Following a six-year planning and development program with the Walkinshaw Automotive Group, Toyota Australia has officially launched the right-hand drive Tundra Limited pickup for local sale priced from $155,990.
Local Tundra production will take place at the Walkinshaw production facility in Melbourne.
Toyota Australia spokesman Sean Hanley says the development work, combined with the 12-month Tundra Insider customer evaluation program, ensured that the vehicle more than met the demands of Australian customers.
“Toyota has never before worked with a third party to re-engineer a vehicle for a right-hand drive, so we needed to ensure that it met our high-quality standards,” Hanley says.
The Tundra is 5955mm long, 2040mm wide, and 1985mm tall, with a 3700mm wheelbase. Its exterior design was crafted at Toyota North America’s Calty Design Research studios in California and Michigan.
At the front, the grille is framed by a chrome octagonal bezel and flanked by bold T-shaped LED headlight clusters featuring automatic high-beam technology.
Below the front grille is an active front spoiler that automatically deploys and retracts based on driving conditions to improve aerodynamics and increase ground clearance in off-road terrain.
In side profile, flared wheel arches house stylish black and chrome 20-inch alloy wheels while the standard side steps help enable easy access to the front and rear doors.
LED light clusters flank the broad tailgate, and the bumper has an integrated step. This provides easy access to the large rear cargo tub, which can hold a maximum payload of 758kg.
Nine exterior colours are offered across the Tundra range: Glacier White, Frosted White, Graphite, Silver Storm, Eclipse Black, Feverish Red, Vintage Brown Pearl, Jungle Khaki and Saturn Blue.
Under the bonnet, the Tundra’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 i-FORCE MAX powertrain delivers the most power and torque ever offered by a Toyota vehicle in its Australian lineup.
The parallel hybrid powertrain combines the 290kW/649Nm twin-turbo V6 with a 36kW/250Nm motor generator, generating a combined output of 326kW/790Nm.
The powertrain is driven through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Power is delivered to all four wheels via a part-time selectable four-wheel drive system with a dual-range transfer case.
In two-wheel drive mode (2H), drive torque is delivered to the rear wheels. Switching to high-range 4WD (4H) via the sliding switch on the centre console engages the front wheels by locking the automatic disconnecting differential (ADD) to provide extra traction.
The Tundra is equipped with low-range 4WD (4L), which provides maximum torque and improved traction.It sits on the TNGA-F ladder-frame platform shared with the LandCruiser 300 Series and all-new LandCruiser Prado.
The frame’s wheelbase has been lengthened by 850mm compared to the LandCruiser 300 Series, while the front and rear tracks, which are 1737 mm wide, are up to 70mm wider. This contributes to the Tundra’s maximum braked towing capacity of 4500kg.
The Tundra suspension has been designed and tuned to balance ride comfort and dynamic handling, both on and off the road.
At the front is a double wishbone arrangement with the rear suspension comprising a four-link rigid axle configuration with dual-rate coil springs providing excellent ride comfort under various load conditions.
Toyota used many components from the LandCruiser 300 Series, including the electric power steering system, to re-engineer the Tundra for right-hand drive.
Stopping power comes from 354mm ventilated discs with 4-piston callipers on the front and 335mm ventilated discs with single-piston callipers on the rear, and a full complement of safety technologies including ABS, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist and trailer sway control.
The drive mode select system offers three modes—Eco, Normal, and Sport—and automatically adjusts transmission, throttle, steering, and air conditioning parameters based on driver preferences and road conditions.
With its standard integrated tow hitch, wiring harness, 3500kg rated tow ball, and tongue, the Tundra also incorporates several features to enable customers to maximise its 4500kg braked towing capacity. A 4500kg towing kit is available.
These include a trailer brake controller, two tow modes for varying loads, and a trailer backup guide that can autonomously control steering to assist when reversing.
Toyota Safety Sense features include the autonomous emergency braking pre-collision safety system, which continuously detects pedestrians, oncoming vehicles, and cyclists. The system consists of emergency steering assist, active cruise control, lane trace assist, lane departure alert, and automatic high beam.
In addition to these features, the Tundra incorporates a blind-spot monitor with cross-traffic alert, a parking support brake, and front and rear parking sensors.
It also features a panoramic view monitor, a rear-view camera with guidelines on the large 14-inch touchscreen, and a digital rear-view mirror to provide a comprehensive view of the vehicle’s surroundings.
A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster provides essential information in various customisable layouts for the driver. The cluster can include vehicle, audio, navigation, and phone information and surrounds a central analogue-style tachometer and digital speedometer.
The steering wheel is adjustable for both rake and reach to enable the optimum position for various driver sizes. It also offers controls for audio, phone, multimedia, vehicle settings, and driver assistance technologies.
A 14.0-inch touchscreen display provides access to the latest-generation multimedia system, which offers Bluetooth compatibility, AM/FM radio, voice recognition, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wired Android Auto functionality.
A 12-speaker JBL premium audio system and wireless smartphone charger further enhance the Tundra cabin. There are also plenty of charging ports for personal devices, with three front and two rear USB-C outlets.
The Tundra features a dual-zone climate control system, with rear vents set into the centre console to ensure the optimum temperature for all conditions.
All windows, including the sliding rear glass, are power-operated, and intelligent entry has started to provide key-free convenience.
Large synthetic leather seats with a stylish geometric perforation pattern offer front occupants eight-way electric adjustment, three-stage heating and ventilation, and power lumbar support.
Rear passengers benefit from expansive legroom and headroom. The rear seats are split 60:40 and can be folded forward or the seat bases raised to provide a flexible internal cargo area.
Further storage options throughout the cabin include a large glove box, centre console storage trays, oversized front and rear door bins with bottle holders and two front and two rear cupholders in the centre console.
The development and re-engineering process has been validated under Toyota’s strict quality standards, so the Toyota Warranty Advantage fully covers the Tundra.
This includes a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty period and five years of capped-price servicing at $450 per service over six months or 10,000km intervals, whichever comes first.
