Australia set for full-size Toyota Tundra ute
Toyota Australia is finally ready to roll out its full-size ute rival for the likes of RAM and Silverado in the form of its twin turbocharged V6 petrol-powered Tundra.
Toyota Australia has confirmed that its full-size Tundra pickup will go on sale here in November, following final approval of the local re-engineering project by its Japanese parent company.
The Tundra is Toyota’s entrant in the full-size pickup market that’s currently dominated by the likes of RAM, Chevrolet’s Silverado and the Ford F-150.
The US-import Tundra will be converted from left to right-hand drive in Melbourne by Walkinshaw Automotive which also handles the reengineering of rival RAM and Chevrolet pickups.
It's the first time Toyota has worked with a third-party organisation for such a project anywhere in the world, with Toyota Australia making much of the fact its reengineered Tundra had to undergo a six-year development process to ensure it meets the company’s standards for quality, durability and reliability.
The program included extensive local testing and development, with some 300 Tundra prototypes leased to selected customers who have been evaluating and reporting on the vehicle’s performance in real-world conditions since September last year.
The extensive local development program has meant the Toyota pickup arrives fashionably late to the big ute party, with some of sizzle appearing to have gone out of a segment that’s down 3.9% versus last year, led by steep declines in the RAM 1500 (-50.6%), RAM 2500 (-31.4%) and RAM 3500 (-25%).
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The Chevy Silverado and Ford F-150 are the main beneficiaries of RAM’s decline, with the Silverado up 28.6% on last year and the Silverado HD up 16.6%.
Ford’s F-150 only went on sale in November 2023, so year-on-year comparison sales data is not available, but the big F-Truck has notched up 1,443 sales so far this year for a heathy 21.1% market share, despite some high-profile recalls following its launch.
Ford is the only full-size ute brand not to use Walkinshaw’s reengineering services, with its F-150s converted by RMA Australia in a purpose-built facility that’s also located in Melbourne.
Despite claiming much smaller market share than the established 4x4 dual-cab ute category dominated by HiLux and Ranger – 6,833 sales as at August this year versus 141,052 for the latter – the full-size pickup segment’s strong growth in recent years and its higher profit margins have attracted new players including Ford and Toyota.
Toyota Australia Vice President Sales Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley said the Tundra sets a new benchmark for re-engineering quality and gives the car maker’s customers more choice of vehicles to meet their specific needs.
“The Tundra has been completely re-engineered by Toyota engineers working in close collaboration with Walkinshaw and uses many parts and components from other Toyota vehicles such as LandCruiser 300 Series to ensure the very highest quality standards,” Mr Hanley said.
The Tundra sits on the same TNGA-F platform that underpins the LandCruiser 300 Series and is powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 that generates 326kW/790Nm and drives through a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The engine is mated to a part-time 4WD system with a dual-range transfer case and offers a huge 4.5-tonne braked towing capacity.
The Tundra will initially be launched in Limited grade with a top-of-the-range premium version to join the lineup in Q2, 2025.
The Limited comes standard with 20-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, leather-accented seats with power adjustment, heating and ventilation for the driver and front passenger, 14-inch multimedia touchscreen with a 12-speaker JBL audio system, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto compatibility, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, and trailer brake controller.
The premium grade gains a unique grille, black painted alloy wheels, black-accented tailgate, a panoramic moonroof and other cosmetic changes. Inside, its standard equipment includes leather-accented seats with massage function for the front and heating and ventilation for the rear outboard positions, power adjustable steering column and heated steering wheel, and a 10.9-inch head up display.
Pricing for the new model has not been released, with Toyota promising more information closer to the November launch.
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