Price shock! 2024 Toyota Tundra pricing revealed before the Ford F-150, Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado rival is officially confirmed for full market launch

Pricing for the Toyota Tundra ute may have been inadvertently revealed before the model has even been officially confirmed for a full-scale Australian launch.

An auto industry pricing report delivered to CarsGuide featured the Toyota Tundra ute in its pricing report, a surprise given Toyota hasn't officially confirmed the model for a local launch past the end of its customer evaluation program.

Reportedly set at $145,990 (likely before on-road costs), the Tundra would be significantly more expensive than rivals like the Ram 1500 (an entry price of $98,950), Ford F-150 ($106,950) and Chevrolet Silverado ($128,000).

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Toyota spokesperson told CarsGuide that the pricing reported isn't a launch confirmation, as the brand hasn't yet completed local evaluation of the vehicle.

"The Tundra has not been released for retail sale, so the quoted amount is indicative only. As we’ve communicated, Tundra is undergoing an evaluation program with customers."

If it is the price Toyota has preemptively placed on the Tundra, or at least close to, it would be some way justified as the model is the only ‘full-sized' ute (or truck) from the American market that would be available in hybrid form here in Australia, and also outstrips its more affordable rivals in both power and torque (326kW and 790Nm) thanks to its twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6.

Currently, the Tundra is only available to 280 customers who were selected by Toyota Australia to participate in an evaluation program, where for $2500 per month, they would live with a Tundra and report back to Toyota Australia with feedback and findings.

Currently, the Tundra is only available to 280 customers who were selected by Toyota Australia to participate in an evaluation program.

The hope is, according to Toyota executives as per previous media events, that if the brand decides to put the car on sale in Australia as a fully fledged model, the work done during the development program will have resulted in a car that's "going to be perfect. It'll be as good as factory right-hand-drive spec as you can get," in the words of Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley.

While a launch isn't yet confirmed, Hanley told CarsGuide in January at a media test drive that the hope was very strong for a launch to come to fruition.

"This has never been done anywhere in the world. So we are not certainly not doing this to not launch the car, I think that's a fair comment.

"But we still have a quality criteria that we must reach with our parent company… until we meet that this is not a confirmed position."

Reportedly set at 5,990 (likely before on-road costs), the Tundra would be significantly more expensive than rivals like the Ram 1500.

Currently available in a single Limited trim, the Tundra is covered for participants of the program for servicing and maintenance, repairs, tyres, roadside assist and comprehensive insurance by Toyota.

Evaluation vehicles are still being built, with the last to be delivered by the end of April - meaning the last cars to be evaluated might still be in the program by mid-2025.

While Toyota has said it won't confirm a launch for before the end of the program, enough confidence in the product could prompt the brand to get the Tundra into its line-up proper very soon after the evaluation wraps up.