With fuel prices soaring across North America, the days of faithful but gas-guzzling V8 pickup trucks are gone for good, which left the old full-sized Tundra pickup as an outlier with the worst fuel-consumption numbers in the category.
Toyota has responded by producing a completely new, twin-turbo V6-powered Tundra that achieves a claimed 25-per-cent improvement in fuel efficiency over its predecessor. The new V6, boosted by a mild hybrid, pumps up the horsepower, torque, and pulling power.
As if that wasn’t enough to like, enter the elegant top-trim 1794 Edition, which adds a distinct Texas accent to the top-of-the-line Platinum trim edition.
A range-topping Tundra with Texan flair
This highest-level trim of the Tundra is a hugely capable truck. With a full 4×4 hi-lo drivetrain, it’s rugged enough to rip across an open prairie or paw its way up a mountain. But it’s also so pretty it’s hard to imagine owners ever taking it off pavement. More than likely, it’s meant for families who want enough power to pull a sizeable trailer and then cruise the highway in comfort.
The 1794 Edition sits at the top of 23 distinct model and trim configurations. The 1794 badge pays homage to the founding date of the Texas ranch on which the factory that makes this truck is manufactured.
It comes in one colour, a complex dark brown called smoked mesquite that sparkles playfully in the sunlight and is set off by tastefully restrained chrome accents. Handsome LED light treatments front and back add a modern touch to a body shape that is so square it looks a bit like a shoebox on wheels.
Tundra 1794 Edition Interior
This Texas-themed version includes semi-aniline leather upholstery, a digital rear-view mirror, a head-up display, ambient lighting, active noise control, a memory steering wheel, triple beam LED headlamps, heated and ventilated front and rear seats, a panoramic view monitor, a 12-speaker JBL audio system, a five-setting Drive Mode Select system, rain-sensing wipers, and a trailer backup guide system.
The cabin is rich in saddle-coloured leather and woodgrain trim. The power-adjustable front seats offer the firm support needed for long journeys, and the massive rear seat in the Crewcab enables even the tallest passengers to stretch out in total comfort.
The instrument layout features a massive 36-centimeter infotainment screen, head-up speed display, and generous 32-cm instrument cluster with an endless menu-driven variety of useful information. HVAC and safety switches are banked together under that huge infotainment screen and are relatively intuitive, especially if you’re already familiar with Toyotas.
Toyota’s Star Safety System includes ABS, stability control, traction control, lane departure alert and radar cruise. Its new multimedia information and entertainment system is compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also features new touchscreens and a Human Machine Interface that employs sight, touch, and voice activation.
Here’s a full look inside the 2022 Tundra interior without the Texas flair.
Performance and handling
The overall impression is of comfort and more agility than you have any right to expect from a vehicle that weighs 2.6 tonnes. The twin-turbo produces a peak 389 horsepower, 479 lb-ft of torque, and does so with virtually no turbo lag.
Transmitted seamlessly through a smooth 10-speed transmission and that i-FORCE hybrid boost, the Tundra’s V6 enables you to pass with confidence and tow up to 4,940 kilograms. Ventilated brakes ensure there is fade-free stopping power.
Its drive modes include AWD low and AWD high ranges. In the relatively fuel-saving 2WD mode, we were able to average fuel consumption in the 12 l/100 km range.
Takeaway
By almost any measure, the new Tundra is a huge improvement over its predecessor. It has more pulling power, improved fuel economy, and extensive use of safety technology. But let’s not mince words – the $74,550 price tag for the 1794 Edition puts this Tundra into heady territory.
That said, it is competitive against models from the Detroit Three: Ford’s F-150 King Ranch ($83,015), Stellantis’s Ram Longhorn Crew Cab ($74,315), and Chevy’s 1500 High Country ($73,748). If you have the budget for a luxury workhorse, this vehicle is worth a look.
