Toyota Tundra launching in Australia this November

Tow vehicles are getting bigger and better than ever, and Toyota is just about to launch its own US-truck style ute to the Aussie market this November.

Set to compete with the Ford F-150, RAM 1500 and GM Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the US-built Tundra is a 1500 series cab on chassis ‘truck’ that will feature similar specs for weight, size, engine ratings and load and towing capacities as its competitors.

And like its competitors, the Tundra is remanufactured from left-hand drive to right here in Australia, this time by the Walkinshaw Automotive Group.

Partnered with the Atteco Group (importers for RAM, among others) and GMSV (i.e., the local partner who sells the Aussie Chevy Silverado 1500), Walkinshaw Automotive Group have plenty of experience remanufacturing vehicles for Aussie roads and have altered more than 30,000 RAMs alone. Ford is the only one who doesn’t use Walkinshaw’s services, opting to use RMA Automotive instead.

The Toyota Tundra has been years in the making, so it’s clear that this release isn’t a reaction to the success of the RAM and its counterparts. Rewind six years to when the idea for the Tundra came into being and the RAM was only selling in the hundreds per year compared to the thousands it is now.

So, what prompted Toyota to enter the market? The answer is simple — the growing demand for vehicles that can tow 3500kg loads due to boats, caravans and other trailers and light machinery getting larger and heavier. Plus, if the trucks sell well in the United States, chances are they’ll do well on Aussie roads as well, and Ford sold more than 650,000 F-150s in the United States in 2023 alone.

What we know so far

The Toyota Tundra build is based on the TNGA-F platform seen in the LandCruiser 300 Series and upcoming Prado 250. It’s becoming more common for car companies to opt for more modular platforms, but when it comes to single-market variants such as the Tundra, there aren’t many components shared between their platform siblings.

Like most new Toyota models, the Tundra is a mild hybrid, and power is sorted with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 i-FORCE MAX powertrain engine that provides a combined 326kW of power and 790Nm of torque via the hybrid power system. When you break it down, the V6 engine technically makes 290kW and the e-motor makes up the rest.

The turbo V6 runs its power through a 10-speed automatic transmission that is paired to a part-time 4WD system with a dual-range transfer case.

One of the shortcomings is that the Tundra’s battery is on the small side at only 1.87kW/h, and it is not useable as a mobile power station, unlike the recently announced Ford Ranger PHEV. Despite this, the Tundra’s combined power numbers exceed that of the Ford F-150 by 28kW and 112Nm, the RAM by 35kW and 234Nm and the Chevy Silverado 1500 by 13kW and 166Nm, which is quite a difference.

There is a whole range of optional accessories available to Tundra owners, the most common options being extra fuel capacity to increase the standard 122L, bigger and spec’d up wheels and tyres and frontal protection. But the addition of these items does raise a slight problem. The Tundra has a kerb weight of 2778kg and a GVM of 3536kg, which leaves a low payload of 758kg, which is smaller than its HiLux siblings. This small payload means you’ll probably want to opt for lightweight optional inclusions or organise a GVM upgrade sooner rather than later.

Why the small payload? Because the Tundra, like other truck-style utes, has been designed for the masses rather than a rural workforce or hoard of offroad enthusiasts. This means it comes with all the upscale comfort you’d expect of a high-end European vehicle, such as 20-inch alloy wheels, big speaker and audio system, leather-accented seats (massaging and ventilated), 14-inch infotainment touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 10.9-inch head-up display, dual-zone climate control, trailer brake controller ... the list goes on.

But rest assured, it will be a capable tow vehicle with a 4500kg maximum braked tow capacity, which outstrips the LandCruiser 300 Series easily. The 7825kg GCM is reasonable, but it’s worth noting you won’t be able to run the Tundra at its max GVM and tow capacity combined as this would cause you to be overweight. So, cap yourself at towing 4000kg with a moderate on-board load and you’ll be in the sweet spot.

To find out more about the soon-to-be-released Toyota Tundra, head to the Toyota Australia website.

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