2025 Toyota Tundra Limited: 790Nm beast put to the test!

Toyota Australia has finally added the Tundra full-size pick-up to its showrooms after more than a year of testing and driver programs to see how well it is suited to Australian conditions.

Initially only offered in the one specification level, the Tundra Limited, it will be joined by a higher spec Platinum model later in 2025. That’s not to say that the Tundra Limited is not highly specified, and so it should be after arriving with a price of $155,990 plus on road costs into a full-size pickup market that is growing and becoming more competitive.

RAM, Chevrolet and Ford are already battling it out in the US truck segment but they will be joined by outsiders from China with new offerings growing beyond the more popular midsize utes that dominate the Australian light-truck market.

What the Tundra does bring to the segment, which none of its American cousins do, is a proper hybrid powertrain. Sure, the V8 Ram has a 48-volt mild-hybrid system but that doesn’t really count and it will be replaced early in 2026 with a new drive unit. When the RAM get’s its all new inline six-cylinder engine it will leave the Chevy Silverado as the only V8-powered truck in the 1500 class.

JUMP AHEAD

• Powertrain
• What does it get?
• On-road performance
• Off-road performance
• Locally developed
• Verdict
• Specs

Powertrain

The iFORCE MAX that powers the Tundra is a 3.5L V6 twin-turbo petrol engine that produces a claimed 290kW and 649Nm on its own, but paired with the parallel hybrid system, peak output jumps to a claimed 326kW and 790Nm, endowing the Toyota Tundra with the most grunt in the segment. The hybrid system charges a 288v NiMH battery that feeds a motor-generator that sits in the bell housing of the 10-speed automatic transmission.

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Interestingly, the Tundra only has a part-time transfer case so there’s no full-time 4x4 for on-road use but it does have high and low range 4x4 for loose surfaces and off-road use. Past experience has shown us that trying to put such high torque-loads through the rear wheels on a greasy surface when towing a three-tonne or heavier trailer can be sketchy, and that’s where full-time 4x4 comes into its own, as well as on gravel tracks.

What does it get?

Inside the Tundra Limited you will find faux-leather seats with heating and cooling on the power adjustable front pews, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch multimedia touchscreen with Bluetooth wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto pumping sounds through a 12-speaker JBL sound system, along with a wireless phone charger and dual-zone climate control.

For towing loads of up to 4.5-tonnes (with the available heavy duty towing kit; 3.5t standard) there’s an integrated trailer brake controller with an on-screen trailer reversing guide.

Safety kit includes ABS, ESC, lane departure and traction control and warnings, pre-collision AEB system with day/night pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, rear cross traffic alert and trailer sway control.

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Underpinning the luxury four-door cabin is Toyota’s TNGA-F chassis platform as found under the LandCruiser 300 and Prado 250 Series, however under the Tundra its 3700mm wheelbase is a whopping 850mm longer than that of the LandCruiser 300 and the 1737mm wheel track is 70mm wider than the 300. The chassis holds a double-wishbone coil-spring IFS and a multi-link coil-spring live rear axle in place.

The cargo bed has a protective liner, adjustable tie down points and a folding load cover but there are no power outlets or lights in the tub. Fixed tie-down points positioned low in the bedsides supplement the adjustable ones positioned higher up.

Speaking of cargo, the Tundra is only rated for a 758kg payload which seems paltry for a truck of this size, but this is on par with other trucks in the class including the Silverado, RAM 1500 and Ford F-150 models.

On-road performance

All this hardware adds up to a truck that follows the recipe of other full-size trucks from the American Big Three. The large cabin provides ample space for both front- and rear-seat passengers and the rear seat folds up to give more storage space when not in use.

A large glasshouse provides great vision around the vehicle for driver and passengers, and the massive multimedia screen also aids the driver when negotiating tight terrain with views from front and rear cameras.

All of the controls are placed logically in typical Toyota fashion so they are easy to use and operate, and the driver’s seating position is comfortable with plenty of adjustment. The digital dash screen looks like something from the Death Star and is loaded with lots of information; much of it is green coloured to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about saving the planet in your hybrid truck but the display lacks some key info that would actually be useful such as speed sign recognition and a TPMS.

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The hybrid iFORCE MAX powertrain puts out a non-offensive growl under full throttle to provide swift acceleration and strong load hauling capability. The 10-speed auto is smooth and precise but you can feel the electric side of the hybrid system cut in when driving.

The drivetrain offers normal, sport and eco modes. Even in the eco mode and when using a light throttle application, the petrol engine still cuts in to move the Tundra, meaning there is no full electric driving.

There is nothing to complain about in the suspension department; it does its job without fuss and the cabin is well insulated from road noise on both sealed and gravel surfaces.

Off-road performance

Like the other big pickups out of the US, the Tundra is not a great off-road vehicle in standard trim. It is heavy and low riding, and while good on gravel roads, it’s less than suited to deep ruts and large rocks. The long wheelbase and low ride height results in poor ground clearance when riding on standard suspension, and the Tundra Limited does not come equipped with a locking rear differential.

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Other Tundra models in the USA are available with an on-demand 4x4 system with multi-terrain monitor and drive modes, but not on the Limited model currently sold here, which is a pity as such a system would be appreciated for towing and when driving on gravel roads where the Tundra is best suited.

There are also several off-road packs available in the US that provide improved suspension but we’ll have to wait until Toyota reveals the specification of a higher-grade Tundra set to launch in Australia in 2025 to see if we get any more off-road hardware from the factory.

Locally developed

The Toyota Tundra is manufactured in Texas, USA and is only made in left-hand drive for its home market.

The re-engineering process for left- to right-hand drive is done in Melbourne by the Walkinshaw Group, which has plenty of experience in this game as it is also the company that does similar work here for both Chevrolet Silverado and RAM trucks. The Toyota Tundra conversion is done at its own facility and there is no sharing between the US truck brands, but the processes are similar.

Bringing the Tundra to Australia has been a six-year process for Toyota with trips to the USA for Australian personnel and key engineers from Japan visiting Australia. This is the first and only program of its kind in the Toyota world in which a vehicle that is made by Toyota America is shipped to another country where it is re-engineered by a third-party manufacturer and then marketed and sold by Toyota Australia.

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Interestingly, the team working on the Tundra program at Walkinshaw is smattered with former Toyota engineers including some that worked on the left-hand drive Camry program when they were built in Australia and shipped to overseas markets.

The fact that the current Tundra, which was launched in the USA in 2022, shares its platform with the current LandCruiser, certainly made the engineering process easier, but it is still an extensive job. It includes removing the body from the chassis and powertrain and then the two sections each work their way down parallel manufacturing lines where the modifications are made and components replaced, before being reunited and bolted back together before being tested and prepped for sale.

The shared TNGA-F platform allows the sharing of some RHD components such as the steering rack, pedal mountings and HVAC blower fan, which are taken from RHD LC300 and Lexus LX models that have the corresponding parts.

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In the case of the HVAC fan, it sits under the dashboard, which itself is an all-new part, on the opposite side of the vehicle to the steering column. With the steering column now on the right-hand side of the vehicle, it comes through the firewall right where the large blower would originally sit, so the LC300 unit was adapted to the other side of the HVAC unit using components developed by Walkinshaw.

Other key components that are replaced in the LHD to RHD process include the front and rear LED lights, the wiring harness, gear shifter and console, and the seat belts among other parts.

Once the vehicle is fully back together it is put through a series of tests that include water ingress, visual inspections and a road test, before it heads out to a Toyota dealer. The conversion is seamless and owners will not be able to see or feel any differences to any other RHD Toyota, allowing the company to offer its full factory warranty.

Verdict

The 2025 Toyota Tundra is covered by Toyota Australia’s full five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with roadside assist. This includes five years of capped price servicing at $450 per service with intervals of six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first.

While the Tundra is a welcome addition to the 1500 class full-size truck segment, will the Toyota badge across the grille be enough to make it a success in Australia and to take on the American brands?

Specs