Insert dramatic music because it is finally here! The 2022 Toyota Tundra information was just released on September 19, 2021 at 9pm. It’s been 15 years since a whole new design for the Tundra has happened. If you have been around here for a while, you know that we love the Tacoma and its bigger brother, the Tundra! They made a lot of changes, so let's get to it.

The first thing that everyone will see is the outside. Toyota has done its job to maintain the Tundra look, but bring it into the modern age. The new facia is bold, and unmistakable. Between the two sharp LED headlights sits a new large grille, while the rear remains sleek and classy. TUNDRA is across the center of the tailgate, and new elongated, sweeping tail lights dominate the flanks.

Looks are not everything though. Toyota claims that with its “new high-strength boxed, steel-ladder frame, and aluminum-reinforced composite bed,” it is one of the toughest Tundras made to date. The newly designed box frame leads to more structural rigidity. Toyota took the frame a step further and widened it in the rear to improve stability and towing capacity.  All this leads to greater handling and comfort, especially in higher trimmed models that have hydraulic cab mounts.

Speaking of trims, Tundra will leave the normal trim levels allowing you to choose from SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794, and TRD Pro trims. TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road trims can be added to select models. In TRD fashion, they come with different wheels, grilles, suspensions, and so on, depending on which trim you select.

As far as bed sizes, you can have either a 6.5 foot or 8 foot bed with the Double Cab, but only a 5.5 foot or 6.5-foot bed with the CrewMax. The beds are no normal beds. Toyota’s “Sheet-Molded Compound” allows high dent and rust resistance.

While all this mention of steel seems great for strength, Toyota makes heavy use of aluminum and advanced engineering to keep weight down. One tangible example is the tailgate, which is 20% lighter compared to the previous model. And of course, that tailgate can be popped on your FOB, which is now standard on all models.

The interior is all new and a major departure from the past.  Sleek, stylish, and technology forward. While an 8 inch touch screen is standard, there is an optional 14 inch screen available, and yes… There is a physical volume knob! If that is not enough screen for you, there is an available 12.3 inch gauge cluster that you can configure to your liking. Of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Voice commands and user profiles allow you to get the most out of the entertainment system, especially when paired with the two onboard microphones and available 4G mobile hotspot that your Tundra can be turned into.

It’s not all about entertainment though. There are a host of creature comforts such as an optional panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, rear sunshade, heated steering wheel, and more. However, not all old things that stick around are bad like the power rear window.

Okay… We need to talk about the power and performance. The V8 is gone. While many have come to love the rumble of a good V8, modern technology and current eco minded trends are killing off the powerhouses of the past, and replacing them with better performing, and more efficient smaller engines. The Tundra is no different.

What you get is a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 with a hybrid option. The standard i-Force V6 delivers a substantial 389 horsepower and 479 foot pounds of torque, but the hybrid i-Force Max pushes out 437 horsepower and 583 foot pounds of torque. Both engine options come with a 10 speed automatic. Just as a reminder, the 2021 model with a 5.7L V8 made only 381 horsepower and 401 foot pounds of torque. Unfortunately, the kind of MPGs you can get have not been released yet.

The hybrid option allows you to drive at low speed at full electric, which is great for that city driving. However, if you’re not a city dweller and still need to get work done, you’ll now have a max of 12,000 pounds of towing capacity. That’s about 2,000 more over the best options for the 2021 model. Payload capacity is also higher at 1,940 pounds.

Toyota finally decided to get rid of the rear leaf springs in favor of a multi-link rear suspension to improve comfort, stability, and overall handling. An adaptive air suspension in the rear is also available which changes based on the condition of the road you’re driving on, and can adjust the height to make loading and unloading easier.

Up front, the Tundra features a double wishbone front suspension to improve high speed driving. You’ll find twin-tube shocks at the front and back, but the TRD Pro will feature 2.5-inch diameter FOX internal bypass shocks in addition to a front stabilizer bar and red painted suspension parts.

There are cameras and sensors everywhere to make driving, hauling, and parking easier than ever. Beyond all of that making things easier for you actively, Safety Sense 2.5 passively aids you in a multitude of ways such as:

• Pre-collision braking
• Pedestrian detection
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane assist and lane-departure warning
• Automatic high beams
• Rear-cross traffic alert
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Road sign assist

Safety Sense 2.5 is standard on all 2022 Tundras!

Let’s face it… The Tundra has fallen a bit behind with other full size truck manufacturers in the US recently. However, this gave Toyota time to see what the people wanted, and they came out swinging with the all new 2022 Toyota Tundra. Expect more from Empyre Off-Road in the future as we learn more about how these trucks fare both on-road and off.

Image Source: https://pressroom.toyota.com/absolute-powerhouse-next-generation-2022-toyota-tundra/