TOM GOMEZ March 06, 2023 Reviews
We’ve been hearing for quite some time that Toyota was going to eliminate the tried and true 5.7 V8 for a Twin Turbo V6 much to the horror of this editor and to other Tundra owners across the USA. As a V8-powered Tundra owner myself, my dreams of someday owning a new 2022 or 2023 Tundra were crushed because of the new V6 announcement.
When we got the news that we had an opportunity to test one of these new V6-powered Tundras we jumped at the chance.
When we picked up the Tundra it wasn’t just any Tundra, it was the 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro i-FORCE MAX. This particular model is not even available at the time of this writing and is expected to hit dealerships sometime in June or July 2022. So by the time this issue is out the TRD PRO should be hitting dealerships across the country. Check your local dealer for availability.
Our test truck arrived in a bright Orange color otherwise known as Solar Octane. It came with 18-inch TRD Pro black forged-aluminum BBS wheels with P285/65R18 Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires and black accents on the exterior and black leather interior. This is a review of the new TRD PRO and you want our real thoughts on this vehicle so we can honestly say that sometimes pictures don’t do it justice.
Our first look at the TRD PRO was a pic of the truck in Solar Octane and we thought, oh boy who is going to buy that? Well, folks after looking at it up close and personal, it’s pretty cool. Upon further inspection, the paint not only has some fine metallic in it but it has a hint of Pearl mixed in and even at night this truck looks tasty. Before we get ahead of ourselves let’s break this down into categories. So buckle up.
Solar Octane was the color of our TRD PRO and we have to admit it is very striking once we saw it in person, we liked it. Which says a lot for someone whose favorite color is black. We had heard there were body fitment issues with the new Tundra and we looked for them up and down and all around. Nothing. Everything was where it should be and we didn’t experience any creaks or rattles even when we took it off-road.
As we mentioned before, the paint to the common man (meaning us) looks Orange with a hint of metallic and a splash of pearl. The inside door jams were just as perfect as the exterior paint finish.
What can we say about the interior that hasn’t been said already? Well, a lot. As a former owner of a 2010 Tundra with a V8 I can attest to the pros and cons of this redesigned truck. What’s changed? Everything. There are no remnants of the second-gen Tundra other than it still has four doors and thank god they kept the power rear sliding window. We love that feature for many reasons.
As we said before, the entire cabin is different. The gauge cluster on this TRD is multi-functional which allows you to change from an analog-style to all digital or a combination of both.
The entire dash is redesigned and one big feature change and we do mean big is the navigation screen. An 8-inch screen is standard with an optional ginormous 14-inch screen which is standard on the TRD PRO. It’s also available on the Platinum and Limited editions with the SR5 you have to order an off-road package to get the larger screen.
Let’s talk about the giant screen for a minute. As with most of you who have driven trucks with smaller screens, they seem to do the job just fine. But we always want something bigger right?
On our first test drive, we could not take our eyes off of the huge screen. Keeping our eyes on the road was somewhat distracting. Especially with the navigation screen on full display. We had a tendency to watch the screen more than the road to see where we were going to go next?
You combine that with the live rearview camera located in the rearview mirror and our little brains were in high gear. For first-timers like us, it took a few days to get used to watching cars speed up behind you and at the last minute hit the brakes. It’s one thing to watch this in a normal rearview mirror and for some reason watching it on a live camera gives you the feeling that you’re about to get hit at any moment.
One great feature of this TRD PRO is the ability to turn on the secondary rear camera and it gives a full display on the 14-inch screen. We found this valuable for those pesky tailgaters. Remember the rear sliding window? We found that if you roll the rear window all the way down, the car behind you has a great view of you and the interior. Some of these drivers are peeping Toms and enjoy looking inside your vehicle, except when they can see themselves on the 14-inch screen.
We found this to be a great deterrent to inattentive drivers who tailgate. Once they see their mug on the screen and realize they’re being filmed by a camera they have no idea where it’s coming from? They then try to look away and are more aware of their tailgating tendencies. So at the next stoplight, they stay way back or they change lanes.
We like to call this. When new and old technology works together for the greater good!
We actually started having fun with this new surveillance tool. When we noticed an aggressive tailgater, we would turn on the rearview camera with a full 14-inches of display and slowly roll the rear window down. The angry driver behind us with eyes glued to the magical window with anticipation of what’s behind the tinted glass only to realize it’s a full-frontal of their mug on candid camera. The expressions are hilarious, some drivers react with more aggressive anger till they figure the more they tailgate the more their driving habits are exposed. EPIC! Thank you, Toyota!
We as automotive editors love horsepower, period. As we stated before, when we heard a V6 was the only option in the new Tundras we were not happy.
We had to put our big boy pants on after we drove the new TRD PRO and admit this is one hell of a fast freakin’ truck. Yes, you heard us correctly. This 6-banger bangs! The big difference between the standard Twin Turbo V6 and the optional Hybrid is almost like night and day. By pairing the 3.5L Twin-Turbo V6 with an electric motor, this combo generates a whopping 437 horsepower and 583 lb.-ft. Of torque. Because of the position of the hybrid motor between the engine and the 10-speed transmission, there is no lag in acceleration. This truck takes off like a Tesla.
As we accelerated down the freeway, the truck just kept going faster with minimal pressure on the accelerator pedal. We can’t really call it a gas pedal anymore because it was pretty much an all-electric motor pushing us.
Once we got around 50mph we felt the Twin Turbos kick in and finally the throaty rumble. It was comforting to hear and we can tell you, it didn’t sound like any V6 we have ever heard before.
With Adaptive Variable Suspension System – Normal, Comfort, Eco, Sport S, Sport S+, and Custom. We suggest experimenting with these different drive modes so that you have a good idea of what’s best for your style of driving and the conditions you’re driving in.
Our Tundra was in Normal mode when we got it and with the Hybrid motor, it was pretty responsive and fast. ECO mode was definitely less peppy and gas mileage may have increased about a mile or two but nothing to write home about. We didn’t get to try the trailer mode as we were short on time. Maybe next time.
What we did try was Sport mode. What a difference that made! The minute we hit the accelerator we were on our way to a speeding ticket. This is our way of saying the 2022 TRD PRO Twin-turbo Hybrid is fast. Basically, the hybrid motor gets you started at an unbelievable pace and then the twin turbos kick in.
MISS THE V8?
Will we miss the V8 Tundra? Yes, and no. The reliability of the V8-powered Tundra will last for quite a few years. We probably won’t miss the poor gas mileage and the frequent stops at the gas station. We do like the power and the throatiness of a V8. But… You can’t deny having way better gas mileage and incredible horsepower and torque.
Can you have your cake and eat it too with the 2022 TRD PRO Hybrid? Hell yeah, and you can have ice cream, french fries, and a Double Double (In N Out) with it too if you want.
As a connoisseur of V8 power, we have officially changed our mind and given two thumbs up on this V6-powered Tundra. There will always be the disbelievers and people not wanting change, so we will leave it up to you as you’re filling up gas at $6.00(+) a gallon and we sail along in our twin-turbo V6 hybrid Tundra.
Go check them out, folks!
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