Absolute Powerhouse: Next-Generation 2022 Toyota Tundra

• Standard i-FORCE 3.5L twin-turbo V6 produces up to 389 horsepower, 479 lb.-ft.

•Available i-FORCE MAX powertrain produces up to 437 horsepower, 583 lb.-ft.

•Up to 12,000-pound maximum towing capacity

•Bold exterior styling complements spacious, well-equipped interior

•Available 14-inch touchscreen highlights all-new Audio Multimedia system

•12.3-inch Instrumentation Panel display available

•Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 active safety standard on all grades

With a plethora of adventure-ready, go-anywhere, been-anywhere vehicles cementing its foundation, the all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra is born from a lineage of trucks and SUVs rooted in quality, durability and reliability. Its predecessors hit the million-mile mark on more than one occasion thanks to a team of engineers who built the truck above and beyond the status quo.

What does Tundra do for its next act?

It looks long and hard in the mirror and then gets to work. It resists the urge to repeat and rethinks its approach while carrying the knowledge of everything learned along the way. As the third generation of its namesake, Tundra looks to improve upon everything – performance, capability, multimedia, creature comforts and more. It's the all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra, a truck that would make its predecessors proud.

The Toughest Tundra

It should come as no surprise that the all-new Tundra was redesigned from the ground up. Designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S., there's no question this is the toughest, most capable, most advanced Tundra to date.

Improvements and enhancements abound, including its new high-strength boxed, steel-ladder frame, aluminum-reinforced composite bed and fully redesigned multi-link rear suspension. The outcome of development efforts gives the stout new Tundra an impressive maximum towing capacity of up to 12,000 pounds and a max payload capacity of 1,940 pounds.

Tundra will offer two different powerplant configurations. A new, highly efficient twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine offers impressive output by itself, producing up to 389 horsepower and 479 lb-ft. of torque. When paired with a brilliantly engineered bell-housing motor system called the i-FORCE MAX, the result is a combined performance output of 437 horsepower and a whopping 583 lb.-ft. of torque. Both configurations will be mated to a new 10-speed automatic transmission.

A new interior will offer creature comforts for driver and passenger alike, including an available panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, rear sunshade, heated steering wheel and more. A host of new tech features are found throughout Tundra as well, such as towing aids, off-road enhancements, an all-new multimedia system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and over-the-air updates. Two different four-door layouts are available, as well as various bed lengths including a 5.5-foot bed, 6.5-foot bed and an 8.1-foot bed.

The all-new Tundra will go on sale later this year, and pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

Homegrown: For Truck People, By Truck People

Like the prior generation Toyota Tundra, the new Tundra will be assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas (TMMTX) in San Antonio. But years before it hit the production line, U.S. designers and engineers were hard at work on Toyota's next full-sized Tundra pickup.

The Tundra is an American story through and through. From the first pencil sketches to the finished exterior design, the look was developed by Toyota Motor Corporation's North American design studio, Calty Design Research, in Newport Beach, California, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. While engineers focused on key performance ingredients for the new Tundra, Calty designers worked to create the visual exemplification of toughness and capability. 'Technical muscle' was a design mantra for the team, as it capitalized on the modern features of the all-new truck while retaining a nod to the outdoor lifestyle at the core of Tundra owners.

'Our design goal from the beginning was to create the most powerful, rugged and sophisticated looking full-size pickup that will take Tundra to a whole new level,' said Kevin Hunter, president of Calty Design Research. 'Because recreation and an outdoor lifestyle are at the core of Toyota truck identity, we set out to create a muscular, chiseled and athletic design that also looks like it could handle the toughest towing demands.'

The interior was meant to retain that 'Technical Muscle' motif. Calty chose a horizontal layout theme as a departure from the vertical layout on most other trucks in the market. This complemented the design goal to integrate the instrument panel and center stack to flow with the interior layout. Premium materials were also a must for a truck with a strong pedigree like Tundra's, especially in high-contact areas, which is why wrapped armrests, pads across the dash, doors and other areas are employed on most trims.

Calty's design teams crafted an exterior and interior balance of angular lines and muscular refinement. Visually the truck needed to represent its capability that lives under the sheet metal.

'We took a fresh, transformational approach to our truck development and had to rethink many things we'd previously done,' said Mike Sweers, senior vice president, Product Development Office, and F1 Platform chief engineer. 'Not only did we improve the performance and enhance the capability of this new Tundra, at the same time, we were certain to retain the strong quality, durability and reliability for which Toyota trucks are known.'

Research and development for this truck was conducted at Toyota Technical Centers in Michigan, Arizona and California. The key themes atop the whiteboard for Tundra chassis engineers included improve capability and ride comfort compared to the competition. The team found great benefit in moving to a fully boxed frame, which improved rigidity significantly compared to current generation and offered overall improvement in capability.

The frame structure itself is an example of innovative thinking. The rear frame member is widened to improve stability and towing capability. This foundation also helped ensure excellent ride comfort and polished handling dynamics, particularly on grades Limited and above where the cabin is mounted to the frame with hydraulic cab mounts.

High-strength steel is employed throughout the chassis to increase rigidity considerably over the previous generation, while aluminum is used in key areas to help reduce weight. Frame crossmembers are more than doubled in size to provide additional reinforcement and rigidity. A new front cross member was constructed for the steering gear box, which adds rigidity via additional cross member support while enhancing steering input for the driver and handling dynamics.

The truck bed is lightweight and extremely strong thanks to the new Sheet-Molded Compound (SMC) construction and the use of reinforcing aluminum cross members in the bed. The new SMC bed offers added protection against dents, impact dings and rust compared to traditional steel decks. Even the tailgate uses lightweight construction techniques to reduce weight by 20% compared to the outgoing model. Speaking of the tailgate, one of the coolest features is the tailgate release on the key fob that is standard on all models.

Suspension: Turning Over a New Leaf

An all-new truck on an all-new chassis requires a fresh approach to suspension. The most noteworthy change to handling and performance is no doubt the new multi-link rear suspension, which ditches leaf springs in favor of coil springs.

Ride comfort, straight-line stability and overall handling dynamics are improved with the multi-link rear suspension, along with towing capability. The maximum towing capacity for Tundra increases 17.6% over the previous generation to 12,000 pounds. The maximum payload increases to 1,940 pounds, which is an improvement of more than 11% compared to the previous generation.

The overall structure of the new frame and the multi-link rear suspension allowed engineers to adjust the placement of the shock absorbers, which are mounted outside the frame rails for improved efficiency and enhancement to roll damping and towing performance. And, as one more good measure, the lateral control arm provides increased lateral rigidity.

To further enhance the ride comfort, driving performance and overall durability, a newly developed double wishbone front suspension is fitted on Tundra. The front suspension benefits from a kingpin offset angle reduction to enhance straight-line stability and high-speed driving. The caster trail has been enlarged from 25.4mm (1 inch) on the previous generation to 34.1 mm (1.34 inches) for added stability. To improve cornering, roll steer has been reduced by 25% compared to the benchmarks, and the roll height center has been elevated (152mm compared to 104mm, or roughly 6 inches compared to 4 inches) to reduce body roll, especially when cornering.

Tundra will feature standard twin-tube shocks at the front and rear of each truck. The shock absorbers feature triple-oil seals and extended dust covers for added protection and durability. Beefy new aluminum forged knuckles are employed to optimize weight. To help prevent corrosion and stress cracks, steel inserts reinforce the ball joints. For TRD Off-Road packages, monotube Bilstein shocks improve damping for on- and off-highway driving.

For maximum off-road performance, TRD Pro grades are fitted with 2.5-inch diameter FOX internal bypass shocks that stand at the ready. The front FOX shocks provide the truck with a 1.1-inch front lift. The aluminum-bodied front and rear shocks feature piggyback reservoirs to house additional oil for improved off-road performance in the most demanding terrain. The shocks use a new polytetrafluorethylene-infused (PTFE) Fox shock fluid to improve on-road comfort. This fluid includes microscopic particles infused with the oil to reduce friction.

TRD Pro also gains a few additional off-road attributes, including a new TRD Pro front stabilizer bar, red painted suspension parts, TRD aluminum front skid plate along with additional underbody protection and unique all-terrain Falken tires.

The multi-link rear suspension provided the flexibility for the engineers to add Tundra's new air suspension system to the rear of the truck. Available on certain grades, the system features automatic and manual leveling functions. It features height modes for High, Low and Normal. The High setting is designed for slow-speed off-road driving, and it will return to Normal height if the truck exceeds 18 mph; it also optimizes damping to reduce roll rigidity for off-road driving. Low height mode allows for ease of loading and unloading, and it will return to Normal height once the truck exceeds speeds of 8 mph. How's that for versatile?

Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system is also available or the first time on Tundra. It is designed to adjust damping force based on ever-changing road conditions, whether it be a large pothole, bump or small rock. The linear-solenoid-type AVS features built-in actuators in the front and rear shock absorbers to continuously change damping force based on the conditions, all to enhance handling, stability and comfort of the new Tundra.

A Pair of Powerful Powertrains

The all-new Tundra will offer two powertrain options: a twin-turbo V6 engine and a hybrid twin-turbo V6. What may be surprising to some is the hybrid powertrain will be the most powerful of the two. Mated to both engines will be a 10-speed Electronically Controlled Automatic Transmission with intelligence (ECTi). The new 10-speed features a sequential shift mode, uphill/downhill shift logic and TOW/HAUL driving modes.

Calling the twin-turbo V6 a 'base' engine just doesn't seem right. Its aluminum block features a displacement of 3,445cc via an 85.5mm bore and 100mm stroke. The 24-valve, Dual Overhead Cam V6 is chain-driven and features Dual VVTi systems. Thanks to the water-cooled intercooler keeping turbo temperatures down, the V6 engine improves on the outgoing V8 engine in every way with impressive performance figures: 389 horsepower and 479 lb.-ft. of torque.

Next-level enhancements help make this twin-turbo V6 stand alone at the top of the powertrain mountain. Engineers developed state-of-the-art cylinder heads for max-boost reliability with a two-layer water jacket structure for maximum coolant flow and combustion chamber strength and then added machined cross-channels for additional combustion chamber cooling. Low-profile, laser-applied powder-metal intake valve seats enhance the intake port efficiency and allow maximum coolant flow close to the spark plug.

Exhaust cooling starts with the computer-optimized exhaust valve shape and is further enhanced by the integrated exhaust manifold and cylinder head design that uses the same water jacket to lower exhaust gas temperature entering the turbochargers to further improve reliability and performance.

The cylinder heads themselves have machined cross-channels to allow coolant to flow through them laterally to provide additional cooling to the combustion chambers. This also contributes to cylinder head reliability and operating efficiency. The exhaust valves' shape has also been optimized to enhance cooling performance.

Drumroll, please! The showstopper for Tundra is really the i-FORCE MAX powertrain. The numbers alone are jaw-dropping – 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and a staggering 583 lb.-ft. of torque at only 2,400 rpm. The numbers are impressive, but how this beast achieves them is the best part.

The new i-FORCE MAX relies on the same twin-turbo V6 platform but features a unique attribute – a motor generator with a clutch located within the bell housing between the engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. In essence, the motor generator is built in-line to provide additional power that is transferred efficiently via the transmission, while the engine start-up, EV driving, electric assist and energy regeneration are solely done via the parallel hybrid components.

The i-FORCE MAX powertrain is designed to provide maximum performance and maximum efficiency at every extreme. During towing applications, the hybrid system provides additional power and torque. In city driving, it offers a quiet ride with improved efficiency while in low-speed EV mode. On the highway, responsive linear power delivery is the name of the game, and off-road driving is further enhanced thanks to peak torque performance being achieved low in the RPM range.

A newly developed Power Control Unit (PCU) is used to achieve excellent battery durability and thermal performance with a focus on drive performance. The system employs a tried-and-true 288V sealed Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery that resides under the rear passenger seats.

Using the SPORT or SPORT+ settings under Drive Mode Select, i-FORCE MAX makes use of the electric motor's instantaneous responsiveness. Although the electric motor does the bulk of the work at lower speeds, once above 18 mph, the gasoline engine is constantly in operation for excellent performance in the mid- and high-speed range. When in TOW/HAUL mode, the i-FORCE MAX system is constantly in operation to provide impressive acceleration and torque for towing needs.

Standard on TRD Pro models and available on 4×4 trucks equipped with the TRD Off-Road package are a slew of off-road upgrades that enhance off-pavement exploration. Multi-Terrain Select offers adjustable settings to help control wheel spin on a variety of terrain. CRAWL Control functions as a low-speed, off-road cruise control that allows the driver to focus on steering while it maintains one of five selectable speeds. Downhill Assist Control is another off-road feature that helps the driver navigate tricky slopes by limiting the speed of the vehicle during descent.

Premium Towing Machine

The maximum towing capacity offers impressive performance benefits based on huge numbers alone, but that 12,000-pound max tow rating is also paired with a host of new towing features designed to make trailering a less daunting task.

First off, two new Tow/Haul modes are available on Tundra. The standard Tow/Haul mode increases throttle response and is ideal for lighter to moderate needs, such as small box trailers, utility trailers or small boats. In Tow/Haul+ mode, throttle response is more aggressive for situations when towing larger trailers such as RVs, larger box trailers or larger boats. On the i-FORCE MAX powertrains, not only is the electric motor constantly in operation for immediate responsiveness when needed, but the Stop and Start functions are also deactivated so as not to inhibit performance.

Several new cameras are employed on Tundra, displaying multiple exterior angles that are viewable from the available 14-inch touchscreen or the available rearview mirror camera accessory. On TRD Pro or vehicles with the TRD Off-Road package added, Multi-Terrain Monitor is available to allow the driver to check the immediate surroundings for potential obstacles by simply pressing a button for front-, rear- and side-camera views on the display. But those trailering will be especially interested in Panoramic View Monitor (PVM), which uses cameras to display a top-down view of the truck on the available 14-inch monitor for added visibility. Views include the rear truck bed to check on cargo, a rear split view to show what's nearby on each side of the trailer and a hitch view to assist with trailer connecting.

New power extending and folding tow mirrors offer an improved view of whatever you're trailering, thanks to the taller profile and the revised spherical radius of the mirror curvature to increase the driver's field of view. The new mirrors are heated, feature an integrated turn signal and Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) notification, and they also house the cameras for the PVM/MTM systems. One of the brightest ideas on the new mirrors is the addition of LED trailering lights, which are controlled via a button inside the cabin to provide light rearward toward the trailer during nighttime or low-visibility situations.

Trailer Back Guidance aids in overall maneuvering of trailers, while the Straight Path Assist feature is designed to ensure your truck and trailer will back up in a straight line. The available 360-degree cameras aid with visibility and tough-to-see areas around the truck and trailer. When connected with Toyota's integrated trailer brake controller, even the Blind Spot Monitor can recognize blind spots for not just the truck but the trailer as well.

The available new air suspension system can also make towing a simpler proposition, as it offers the ability to load-level the rear height to find the right balance between truck and trailer.

by Toyota

Introduced at the beginning of the new millennium, the Toyota Tundra featured a refined V8 engine and Toyota's distinct reputation for durability and reliability. Originally going into production in 1999 as a 2000 year model, the Tundra had an all-American look and feet and came with something that the T100 never had; a fierce V8 engine underneath choice. Enthusiasts believed that the Tundra was the first import-brand full-size pickup that could face off against the Big Three's pickups. Nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award, the Tundra was also named as Motor Trend Magazine's Truck of the Year in 2000 and 2008. As of the 2007 model year, the Tundra carried 17% of the 1/2 ton full-size pickup market and single handedly beat the GMC Sierra in monthly sales. Today, the Tundra is assembled in San Antonio, Texas and Princeton, Indiana.

Strangely enough though, the first-generation Tundra was more popular with recreational pickup buyers than actual hard-core users. The Tundra was aimed more at those seeking an easy-to-drive commuter or customers tat wanted a utility vehicle that was capable of handling weekend trips to the local home depot. Not quite full-size in dimensions or work capacity, independent contractors or people with heavy trailers or boats to pull, were not interested in the original Tundra's limited body configurations, lower tow ratings and smaller size.

Sharing many similarities with the unpopular Toyota T100, the first generation Tundra was also quite similar to the more popular Toyota Tacoma. Though the Tundra was slightly larger than the T100, it unfortunately was perceived as being too small and ‘car-like' and wasn't any threat at all to other domestic pickup trucks.

One of the largest similarities was the utilization of the 3.4 liter V6 engine, which had been the top of the line engine in both the T100 and the Tacoma and was the base engine in the Tundra. Available engine choices for the Tundra included a 24V 3.4 liter V6 engine that produced 190 hp and 200 lb/ft of torque and a 32 valve 4.7 liter V8 engine that produced 245 hp and 315 lb/ft of torque. Sales of the Tundra were 120,000, more than double the rate of the T100. The Tundra also had the largest initial vehicle sales for Toyota in its entire history at the time.

Already available at the time was a Toyota Racing Development (TRD) derived supercharger engine for the 3.4 liter V6 that bumped the horsepower up to 260 hp and achieved 260 lb/ft of torque. The TRD also introduced a supercharger for the V8 engine near the end of the second year of production for the Tundra that pushed the V8 numbers to the mid 300 hp range and torque to the 400 lb/ft range. The V6 supercharger is still widely available, but the V8 supercharger is becoming more and more rare due to TRD ending production of the device because of issues regarding its compatibility with the engine.

Tundra prototypes and 'show trucks' were originally known as T150's but Ford and automotive enthusiasts discouraged the name as it seemed too close to the market-leader F-150. A lawsuit ensued and the production truck was dubbed the Tundra Ebay Boulay Strikes Again.

For 2003 the grille on the Tundra was updated and the Double Cab version joined the lineup in the 2004 model year. A genuine crew cab with four normal doors, the Double Cab featured interior and exterior details that were copied from the Toyota Sequoia. The bed of the Double Cab was almost 5 inches longer than the competing Ford F-150 or Nissan Titan and was also 13 inches longer and 3 inches taller than the Regular and Access cab versions.

For the 2005 model year, a brand new engine was introduced that was a 4.0 liter V6 rated at 236 ft/lb of torque. The 4.7 liter V8 was updated with Toyota's VVT-i variable valve timing technology that was rated at 271 hp and 313 lb/ft of torque. The 5-speed manual eventually morphed into a 6speed manual and a 5-speed automatic replaced the 4-speed. The Double Cab featured a towing capacity of about 6,800 lbs, and the Access Cabs and Regular Cabs came with a 7,100 pounds towing capacity.

The current version however was redesigned and was aimed at attracting only serious pickup buyers. With true full-size proportions, the Tundra was an American-built half-ton truck. The second generation came in three cab sizes; regular cab, Double Cab and CrewMax, with three different bed lengths and a choice of three engines. The Regular Cab and the shorter-bed Double Cab featured a 4.0-liter V6 engine as standard, and was rated at 236 horsepower and 266 lb/ft of torque. Optional on these models and standard on all other Tundra's was a 4.7-liter V8 engine that achieved 271 horsepower and 313 lb/ft of torque. All Tundra's featured an optional 5.7-liter V8 engine that achieved 381 hp and 401 lb/ft of torque. The smaller V8 and the V6 came teamed to a five-speed automatic transmission while the larger V8 was joined to a six-speed automatic. All of these versions were available with rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.

The Double Cab is basically a larger extended cab with four forward-hinged doors and the Tundra CrewMax is an extra-large crew cab. The regular cab came in just a basic Grade trim level only. Both the Double Cab and Crewmax are available in more upscale SR5 and Limited trim levels. Both the regular and Tundra Double Cabs came with a available bed length of a 6.5-foot or an 8-foot bed, while the CrewMax came strictly with a 5.5-foot bed. The Tundra was now on equal or higher standing with other competing half-ton pickups.

The Toyota Tundra is now equipped even easier for a variety of possible configurations as either a work vehicle or a family hauler. The Double Cab was medium-sized and was the extended-cab version of the Tundra and was just as large as many of the competitors' crew cabs. The huge Tundra CrewMax came with the roomiest four-door cab in the full-size segment. Inside, the current Tundra features extraordinary interior room with plenty of handy features and great road handling.

Introduced at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show; a larger Tundra was introduced with a variety of enhancements that included a towing capacity of up to 10,000+ lb and a payload capacity of over 2,000lbs, along with a new 6-speed automatic transmission. This was the second generation of the Toyota Tundra and 3 engines were now available, a new 5.7 liter V8 that produced 381 horsepower and 401 lb/ft of torque, a 4.7 liter V8 rated at 276 hp and 313 lb/ft of torque and a newly introduced 4.0 liter V6 that was rated at 236 hp and 266 lb/ft of torque.

The newest, second generation Tundra was introduced in February of 2007 and was available in 31 configurations that consisted of 3 bed lengths, 4 wheel-bases, 3 cab configurations, and 2 transmissions. The previous generations Access Cab was replaced with the new Double Cab. The previous generations Double Cab was also replaced with a brand new Crew Max; which was built to compete with the Dodge Ram Mega Cab. The Double Cab came with the available option of either an 6 and a half foot bed, a regular bed, or an 8 foot long bed. The Crew Max was only offered with a 5 and a half foot short bed.

A new 6-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode was standard with the 5.7 liter engine and gave it a 0-60 mph time of 6.3 seconds. It also featured a quarter mile time of 14.7 seconds. Built to deliver power and fuel economy, the 5.7 liter is a VVT-i engine. The Toyota Tundra's 5.7 liter 4x2 engine was rated to deliver an estimated 20 miles to the gallon on the highway.

The newest generation of the Tundra was very popularly aimed at construction workers, because it included extra large door handles, headrests that could accommodate a worker with his hard hat on, a deck rail system and an integrated tow hitch. This newest model, as a standard model, also came with an automatic limited slip differential vehicle stability control, electronic brake-force distribution, traction control antilock brakes, brake assist and tailgate assist. Unfortunately the Toyota Tundra was priced at the extravagant MSRP of $22,290, which was priced more than the Chevy Silverado Work Truck and the base Ford F-150.

Other updates for 2007 included optional tow mirrors, a 27 US gallon fuel tank and the option of 22 inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, large center console, backup camera, extra-large disc brakes and 6-speed sequential automatic transmission.

This newest model of the Tundra is built in two different locations, both of them located inside the U.S. The 2008 Tundra model added 13 variations, bringing the grand total up to 44 model variants. This newest model featured even more additional features at an even lower price. A new 'Tundra Grade' trim was available, and was lower than the SR5 trim and was aimed at trades-folk, rather than the price conscious customer.

For 2009 the Toyota Tundra received an E85 fuel capability that was now standard and was equipped with the 5.7L V8 in very select regions. The TRD Sport package was also updated by Toyota this year and a TRD Rock Warrior Package was also introduced. Compared to the year previously, the Toyota Tundra's prices are estimated to rise 0.4%.

by Jessican Donaldson