The Tundra Files

Most pickups are capable of working hard. Where the Tundra sets itself apart is that Tundra drivers are often playing just as hard as they work. Whether it’s getting to a campsite, a fishing spot, or a remote trailhead, the Tundra’s suite of off-road technology is designed to get you there and back every time. In this episode we’ll zero in on the model custom-tailored to the off-road enthusiast—the TRD Pro—and look at how the suspension and performance system was developed, as well as how it trickles over to other Tundra models. Along the way, we’ll discuss what’s new and unique on the 2022 Tundra, how off-roading has evolved over the decades, and how the Tundra redesign speaks to those trends. In the end, we’ll show why this vehicle is the perfect blend between tool and toy.

For anyone who both manages paperwork and hauls plywood, the interior design and available technology of their truck has become paramount. It has to be a cross between a mobile office and a living room. Luckily, the new Tundra is the most practical and most comfortable version yet. In this episode we’ll talk to the team who designed the inside of the truck, highlighting the choices that make the interior a place you want to spend time, as well as look at what went into developing the ultra-modern technological features like remote start via the Tundra smartphone app, wireless charging, and the all-new infotainment system.

The exterior of the new Tundra was designed around the phrase “technical muscle.” You can see it in the oversize grille, the squared off corners, and the big, bold lettering on the tailgate. Where previous generations of the Tundra had their edges softened, this truck looks chiseled. But sharp corners generally make aerodynamics—and by extension, fuel efficiency—something of a nightmare. In this episode we'll talk about how the team approached the challenge of designing an exterior from scratch, the overall direction of truck design, and highlight the extremely clever Active Aero features that allow a square truck to slice through the air—and makes Tundra look like nothing else on the market.

For the first time, the Tundra is available with a hybrid powertrain option—the all-new i-FORCE MAX. For some people that news prompts the question “Why?” And for others, it’s “Why did it take so long?” In this episode, we’ll answer both questions, telling the story of how Toyota became the leader in hybrid technology, starting in the late ‘90s with the development of the Prius, and how that legacy is leveraged in a wholly new way in the 2022 Tundra. We’ll go deep into the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain, which marries internal combustion and electricity to emulate the torque and driving characteristics of a big diesel engine in a compact, efficient power plant.

The all-new Tundra stands on a legacy of exceptional capability, both on-road and off, and it hasn’t come at the cost of style. With performance features like multiple driving modes, an optional locking rear differential, high-performance suspension, and body-on-frame design, the 2022 Tundra drives as good as it looks, whether on asphalt or way beyond it. To appreciate Toyota’s decades of excellence in this area, we’ll show how the 2022 Tundra builds on an icon of adventure: The Toyota Landcruiser. In this episode we’ll show how the Tundra picks up exactly where it left off, and how it promises to set the new standard for a go-anywhere, do-anything 4WD platform.

If Tundras are known for anything, it’s their longevity–and the new Toyota Tundra aims to preserve that reputation with its all-new powertrain: the i-FORCE 3.5 liter twin-turbo V6. Why a smaller engine than the previous generations’ V8? In short, to optimize power, performance, and efficiency. And to better understand how that evolved, we’ll show how Toyota leveraged learnings from Tundra’s legendary 4.7 liter V8—more specifically, the famous million-mile Tundra driven by Victor Sheppard. The story goes like this: in 2009, Sheppard purchased a new Tundra, and then drove the hell out of it. He averaged more than 300 miles a day, and nine years later, the odometer ran out of numbers. So Toyota gave him a new truck, broke down the old one, and studied it. In this episode, we’ll talk to both Sheppard and Toyota engineers to find out what Toyota learned from that vehicle, and how that longevity lives on in the current model.