2025 Toyota Tundra on track for release

Toyota Australia has confirmed the 2025 Toyota Tundra could be greenlit for introduction Down Under later this year, following an extensive local right-hand drive conversion, development and evaluation process conducted by Walkinshaw Automotive.

According to the Japanese car-maker’s Australian sales, marketing and franchise operations boss Sean Hanley, there should be “some news” on the full-size US-built pick-up truck’s local release “by the end of the year”.

“We haven’t done all this [Walkinshaw’s extensive engineering program] not to launch it, but we still have a way to go and the trial is a trial, it’s a legitimate trial,” he said.

“It’s not a PR stunt. This is a legitimate trial. We are correcting, finding… we want this Tundra to be as close to OE-spec for the customers as we can get it based on a local conversion.”

Hanley added that the local Tundra engineering program – which is now in its final stages – had largely been a success with 189 ‘customers’ currently trialling RHD Tundras on public roads around the country to provide feedback to Toyota and Walkinshaw.

A few minor quality and generic warranty issues have arisen so far, along with a few niggles to do with the conversion itself, but Handley said the prospect of a local showroom introduction is looking increasingly positive.

“There’s been no what I would call major failures, so that’s good,” Hanley said.

“It’s incredibly encouraging for us and looking more and more that we’ll get approval to launch this car in the near future, so standby on that one.”

The current-generation Tundra launched in North America in September 2021 and has been on Toyota Australia’s radar for even longer, with market demand and the local division’s pressure on its parent company finally leading to the RHD program in August 2022.

Walkinshaw got to work immediately and soon had right-hook development vehicles in most corners of Australia before more polished versions were distributed to members of the public for real-world testing and feedback late last year.

Although it’s yet to be officially confirmed for our market, unofficial pricing for the Tundra was leaked in February, revealing a potential $145,990 plus on-road costs starting figure for the highly specified Tundra Limited 4x4 dual-cab.

Toyota Australia’s single Tundra variant will be powered by a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid system outputting a segment-leading 326kW/790Nm.

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