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2022 Toyota Tundra photos leak, US pick-up still no closer to Australia

Toyota’s largest pick-up has debuted overnight, following a series of leaked photos hitting the web – but an Australian launch remains no closer to fruition.


The 2022 Toyota Tundra has been unveiled in the first official image, which was released after a handful of leaked screenshots were posted online overnight – though there's still no clear indication of whether it will come to Australia.

A sole official image published by Toyota showcases the brand's new full-size pick-up in full – released in response to screenshots of an internal dealer video posted to the Tundras forum – with the new Tundra pictured in range-topping, off-road-focused TRD Pro (short for Toyota Racing Development) guise.

A large black grille with ‘TOYOTA’ script (not dissimilar to the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series GR Sport) and a honeycomb pattern dominates the front end, flanked by LED headlights with strong T-shaped lighting signatures on each upper corner, as previewed in unofficial renderings.

A trio of LED light strips feature within the grille, as do three orange marker lights along its upper edge – a US legal requirement for vehicles more than 2032mm (80 inches) wide, which typically encompasses heavy-duty trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado HD, along with full-size performance pick-ups including the Ram 1500 TRX and Ford F-150 Raptor.

Along the side, TRD Pro-specific highlights include black wheel-arch flares, TRD-badged trim elements on each side of the bonnet, and black alloy wheels with TRD centre caps and all-terrain tyres.

While Toyota's official image doesn't provide a look at the Tundra's rear end, leaked photos show vertical LED tail-lights, TRD Pro tailgate embossing, and black accents.

The nature of Toyota's surprise reveal means full details of the new Tundra's engine, chassis, interior and safety systems have yet to be announced, though it's widely expected the new pick-up will ride on the same body-on-frame TNGA-F architecture as the new LandCruiser 300 Series, with coil-spring rear suspension for the first time.

Under the bonnet, a recent teaser image (bottom) points to the fitment of the same 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 as the LandCruiser, developing 305kW and 650Nm, and paired to a 10-speed auto and a selectable four-wheel drive system.

Blue lettering on the engine cover (and what appears to be high-voltage cabling behind the engine) points to the introduction of a hybrid version of the turbo V6 – one which would likely power the much-rumoured hybrid LandCruiser, due to arrive around 2025.

Despite its right-hand-drive-capable platform – and growing demand for full-size pick-ups locally – questions still remain over whether Toyota will invest the required engineering resources and funding to engineer a factory right-hand-drive (RHD) version of the new Toyota Tundra.

Should a right-hook version of the new ute be greenlit for production, it would likely be a few years away from launch, given Toyota's tendency to prioritise left-hand drive production for its US-centric vehicles (such as the new Toyota Kluger seven-seat SUV), before commencing RHD production around two years later.

Expect full details of the 2022 Toyota Tundra to emerge over the coming weeks.


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Alex Misoyannis

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

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