Toyota finally has a big truck on sale through official channels in Australia, and you’ve gotta really want one to justify the asking price.
This large pickup costs more than most of its US-built, Australian-converted rivals, and that is one of its biggest challenges in this market.
But there are plenty of other considerations in the cons column for big truck buyers, which you’ll see as we go through them in this review.
However, the pluses list is lengthy, too – and for a lot of people, the badge on the grille could be all the convincing they require.
Read on to learn all about what it’s like to live with, drive, and tow a caravan with the new 2025 Toyota Tundra.
How much does the Toyota Tundra cost?
A lot. It costs a lot.
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| 2025 Toyota Tundra Limited | $155,990 |
There’s just one spec, and it’s $155,990 plus on-road costs. You could accuse it of having some ‘Toyota Tax’ included in that asking price, but it is relatively close to what Ram prices its high-spec 1500 Limited grade at.
Even so, you cannot ignore the fact it is about $15K over what you’d pay for a top-spec Ford F-150 Lariat, and the V8-powered Chevrolet Silverado is a relative bargain, starting about $22K less than the V6 hybrid Toyota.
As with the other big trucks, the Tundra is shipped from the US to Australia and converted from left- to right-hand drive by Walkinshaw Automotive Group in Melbourne – alongside the Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado.
To see how the Toyota Tundra lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What is the Toyota Tundra like on the inside?
There’s no denying this ute has a bit more square footage than most. The Tundra has a huge cabin, and it has a huge touchscreen, too.
The 14.0-inch unit sits proud on the dashboard and really is the central focus of the interior, but thankfully it’s not the central control point, because Toyota being Toyota, understands that buttons and dials are still important, even if big screens are apparently what people want.
Now, the screen itself is fine. There’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and you don’t get sat nav, so you’ll have to bank on the apps doing the job for you. But there are other considerations, too – the tuning knob is closer to the driver than the volume knob, which could be annoying (but there are volume controls on the steering wheel).
And beyond that, the home bar for Apple CarPlay and the integrated media system is on the passenger side, not the driver’s side, meaning you really have to reach to get back to the home screen or to jump around the apps on your phone.
That could be fixed with a software tweak (hopefully it will be), but the inbuilt menus take some learning, and really, the lack of sat nav might put off some… er… mature customers.
On the main screen there are camera views for the kerbs, rear, front, sides, and even a tub-view monitor, as well as a surround-view display that allows you to focus in on the four quadrants of the exterior of the vehicle.
There’s also a big digital instrument display in front of the driver, with a nice Tundra graphic as you start the vehicle, and a few easy to adjust menus and displays to ensure you can see what you want, for the most part.
The controls are excellent, with a simple set of steering wheel buttons for media and menu controls. But the blinker stalk is on the ‘wrong’ side – that being the left, rather than the right.
The panel of controls under the central screen are simple to get used to, with dual-zone climate control… but again, there’s a ghost of a LHD truck here, because when you hit ‘SYNC’ to align the temperatures, it syncs to the passenger, not the driver (who we all know is the dominant personality in the cabin).
But thankfully there are toggles for the temps and for the fan speed, buttons for the seat heating and cooling and the air direction, too, and like most other high grade Toyotas, there is a combined rear windshield and side mirror demister button, too.
The easy-to-grab features continue below, with a sizable shifter and decent controller for the four-wheel drive system, not to mention a drive mode dial with a secondary tow/haul button.
Of course there is lots of loose item storage, including large cup holders between the seats, a couple of stash trays here and there, large pockets in the doors and a sunglass holder up near the digital camera mirror system, which is a terrific addition.
There is also an electric switch up near the mirror for the rear windshield, which can lower down completely – great to reach things in the tub from the back seat, or to get some air into the cabin (or out of the cabin, in the event of a smelly back-seat occupant).
On the topic of rear seat space, there’s plenty. At 182cm/6’0” I had a heap of room to stretch out behind my own driving position, with ample leg, knee, foot and headroom, and easily enough width to the cabin to allow three of me across. Heaven forbid.
There are ISOFIX points in the window seats, and three dedicated top-tether points integrated into the seat backs, too. That’s a big plus for parents like me who never feel like there’s enough tension on the top-tether strap with those single anchor points behind the middle seats.
But, parents take note, the lights in the rear part of the cabin are way up above the centre seat, so it might be difficult to reach in over a sleeping kiddo to try and see what you’re doing when it’s time to get out. The seat base is a 60:40 split, while the middle seatback can be folded down to expose a set of cupholders and some storage, too.
There are map pockets, bottle holders in the doors, a set of directional air-vents and cupholders, and USB charging ports in the back, and a couple of handy grab points to get yourself in and out… you’ll need them, it’s a good quad stretch to amble in.
There’s plenty of practicality in the cabin, and you can configure the rear seat area to a degree to ensure you have dry, secure storage for some items if you don’t want them in the tub.
But the cargo area is a sizeable area, with the smaller 5’5” tub the only one offered in Australia. In other markets, there’s a 6’5” available for this CrewMax dual-cab, and there’s also a shorter Double Cab with an available 8’1” tub.
That means it’s pallet-capable, with adjustable tie-down points in the top rails of the tub, and fixed tie-points at the corners of the cargo area.
The cargo zone has a plastic drop-in liner, which isn’t as sturdy or slip-free as a spray-in liner, which is offered in many rivals. There’s also no power access, and no lighting fitted to the tray area, and you have to pay extra for a tonneau cover (hard or soft).
The tailgate is a soft-opening unit and has some assistance to close, too, but it’s not changing the game. And there are no rear side step-up points or pull-out ladder to make it easier to access the tub, either – so stretch those hammies, because it’s a fair lunge up into the cargo area.
Under the body of the vehicle is a steel spare wheel, not a matching alloy.
| Dimensions – tub | Toyota Tundra |
|---|---|
| Length | 1666mm |
| Width – overall | 1491mm |
| Width – between arches | 1237mm |
| Depth | 531mm |
| Dimensions – vehicle | Toyota Tundra |
|---|---|
| Length | 5955mm |
| Width | 2040mm |
| Height | 1985mm |
| Wheelbase | 3700mm |
To see how the Toyota Tundra lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What’s under the bonnet?
The 2025 Toyota Tundra Limited is powered exclusively by the i-Force Max powertrain. Dunno what that is? It’s a twin-turbo-petrol V6 engine with an electric motor and battery pack as part of the drivetrain.
| Specifications | Toyota Tundra Limited i-Force Max |
|---|---|
| Engine | 3.4L V6 twin-turbo MHEV |
| Power | 290kW at 5200rpm |
| Torque | 649Nm at 2400-3600rpm |
| Transmission | 10-speed auto |
| Drive type | Part-time 4WD |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 20MPG – US market ~11.7L/100km |
| Fuel economy (as tested) | 13.8L/100km |
| Fuel tank | 122 litres |
| Fuel requirement | 95 octane premium unleaded |
| Weight | 2778kg |
| Payload | 758kg |
| Braked towing capacity | 4500kg – with 70mm towball |
| Gross vehicle mass (GVM) | 3536kg |
| Gross combination mass (GCM) | 7825kg |
You will need to get friendly with your local servo attendant, because it isn’t the most frugal thing on the planet, despite an electrified powertrain that should help it use less juice than some of the V8 rivals.
Now, there’s an intriguing anomaly for the fuel consumption figures for the Tundra: because it has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) over 3500kg, the brand is not required to officially state what the fuel consumption is. So if you stumble across a Tundra on a Toyota lot, it won’t have a sticker on the windscreen stating the official number.
That makes the fuel use considerations much harder for consumers. But if we look at the stated economy numbers from the North American market, where models with this powertrain claim 20MPG, that equates to 11.7 litres per 100km – no CO2 emissions figure is stated for Australia, either.
Keep in mind, you’ve got to fill up a 122-litre tank and it needs 95 RON premium unleaded, so it’s not going to be a pleasant experience for your wallet.
For this test I did a normal drive loop with mixed scenarios, including errands, stop-start traffic, urban running, highway cruising and freeway commuting, and I saw a displayed return of 13.8 litres per 100km. Higher than I was expecting, for sure, and IDENTICAL to what I’ve seen in Ram 1500 Limited V8 models in the past, and higher than I’ve seen in the Chevy and Ford, too!
When I did my towing test with a 3200kg dual-axle Avida Topaz caravan (thanks to my mates at Avida for the loan), across about 100km of driving on open roads, arterials and some urban driving – as you might do on the ‘big trip’ – I saw an even more surprising 23.8 litres per 100km displayed.
Now these weren’t scientifically tested with pump-to-pump numbers due to time constraints, but the reality is, the fuel use isn’t ‘Toyota hybrid-like’ as we’ve come to know it.
To see how the Toyota Tundra lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the Toyota Tundra drive?
It’s surprising that a vehicle this large and heavy can shrink around you to the point that you feel comfortable pretty much instantly in a mix of situations, but that was exactly the outcome of my time testing the Tundra.
I loved it. I loved the way it handled itself, the noise it made, the power on offer, and the hybrid system usability, too. Add to that there are no frustrating safety technologies that get on your nerves as much as some other new utes (as in, no driver monitoring camera or bing-bong speed sign warning system), and you really get accustomed to this rig in no time.
The engine is a corker of a thing, too. What a terrific powertrain this is, with an immense amount of torque to make urgent acceleration feel effortless, and urban humdrum driving feel delightful.
The engine and transmission are (mostly) well partnered, and the electric-assist system can cut the engine and help this 2800kg behemoth move without a piston pumping. It can cut the engine as you decelerate, and will accelerate in EV mode to a certain degree, too.
The powertrain, then, was impressive in my testing, and the gearbox also harnessed the shove of this system well – but towards the end of my loan I did notice a couple of jolting shunts from the transmission, which weren’t an issue during any other part of my testing, but it was surprising that the 10-speed would shunt as it downshifted, as was the case on test.
It feels agile and manoeuvrable at highway pace or in town, but you must pay attention to the turning circle of this big truck – it has a 3700mm wheelbase, so it’s unsurprising that it needs 15 metres to do a turnaround. It will mean a lot of three-, five- or even seven-point turns in urban streets, but thankfully the steering is really light and manageable.
The steering has a good responsiveness to it when you’re moving faster, too, and while it’s not a Ranger Raptor in terms of the involvement factor, you can trust that your inputs will be registered. It has better dynamism to it than you’d think is possible, considering physics, but it really is surprisingly good to drive.
And having coil-spring rear suspension makes for a supple ride, as the Tundra copes well with sharp bumps and big lumps at all speeds without a load on board. It’s a version of the platform that underpins the 300 Series LandCruiser, and it’s way better sorted than that vehicle… as you’d expect, with a wheelbase almost a metre longer.
One consideration is the mirrors, which – while offering a good field of view when driving normally – do have a tendency to be buffered by wind at highway speed, meaning you might get headlights shimmying in your vision at night on the freeway.
I did some light off-road driving – unsealed surfaces in 4H mode – and found the balance and control of the Tundra to be impressive, but you can feel its weight and size when the trails get tighter and twistier.
On the whole though, the drive experience is terrific when you’re just using it as a family car, or running errands or to-and-from work. But let’s talk towing.
Towing
It could be the tow truck of your dreams.
I’d understand if that was the case, because it’s a huge ute with huge towing capacity, and with the 3200kg test caravan from Avida, it proved it can handle a lot of load with ease.
It is so good to drive while towing – that’s what a lot of these American market trucks are made to do, after all.
It has a mostly comfortable and composed chassis that never feels too wobbly or loose over country roads, but does exhibit some nose-to-tail bobbing as you move along, with the rear suspension (four-link rigid axle with coil springs) sinking into the surface at times.
Hit rough-surfaced roads, and you can feel the suspension fidgeting a little to counteract the work being done – and it’s not uncomfortable, but it is noticeable.
So if you’re going to hit the open road and traverse unsealed or gravel tracks, you may find the suspension to be a little rough at times.
In terms of the handling though, it has a sturdy and broad feel on the blacktop as you approach highway pace, and it corners with confidence thanks to its manageable and predictable steering.
It will sit at 100km/h with a load like this without any hassles at all, with the powertrain easily hauling and downright hustling from a standstill, almost like there’s nothing behind it. The engine and transmission are well sorted, and with 10 gears to play with, it can at times feel a little busy as it tries to choose which gear is best.
But I was largely impressed with the engine and transmission, and even noticed the hybrid system came into effect at lower speeds when crawling to a stop, with the engine cutting off and the pedestrian warning system emitting its hybrid howl to warn those around you of your presence.
My main complaint from the transmission is that, when towing (with tow mode engaged) there isn’t a current gear indicator shown on the instrument display.
You can get it to show up by shifting to manual mode, but – unless there’s a way to get it to show up, which I couldn’t find! – it is something that distance drivers might want.
And in terms of the audible experience for those inside the car, it sounds bloody terrific under acceleration. Seriously, the noise is incredible.
There is a standard electronic brake control toggle system to adjust the gain for the trailer brakes, but there is also regenerative braking as part of the drive experience, so it does have a slightly different pedal feel, but it’s certainly manageable and you adapt to it quickly.
And while some of the safety systems – rear cross-traffic alert, and lane tracing assist – automatically switched off with a towed load attached, the vehicle didn’t automatically engage Tow/Haul mode, which surprised me.
That mode is designed to calibrate the transmission and throttle response to better suit the situation at hand.
Just be mindful that the hitch point is quite low for the standard Tundra tow bar. It could mean some extra jimmying to get it back on the ball or pin each time you tow, and that could get old, fast.
Furthermore, while I managed to get pretty close on my first attempt at lining up to the hitch point, I did miss a zoom-in button like you get on the Ford Ranger and F-150, to better see where you are in relation to the tow hitch.
There are multiple other camera modes, but unless I just simply couldn’t find this one, it seems like a weird omission.
There is a ‘trailer back up guide’ that can autonomously control steering to assist when reversing, but I didn’t get a chance to try it due to time constraints and the fear of getting it wrong with a lovely loaner caravan.
However, there is no system to allow you to conduct a trailer light check with just one occupant, as you can in a Ford truck. Ah well, I guess you’ll just make friends at the campsite.
To see how the Toyota Tundra lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
Just one trim level is available for the Tundra in Austalia.
Tundra Limited highlights:
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Automatic LED headlights
- Automatic high-beam
- Heated, power-folding side mirrors
- incl. reverse tilt-down function
- Active front spoiler
- Tub management system
- Side and back rails
- Moveable tie-down points
- 12-pin trailer wiring harness
- 50mm tow ball (3500kg rated)
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- Wired Android Auto
- DAB+ digital radio
- 12-speaker sound system
- Wireless phone charger
- Dual-zone climate control
- Proximity entry, push-button start
- 5 x USB ports
- 12V outlet
- Front and rear carpet floor mats
- Leather-accented steering wheel
- Black synthetic leather upholstery
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- 8-way power adjustable front seats
A 70mm tow ball is optional and enables the Tundra to able tow a 4500kg braked trailer. There is also a range of genuine accessories ranging from a tonneau cover, load distribution hitch, and all-weather floor mats.
To see how the Toyota Tundra lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the Toyota Tundra safe?
There is no current rating for the Toyota Tundra from ANCAP or Euro NCAP, and there likely won’t be anytime soon, either. It did, however, achieve a Top Safety Pick+ under the North American IIHS safety testing.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- 8 airbags
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian, Cyclist detection (day, night)
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane departure alert
- Lane Trace Assist
- Emergency steering assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Surround-view cameras
- Front, rear parking sensors
To see how the Toyota Tundra lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How much does the Toyota Tundra cost to run?
Toyota backs its models in Australia with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, and the Tundra is no different.
| Servicing and Warranty | Toyota Tundra |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 5 years, unlimited kilometres – standard Up to 7 years – driveline (conditional) |
| Roadside assistance | $99 per year |
| Service intervals | 6 months or 10,000 kilometres |
| Capped-price servicing | 5 years |
| Total capped-price service cost | $4500 |
Each scheduled service during the capped-price period costs $450 – so you’re looking at $900 per year just to run it before fuel costs.
To see how the Toyota Tundra lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the Toyota Tundra
There are some terrific elements of the Toyota Tundra – the engine is awesome, the towing capacity is astounding, the driveability is better than you’d think, and interior space is exceptional.
But it isn’t as fuel-efficient as you might hope a hybridised Toyota truck could be, and there are some spec shortfalls that might make you think twice.
Is it the big Toyota truck you’ve been waiting for? Have your say in the comments.
Thanks again to our mates at Avida RV for the loan of the caravan for our towing test!
Interested in buying a Toyota Tundra? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
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