Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Review — All New for 2022!
Lighter, faster, and more capable than ever, the beastly Tundra TRD Pro makes us wish Lexus put the iFORCE MAX hybrid into the new LX 600.
While our main focus remains Lexus vehicles, the ClubLexus editorial team and I enjoy diving into a little Toyota action now and again. Sometimes because, as with trucks, there is no Lexus equivalent. Other times, it’s a great way to explore new features and powertrains. Case in point, the all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Build on the same platform as the 2022 Lexus LX 600 (review coming in early April) and featuring a nearly identical infotainment system as the all-new NX (review right HERE), the new Tundra offers a preview of what life will be like on several Lexus and Toyota models.
Plus it’s a badass truck and would make an excellent garage sibling to your Lexus.
What do YOU think about the all-new Tundra, Sequoia, and LX?
Let us know HERE in the ClubLexus forums!
Tundra TRD Pro Key Specs
The Toyota Tundra TRD Pro rests on the new GA-F global platform. Dropping 441-lbs and gaining 20% more rigidity is already an excellent recipe. But wait, there’s more! Toyota replaced the venerable 5.7L V8 in favor of a pair of smaller, turbocharged engines. The base iFORCE engine is a variant of what you’ll find in the LS 500, a twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6 making 389 peak horsepower and 479 ft.-lbs. of torque. The iFORCE MAX hybrid system adds an electric motor to the 10-speed automatic transmission bell housing, boosting horsepower and torque to 437hp and 583 lb.-ft of torque at 2,400 RPM.
How ’bout dem apples?
Despite being a wonderful drivetrain — similar to Ford’s hybrid PowerBoost offering — following something as reliable as the 3UR-FE 5.7L V8 is going to be tough. Not in terms of performance, of course. iFORCE MAX is a massive upgrade in that regard. But the 5.7L is a longevity legend and it’ll be interesting to see if Toyota suffers any of Ford’s EcoBoost growing pains.
Back to the Tundra…
Our Solar Octaine loaner, a glorious color ripped from early 70s muscle cars, would MSRP for $66,805 if it was a production model. But it’s not. It’s a prototype, so there are a few potential bugs we have to forgive. For now. The TRD Pro package adds skidplates, 2.5″ FOX shocks, red suspension components, a 1.1″ front lift, locking rear diff, multiple 4WD modes, and black 18″ BBS forged wheels wrapped in P285/65R18 Falking all-terrain tires. (That’s 33 inches for truck folk.)
The look is generally monochromatic save for blacked-out trim (no chrome allowed!) and the black exhaust tips, which sounds pretty mean and aggressive for a six-pot. (I don’t know what voodoo Toyota used, but Ford’s turbo V6s sound like hot garbage while the TRD Pro growls nearly as well as a V8. ) LED foglights and a (high-beam activated) lightbar also come standard, as do DOT-friendly front-and-back lights to let folks know this truck is wider than most Tundras.
Inside, you’ll find leather-trimmed camouflaged heated and ventilated front seats, a massive center console, room for five adults, several USB A and USB C charging ports, a massive 14″ infotainment system. Plus the rear window — you know the one looking into the truck’s 5.5′ bed? — rolls down like a 70s or 80s SUV. Great addition. And a glass moonroof engulfs the ceiling.
All of it — the luxury and performance — stuffed into a dessert running, mountain climbing, four-door pickup truck that can tow 11,175 lbs and haul 1,600 pounds in the bed.
Jaw… dropped.
What We Love
There are so many positive things to talk about — make sure to watch the above video, of course — but here’s what sticks in my mind. The iFORCE MAX powertrain is amazing and makes the THREE TON Tundra feel more like a sports car. It’s incredible for performance and may save you a nickel or two at the pump over the standard iFORCE. Visually, the new Tundra rocks too, especially with the TRD Pro’s bright Solar Octane and black trim. It’s modern and beastly.
On the inside, yes you’ll find a good bit of cheaper plastics, but it’s fairly luxurious. Room for five adults. A modern infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and wireless charging. Heated and ventilated seats. A relatively quiet cabin. It’s a great space to spend time heading to work or playing on the weekends. (It’s almost Lexus-good, y’all.)
And the driving experience is excellent as well. For this generation, Toyota finally dropped the leaf springs in favor of rear coils. Not independent, but still smooth on and off the road. (Unless you hit some washboard afflicted pavement, but that upsets most trucks, to be honest.) Speaking of off road, outside of more technical elements where you’d want a Tacoma, Bronco, or Wrangler, the TRD Pro is unbelievably stable playing in the ruts and ditches and when crawling over rocks… all while you’re enjoying a cooled butt and satellite radio.
Lastly, I think this model is a solid value. Last year, I tested Ford’s PowerBoost hybrid on an XLT High-Package FX4 truck. For those who don’t know Fords, XLT is a mid-level cloth trim. The high package adds in tech and comfort, while the FX4 option includes a locking diff and 4×4 goodies. But it’s also a step below what Ford calls their TREMOR offroad package, which is philosophically closer to any TRD Pro.
All of this to say that my Ford loaner offered similar POWER to the TRD Pro, but at only $3,000 more, the TRD Pro boasts more luxury (leather seats), amenities (moonroof and rear fifth-window), and genuine offroad capabilities (FX4 suspension and tires aren’t as good). Which, to me, makes the TRD Pro a good value. Technically, you can snag an F-150 TREMOR to compete, but Ford doesn’t offer a hybrid TREMOR.
What We’d Change
Despite an overall positive Tundra TRD Pro experience, we’d love to see Toyota make a few changes as the new platform evolves. First, with this much power, we’d love to see Toyota beef up the brakes. I don’t mean to imply it’s dangerous, but at these power levels, it would be easy to drive one of these too hot into a corner. Next, the steering itself is good but very numb; it would be great to see a smaller wheel with a touch more feedback.
Speaking of feedback, my body gave me some feedback about the driver’s side kick panel. It appears to curve inward near the dead and brake pedals. And after an hour or so, my left knee started to feel tweaked. I wish there was a little more room under the dash right there. And while there’s a great center console for storage, it should be pointed out that there’s no under-seat storage in the hybrid models. We’d recommend getting a tonneau cover (or similar) for family trips.
And lastly, despite all the hybrid performance gains, our fuel economy experience was pretty bad at 11.5MPG. Yes, this included idling while filming, off-roading, several 0-60 runs, and driving over mountain passes at 80mph, but the best we saw with the computer was 16mph during stop-n-go morning traffic when the hybrid motor did a lot of work. This is a couple MPG lower than the F-150, in our experience. But that had better road tires and the TRD Pro is, as we’ve said before a prototype.
Speaking of which, we also couldn’t get the radar cruise control to work, but it was unclear if that was a prototype bug, user error, or a system flaw. We’ll report back after testing a full-production Tundra.
LX 600 Clues
ClubLexus’ sister publication, MotorAuthority, already had a go with the new LX 600, which you can read here. We’ll also be covering the Luxury model in early April as well as an LX 600 F Sport later this year when a loaner arrives in Los Angeles. But until I get to drive it in person, the new Tundra has me very excited for the new LX…
As I said before, weight reduction plus power and rigidity is a hell of a recipe. Toss in a 21st generation infotainment system and the Lexus LX finally came of age. But I have a concern. After driving the iFORCE MAX Hybrid system, it’s a mistake to limit the flagship Lexus SUVs powertrain to the base motor. Yes, it’s an improvement over the 5.7L but when the hybrid motor is standard in the Toyota Sequoia, it feels like a letdown to produce a lesser Lexus flagship. (Plus I’m addicted to fast things, and the iFORCE MAX is beyond fun.)
I also can’t wait to experience the LX’s adaptive suspension as well as the F Sport model to see what the adaptive suspension will do on and off pavement.
Tundra TRD Pro Final Thoughts
I can’t believe how crazy it is to be reviewing trucks and cars right now. The Tundra TRD Pro, while not cheap, offers performance specs that would have been impressive in a supercar from 20 or 30 years ago. In an off-roader. With all the amenities you could want. In a vehicle that’s pretty much a luxury sedan.
Yes, there are some ergonomic and performance issues I’d like to see evolve and the fuel economy isn’t going to feel familiar to most current Toyota hybrid owners. And, to be fair, this is only a prototype, so some of what I experience may change. Still, the Tundra TRD Pro freakin’ rules and makes me even more excited to test the LX 600, Sequoia, and other Tundra trim levels in the coming months.
Bravo, Toyota. This update was a long-time coming, but you didn’t disappoint. Now let’s just hope your engineers designed the iFORCE and iFORCE MAX to live a few hundred thousand miles, and you’ll have yourselves another legendary classic with high resale value.
