What We Know So Far About the 2022 Tundra

The Toyota Tundra is a highly-respected truck that can hold its own, but with the stories emerging online and rumors floating about the engine specs, can the 2022 Tundra re-establish its seat at the table?

Although it’s in a different weight class, the Ram 3500 was recently crowned towing champion, and Ford announced the release of a new model called the Tremor. Between the big three, they’ve been able to overtake the Tundra presence in the market by creating more powerful and efficient engines, more luxury, and better fuel economy. In that time, Tundra has sat on the sidelines and relied solely on “reliability.” We should point out, however, that two one-million mile trucks don’t hurt that reputation.

The Tundra earned Truck of the Year – in 2008. After nearly 13 years, it’s about time they use their technological advances to create something new for Toyota truck enthusiasts. With that said, the 2022 Tundra came out with news mentioning it’s set to ride on the company’s latest truck chassis, which is coined Toyota New Global Architecture-F (TNGA-F). Tundra is using body-on-frame underpinnings that will benefit the higher-strength steel they’re implementing to reduce weight.

Similar to the Ram 1500, the new Tundra will adopt coil-springs instead of their current leaf springs for its live rear axle. Toyota trucks are known for their bumpier ride quality, and this new design should provide some necessary improvement. Purely speculation, but we expect the 2022 Tundra to improve its maximum payload of 1,730 pounds and its 10,200-pound towing capacity.

Can the Tundra live up to the hype? We believe so, but some enthusiasts are disappointed they’ve decided to ditch the V-8. There is so much that could have been done to improve the outdated design and increase efficiency, but Toyota decided to go another route.

Introducing Forced Induction and a V-6 to Match

Depending on what side of the spectrum you sit on, you may view this as an upgrade or a disappointing downgrade. Bid farewell to the infamous 5.7L V-8 that churned out 380-horsepower and 401-pound feet of torque, which was ahead of its time in 2008, but falls short today.

Now, say hello to a V-6 only powertrain lineup. Although it hasn’t been confirmed by Toyota, we expect higher-end variants of the 2022 Tundra to have the 3.4L 416-hp, the current powerhouse of the Lexus LS500, which has been said to be a “legit V-8 replacement.”

Given the history of Toyota and hybrids, we could potentially see a gasoline-electric hybrid option in its official debut. The setup would allow the brand to compete with the 2021 Ford F-150 and its hybrid powertrain. With a legacy to live up to, rumbles of a new engine, please tell me they’re redesigning the exterior too?

How the 2022 Tundra Will Look Inside and Out

We are expecting some radical mechanical changes from this new 2022 Tundra, and we anticipate a brand new exterior to match the shiny new toys inside. We’ve seen renderings of the model from enthusiasts online, but none of these are confirmed, and it’s hard to say what direction Toyota is planning. However, the Tundra will introduce its latest Entune infotainment technology for the interior.

It includes a 12.0-inch touchscreen and a large head-up display. As you’d expect from Toyota, the latest and greatest in safety will be available as well. Some of which include automatic lane centering, automatic braking, advanced radar cruise control, and lane-keep assist, among others.

2022 Tundra Release Date and Price

The 2022 Tundra is rumored to be unveiled sometime in mid-2021, and reach dealerships by the end of 2021, but like the Ford Bronco, COVID-19 could impact its release date. We’ll keep an eye on that. With that said, when it does arrive, it will sport a base price close to the $35,000 range. Toyota may offer lower trim levels to capture entry-level buyers, but that’s to be determined.

If you’re looking for a fully-loaded Tundra with all the bells and whistles, you should expect to spend $55,000 for the pricier trims. While we can’t say definitively if it’ll be worth this price, we eagerly anticipate its arrival and can’t wait to report more when it becomes available.