2023 Toyota Tundra V6 Hybrid video review
The Toyota Tundra is getting ready to compete with the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150 in Australia. This preview drive out of the US provides an insight into what we can expect.
- Epic power and torque from twin-turbo V6 hybrid
- Surprisingly fuel-efficient for a full-size US pick-up
- Feels like an SUV to drive, good roadholding and braking
- Lacks V8 sound (on the outside at least)
- Toyota's cautious approach means this is still at least a year away from local showrooms
- Price likely to be on the high side once the factory-backed conversion is complete
2023 Toyota Tundra Twin-Turbo V6 Hybrid
The Toyota Tundra is one giant step closer to Australian showrooms, but it's not quite over the line yet.
Toyota – with remanufacturing partner the Walkinshaw Automotive Group, the former parent company of Holden Special Vehicles – is in the final stages of a local engineering program that started three years ago.
If the completed vehicles meet Toyota Japan's quality audits – after approximately 500 parts have been replaced to transform a Tundra from left-hand-drive to right-hand-drive – then it will be all systems go for introduction in local showrooms from next year.
As with the factory-backed Ram and Chevrolet pick-up programs (and, soon, the Ford F-150 range with full endorsement from Detroit), the Toyota Tundra donor vehicles will arrive from the US in left-hand-drive configuration before being remanufactured in right-hand drive in Melbourne.
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The Walkinshaw Automotive Group is the same firm that also completes the engineering and remanufacturing of Ram and Chevrolet pick-ups. But by all accounts, compared to the Ram and Chevrolet right-hand-drive engineering programs, the Toyota process has taken three times longer to meet the Japanese car-maker's internal quality benchmarks.
Drive didn't want to wait until 2024 to get a taste of the Toyota Tundra, so we contacted a customer in the US who was willing to allow us behind the wheel of his top-of-the-range twin-turbo V6 hybrid for this brief preview.
How much does the 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid cost in Australia?
The price of the new Toyota Tundra in Australia is anyone's guess at this stage. We may not know the RRP until 2024 – if the local remanufacturing program gets final approval.
At the moment, the right-hand-drive engineering process has been going through various stages of approval 'gateways', in industry-speak.
Toyota Australia says it plans to assign the first 300 examples of locally remanufactured Toyota Tundra pick-ups to VIP customers by the end of this year.
It is unclear what costs – if any – these customers will be asked to pay (will the vehicles need to be purchased outright, leased or will the first 300 examples be assigned to VIPs as a free extended loan?).
Toyota is also yet to reveal how and when it will select its first 300 real-world test drivers. Toyota plans to put the first 300 vehicles in the hands of mums and dads – and tradies and off-roaders – to get feedback on the converted vehicles across a broad range of uses.
The only clues provided by Toyota so far: the company wants to target buyers who will put the Tundra through its paces in extreme conditions in remote areas, as well as in the daily grind.
Toyota wants to replicate its global quality audit checks by putting the first 300 vehicles to use in the real world. These first 300 examples will not be prototypes – about a dozen test vehicles are understood to have been built so far – but they will be saleable, customer-ready vehicles.
Whether they remain in the hands of the first 300 customers – or returned to Toyota and resold as demonstrators – remains to be seen.
Only after this unprecedented effort will Toyota Japan consider giving the green light to the Tundra right-hand-drive program and local showroom arrivals.
Although Ram and Chevrolet also have extensive engineering programs and prototype phases, their processes appear to amount to a fraction of the effort Toyota is undertaking to make sure the local Tundra remanufacturing process is 100 per cent right.
Toyota Japan has never before allowed a third party to disassemble one of its vehicles and put it back together again, so there's a lot riding on the right-hand-drive Tundra program. If anything goes wrong – or Toyota Japan gets cold feet on the idea – it will shut down the Tundra remanufacturing program at the eleventh hour rather than risk denting its reputation.
Meantime, Toyota Australia is yet to announce how many model variants of the Toyota Tundra will be introduced locally – if the program is approved – but based on spy photos there appears to be at least two versions: a mid-grade model and a flagship Capstone, which is the example we tested.
The starting price for a Toyota Tundra V6 Hybrid Capstone in the US is listed from US$76,145 (AUD$112,945) not including options, taxes and on-road costs.
Adding an arbitrary 10 per cent sales tax in the US (the equivalent of our GST, which varies in each US state) means the price of the top-end model starts from US$86,145 (AUD$127,780).
However, the Toyota Australia showroom price for the top-line Tundra Capstone is expected to be north of AUD$127,780 plus on-road costs, because the extensive engineering and remanufacturing costs are yet to be added to the equation.
Hence our best guess of the preliminary price range listed below.
Key details | 2023 Toyota Tundra Twin-Turbo V6 Hybrid |
Price | $100,000 to $150,000 plus on-road costs (estimated) |
Colour of test car | Magnetic Grey Metallic |
Price in the US | US$76,145 plus options, taxes and on-road costs |
Australian currency conversion | AUD$112,945 before taxes and right-hand-drive conversion |
Rivals | Ram 1500 | Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | Ford F-150 |
How much space does the 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid have inside?
The Toyota Tundra is huge. Although it doesn't look as big as the Ram, Chevrolet or Ford full-size pick-ups in these photos, it has almost as much room shoulder-to-shoulder inside the cabin as its main rivals.
Back seat space is also generous – more leg room than a Holden Caprice limousine.
The door pockets and centre console are huge. You might never find your wallet again.
Visibility all around is excellent thanks to the tall driving position and large window area – and massive, wide-view side mirrors.
2023 Toyota Tundra Twin-Turbo V6 Hybrid | |
Seats | Five |
Length | 5932mm |
Width | 2032mm |
Height | 1984mm |
Wheelbase | 3701mm |
Does the 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
In the US, the Toyota Tundra Capstone has wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto accessed via a 14.0-inch central touchscreen.
Sound quality through the 12-speaker JBL premium audio is crisp, but the volume and bass are not quite up there with the system in top-end versions of the Ram 1500 in our opinion.
AM/FM and digital radio are standard, as is a Bluetooth connection and a wireless smartphone charging pad.
Is the 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid a safe car?
As with other full-size US pick-ups on sale in Australia, the Toyota Tundra at this stage does not fall under the gaze of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), so we are unlikely to see a safety star-rating at launch.
Such vehicles also do not get independently assessed by US safety regulators because they are classified as 'trucks'.
However, given the rise in popularity of US pick-ups, Australia's independent crash safety authority is actively investigating ways to assess such vehicles.
At a minimum, their crash-avoidance systems could be assessed locally given that would involve non-destructive tests.
The Toyota Tundra's 2.8-tonne mass – and eight airbags, including two 'knee' airbags for front seat occupants – means the laws of physics are on your side should the vehicle get into a biff.
Unlike US pick-ups converted to right-hand drive by local 'chop shops' with no backing or affiliation with the vehicle manufacturer, the factory-backed Toyota Tundra will be crash-tested in Australia as part of its engineering process, to make sure the safety systems work to the same high standards as the original donor vehicle.
2023 Toyota Tundra Twin-Turbo V6 Hybrid | |
ANCAP rating | Untested |
What safety technology does the 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid have?
In the US, the Toyota Tundra Capstone comes standard with eight airbags (including two 'knee' airbags for front seat occupants).
North America has strict roof-strength rollover protection standards, so the Toyota Tundra's body and frame should be built like a bank vault.
Advanced safety technology such as autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, blind-zone warning, rear cross-traffic alert, a 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitors, and front and rear parking sensors are standard on the top-line Toyota Tundra Capstone in the US.
During our brief time with the car, the lane-keeping assistance technology seemed intuitive and not intrusive on US roads, but we'll reserve judgment until we test it locally.
At a glance | 2023 Toyota Tundra Twin-Turbo V6 Hybrid |
Warranty | Five years, unlimited km (to be confirmed) |
Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km (to be confirmed) |
Servicing costs | Capped-price servicing (to be confirmed) |
Is the 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid fuel-efficient?
In the US, the fuel economy figures for the Toyota Tundra Hybrid – based on laboratory tests – are as follows: 12.7L/100km in city use, 10.5L/100km in highway use, and 11.7L/100km average use.
While the V8-powered Ram and Chevrolet pick-ups sold in Australia can dip to 10 to 11L/100km during freeway driving, they guzzle up to 17 to 20L/100km (or more) depending on how much of a lead-foot you are – and how much of a load you're hauling.
The Toyota Tundra Hybrid, however, has the advantage of being able to move from rest on electric power and saving fuel in the thirstiest part of the acceleration process.
As we would discover, although it might be a twin-turbo V6 hybrid in a segment dominated by V8s, the Toyota Tundra has no shortage of performance.
Fuel Consumption - brought to you by bp
Fuel Useage | Fuel Stats |
Fuel consumption combined (US claim) | 11.7L/100km |
Fuel consumption on test | Not recorded |
Fuel type | Unleaded petrol |
Fuel tank size | 122L |
What is the 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid like to drive?
Think of this as the Holden Calais of the new Toyota Tundra line-up.
The Toyota Tundra Capstone is the top of the range in the US. Judging by the spy photos of vehicles undergoing local testing, we are getting this model and a mid-grade variant.
For now, there are no plans to introduce the off-road-focussed TRD Pro edition, but never say never.
In addition to all the luxury features inside the cabin, the Toyota Tundra Capstone is equipped with a small step that pops out from under the corner of the rear bumper, power-operated side steps, a retractable rear window, and an electric opening tailgate (although it still needs to be closed manually).
Under the bonnet is a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine paired to a hybrid system and an electric motor.
Toyota calls it i-Force Power Max, and it’s more powerful than the V8 it replaces in the US – and has more grunt than its domestic rivals.
In the US, the Toyota Tundra Hybrid has claimed combined petrol and electric outputs of 325kW at 5200rpm and an epic 790Nm at 2400rpm.
This compares to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500's 6.2-litre V8 (313kW/624Nm), and the Ram 1500's 5.7-litre V8 (291kW/556Nm).
The Toyota Tundra's peak outputs include 36kW and 250Nm from the hybrid system's electric motor, which is supported by a 1.87kWh nickel metal hydride battery pack.
The battery pack and electric motor provide enough oomph to move the 2.8-tonne Toyota Tundra Hybrid from rest up to about 40km/h before the petrol engine takes over.
Based on US testing protocols, the Toyota Tundra Hybrid consumes fuel at an average rate of 11.7L/100km when unladen, which is about a third less than its V8 rivals in the real world.
As you might expect from a hybrid, the Tundra is at times eerily quiet for a full-size US pick-up. Part of the reason it's so quiet is we tested the Capstone model with an acoustic (noise-suppressing) windscreen and front side windows.
You might call it a quiet achiever. The Toyota Tundra V6 Hybrid has more grunt than the V8 from Ram and Chevrolet and yet delivers better real-world fuel economy.
The Tundra V6 Hybrid is so quiet, Toyota had to create an artificial sound sent through the car audio speakers in the cabin. We'd go as far to say it has a pretty convincing supercharger whine, even though there's not a supercharger in sight – or earshot.
Apparently Toyota was worried about buyer backlash, having moved away from a V8, so it just made the new Tundra V6 Hybrid sound like one in the cabin.
We also discovered the Tundra does an excellent job of disguising its size and weight thanks to well-tuned suspension. Even on patches of rough road, the Tundra does an excellent job of soaking up bumps.
The suspension is supple, and while it's not car-like to drive, it feels like a luxury SUV. It's apparent the Tundra shares its DNA with the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.
In fact, that will be a part of the secret to the success of the local remanufacturing program. A lot of the components going into the right-hand-drive version of the new Toyota Tundra are straight off the LandCruiser 300 Series.
Although the steering wheel was on the wrong side of the car for this test, the Tundra feels nimble and responsive. It's light and easy around town, but sharp when you hit a winding road.
In the US, the Tundra is available with 'adaptive variable suspension'. It's effectively air suspension on each corner of the car.
The example we tested was not equipped with this suspension set-up, and we're not sure if Australia will get the optional extra as standard here – or not at all.
The only downside with suspension tuned for comfort rather than heavy cargo is the Tundra’s payload is capped to between 650kg and 700kg (depending on the model) – in line with other US pick-ups, but less than the one-tonne payload typical of the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger and other popular utes in Australia.
The Toyota Tundra V6 Hybrid’s towing capacity is up there with the other US pick-ups, rated to tow close to five tonnes with a heavy-duty hitch – and up to 3.5 tonnes with a 50mm tow ball. But the maximum could be capped at 4.5 tonnes in Australia so the vehicle can be driven on a car licence, the same paperwork down-rating tactic adopted by Ram and Chevrolet.
As you might expect with low-profile highway tyres on massive 22-inch alloy wheels, the Tundra doesn't drive like a Toyota HiLux. It feels like a luxury SUV with a very big boot. Or 'trunk', in US parlance.
So, to sum up? On the plus side the cabin oozes quality, there's acres of space inside, and the twin-turbo V6 hybrid system has no shortage of power. We didn't get a chance to run 0–100km/h numbers but, based on the seat of the pants, the Toyota Tundra's performance is line-ball with its V8 rivals, if not a touch quicker. We'll reserve judgment until we can test a right-hand-drive vehicle locally.
The brakes have a reassuring feel and do a good job of pulling up, even though the Toyota Tundra V6 Hybrid weighs in excess of 2.8 tonnes in US spec.
Downsides? There aren't many we could think of, other than the muted exhaust note on the outside of the vehicle. And if you order a luxury Capstone model, the optional white leather trim might be difficult to keep clean in the daily grind.
But, other than that, first impressions are good.
Key details | 2023 Toyota Tundra Twin-Turbo V6 Hybrid |
Engine | 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 hybrid petrol |
Power | 325kW @ 5200rpm (combined output, US model) |
Torque | 790Nm @ 2400rpm (combined output, US model) |
Electric motor | 36kW, 250Nm (located between V6 and 10-speed transmission) |
Hybrid battery | 1.87kWh nickel-metal hydride |
Drive type | All-wheel drive |
Transmission | 10-speed automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 116kW/t |
Vehicle weight | 2805kg (US model) |
Gross Vehicle Mass | 3480kg (US model) |
Payload | 675kg (US model) |
Approach angle | 21 degrees (US model) |
Departure angle | 24 degrees (US model) |
Ground clearance | 277mm (US model) |
Spare tyre type | Full-size |
Tow rating | 4690kg braked (US model, heavy-duty hitch) 3500kg braked (US model, 50mm tow ball) 750kg unbraked (US model, 50mm tow ball) |
Turning circle | 14.8m (US model) |
Should I buy a 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid?
Ram and Chevrolet dominate the US pick-up market in Australia and the Toyota Tundra is a niche player in the US.
But those tables could turn when the Toyota Tundra finally arrives Down Under.
With a vast dealer network, pent-up demand among diehard Toyota fans, and a level of quality, refinement and fuel economy not seen before in the US pick-up market in Australia, the Tundra is shaping up to be the pick of the lot – if you can live without the roar of a V8.
Footnote: Drive road test scores have not been applied to this review as we don't know price, equipment levels, and are yet to sample a completed right-hand-drive vehicle.