Toyota Boosts Power, Safety, Looks on 2022 Tundra

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2022 Toyota Tundra pickup truck
2022 Toyota Tundra
Toyota

Toyota’s slow reveal of its 2022 Tundra has finally culminated in an impressive grand finale that clearly sets the full-size truck apart from previous iterations.

Aside from a bigger truck that’s more refined and includes more driver-assist technologies, the 2022 Tundra is more powerful.

Though fans may lament losing the long-running 5.7-liter V8, they may find solace in a more powerful 3.5-liter V6 that offers 389 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. A hybrid 3.5-liter i-FORCE MAX offers 437 horses and 583 pound-feet of torque. Both variants are bolted to a new 10-speed automatic. For those keeping score — and who doesn’t? — the outgoing 5.7 offers 381 horses and 401 pound-feet of torque.

More power and a new high-strength boxed, steel-ladder frame that the 2022 Tundra shares with the 2022 Land Cruiser offer a jump in max towing from 10,200 pounds on the 2021 model to 12,000 pounds and a max payload capacity of 1,940 pounds, an increase of 210 pounds.

Lackluster fuel economy in the dated 5.7, which comes in at 13 mpg city and 17 highway, will surely be bested by the more fuel-conscious V6s, but we’ll have to wait on final EPA numbers.

A new interior offers creature comforts for driver and passengers alike, including a 14-inch infotainment touchscreen, available panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, rear sunshade, heated steering wheel.

The instrument panel can be optioned with conventional gauges or a 12.3-inch instrument panel display.

2022 Toyota Tundra interior2022 Toyota Tundra's new interior comfortsToyotaA host of new tech features are found throughout Tundra as well, such as towing aids, off-road enhancements, an all-new multimedia system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and over-the-air updates.

Two different four-door layouts are available, as well as various bed lengths, including a 5.5-foot bed, 6.5-foot bed and an 8.1-foot bed.

Safety first!

Toyota Tundra was the first full-size truck to feature automated emergency braking, and starting with the 2022 model, every Tundra comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5.

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The Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS with PD) features multiple enhancements, including not only detecting the vehicle ahead but also a pedestrian in low light, bicyclist in daytime, an oncoming vehicle and a pedestrian at intersections when making a turn.

At intersections, the system is designed to detect an oncoming vehicle or pedestrian when performing a left-hand turn and provide audio/visual alerts and automatic braking in certain conditions. Additional PCS functions include emergency steering assist, which is designed to stabilize the driver’s emergency steering maneuvers within their lane while avoiding a pedestrian, bicyclist or vehicle.

2022 Toyota Tundra pickup truck2022 Toyota Tundra boasts a multitude of safety features.ToyotaTundra will be equipped with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC). Lane Departure Alert notifies the driver by sound if it senses the vehicle is leaving the lane without engaging a turn signal. When DRCC is set and engaged, Lane Tracing Assist (LTA) provides a slight steering force to help center the vehicle in its lane using visible lane markers or a preceding vehicle.

Automatic High Beams detect preceding or oncoming vehicles and automatically switch between high-beam and low-beam headlights. Road Sign Assist (RSA) is designed to recognize certain road sign information using a forward-facing camera and display it on the multi-information display (MID).

Toyota’s Rear Seat Reminder comes standard on all 2022 Tundras. The feature can note whether a rear door was opened within 10 minutes of the vehicle being turned on, or at any time after the vehicle has been turned on, with a reminder message in the instrument cluster after the engine is turned off, accompanied by multi-tone chimes.

In addition to the TSS 2.5 system, the standard Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) helps detect and warn you of vehicles approaching or positioned in the adjacent lanes. Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) can offer added peace of mind by helping to detect vehicles approaching from either side while backing out and alerting you with a visual and audible warning. The available Parking Support Brake is designed to implement brake control when there’s a possibility of a collision with a stationary object, approaching vehicle or while parking.

Improved suspension and handling

The 2022 Toyota Tundra’s new multi-link rear suspension drops rear leaf springs for coil springs, which leads to improved ride comfort, stability, handling and increased towing capacity.

The front of the truck gets a new double wishbone suspension, which offers a kingpin offset angle reduction to improve straight-line stability and high-speed driving.

The caster trail gets a 1-inch boost for added stability. To improve cornering, roll steer has been reduced by 25% compared to the benchmarks, and the roll height center has been elevated (152mm compared to 104mm, or roughly 6 inches compared to 4 inches) to reduce body roll, especially when cornering.

The 2022 Tundra gets twin-tube shocks at the front and rear of each truck. The shock absorbers feature triple-oil seals and extended dust covers for added protection and durability. New aluminum forged knuckles are used to cut weight. TRD Off-Road packages offer monotube Bilstein shocks.

TRD Pro grades get 2.5-inch diameter Fox internal bypass shocks that provide a 1.1-inch lift up front. The aluminum-bodied front and rear shocks feature piggyback reservoirs to house additional oil for improved off-road performance. The shocks use a new polytetrafluorethylene-infused (PTFE) Fox shock fluid to improve on-road comfort. This fluid includes microscopic particles infused with the oil to reduce friction.

The all-new Tundra will go on sale in December. 

2022 Toyota Tundra pickup truck tailgatePressing a button in the rear taillight causes a lighter tailgate for the 2022 Tundra to drop down.Toyota