 | Positives: Great power delivery and smoothness, much-improved ride comfort, cabin levels up significantly, almost peerless in-car tech, unmatched safety scores. |
 | Negatives: No full-time 4WD, no trick tailgate like the competition, so-so fuel-economy even in hybrid trim. |
 | Bottom Line: The Tundra offers so much more than before. While it might not tow or haul as much as some competitors, the tech, safety, and comfort are at the front of the pack. |
Driving Experience
Tundra Hybrid provides a serious 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque, more than any Toyota pickup that's come before it. That's saying something, despite the fact that some will miss the burbling V8 from the last truck. What the Tundra hybrid allows for is electric-only driving at crawling speeds, a benefit that saves gas. It's also now got coil rear springs instead of leaf, so it's a better ride. We love the fact that the steering and handling are more than competent, and it's an easy truck to drive every day.
Ride Quality: The switch from old-school leaf spring suspension to coil springs changes the ride from wobbly and harsh to comfy and composed.
Acceleration: The powerful hybrid setup lets the Tundra get to 60 in a quick 5.7 seconds. The 10-speed automatic transmission is responsive, too.
Braking: Braking performance is excellent. Stopping was progressive and authoritative, even with the TRD Off-Road package's knobby tires.
Towing: The Tundra hybrid can tow up to 12,000 pounds, which is down a ton from the Ford F-150's 14,000 pounds. Payload is also less at 1,940, whereas the F-150 can max out at a whopping 3,250. But unless you're regularly moving or hauling a serious load, the Tundra should be fine.
Steering: Steering in the Tundra is light but accurate. There's not much feedback coming through the steering wheel, but you can't point and shoot pretty well with it.
Handling: As expected, there is some body roll, but the Tundra feels controlled and manageable in the corners.
Technology
The downright expansive 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen stands out even in the crowd of high-tech pickups. It comes standard on all hybrid Tundra, while the standard size is a much smaller 8 inches. It comes with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there's a Wi-Fi hotspot with a subscription plan.
Infotainment System: You just can't ignore the big, high-res, landscape-oriented 14.0-inch touchscreen. It displays everything clearly and vividly. Graphics and menus are crisp and not overdone. While it's not as responsive as Ford's SYNC 4 system, it's still pretty good.
Controls: There are some functions that are relegated to the touchscreen, but there is a big audio volume knob, great physical climate controls, and an excellent traditional shift knob. The big, knurled drive mode knob, driven wheel selector, tow. and off-road controls are nicely placed between the seats.
Styling
The styling of the Tundra is bolder than any half-ton pickup truck made today, even more than the in-your-face GMC 1500 Sierra. We certainly would not call it beautiful, but it's hard to ignore. Certain styling elements are overdone, but it all adds up to a tough-looking truck. The cabin is well-executed and looks right for the modern exterior.
Front: The huge grille has a flattened honeycomb mesh, and spans most of the front fascia. The big Toyota badge and "Tundra" lettering remind you of exactly what make and model this is.
Rear: It's hard to make a tailgate look prominent, but the Tundra gets a convex bulge with huge lettering, long taillights with individualized parallel lighting elements, and black trim at the top.
Profile: The most prominent aspects are the big fenderwell creases. Toyota also made sure you notice the complex headlight and taillight signatures from the side.
Cabin: The blocky interior styling is actually very nicely done, and it's an airy atmosphere. We like the look of the wide center console. The choice of materials is also well-done and gives the Tundra Platinum a premium look.
Comfort
The new Tundra improves in a big way when it comes to occupant comfort. Materials upgrades, ergonomics, and overall space are better, although the rear legroom in the CrewMax drops a bit. It's still plenty big for a family of five, and the upgrades overall amount to a cabin that's transformative over the last one.
Front Seats: The seats are wide and well-cushioned. It could use a little bit more bolstering, however. Headroom, should room, and legroom are ample, and your elbows and forearms come in contact with high-grades, soft-touch materials.
Rear Seats: 41.6 inches of legroom is plenty, but it's a bit shy of segment leaders like the Ram 1500 and the Ford F-150.
NVH (noise/vibration/harshness): Sound deadening is very good, and even with the All-Terrain tires, highway road noise isn't bad at all. Build quality, as with virtually all Toyotas, is excellent.
Visibility: For the most part, visibility is very good all around. The A-pillars are on the thick side, so you need to be aware of that when driving.
Climate: We absolutely love the heated and ventilated first and second-row seats. Airflow is excellent with the large blocky vents.
Safety
The Tundra scores at the top in the half-ton pickup truck safety game. There's a lot to love about it, including a slew of standard safety features and some excellent optional features, as well.
IIHS Rating: The new Tundra earned the Top Safety Pick+ rating, a huge achievement for a pickup truck. It bests everyone else in the game, including the Nissan Titan, Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra, and even the Ford F-150.
NHTSA Rating: The Tundra earned five stars from the federal government.
Standard Tech: The Tundra is packed with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite, which includes Pre-Collision System w/ Pedestrian Detection, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert w/ Steering Assist, Lane Tracing Assist, Automatic High Beams, and Road Sign Assist.
Optional Tech: Our tester included a big head-up display, Crawl Control, and Downhill Assist Control.
Storage/Cargo
The Tundra has to keep up with the likes of the F-150, Ram 1500, and the Chevy Silverado. It has solid storage spaces inside and three bed-length options.
Storage Space: The interior is spacious and has ample storage space. The center console is massive and provides both open and covered spaces, including a big armrest compartment. Door pockets are sizeable as well. Ford and Ram do a slightly better job but not by much. The only drawback is the diminished second-row under seat storage due to the battery.
Cargo Room: Toyota offers the 2024 Tundra with three bed lengths: 5.5 feet, 6.5 feet, and 8.1 feet. Regardless of length, all Tundra beds are 20.9 inches deep and 58.7 inches wide).
Fuel Economy
Just because the Tundra has a hybrid option doesn't make things miserly. The battery pack helps a little bit. It does beat the gas gas RWD version's 18 city/24 hwy to 20 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. Our numbers were not super impressive, but our expectations were not sky high.
Observed: 17.3 mpg.
Distance Driven: 144 miles.
Audio
The Tundra Platinum comes standard with a 10-speaker JBL system, and it's very good. While it's not as booming and voluminous as the 19-speaker Harman Kardon version in the Ram 1500, it's still great to have it without paying for an optional audio package.
Final Thoughts
Die-hard pickup truck drivers who tow and haul every day will probably not take a serious look at the Tundra due to its slightly diminished capacities. But those who need utility, reliability, power, and a modicum of efficiency will certainly have it on their shopping lists. The new Tundra has plenty of oomph, great creature comforts, and excellent driving manners. It should be capable off-road thanks to the drive options and the TRD Off-Road package.