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The pickup truck segment is still nascent in India but in foreign lands it is not to be sneezed at, especially in America. Toyota has unveiled the 2022 Tundra pickup truck and for this model year it gets a major overhaul which includes a new engine, design updates, a new chassis with an increased towing capacity and new tech inside.
The Tundra now gets more muscular and aggressive cladding and it looks rather different from the previous generation pickup. Based on the TNGA-F body-on-platform, it is now available in 1.7-metre, 2-metre, and 2.4-metre footbeds. The conventional leaf springs at the rear have made way for coil springs with a multi-link rear suspension which improves handling along with ride comfort, and can adjust height with High, Low and Normal modes. It gets 18-inch TRD wheels as standard or you can opt for the 20-inch limited edition ones. The TRD Pro trim of the Tundra gets 2.5-inch Fox internal bypass shock absorbers, a front stabiliser bar, TRD front skid plates and underbody protection. It will also include details like the ‘Toyota’ lettering on its massive front grill along with an LED light underneath.
For the 2022 model year, Toyota has decided to ditch the 5.8-litre V8 and has replaced it with a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 engine. The new Tundra can also be had with a hybrid engine dubbed the ‘i-Force Hybrid Max’. The base engine produces 389bhp and 649Nm of torque and with the hybrid setup, power is bumped up to 437bhp and 790Nm. Both drivetrain options come mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift mode along with shift logic which will assist you while going up or down a hill. The Tundra also gets two driving modes — tow and haul. The Tundra has a peak towing capacity of 5443kg, which is 816kgs more than the previous generation, and it also has a maximum payload capacity of 880kg.
On the inside, the Tundra still offers a spacious and well-equipped cabin. For creature comforts, it has ventilated and heated seats, heated steering wheel, rear sunshade and an optional panoramic sunroof. For multimedia utilities it has an 8-inch touchscreen or it can be specced with the optional 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone integration by Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The instrument panel makes use of 4.1-inch digital multi-information screen and analogue dials or an optional 12.3-inch TFT screen. The rear differential can be locked electronically in 4x4 models, which also get Multi-Terrain Select (MTS) and crawl control. Moreover, there are features like Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) and Lane Departure Alert which alerts the driver if the pickup truck starts to change lanes without activating turn signals.
The Tundra gets a much needed update as it has been getting only mild tweaks while its competition — the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and RAM 1500 were getting major updates in each of their new generations. Sadly, the Tundra will not make its way to India as Toyota sees no demand for it in our country, and even if they bring it to our shores it will be very expensive and that will defeat its purpose of being a workhorse. But fingers crossed, we can only hope for now.
