Toyota Tundra 2024 Review

Pricing has yet to be confirmed for the Toyota Tundra that’s due to reach Australian showrooms early in 2025, however the range will comprise only a single variant at launch – the mid-spec Limited.

In the US, the third-generation Tundra is available in seven model grades – SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794 Edition, TRD Pro and Capstone – and with different powertrain options, but the Australian Tundra will stick with the Limited and rely on just the one power source: a 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol-electric hybrid.

US pricing equates to roughly $90,000 Aussie dollars, but the costs involved with shipping from North America and conversion to right-hand drive by Melbourne-based Walkinshaw Automotive will push that up considerably – as seen with the RAM 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado (also converted by Walkinshaw) and the Ford F-150.

Exchange rate fluctuations are also at play, ruling out official Tundra pricing until closer to launch, but we expect the starting price to be around $140,000 plus on-road costs.

That’s considerably higher than its rivals, with the Ford F-150 currently priced from $106,950, the RAM 1500 from $119,950 and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 from $130,500.

Asked to nominate a ballpark figure, Toyota Australia’s vice-president of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley, said: “We can’t talk price.”

He also cautioned that the Tundra has not been given the final sign-off from Japan, although it should be a formality after the company’s significant investment and exhaustive five-year development process.

“This has never been done anywhere in the world. We're certainly not doing this NOT to launch the Tundra. But we still have a quality criteria that we must reach with our parent company, through the good team of the people here today [at Toyota Australia], and until we meet this, the decision is unconfirmed,” said Hanley.

“I think it goes right back to our fundamental DNA of quality, durability, reliability … we just don't want people to feel that this is a conversion. We want this as close to OEM [original equipment manufacturer] spec as we can possibly get when we launch this car.

“And that’s the reason we’re trialling it now in real-world conditions. So whilst we're not there yet, we’re completely confident in our manufacturing and quality processes, both from a product planning perspective and from a Walkinshaw perspective. We now just have to go to real-world testing.”

Warranty details have not been confirmed but expect the Tundra to be sold with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty like most other new Toyota vehicles.

As it stands now based on its 2024 specification, headline features on the Toyota Tundra Limited include 20-inch alloy wheels, twin digital screens in the cabin and power-operated synthetic leather front seats with heating and cooling functions.

Keyless entry and engine start, a large wireless smartphone charger, five USB ports and a 12V accessory socket (but no 220V power points) are fitted standard, as is dual-zone climate control with air vents for the back seats, a 12-speaker JBL audio system, plus power windows all round, tinted at the rear.

LED headlights and tail-lights are part of the package, along with power-folding wing mirrors (with heating and auto tilt-down reversing function) and a tub management system with side rails and moveable tie-down points.

All Aussie Tundra pick-ups will have a minimum 3500kg braked towing capacity and come with an electronic trailer brake controller, tow bar, tongue, hitch, 50mm tow ball and a 12-pin plug.

The beefy truck can tow up to 4500kg without a drama, but you’ll pay extra for a genuine 70mm tow ball and hitch accessory. Accessory pricing will be announced closer to launch, but the 4.5t tow limit is a key selling point for Tundra; other Toyota vehicles in Australia currently max out at 3.5t.

Exterior colours? There’s nine of them including metallic, crystal pearl and solid paint finishes across the usual white, grey, red and blue shades and hues.

The 2024 Toyota Tundra is based on the same TNGA-F platform architecture as the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, but that doesn’t mean it’ll get a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Like the RAM 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado, the Tundra is likely to remain untested by ANCAP, but the independent safety authority has indicated that it’s keen to start testing full-size US pick-up trucks in the near future.

Toyota says it’s conducted its own internal crash testing to ensure the vehicle meets its requirements. And the Tundra has also received a maximum five-star rating in the US from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a ‘Top Safety Pick+’ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Passive safety systems on the Tundra include eight airbags covering front and rear occupants, while active safety systems include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist detection, active cruise control, a blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert.

Semi-autonomous lane centring (auto steering) is on the menu and, given the vehicle’s 5995mm length, the surround-view 360-degree parking camera system – supported by front and rear parking sensors – is very welcome.

Step inside the 2024 Toyota Tundra and you’re greeted with a functional, super-spacious and tech-savvy cabin, headlined by a large 14-inch central touch-screen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto compatibility.

These smartphone mirroring operating systems will be the go-to for most would-be owners and they look great on the oversized central display.

The driver also benefits from a good-sized 12.3-inch digital instrument display that offers plenty of customisation. The standard screen features a central tacho and digital speedo, flanked by fuel economy and distance-to-empty readouts on the left, along with turbo boost pressure and battery usage gauges on the right.

You can toggle through several different displays, including tow gauges, detailed tyre pressures, pitch and roll, the list goes on.

There’s no head-up display but the depth of personalisation across the infotainment system is impressive for a Toyota.

Whereas the previous Tundra offered naturally-aspirated V8 petrol engines – as still found on the RAM 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado – the third-generation 2024 Toyota Tundra has downsized to twin-turbo V6 power and will only be available in Australia with the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain.

At its core is a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre (3445cc) petrol V6 – V35A-FTS in Toyota-speak – with chain-driven dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder with port and direct fuel injection.

This petrol engine has a 10.4:1 compression ratio and generates 290kW at 5200rpm and 649Nm of torque from 2400-3600rpm.

In addition, a permanent magnet synchronous motor (36kW/250Nm) feeds off a small 1.8kWh nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery to boost the combustion engine, delivering combined outputs of 326kW and 790Nm.

The powertrain combines with a conventional 10-speed automatic transmission (dubbed L4A0F) with Eco, Normal and Sport modes.

Final drive ratio is 3.307 and the dual-range/switchable 4x4 system comes with a limited-slip differential but no locking diffs, as it’s designed primarily as an on-road tow rig rather than an off-road mud-plugger.

Even with a kerb weight of 2778kg, the good news is that the Tundra certainly hauls – with and without a 4.5-tonne trailer tethered to its rump – and generates a more satisfying engine note and exhaust growl under load than the Ford F-150.

But more on that in the drive section, along with silent driving impressions in pure EV mode.

The 2024 Toyota Tundra is designed to tow heavy loads and every element of engineering development went into this pursuit – including across the hybrid powertrain. Ergo, this ain’t no Prius and the electric boosting is designed add more muscle flex, not improve fuel economy.

Based on US-market specifications, the Tundra Limited with i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain returns official combined-cycle mileage of 20mpg, which is equivalent to 11.8L/100km.

We recorded a mix of fuel economy figures across numerous evaluation vehicles in various scenarios at the Anglesea Proving Ground during a single day of testing, but it’s safe to say that real-world consumption will be higher – and considerably so when towing.

The Ford F-150 we tested recently – which is a lighter vehicle and relies on a 298kW/678Nm 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol engine – used around 12L/100km.

Cruising range could also be a factor, noting that the Tundra has a 122-litre tank compared to the F-150’s 136L. What’s more, the Tundra requires high-end juice in the form of 95 RON petrol, where the F-150 is happy to guzzle cheaper regular unleaded.

In a word, satisfying. Granted, the 2024 Toyota Tundra is big and heavy, but it doesn’t feel ungainly or ponderous. In fact, it handles predictably, has easy steering and throttle response is ultra-prompt.

The twin-turbo V6 backed up by an electric motor gives the pick-up truck loads of hustle both from standstill and accelerating at speed – there’s an eagerness to it that’s rather satisfying.

This is enhanced by a stirring exhaust growl that thrums keenly under load – something the F-150’s V6 is sorely missing – and makes driving the Tundra more engaging as a result. The whole operation is exceedingly refined as well, only adding to the driving enjoyment.

Toyota’s 10-speed automatic gearbox from the LandCruiser 300 is diligent if not very good, whether cruising or (potentially) blowing away countless Ford pick-up trucks in the traffic light tango at full noise.

Another advantage the Tundra has over the F-150 is an ability to drive in pure EV mode. Although Toyota is marketing the hybrid truck as a premium tow vehicle, we managed to coax the Tundra up to 50km/h with the drive selector set to Eco mode.

In some instances, the petrol engine even switched off, the electric motor providing low-throttle propulsion to save fuel at 100km/h. It certainly feels like a better hybrid system than Toyota’s most popular petrol-electric cars, found in the RAV4 and Camry, for example.

Ride comfort is very good – the Tundra feels like a giant couch on wheels and will be a tremendous interstate mile-muncher, no doubt about it. Bump absorption is on point at front and rear axles (even unladen), soaking up hits with nonchalance.

Steering and handling characteristics are reasonably good – for a six-metre-long leviathan that weighs more than a minke whale. We noted a fair degree of body roll through tighter corners through the proving ground’s dynamic sections, but the Tundra’s big 20-inch wheels with Bridgestone Dueler H/T tyres never lacked for grip.

When it comes to towing, the Tundra nails the brief. During the preview drive we hitched up trailers loaded to both 3.5 and 4.5 tonnes, and with the lighter load we barely noticed it was there when cruising. Hit the brakes (354mm front discs, 335mm rear discs) or turn a corner and the extra load is felt but it never feels nervous or jittery.

With the 4.5-tonne trailer it’s not quite as responsive to braking or acceleration inputs but still manages to be very predictable, the Tundra’s mega wheelbase of 3700mm together with a five-link coil-sprung rear end makes it feel settled and confident.

The 10-speed automatic also felt up to the task with the 4.5t trailer, shifting smoothly and assertively with no shunting, which can sometimes occur between gear shifts when towing heavy loads.

Overall, Tundra impresses in terms of ride and handling and there’s a strong sensation that it shrinks around you once in motion, the light steering, potent powertrain and capable brakes all working in its favour.

There are no tell-tale signs that the RHD Tundra has been completely stripped down, pulled apart and then reassembled with components from the Lexus LX and LandCruiser 300 Series, either.

It all feels very ‘factory’ and we dare say that once the 12-month real-world trial of 300 vehicles is done and dusted, the Aussie Tundra will be even better for it.

The 2024 Toyota Tundra is capable, controlled and predictable on rutted dirt roads.

The passive suspension set-up is very nicely calibrated, dealing with short, sharp hits and ruts just as ably as deep, long potholes.

There’s not a lot of flex through the body when bombing along at high speeds over bumps, and when you flick it into 4x4 High it really digs in and generates heaps of traction on gravel roads.

We didn’t get the chance to test it on any of the Anglesea proving ground’s more challenging off-road courses because Toyota considers the Tundra Limited a road-biased vehicle.

One engineer on the RHD Tundra project told us: “Frankly, they’re terrible off-road.” That job is reserved for the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, which could be a chance for Australia at a later date.

Just like its rivals from RAM, Chevrolet and Ford, the 2024 Toyota Tundra is rated to tow up to 4500kg in Australia.

All Tundra pick-ups sold in Australia will be fitted standard a tow bar, tongue, hitch, 50mm tow ball, 12-pin trailer plug and an electronic brake controller with a squeeze-type gain controller, which will be handy for those with multiple trailers.

The towing capacity is 3500kg with the 50mm ball (with 350kg of down ball weight), while the full 4500kg comes into play with the optional 70mm tow ball and hitch accessory. The

With a claimed kerb weight of 2778kg, gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3536kg dictates a payload of 758kg, which is the lowest in its class. However, Toyota Australia says local engineering work is continuing, which could see its payload improved by the time the Tundra reaches showrooms.

In any case, if you’re looking to tow 4.5t you won’t have much wriggle room with payload.

Gross combined mass (GCM) is rated at 7825kg so if you want to tow 4.5 tonnes you’re looking at almost 7.3t combined, leaving around just 550kg for passengers and gear – and that’s without subtracting another 450kg of down ball weight (assuming 10% of trailer mass).

The Tundra has two ‘tow haul’ modes that optimise power steering and throttle maps while adjusting the rear cross traffic alert, lane centring and blind spot monitoring systems. There’s also a trailer revising guide.

The tub comes with moveable tie-down points along side and back rails. Based on US specs, the bed measures 1666mm long (based on 5.5ft bed; 6.5ft is 1971mm), 1491mm wide (1237mm between wheel-arches) and 530mm deep.

If you had $140,000 burning a hole in your pocket you could do a lot better than the 2024 Toyota Tundra Limited in terms of cabin luxury.

That said, the Toyota truck is well finished, feels pretty solid and has a modern design overall, those big twin screens adding plenty of razzle-dazzle.

Most important, however, is the lack of evidence the Aussie Tundra started life as a left-hand drive vehicle.

We looked for telltale signs of conversion work – ill-fitting dashboard elements, janky patches – but Walkinshaw Automotive and Toyota have done an impressive job of making this big pick-up feel like it just rolled off the factory line in San Antonio, Texas.

Several components have been borrowed from other right-hand drive Toyota vehicles sold in Australia – the pedals come from the LandCruiser 300 Series, the steering system is from the Lexus LX, for example – and everything has a very polished feel.

Chief engineer for the Australian Tundra project, Ray Munday, reckons the big Texan ute sets a new benchmark in the vehicle conversion space and has been through several rounds of quality control since the project started back in 2018.

Comfort levels are excellent thanks to the eight-way power-operated front seats with heating and cooling functionality. They’re ultra-wide and welcoming but also surprisingly supportive for slimmer body types. The synthetic leather upholstery is decent too.

Storage solutions are very good, primarily because the vehicle has more interior real estate than the most popular utes in Australia (such as HiLux), starting with a huge central bin, countless incidental storage cubbies plus multiple and massive beverage holders and door pockets.

The rear seat is huge with enough room for three boofy blokes to sit side by side without impinging on personal space, while the back seats can be folded up to improve storage if you’re not carrying passengers.

Negatives? There’s no conventional three-pin power points, Toyota says the rear windscreen will remain fixed unlike some US Tundra model grades that have vertical or horizontal power operation, and it’s missing a few handy features seen in the Ford F-150, like the flip-top work table between the front seats.

It could all come down to pricing, but early indications are very positive – the 2024 Toyota Tundra feels like it came straight from the factory in San Antonio, not Dandenong.

But as good as the conversion work is, the fundamentals of the new Tundra have to take some of the credit – this is a very capable vehicle and one that will almost certainly upset the status quo in the full-size pick-up truck segment in Australia.

While this preview drive was very informative and suggests Toyota’s reputation for solid build quality won’t be tarnished, we’ll need more time with Tundra to get a better handle on what it’s like to live with and how it behaves on different road surfaces.

Toyota sold 125,000 Tundras in the US last year, including 30,000 hybrids, while in Australia there were more than 10,000 new American pick-ups purchased from the factory-supported RAM and Chevrolet brands alone.

Just as Ford is now getting a piece of the action with F-150, Toyota is preparing to make its bid with Tundra Down Under in about a year’s time – and if you’re undecided, it should be worth the wait.

2024 Toyota Tundra Limited at a glance:
Price: $140,000 est (plus on-road costs)
Available: Early 2025
Powertrain: 3.4-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol-electric
Output: 290kW/649Nm (electric motor: 36kW/250Nm)
Combined output: 326kW/790Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 11.8L/100km (US EPA)
CO2: 272g/km (US EPA)
Safety rating: Five-star (US NHTSA 2022)