Latest news with #Tundra
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota Levels Up Its Flagship Truck with Rugged Options and Added Luxury
The 2026 Tundra gets a host of updates that make it even more prepared for adventure. Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more Upon the launch of the third-generation Tundra back in 2022, Toyota ditched the truck's proven 5.7-liter V8 engine in favor of a cleaner, greener twin-turbo V6 and (gasp) a hybrid option. At the time, many pickup enthusiasts grieved the loss of those two additional cylinders, even though the smaller engine resulted in improved fuel economy, more power and more torque. That's not all — as part of the refresh, Toyota introduced multi-link rear suspension, a beefier fully boxed frame and a host of interior refinements. In an effort to compete against domestic offerings, last year's update made eight-way front seats available on the SR5, added a power tailgate as standard and introduced a new TRD Rally appearance package. Not content to stop there, Toyota has just unveiled its 2026 Tundra. Along with a bold new color option, the truck also benefits from some rugged TRD upgrades and even more luxurious trim choices. Here's what to expect. Rugged trail readiness For the 2026 model year, Toyota is treating the Tundra to some subtle but impactful tweaks that make it even more suited to towing and trail duty. In practice, this means that all Tundra models will come equipped with the larger 32.2-gallon fuel tank as standard — even the SR and SR5 models that had previously featured the smaller 22.5-gallon option. What's more, Toyota will be including a tow hitch and a 7/4 pin connector across the lineup to provide hauling provisions from the factory. And the changes aren't exclusive to the lower-spec Tundras; as part of the refresh, Toyota is also adding several trim-specific updates. For instance, the Tundra TRD Pro will get a bright Wave Maker Blue colorway and some optional ISO Dynamic seats similar to those found in the Toyota Tacoma. Elsewhere in the lineup, the Platinum and 1794 TRD Off-Road Package models get power running boards, while the SX Package gains 20-inch wheels. The TRD Rally Package improves on its capabilities thanks to the option of a three-inch TRD lift kit and Tow Tech Package. Elevated, inside and out Beyond giving the 2026 Tundra TRD Pro a bright Wave Maker blue colorway, Toyota aims to elevate the driving experience — inside and out. To improve cabin comfort, this means that all double cab Tundras will feature additional air vents in the rear center console. Moreover, Toyota says that all models equipped with single-zone climate control are to receive the automaker's SmartFlow management system. For 2026, the Limited grade moves to leather-trimmed seats, with black and grey hides complemented by monochromatic stitching. As such, even the top-of-the-line Capstone grade gets a new option in the form of some Shale-colored leather-trimmed upholstery. More to come At this stage, Toyota has yet to release full pricing and specifications or the 2026 Tundra lineup. However, it has confirmed that next year's model will retain its twin-turbo V6 i-Force and hybrid i-Force Max powertrain options. Output remains consistent with the 2025 model at 389 horsepower and 437 horsepower, respectively. As such, it's unlikely that the above changes will result in a significant price hike (as inevitable as they may be). The 2025 Tundra starts at $40,090 for the SR5 and tops out at $80,725 for the Capstone, so chances are pretty good that MSRP will shape up to be similar when the truck hits dealers later this year. 2026 Toyota Tundra Learn More
Motor Trend
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
2026 Toyota Tundra Changes: Crazy Shock-Absorber Seats, Sweet Paint, More Equipment
Toyota's truck and SUV lineup is as fresh as they come, though the full-size Tundra has been left out of that cycle of newness of late. That changes for 2026. To keep its biggest truck up to date—at least relative to the new-for-2024 midsize Tacoma and SUVs such as the Land Cruiser, 4Runner, and new RAV4—Toyota is gifting the Tundra a rash of small but impactful updates while stopping short of a full-on mid-cycle refresh or total redesign. The 2026 Toyota Tundra gets updates like shock-absorber seats from the Tacoma TRD Pro, a new paint color, and more standard features. Various trims see minor enhancements, and pricing and availability are expected soon. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next To that end, the 2026 Tundra lineup looks a lot like the 2025 lineup, with SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794 Edition, TRD Pro, and Capstone trim levels available with either Toyota's i-Force twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 or, on Limited models or higher (and standard on the TRD Pro and Capstone), the i-Force MAX version of the same engine with hybridization. Power from these two engines is unchanged, with the gas i-Force delivering 389 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque (or 348 hp and 405 lb-ft on the entry-level Tundra SR) and the hybridized i-Force MAX upping those figures to 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque thanks to its 48-hp, 184-lb-ft electric motor between the engine and transmission. Toyota offers both Double Cab and longer Crew Cab body styles, both of which have four doors, along with three bed sizes (5.5 feet, 6.5 feet, or 8.1 feet in length). As before, not every Tundra is available with every combination. So, What's New? Toyota has made the previously optional 32.2-gallon fuel tank standard across the lineup, added a new Shale (light gray) textured leather to the Capstone model, and made leather seats (in either black with white stitching or gray with black stitching) standard on the Limited model. Double Cab Tundras gain rear-seat air vents (sprouting from the back of the center console and facing the rear-seat passengers), and every Tundra now gets a tow hitch and 7/4 pin trailer connector standard. Narrowing the focus even tighter, Platinum and 1794 Edition Tundras equipped with the TRD Off-Road package can now be ordered with power-deploying running boards, while the SX package available on lower-tier Tundras now comes with 20-inch wheels, up from 18s, in addition to the body-color trim it included previously. TRD Rally package–equipped Tundras are now offered with a TRD 3-inch Lift Kit and Tow Tech package that combines, well, the TRD Rally Package, a 3-inch suspension lift, and the Tow Tech packages offered separately into one (likely $10,000-plus) bucket. The TRD Pro trim level sees the biggest upgrades, with a new exclusive paint color for 2026 (the striking light blue "Wave Maker" pictured here) shared with other '26 model-year TRD Pro Toyotas such as the 4Runner, Tacoma, and Sequoia. Toyota has also made the "Iso Dynamic" shock-absorbing front seats from the midsize Tacoma TRD Pro available on the Tundra TRD Pro. You can read about how these work here, and it's worth mentioning a key demerit of those seats, that they take up a ton of space, is seemingly solved here on the Tundra. With the Tundra's more generous rear space, the Iso Dynamic seats and their array of shock absorbers likely won't intrude as noticeably on rear passengers' legroom as they most certainly do in the Tacoma. Prices for the Tundra rise modestly on most trim levels, though the entry-level SR model sees the biggest jump ($1,270) year over year. Some of the lineup-wide increases are owed to the steeper destination charge, which rises from $1,995 to $2,095. 2026 Toyota Tundra Full Lineup Pricing
The Drive
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Toyota's Air Shock Seats Are Finally Making It Into the Tundra TRD Pro
Get The Drive's daily newsletter The latest car news, reviews, and features. Email address Sign Up Thank you! Terms of Service & Privacy Policy. Toyota trucks aren't as simple as they once were. Then again, nothing is. Still, it's wild to think that the manufacturer is currently selling pickups with supercar levels of horsepower and torque just two years after ditching drum brakes. It doesn't stop at electrified powertrains, either, as the new Tacoma TRD Pro even has seats with stinkin' air shocks in the back. And now, those IsoDynamic thrones are making their way to the full-size Tundra. This makes sense, really. In case you've never seen them before, these seats are thick—so thick, in fact, that a human can't sit behind me in the Tacoma whenever I have them adjusted to my driving position. Granted, I'm 6'5″, but everything ought to fit a lot better in the half-ton Tundra. Here I am, seated behind an average-sized man in the Tacoma TRD Pro. I can only imagine this won't be such a problem in the Tundra. Caleb jacobs When we asked Sheldon Brown, the Tacoma's chief engineer, to explain these air-over-oil shocks at the truck's launch event, he said: 'We started with some very basic technology, obviously increasing the bolsters both in the seat as well as in the rear seat back. And that obviously helps snuggle up the occupant, makes sure they're nice and tight. In the front, we added a swivel joint. 'In the back is our superstructure. It's a hot-formed steel tube. We basically blow it and quench it so we get the strength out of that. Obviously, that adds a little bit of mass, so behind this, we have gone from a metal back frame and a metal seat pan to a reinforced resin, and that helps us take some of the mass back out of the seat. The way this fundamentally works is we have the swivel joint there in the front, we have a spring-loaded ball joint, and then, of course, we have an articulation structure below. 'What we have here is air-over-oil, and what we can do is with a simple air Schrader valve. You can pull this off with something like a mountain bike-type pump; you can pump that up and we can set it to a specific pressure. We give you recommended pressures based on the occupant's mass, and then from there, you can customize it however you like, and you can change the damping force.' You don't lose any luxury with these high-performing seats, either, unless you count power recline as a luxury. They're still heated, ventilated, and adjustable up, down, fore, and aft. Toyota The difference between the IsoDynamic seats and regular ones is tangible, for sure. You can run 10 or 15 mph faster with the air-suspended seats than you can without them and not lose your dental fillings. And with the extra cab space in the Tundra, I think it'll finally be a net positive as I couldn't fully get behind them in the Tacoma—either literally or figuratively speaking. Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
I've been a mechanic for 50 years - here are cars you should avoid
By He's the most outspoken mechanic on YouTube — and that didn't change in an interview with the Daily Mail. Scotty Kilmer, 71, has been fixing cars for 50 years. His grease-stained experience and candid rants have grown his YouTube channel ( @scottykilmer ) to more than 6.5 million followers, with viewers seeking his no-nonsense repair advice. And now, he's raising even more eyebrows. Kilmer (pictured) is warning drivers to steer clear of some of America's favorite big vehicles — calling some of them 'cr*p' for putting small engines in trucks that demand more grunt. He also thinks some of the most powerful executives are 'idiots' for ongoing parts issues. Here are the vehicles he thinks all new vehicle buyers should avoid: Toyota's big trucks 'The new Toyotas are [expletive],' Kilmer said. For years, the Japanese auto giant has built its brand image as America's most reliable car company. But Kilmer said its lineup of big trucks and SUVs — like the Tundra, Sequoia, 4Runner, and Land Cruiser — are now too large for their underpowered motors. The vehicles used to be equipped with giant V8s that Kilmer praised for their longevity. Now, they're propelled by twin-turbo V6s. Toyota made the move to get the cars in line with its goal to reduce fuel emissions in its fleet, but the V6 engines have been recalled several times because of engine debris in the motors. Kilmer alleges the move to smaller engines cuts against the brand's historic focus on reliability. He also says he's seen cheaper parts enter Toyota's supply chain since the onset of Covid-19. 'They were admitting they were no longer rejecting as many parts,' he claimed. 'They were using sub-standard components building their cars. 'Now they have cars where the plastic mirrors melt, paint peels off, and engines are blowing up.' Still, Kilmer says many other cars in Toyota's lineup remain top of the line for vehicle longevity. He praised Toyota's smaller hybrids — namely the Camry, RAV4, Prius, and Corolla — for their durability. 'Toyota really makes the best hybrid, they're still pretty indestructible,' he said. 'They're still making a lot of good stuff. But they also made decisions just to save money.' Toyota didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Kilmer's claims. American-made Fords Last year, America's best-selling vehicle was the Ford F-Series pickup truck, with over 730,000 units sold. It's also one of the top 50 most American-made vehicles at US dealerships. Ford has consistently claimed that 80 percent of its vehicles are assembled in the United States. But Kilmer says Ford's US manufacturing is part of its problem. He even took a shot at the company's top boss, Jim Farley. 'Farley, that idiot that runs Ford, he says: "they told me people don't want to work for us because they can make more money working at a Walmart," Kilmer said, claiming employees are making $17 an hour in the factories. 'Does he think they will do a good job? Of course not! Go to a Walmart and see the idiots that work there. You think they'll work in a factory and do a good job? Of course not.' The mechanic pointed out that Ford is this year's most-recalled auto manufacturer in the US by a long shot, with the company reporting a bevy of parts issues. A new truck... no matter the maker Kilmer said he wouldn't recommend a single new pickup currently on the US market. Just like Toyota, he says other automakers have prioritized fuel efficiency at the expense of reliability. He argues that today's trucks are plagued with recalls and parts problems caused by supply chain disruptions, staffing changes at US plants, and poor management decisions. Instead, he recommends drivers who need a bed on the back of their new set of wheels head to the pre-owned lot.
Auto Blog
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Toyota Launches Killer Tacoma Lease Offer for July
A compelling offer on a redesigned favorite The Toyota Tacoma has long been the king of midsize pickups. Beloved for its reliability and off-road chops, it's been a staple on trails and construction sites for decades. Until recently, though, the model hadn't seen a major overhaul in years. That changed last year when Toyota unveiled a fully redesigned Tacoma, bringing modern performance, updated tech, and much-needed refinement to the table. Now, Toyota is making it easier than ever to get behind the wheel with a killer lease offer for July. The 2025 Tacoma blends tradition with transformation. While it keeps the rugged looks and tough build quality fans expect, it now rides on Toyota's new TNGA-F platform, shared with the full-size Tundra and the new Land Cruiser. That means this isn't just a cosmetic update, as under the skin, it's an entirely new machine. A surprisingly strong lease deal This month, Toyota is offering a standout 36-month lease on the 2025 Tacoma SR5 Double Cab 2WD, priced at just $269 per month with $3,999 due at signing. Given the nearly $39,000 MSRP, that's a surprisingly affordable way to get into a brand-new truck with serious capability and comfort. The offer runs through August 4, giving midsize truck shoppers a solid reason to head to their local dealership before the summer's out. Toyota Tacoma SR5 — Source: Toyota The big news underneath the Tacoma is the switch to a coil-spring rear suspension in most trims, including the popular SR5. That change dramatically improves ride quality and handling, especially on pavement. It feels more composed in corners and less jittery over bumps, while still offering the durability needed for real truck work. Whether you're using it to tow, haul, or just get to work every day, the new Tacoma handles it all with more poise than ever before. A smoother, smarter, and stronger Tacoma Under the hood, the 2025 Tacoma is powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out up to 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. That's more than the outgoing V6 offered, and it delivers torque lower in the rev range, giving the truck a punchier, more responsive feel in everyday driving. It's paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission that keeps the power delivery smooth and predictable. Toyota Tacoma SR5 — Source: Toyota The interior also sees a complete transformation. Gone are the plasticky surfaces and outdated infotainment, and in their place is a cabin that feels modern and practical. The SR5 trim comes equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a clean, driver-focused layout. There's more sound insulation, more storage, and more thought put into everything from the seat materials to the button layout. Final thoughts Toyota didn't just give the Tacoma a refresh—it gave it a whole new identity. It's still the go-anywhere, do-anything truck fans have come to love, but it's also smoother, smarter, and better to drive than ever before. Now that it's paired with a highly competitive lease offer, it's one of the most compelling pickups on the market this summer. Whether you're hauling tools, hitting the trails, or just looking for a reliable ride with some edge, this deal makes the 2025 Tacoma a smart and stylish choice. *Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The information presented herein is based on manufacturer-provided lease offer information, which is subject to frequent change and may vary based on location, creditworthiness, and other factors. We are not a party to any lease agreements and assume no liability for the terms, conditions, availability, or accuracy of any lease offers mentioned. All terms, including but not limited to pricing, mileage allowances, and residual values, require direct verification with an authorized local OEM dealership. This article does not constitute financial advice or an endorsement of any particular lease or vehicle. About the Author Elijah Nicholson-Messmer View Profile
