Toyota confirms Tundra "relaunch"

The Toyota Tundra will effectively be relaunched in Australia in an attempt to perk up sales interest, with Toyota executives citing a lack of consumer awareness around the full-sized pick-up.

To the end of November 2025, just 746 Tundras have been sold in Australia compared to 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500s and 2512 RAM 1500s.

In fact, the Tundra is only outselling the Ford F-150 which has been plagued by recalls and just given a mid-life update. So far in 2025, 608 have been sold.

Sales for the segment – which also includes heavy duty 2500 and 3500 utes – are off 16.5 per cent year on year.

Like its three rivals, the Tundra is manufactured in North America and then converted to right-hand drive in Australia.

There are two Tundra models offered locally; the $155,990 Limited and the more recent $172,990 Premium – the latter being the most expensive ‘1500’ ute sold in Australia.

But rather than introduce a cheaper model to boost volume, Toyota Australia sales and marketing chief Sean Hanley said the Tundra just needs to be promoted better.

“We’re upping the ante on its awareness,” he said.

“We did a bit of our own research and the awareness of the vehicle wasn’t as great as we would have hoped. So you’ll see a fair bit of marketing and advertising around Tundra.

“Our dealers are all very confident. They’re saying that, essentially, if people are aware of it, they come in, they sell it.”

Hanley said part of the reason for the awareness struggle was a staggered launch due to the complexities of Tundra’s local remanufacturing by the Walkinshaw Group, which also converts the RAM and Silverado.

“So I think we’ve got to relaunch it and put it out there. I think we believe the strength of the word Tundra would be enough, but I’m not sure we’ve got the coverage and knowledge that it’s actually out there.

“I think it’s a great product. The quality of that product is outstanding.

“The feedback of people who drive that product is outstanding.”

The Tundra range in Australia is powered by an ‘i-FORCE MAX’ twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre petrol V6 hybrid setup. The V6 produces 290kW/649Nm in isolation while an electric motor kicks in a further 36kW/250Nm.

Total outputs are 326kW/790Nm which, combined with all-wheel drive and a 10-speed automatic transmission, are more than sufficient for the big Toyota ute to tow up to 4500kg (with a 70mm tow ball).

Hanley, unsurprisingly, dismissed the proposition the Tundra was priced too expensively. Certainly, there’s no scope for a cheaper model.

“It’s priced the way it’s priced,” he said.

“Some would say too expensive. I would say, for the quality of the vehicle you’re getting, it’s right on. And we just need to make people aware of what it is and what it’s got in it.

“We have a sales plan on Tundra, which is not as aggressive as perhaps our competitors might be.

“We think it’s an important part of our line-up. We have no intention of stopping it and we have intentions of going harder on it.

“So we don't think we need a cheaper product just to meet the volume we want to meet.”

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