2024 Toyota Tundra Reviews, Pricing & Specs

A Toyota representative once told us the latest Toyota Tundra has a huge grille to improve powertrain cooling and ensure long-term reliability. That engineering goal resulted in the truck’s gape-mouthed appearance, and we’re not fans. There must be a better way.

Otherwise, the latest Tundra looks pretty dope, although, without any prompting, one sarcastic teenager thought it a bad idea to paint a truck with TRD scrawled across the tailgate in the new-for-2024 Terra colour. Toyota employs an industrial design theme with camo-pattern detailing to convey durability and strength, and only the slapdash plastic littering the cabin dents the sense that the Tundra will outlast any other truck you can buy.

Of course, plastic is easy to clean, and it’s not uncommon in the full-size truck segment. But the creaking, clattering, and cracking sounds made by parts of the cabin on a regular basis impact your confidence in build quality. The Tundra should feel and sound like it’s been screwed together with greater care.

In Canada, Toyota offers the Tundra in Double Cab (extended cab) and CrewMax (crew cab) styles with short, standard, and long cargo bed lengths. Trim levels include base SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, and loaded Capstone trims, with packages available on some versions including the 1794 Edition, 1794 Limited Edition, TRD Off Road, and TRD Pro. Each one has a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre V6 engine, with rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD) available. Any Tundra with an i-Force Max powertrain adds a hybrid version of the V6 plus standard 4WD.

Base prices on the 2024 Toyota Tundra in Canada range from $54,515 to $93,755, including the $1,930 destination charge and other fees. Our test truck was a Crewmax Limited TRD Pro with black TRD Pro tailgate lettering, wheel locks, and a spare tire lock, bringing the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) to $90,296, including destination. (Note the test truck is in U.S. specification; the Terra paint colour is not available with the TRD Pro package in Canada.)

Toyota builds the 2024 Tundra TRD Pro to excel off-road, but the truth is it is equally pleasing to drive on-road. Equipped with lighter BBS forged alloy wheels, Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires with plenty of cushy sidewall, a TRD front stabilizer bar, and 2.5-inch FOX internal-bypass shock absorbers, it rides and handles better than any third-generation Tundra we’ve driven. The exception is on winding mountain roads, where the tires lack outright grip.

The Toyota Tundra comes standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre V6 engine making an impressive 358 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Under the Tundra TRD Pro’s imposing hood, however, you’ll find a hybrid version of that twin-turbo V6 engine. Fortified with a 36-kilowatt electric motor feeding on juice from a 1.87-kilowatt-hour battery stashed under the back seat, these components create what Toyota calls an i-Force Max powertrain making 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 583 pound-feet of torque at 2,400 rpm. The TRD Pro offers a towing capacity of 5,068 kilograms (11,175 pounds) and can carry a 725-kilogram (1,600-pound) payload.

A 10-speed automatic transmission is standard, and the TRD Pro includes a part-time 4WD system with an automatic limited-slip differential. Other off-roading goodies include a locking rear differential, Multi-Terrain Select (MTS) modes, Crawl Control low-speed cruise control, and Downhill Assist Control (DAC).

This version of the Tundra also gets a 2.8-centimetre front suspension lift and skid plates for the engine, transfer case, and fuel tank. Ground clearance measures 28.2 centimetres, the approach angle is 26.2 degrees, and the departure angle is 24.2 degrees. Toyota does not cite a breakover angle for this truck. That’s a lot to digest, but it translates to this: A Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is made for going off-road. So that’s what we did.

Previously, we’ve taken a 2022 Tundra TRD Pro on densely forested trails, where the truck’s turning radius and poor forward visibility are liabilities. This time, we bombed along on desert trails and two-tracks at near highway speeds and had an absolute blast. Then, for good measure, we climbed a mountain, utilizing MTS, DAC, and the handy pitch and roll gauges to keep the truck shiny side up.

Unfortunately, between the dust and glare on the dashboard’s centre display screen and image distortion, the Multi-Terrain Monitor camera system wasn’t of much help. We still had to get out and look before taking several leaps. Forward visibility simply isn’t good, and between the front-end lift and those silly black plastic blisters on the hood, it’s frequently hard to see what’s directly in front of or just to the side of this truck.

Nevertheless, the Tundra TRD Pro proved a joy to drive in a desert environment where its size, length, and turning radius are mostly irrelevant. Afterward, back on the lonely highways that would lead us back to the city by nightfall, we played some Bob Marley, powered down the windows, opened the panoramic sunroof, and dropped the back glass for as true an open-air driving experience as you’ll find in any pickup aside from a Jeep Gladiator.

This excursion was a costly one, though. Despite having a V6-based hybrid powertrain, the Tundra averaged 16.5 litres per 100 kilometres. According to Natural Resources Canada, it should have returned 12.3 L/100 km in combined driving. Also, the i-Force Max likes premium gas, so keep that in mind.

Modern full-size crew-cab pickup trucks are huge inside. One reason is they’re full-size trucks. Duh. But they also must provide plenty of locked in-cab storage. Unfortunately, the i-Force Max’s battery causes a problem in that regard because it eliminates both rear underseat storage and a flat rear cab floor.

Does that matter? Yes. On a spontaneous family outing to the beach, we gathered chairs, umbrellas, towels, sunblock, and a backpack full of snacks, and we marched out to the Tundra to load everything under the rear seat. Whoopsie. Then we decided to take a midsize crossover SUV instead.

In addition, the Tundra lacks the helpful features you’ll find on rivals from Chevy, Ford, and Ram when it comes to using the cargo bed. A trip to a local nursery for a new tree and potting soil revealed that adjustable cargo tie-down cleats, impressive bed lighting, and a power outlet aren’t enough. Plus, the innovative elbow-bump tailgate release embedded into the left taillight only releases the tailgate. It doesn’t drop it, so what’s the point?

Loading wasn’t bad. We stepped up into the bed using the back bumper, lifted the tree from the cart and secured it, and after climbing down, tossed the bags of soil in through the dropped tailgate. At home, we dropped the tailgate, reached way in to grab the soil, and slid it out of the bed. Then, we wanted to climb into the bed to get the tree. It sure would have been nice to have bumper corner steps, a different tailgate opening method, or a trick step that deploys from the tailgate. Toyota offers an accessory step that deploys from under the back bumper if you have a spare $615 (!) to spend.

Except for the aforementioned rear cab compromises associated with the i-Force Max’s battery, the Tundra offers decent storage space. A shelf on the dashboard would be nice, though.

As for comfort, the Tundra has wide seats and plenty of interior room. Getting into and out of the TRD Pro is somewhat of a hassle, especially for shorter people, but that’s to be expected. Unexpectedly, after hours in the saddle driving to the middle of nowhere and back, the driver’s seat caused some tailbone pain. Still, the TRD Pro’s heated and ventilated front seats are appreciated.

Our Tundra TRD Pro had a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system, the only modern design elements within its cab. Each is robustly featured, though to enjoy maximum benefit from the infotainment system you’ll need to activate the complimentary trial subscriptions to connected services.

Toyota offers generous trials of each one. Remote Connect and Drive Connect are complimentary for three years, while Service Connect and Safety Connect are yours to use for up to ten years.

Safety Connect is important because it comes with automatic collision notification, emergency assistance, access to roadside assistance, and a stolen vehicle locator function. Drive Connect powers the native cloud-based navigation system and digital voice assistant, the latter working just like Siri and Google Assistant and proving equally effective.

Fortunately, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are also standard. So, when Toyota sends a notification that your free subscription to Drive Connect is about to expire, you need not concern yourself about it. The TRD Pro also has a standard 12-speaker JBL premium audio system, which displays that brand’s typical bass-heavy muddiness.

Other tech aboard the 2024 Tundra includes wireless smartphone charging, a surround-view camera, and modestly helpful trailering assistance via Trailer Backup Guide with Straight Path Assist.

Every 2024 Tundra has Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 (TSS 2.5). That package of collision avoidance and driver assistance systems includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, a road-sign recognition system, and automatic high-beam headlights. To get blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and parking sensors with automatic braking, you’ll need to add an option package on lower trims or buy a Tundra Limited or higher trim level.

During testing, the TRD Pro’s comprehensive collection of driver aids worked well except for the lane-centring assist feature. When traveling in a straight line, it’s fine. When the road ahead bends, or you’re driving into a setting sun, it behaves with less confidence, making constant and irritating corrections and even allowing the truck to veer too close to lane markings. Ultimately, we turned it off, and the Tundra was more satisfying to drive. Also, while off-roading, the parking sensors relentlessly beeped whenever the truck approached the brush lining the trail, a frequent occurrence.

Regarding crash-test ratings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives Tundra Crew Cab 4WD models high marks, with five-star ratings across the board and a four-star rollover resistance rating. Ratings for Tundra Double Cabs and rear-wheel-drive (RWD) models are incomplete.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the 2024 Tundra a Top Safety Pick rating for the 2024 calendar year. However, in a new version of the moderate overlap frontal-impact test that now measures safety for rear-seat passengers, the Tundra earns a Poor rating.

When buying a full-size pickup truck, you must consider numerous factors. Does the model offer the configuration you need? Will it tow and haul enough weight? Can you get the features you want? Does the price fit your budget, and are there any incentives to sweeten the deal?

With the 2024 Tundra, prices are competitive, and the Tundra nameplate is synonymous with long-term durability. Fuel economy, measured against the base powertrains in competing trucks, slips behind the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500. And both the Ford and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 offer more efficient powertrain choices than Toyota.

The Tundra’s maximum towing, payload, and fuel economy ratings skew lower compared to rivals, and the truck’s paltry practical innovations and mid technology don’t make up for those shortcomings. That leaves the Tundra’s reputation for reliability as the Toyota’s chief selling point, and the jury is still out regarding how well the third-generation Tundra performs in that regard. Toyota continues to try to crack the full-size pickup truck code, and it seems closer to success than ever.

Note: Images show a US model.