Toyota Tundra Advice

I know what you’re thinking, of course Toyota makes luxury cars - they’re called Lexus.But despite the brand being the definition of mainstream, selling the most new cars every year in Australia with a focus on affordable models like the Corolla, Camry and RAV4, Toyota has some expensive models, too.The question is - can a Toyota be a luxury car? Well, it may surprise you to know that in its domestic market Toyota does indeed have some true luxury vehicles.Specifically the Century, a Toyota luxury sedan that’s been used by the Japanese Imperial family as well as the Prime Minister for decades. In 2023 Toyota added the Century SUV for both the Japanese and Chinese markets, in a nod to the modern preference for high-riding models rather than sedans. That’s the Japanese stance, but is Toyota a luxury car brand in Australia?No, not really. For genuine luxury cars that compete against the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW, then you need to look at Lexus. But we’ve taken a deep dive into the world of the popular brand to find the most expensive Toyota models currently on sale locally.There are plenty of nice Toyota cars to choose from, but for this assignment we’ve focused strictly on price and the level of standard equipment that sees the brand cross over into Lexus territory.While Toyota may not seem like a luxury brand to most, the reality is you can define a luxury car in many ways and often personal perspective plays a big part. The LandCruiser 300 Series is a perfect example of that, because while it may not be a true luxury rival to the likes of Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz, for many Aussies it’s most definitely an aspirational vehicle to own.The Sahara ZX sits at the very top of the Toyota range, with buyers not getting any change from $150K but receiving a LandCruiser equipped with loads of luxuries in return. The Tundra is the American version of the HiLux (not in size, but popularity) and there’s not much that's 'luxurious' about a ute. But spending $150K on a ute puts the locally converted Tundra into Toyota fancy car territory. It may be a working-class vehicle in the US, but here its massive cabin and 4500kg towing capacity give it the feeling of being a step above a HiLux and bordering on luxury.This is the price for the upcoming, new-generation Prado, which is due in Australia soon and will bring with it new styling and new creature comforts but the same off-road attitude.The range will continue to be topped by the Kakadu and the price will nudge six-figures, putting the Prado into a similar price bracket as some conventional luxury SUVs, such as the Land Rover Defender, Jaguar F-Pace and Volvo XC90.For this extra money the latest Prado Kakadu will come loaded with goodies, including such items as a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled seats (front and rear), a 14-speaker JBL sound system, leather-accented trim, a panoramic moon-roof and even illuminated side steps.Any sports car, even an affordable one like the Toyota GR86, can be considered a luxury car. That’s because a sports car is driven for enjoyment, not simply commuting, and that’s not something everyone can afford to do.The Supra may actually be, at least technically speaking, the closest thing Toyota has to a conventional luxury car because it’s based on a BMW. Toyota partnered with the German brand to develop the Supra and Z4 together, so they share the same six-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive platform. Even if a sub-$100K asking price is relatively affordable for such a car, this is Toyota luxury at its purest.While it doesn’t meet the standard of luxury today (nor would it have nearly 40 years ago when it was new), like the LC300 the 70 Series is a vehicle that people are happy to wait years to get their hands on and that speaks to a certain level of aspiration and desirability.While it has an image as a hard-working, rough ‘n’ tumble off-roader, the truth is the 70 Series is such a bespoke tool - it’s really only in its element in wild and remote areas - that buying such an expensive vehicle with such a narrow purpose ultimately feels like the definition of luxury.And the range-topping GXL even comes with power windows!

While the HiLux and 70-series Land Cruiser have stamped Toyota’s authority on the ute market in Australia, there is an even bigger workhorse in their American line-up. Since 2000 the Tundra has competed in the full-size pick-up market in the USA against traditional trucks like Ford’s F150, Dodge’s Ram and Chevrolet’s Silverado.The current XK50-generation Tundra dates back to 2007, though there was a significant model update for the 2014 model year. The engines have carried over since a 2010 model update, with a 201kW 4.0-litre V6, a 231kW 4.6-litre V8, and a 284kW 5.7-litre V8.The 2014-on Tundra is available in several body styles, including a two-door “regular cab”, four-door dual cab, and the long-wheelbase four-door Crewmax. Toyota sells the pick-up in varying trim levels, ascending from SR, through SR5, Limited, and Platinum, topping out with the 1794. In 2015 Toyota added the performance Tundra TRD Pro.In the USA the base SR model lists at US$31,250, while the luxury 1794 starts at US$47,480 before options or delivery costs, and the performance Tundra TRD Pro begins at US$49,745.There are several companies who sell Tundras in Australia, including Performax International and American Vehicle Specialists. As part of selling these trucks they have to be converted to right-hand drive and go through a compliance approval process for use on our roads, which includes ensuring tyres and seat belts comply with Australian Design Rules.This process involves complex engineering and isn’t cheap, so right-hand drive Tundras with delivery kilometres often cost between $110,000 and $150,000 on the second-hand market, depending on the trim level, options, and mileage.Toyota Australia was quoted in the media at the end of 2018 admitting they have been investigating the option of selling Tundras in Australia to bolster the hugely popular HiLux ute. As the Tundra is only built in America in left-hand-drive layout that means Toyota wouldn’t be likely to be able to sell right-hand-drive Tundras in Australia until at least 2021, when the next-generation Tundra model is expected to go on-sale.