning to sell this ute in the hundreds-of-thousands like its HiLux, but the Tundra is one of the brand's most important projects yet.
It marks Toyota’s first local re-engineering product and first semblance of Australian manufacturing since the Camry factory closed in October 2017.
With the help of Walkinshaw, Toyota takes the US-made ute and swaps it to right-hook using custom and existing 300 Series parts.
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The Tundra Project is unique, involving around 300 LandCruiser customers in a real-life beta test of the vehicles. Toyota reckons it can do about 1200 units in the first 12 months.
That’s not it for headlines, either. The Tundra has the most power and torque, longest measurement from tip to tail, most expensive list price ($155,990, before on-road costs) and biggest touchscreen of any Toyota model sold in Australia.
We want to find out if Toyota has done a good job with the conversion and, more cerebrally, whether the Big T’s entrance into this segment means US-sized pick-ups are about to boom.
Toyota Tundra 2024: Limited
| Engine Type | V6, 3.4L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded/Electric |
| Fuel Efficiency | 0.0L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 5 |
| Price From | $147,400 - $169,400 |
Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 6/10
6 / 10
There’s only one Tundra trim in Australia, the Limited hybrid. At $155,90, before on-road costs, it’s about $10K dearer than a LandCruiser 300 Series Sahara ZX.
And it isn’t even the range-topper in the United States, sitting around the upper-middle of the Tundra line-up where you’d find a Toyota LandCruiser VX.
The equipment list isn’t exhaustive, with chrome exterior badging, silver grille, 20-inch alloy wheels, auto LED headlights, active front under-bumper spoiler, keyless entry and tough black ‘crush tube’ side steps.
Inside, you’ll find that massive 14.0-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, 360-degree top-down camera, wireless charging pad, 12-speaker JBL sound system, reach and rake-adjustable multi-function steering wheel and eight-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation.
What hurts, though, is the premium Australians pay for these big ‘trucks’. The Tundra Limited hybrid retails for the equivalent of A$90,000 in its home market, or $60,000 less than it is in Australia. Plus, other rivals like the Ram come in higher trim guise, with real leather seats and sunroofs on offer.
The Toyota Tundra Limited is more expensive than rivals, including the similarly-equipped Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium ($130,500), more heavily featured Ford F-150 Lariat ($139,950) and only a whisker cheaper than the all-out leather-bound luxury Ram 1500 Limited ($156,950), all before on-road costs.
Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10
7 / 10
There’s no mistaking the Tundra for a HiLux or any other ute on the road. It has plenty of presence, with a blocky three-box silhouette that looks simple from a distance yet has quite dramatic surfacing.
From the striking LED headlights to the creases around the wheel arches and down its flanks, the Tundra manages to balance old school toughness with a modern twist.
Inside, the blockiness continues but the black-only upholstery and Toyota’s rather featureless multimedia screen aren’t as attractive as the exterior sheet metal.
Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 7/10
7 / 10
You might think that, at almost a metre longer than a LandCruiser 300 Series, the Tundra is extremely practical. That isn’t really the case, certainly not when it comes to payloads and tray space.
The Tundra Limited’s tray measures 1670mm long, 1540mm wide (1230mm between the arches) and 540mm deep. It is an upgrade on your average dual-cab like a Toyota HiLux but not transformative — only 123mm longer, 12mm wider between the arches and 11mm deeper.
Payload is another sore point compared to an Aussie one-tonner at 758kg (3536kg GVM), though that is the highest payload among the Tundra’s price-point rivals.
There are four sturdy tie-down points, a thick bed-liner and sliding racking system included. The heavy tailgate is also beautifully damped, lowering itself on gas struts to avoid unpleasant thunking.
Then there is the real reason you might need a vehicle like the Toyota Tundra: towing ability. The Tundra is rated to tow a load up to 4500kg when fitted with the larger, 70mm tow ball. The standard-fit 50mm kit limits you to 3500kg, but unlike a straining one-tonner, the Tundra’s punch should make it an easy affair.
That said, beware of the gross combination mass (GCM) if towing a 4500kg trailer, because its 7825kg GCM effectively limits payload to 547kg. That doesn’t give much GVM to play with once accounting for trailer down ball weight.
Once you’ve done weight calculations, the Tundra has clever additions like a slick integrated trailer brake controller, two towing programs (including one for livestock), trailer sway assist and even an autonomous trailer back-up assistant to simplify towing.
Another big Tundra win is the vast passenger cell. The Tundra’s second row is palatial, with ample head, toe and knee room even for six-foot-plus occupants and plenty of shoulder room for aspiring footy stars.
Materials are plain and the doors are topped in scratchy plastic, though. The middle seat is not hugely comfortable, either, owing to a transmission tunnel and firm backrest that doubles as a fold-down armrest.
Fitting child seats is as fiddly as any dual-cab despite wide door openings and two ISOFIX tabs, because accessing the top tether anchor requires folding the 60/40 split backrest down.
The Tundra’s rear glass is tinted to keep the sun at bay and the windows roll all the way down (albeit in an un-Toyota clunky fashion).
Amenity is good, too, with two air vents, two USB charge points and a staggering eight beverage holders — the Toyota Tundra Limited has 14 cupholders in total.
Storage solutions continue to impress up front with a huge central cubby, more space for bottles in the doors, an upright wireless charging pad, a generous glove box and plenty of trays and rubberised sections to store odds and ends.
It’s worth calling out some of the right-hand drive eccentricities, such as the left-side indicator stalk, the backwards Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and that the passenger side is the dual-zone climate control sync leader — so if you drop the driver’s temp to 18-degrees then hit sync, it’ll bounce back to the passenger temp
Where the Tundra feels behind top-end Toyota products is in the fit and finish. We noticed a buzzy rattle from the A-pillar and a shaky driver’s mirror glass when playing bass-heavy music. Additionally, the centre console’s heavy lid squeaked over bumps during our test period. The test car had 8000km on the odometer.
The same can be said of the materials – a hard scratchy plastic dash combined with sweaty synthetic leather upholstery makes the $155K price point seem very steep.
Where the Tundra hits back, in typical Toyota fashion, is through useability and comfort. The steering wheel has lots of controls, the digital dashboard is cleverly laid out and it is easy to set up wireless smartphone mirroring with three USB ports to choose from.
The supportive eight-way power adjustable front seats get power lumbar support and remain comfortable after many hours behind the wheel.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission? 10/10
10 / 10
This is Australia’s first taste of Toyota’s ‘i-Force Max’ parallel hybrid powertrain and, if fitted to a 300 Series LandCruiser, this could be a game-changer for towing and open-road cruising.
The Tundra’s power and torque outputs eclipse rivals like the Silverado, Ram 1500 and Ford F-150 at 326kW and 790Nm but it’s the way torque is delivered that’s most pleasing.
Flex your right foot and from 1500rpm you can already feel the swell of the Tundra’s 250Nm electric motor before the 3445cc petrol V6 starts spooling its twin turbos.
A 0-100km/h time around 6.0 seconds is enough to keep up with a Ranger Raptor.
This configuration also lets Toyota maintain a true 4x4 system, in the Tundra’s case with a locking centre differential so you can engage ‘4H’ for slippery terrain.
A full-time 4WD system, as seen in Prado, 300 Series and some of the Tundra’s key rivals, would be nice. On test, I found the i-Force Max struggled to put power down climbing a hill in the rain in ‘2H’. The Tundra has a low-range transfer case and a rear limited-slip differential.
Around town, the Tundra can creep off the line in electric mode and coast at steady speeds with the V6 disabled. Only sometimes were there slightly clunky down-changes as the clutch-mounted electric motor engaged and disengaged while decelerating.
Ultimately, the 10-speed auto’s creamy shifts and V6’s chesty bellow are deeply pleasing.
Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range? 10/10
10 / 10
Toyota Australia does not publish a combined cycle ADR fuel use figure for the Tundra as its 3536kg GVM — just over 3.5 tonnes — means it is not needed for compliance.
In the United States, the Tundra’s EPA combined rating is 11.2L/100km and we saw 10.8L/100km at the bowser, or 12.2L/100km on the trip computer.
For a vehicle this big and heavy with a petrol engine, that is an extremely impressive result. To give context, our testing of the Ram 1500 (14.6L/100km), Silverado (16.5L/100km) and Ford F-150 (14.2L/100km) were dramatically thirstier.
Also worth noting is the Tundra Limited’s 122L fuel tank, which is second only to the Ford F-150 and should give a driving range of over 1100km on the open road. The Tundra requires 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.
Driving – What's it like to drive? 8/10
8 / 10
You might be expecting the Tundra to drive just like a bigger 300 Series but that isn’t the case, even though the SUV’s electro-hydraulic steering system features in the right-hook Tundra.
The Tundra is an altogether bigger beast with a tall, chunky bonnet that makes it remarkably easy to place. The steering, too, is lighter than expected and has 3.1 turns lock-to-lock.
The direct off-centre steering feel means you can easily manage the Tundra’s considerable 2778kg kerb weight over tricky cambers and in cross-winds.
Rather strong bakes with four-piston front calipers clamping 354mm ventilated discs and single piston calipers at the back are appreciated. We weren’t able to tow a trailer on this test to verify its abilities when heavily laden.
The Tundra’s Limited’s 265/60R20 Bridgestone Dueler H/T tyres, low-jawed front bumper and 216mm ground clearance mean it’s no off-road star. Approach and departure angles of 23 and 21 degrees, respectively, are about average. As such, we kept it on bitumen and gravel roads that will be the Tundra’s natural stomping ground.
This big ute shakes off the heaviest potholes and compressions like they’re nothing, that long wheelbase contributing to a calm experience at speed. It has four wheel coil springs, double wishbone front suspension and a four-link live rear axle.
As a heavy-duty body-on-frame ute, the Tundra remains compromised for urban ride comfort. Sharp edges like concrete expansion joints, or rippled tarmac, upset its composure at lower speeds — it isn’t as plush as the new Prado, that’s for sure. It’s no athlete but the Tundra is a certified kilometre crusher, with excellent road and wind noise insulation.
Warranty & Safety Rating
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating? 7/10
7 / 10
The Tundra has not been evaluated by ANCAP and is unlikely to be. It received a ‘Top Safety Pick’ from the US-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, however that testing is not focused on car-to-car compatibility or pedestrian safety performance — something the Tundra’s 1.2-metre tall bonnet would surely affect.
Keeping up with the times, the Tundra is fitted with an auto emergency braking system that can detect cars ahead along with pedestrians, cyclists and oncoming vehicles.
It also has auto high-beam, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alerts, a top-down camera view and eight airbags. It misses out on speed sign detection and driver attention monitoring.
The driver aids could use some refinement, too, with the adaptive cruise control allowing the Tundra to run over a set speed and the lane-keep assist’s occasionally heavy-handed interventions.
Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 8/10
8 / 10
Where Toyota’s high Tundra price really starts to make sense against rivals is the aftersales experience. A highly-publicised 300-customer trial took place over 12 months to make sure the Tundra was up to snuff for Aussie conditions.
It’s hard to prove the benefit of this so early on, but Toyota rarely puts a foot wrong when it comes to reliability.
The Tundra is covered by Toyota’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. It is the industry standard in most segments but not the big pick-up game — the Silverado is only covered for three years/100,000km and the Ram 1500 three years or unlimited kilometres. The F-150 is the only model to match the Tundra with a five year warranty.
Toyota’s capped-price servicing program runs for five years on the Tundra, with maintenance due every six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first. Each visit to the mechanic is capped at $450, which is competitive in this segment.
Verdict
To answer the first question: yes, Toyota has done a bang-up job on the Tundra conversion, a few build quality and awkward switch kinks are very minor complaints.
Toyota has chosen the right variant, too, leaning into the strengths of the fantastic i-Force Max hybrid to make a Tundra that’s pitched at towing loads and carrying a family in comfort.
The price is harder to stomach. It’s a lot more money than rivals and a huge up-charge over the US price — Toyota’s hallmark reliability has to count for a lot here. Expect Toyota to sell every one of the 1200 Tundras it plans to convert this year, but don’t expect this style of vehicle to take over from HiLux and Ranger any time soon.
Range and Specs
| Vehicle | Specs | Price* |
|---|---|---|
| Limited | 3.4L, Premium Unleaded/Electric, 10 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $147,400 - $169,400 |
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