Car and Driver’s Long-Term Test: The 2023 Toyota Tundra
Full-size pickup trucks are a staple of American roads, but despite their massive sales numbers, it’s rare to see them in Car and Driver’s long-term fleet. So when the staff recently acquired a 2023 Toyota Tundra, they wasted no time in putting it to work.
Senior technical editor Dave Beard immediately loaded his Ski-Doo, weighing over 500 pounds, into the truck’s standard composite bed and headed for the snowy Upper Peninsula of Michigan. During the 800-mile round trip from Ann Arbor, the Tundra faced a snowstorm that blocked its adaptive cruise control and put its 20-inch all-season tires to the test. Despite these obstacles, Beard found the Tundra’s spacious cabin to be comfortable, even using it as a makeshift hotel room one cold night.
The 2023 Tundra, which saw a 27% increase in sales over the previous year’s model, has undergone a complete redesign. Built on the TNGA-F platform, it features a more modern design, nicer materials, and improved technology. The truck’s interior has a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.0-inch touchscreen, with wireless Apple CarPlay and heated and ventilated front seats. However, the center-console cover is flimsy and the truck’s price tag is steep, with the tested Limited CrewMax model costing $64,093 after $12,000 worth of options.
Under the hood, the Tundra boasts a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V-6 engine with an electric motor and a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack that can generate 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. Despite its power, the hybrid Tundra’s acceleration is hindered by its weight, clocking in at 5.6 seconds to reach 60 mph. The truck’s fuel economy is also concerning, with Car and Driver’s long-term Tundra averaging just 13 mpg, over seven mpg less than its EPA estimate.
Despite its flaws, the 2023 Toyota Tundra shows promise in bridging the gap between Toyota’s loyal fanbase and its domestic rivals. Throughout its 40,000-mile test, Car and Driver aims to determine whether Toyota’s decision to offer only a hybrid Tundra was a smart one, and if the new model has what it takes to compete with America’s favorite pickups.
