Toyota Tundra 2021 Review – International

The world’s biggest car-maker and the runaway market leader in Australia goes unrepresented here in the lucrative full-size pick-up truck market that attracts buyers for its towing capacity, effortless long-distance cruising and sheer road presence. 

Many would-be owners have been longing for this new-generation 2021 Toyota Tundra given it represents the best chance yet the US-built full-size pick-up will launch Down Under through an official factory channel rather than independent right-hand drive converters.

Alas, there’s no official word yet on whether the new Tundra will be built in RHD from the sole factory that produces it – San Antonio, Texas – or whether Toyota Australia would reconsider its position not to set up a local right-hook remanufacturing program with the likes of the Walkinshaw Automotive Group, which already handles RAM and Chevrolet pick-ups.

In the US, Toyota has always been somewhat of an outlier in the full-size truck segment, circling the perimeter while the Big Three brands have been consistently front and centre.

In the last two decades, about 150,000 Toyota Tundras have been sold in Canada. Compare that to Ford, which sold nearly 130,000 F-150s last year alone – a year that saw sales down industry-wide due to the pandemic.

Pick-ups are the best-selling vehicles in Canada, with 97 per cent of all trucks sold here made by Ford, General Motors (GM), and RAM. And while the Toyota Tacoma has been North America’s best-selling mid-size truck for 15 years, with a passionately loyal owner base, its big brother Tundra has fallen further behind. The outgoing model was introduced in 2007 – the same year the iPhone was introduced.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra marks a blazing comeback, with a ground-up do-over that includes an all-new ladder frame, improved ride quality, bold styling, a choice of two new engines, and an impressive list of new technology.

After nearly a decade and a half, the Toyota Tundra’s softly rounded curves are gone, replaced with the blocky, chiselled aggression so prevalent in today’s truck styling.

Toyota calls this styling ethos ‘technical muscle’ and it’s intended to convey sophistication and brawny capability. The enormous grille was met with mixed reaction by forum and internet fans, but given there are seven styles to choose from, depending on trim level, there should be enough variety to please most of them.

The wide body, muscular fenders and blunt face are somewhat reminiscent of the GMC Sierra, and the bulging bonnet really ramps up the aggression. It’s a much more dominating look than the one it replaces. Integrated body-coloured bumpers are a nice touch, giving the vehicle a finished, street truck appearance.

The chiselled styling carries over to the interior, which is made up of wide, chunky planes and blocks of material. The door sills are wide enough to actually rest an arm on, and the square centre console large enough to hold a camera, purse, and iPad.

While some manufacturers have chosen to free up console space by eliminating the traditional gear selector and replacing it with buttons or a dial, the Tundra’s compact gear shift lever sits on the left, closest to the driver, leaving a decent sized cubby for phone, glasses, or keys.

The centre stack, too, follows a horizontal design scheme rather than a vertical one, with a standard 8.0-inch or optional 14-inch display at the focal point.

Depending on the trim level, there’s fabric, leather, or faux leather upholstery to pick from, the latter with a camouflage pattern. Trim materials vary from matte-black or carbon-fibre look plastics to wood grain.

There’s a feeling of airy roominess, particularly in the crew-cab version that’s easily big enough to accommodate four large adults. There’s an arm’s width between passengers and plenty of leg- and headroom. Seating is truck-guy broad yet supportive and comfortable, and upper trims get eight- or 10-way adjustment, including thigh support.

In North America there are five trims available – SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794 and TRD Pro – and each gets their own specific grille and wheels.

Upper trims will also receive unique design cues; for example, the Platinum has a sleek, finished look with body-coloured features, while the 1794 (named for the established date of the ranch where the current Tundra factory now sits in San Antonio, Texas) sports lashings of chrome trim and cream or saddle-brown interior. Solar Octane red paint, meanwhile, is a TRD Pro exclusive.

All Tundras come with four doors, with the cab-and-a-half model featuring 6-foot-5 or 8-foot-1 beds, and the crew-cab available with 5-foot-5 or 6-foot-5 boxes.

Aside from the availability of rear air suspension, the bed is one of the new Tundra’s most notable features. It’s made from a new aluminium-reinforced resin sheet-moulded compound that’s dent-resistant and corrosion-free.

To shave weight and increase efficiency, the bonnet, fenders and doors now feature extensive use of aluminium, while the redesigned tailgate is stronger and 20 per cent lighter than before, and opens automatically with either the key fob, or the wave of an elbow near a sensor.

For those who dread backing up their trailer in front of judgemental onlookers, there’s a new hands-free trailer back-up technology that helps keep the trailer reversing in a straight line. It’s easy to use, too; depress the button and the back-up display shows a grid pattern, then take your hands off the wheel and watch the truck keep the trailer backing up in a straight line.

Meanwhile, hooking up is made easier with the optional rear air suspension, which simply raises or lowers at the push of a button.

Surprisingly though, even off-road focused Tundras don’t come with front tow hooks. According to Toyota, tow hooks would have interfered with the aerodynamic efficiency of the front-end’s design.

Every little bit of streamlining helps in the struggle to achieve fuel efficiency goals, and when dealing with a front end that’s about as aerodynamic as a freezer, something had to go.

The 2021 Toyota Tundra debuts the Japanese brand’s new multimedia platform and it’s an impressive piece of technology. Easy to use, it employs the pinch to zoom or rotate functions familiar to any smartphone user.

And, through Google, it uses enhanced voice technology to find restaurants, applicable ratings and parking spots nearby. The cloud-based tech automatically downloads updates. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.

Available in upper trim levels is a 12.3-inch digital display that replaces the traditional gauge cluster. The display can be modified and features a selection of American national parks scenes that appear at start-up.

Other features include a full-width power rear window, panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, and heated and ventilated seating.

Like all Toyotas today, the Tundra comes standard with the brand’s advanced safety suite including adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, rear-cross traffic alert, automatic high-beam, blind-spot monitoring, rear seat reminder and road sign assist.

The 2021 Toyota Tundra’s base twin-turbo petrol V6 produces a more than adequate 290kW of power and a solid 649Nm of torque, but there’s a noticeable jump when you upgrade to the hybrid version of the same iForce Max powertrain, which is an option for Limited, Platinum and 1794 grades.

It’s not just the higher outputs of 325kW and 790Nm, but the immediacy of its delivery thanks to the availability of peak torque from 2400rpm, and the electric motor kicking in while the turbos spool up, virtually eliminating any lag.

Though the hybrid system is naturally more efficient than the outgoing V8, it wasn’t developed solely with fuel economy in mind. Rather, the focus was on supplying the flattest torque curve and more readily available power.

There’s a really strong linear delivery that’s impressive for a V6-powered, even if the enhanced, piped-in engine note is a little contrived, and the new 10-speed automatic transmission is a really good match for either engine, always finding the right gear.

Official fuel consumption numbers aren’t yet available, but we observed 12.8L/100km in an American-spec Platinum equipped with the hybrid powertrain in a mix of highway and city driving.

Though the previous Toyota Tundra was smooth and comfortable around town, it could get harsh over broken pavement and exhibited some rear-end movement, especially when unladen due to its rudimentary rear leaf spring suspension.

The new truck now rides on a fully-boxed ladder frame – a platform whose inherent stiffness could exacerbate that harshness. But to offset that rigidity, Toyota threw away the leaf springs and equipped the new Tundra with coil springs and a five-link rear suspension that delivers better ride comfort and stability.

Upper trim levels also offer an optional air suspension at the rear corners only, which helps smooth out the ride, provides load levelling when towing or hauling, and helps raise or lower the truck for easier trailer hook-up.

Add the TRD Off-Road package and the shocks are upgraded to Bilstein monotubes, while the TRD Pro gets aluminium-bodied Fox internal bypass shocks that also lift the truck an extra 28mm.

The TRD Pro made quick work of a short off-road course, with a steep, rocky incline hardly posing a challenge to the low-range gearing, locking differential, and rugged underbody plates.

The steering weight is nice, and the wheel’s thickness and heft feel right for a vehicle this size. The cabin feels well-insulated, though we did notice quite a bit of wind noise in the Limited model at highway speeds that wasn’t apparent in other models.

Because the vehicles we drove were prototypes, the Toyota spokespeople suggested that some of the exterior trim pieces weren’t quite up to production quality levels.

Nevertheless, it was a comfortable, smooth ride and the new rear coil spring and front double-wishbone set-up did an admirable job of soaking up any road imperfections.

Towing a 3629kg camper trailer up and down the steep hills outside of San Antonio, Texas, was free of stress and drama, and the truck felt stable and in control.

There are two different tow settings: Tow or Tow/Haul Plus for loads over 5000 pounds (2268kg). Depending on which setting used, throttle response, brake regeneration and steering effort are recalibrated, with brake regen increased on steep grades.

A tap on the brakes downhill tells the transmission to hold that speed while you coast down the grade, which not only saves wear and tear on the brakes, but helps regenerate energy in the hybrid-equipped model.

It’s comfortable enough to use as a daily driver, but like most pick-up trucks, it isn’t the most practical vehicle in a crowded parking lot. However, when it comes to hauling toys, gardening supplies or building materials, there’s no substitute for a pick-up.

The Tundra can haul as much as 12,000lb (5443kg), but only in the rear-wheel drive SR5 trim with the base engine. Tow ratings for all other models hover more or less around 11,000lb (4990kg).

Payload, meanwhile, ranges from 714 to 880kg. While those numbers lag behind competitors, Tundra chief engineer Mike Sweers said that rather than pursue “numbers game” bragging rights and force drivers to “holding their breath” while attempting to tow such massive loads, the team focussed on making the Tundra competent and confidence-inspiring to operate.

Overall, the 2022 Toyota Tundra is a well-balanced solid entry in the truck segment. While prices won’t be available until closer to the vehicle’s North American release later this year (early next year for hybrid models), Toyota vehicles have a reputation for value and longevity.

It’s not as powerful as the segment leaders but with good road manners, a comfortable interior and plenty of advanced, easy-to-use technology, the Tundra is well worth a test drive.

How much does the 2021 Toyota Tundra cost?
Price: From $110,000 (estimated)
Available: TBC
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol-electric
Output: 325kW/790Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.8L/100km (on test)
CO2: N/A
Safety rating: Not tested