The 2025 Toyota Tundra is a well-rounded full-size pickup that handles like an SUV. It’s civilized enough for daily driving and can also serve as a reliable work truck. Rivals such as the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 can tow and haul more and get better gas mileage, but the Tundra is capable enough for most people who want a light-duty truck.
Base Price: $51,010
As Tested: $62,442
Horsepower: 389
Mileage: 17 mpg city/22 mpg highway/19 mpg combined
The Tundra was redesigned for the 2022 model year, which marked the start of the third generation. More appearance and off-road packages were offered for 2023 and 2024. For 2025, the Tundra gets more standard and available features and some additional packages.
The 2025 Tundra comes in seven different trims, and with gas-powered or hybrid powertrains: SR, SR5, Limited, Limited Hybrid, Platinum, 1794 Edition, Platinum Hybrid, 1794 Hybrid, TRD Pro Hybrid and Capstone Hybrid. Starting prices range from $40,090 to $80,725. Rear-wheel drive is standard and four-wheel drive is available.
There are two body styles, Double Cap and Crew Cab, and both have room for five passengers. The Tunda is available in three bed lengths. Double Cab models offer the choice of a 6.5-foot bed or an 8.1-foot bed. CrewMax models can have a 5.5-foot bed or 6.5-foot bed.
Three powertrains are available. The standard setup is a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine that puts out 358 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. A beefed-up version of that engine makes 389 horses and 479 pound-feet. And there’s also a hybrid option which Toyota calls the i-Force Max. This consists of a twin-turbo V6 and electric motor with a combined output of 437 hp and 583 pound-feet. All powertrains are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Unlike some rivals, the Tundra is no longer available with a V8.
My tester has the 389-horsepower engine. This Tundra is easy to drive and handles much like an SUV. The ride is mostly smooth with the coil-spring rear suspension doing a good job of soaking up bumps. Steering and brakes are responsive. Acceleration is brisk from a stop and there’s plenty of power for merging and passing on the highway. The 10-speed shifts smoothly and quickly for the most part, but can sometimes be a tad slow to find the right gear. Visibility is good out the front, but the ginormous side mirrors can hamper visibility to the sides. For the most part, it’s easy to forget you’re behind the wheel of a full-size pickup, except for when you pull into a parking lot and experience its large size and large turning radius.
The Tundra is available with a rear air suspension system with automatic and manual leveling functions and an Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system. This makes the ride very smooth. Toyota says these systems are adopted from the luxury-vehicle category. AVS is designed to continually adjust damping force based on ever-changing road conditions.
The Tundra also has decent off-road capability with its ground clearance and coil-spring suspension. The TRD Pro models and those equipped with the TRD Off-Road package have additional features for exploring off the beaten path. Multi-Terrain Select has adjustable settings to help control wheel spin on different terrain. Crawl Control functions as a low-speed, off-road cruise control that lets the driver focus on steering while the Tundra maintains one of five selectable speeds. Downhill Assist Control helps the driver maneuver on slopes by limiting the speed of the vehicle during descents. TRD Pro and Tundras equipped with the TRD Off-Road package also come standard with an electronically locking rear differential to provide added traction in 4WD Low applications. The Multi-Terrain Monitor also comes standard on TRD Pro and on TRD Off-Road Package-equipped models. This forward-facing camera lets the driver see the immediate surroundings for potential obstacles. Pressing a button on the console activates front, rear and side-camera views on the center display. The TRD Off-Road Package also includes 18-inch TRD wheels standard on SR5 and 20-inch wheels for Limited, Platinum, and 1794 trims. Also included is a TRD grille, TRD off-road suspension, electronic rear differential lock, skid plates, mud guards, and a TRD leather-wrapped shift knob.
My tester has the new TRD Rally Package which pays homage to Toyota’s Baja racing heritage. The red, orange and yellow colors are incorporated into the exterior and interior design. This package also comes with 18-inch TRD off-road wheels with special center caps, all-terrain tires, and Bilstein shocks and skid plates, an electronically controlled locking rear differential, Multi-Terrain Select, and Crawl Control. The interior also has red, orange, and yellow accents on the SoftTex-trimmed seats and on the dashboard.
Fuel efficiency is about average for a full-size pickup. EPA ratings for my four-wheel drive model with the 389-horsepower twin-turbo V6 powertrain are 17 mpg city, 22 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined. I got 18 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving.
When properly equipped, the 2025 Tundra can tow up to 12,000 pounds and has a payload capacity of 1,940 pounds. This is less than the Ford F-150 which has towing and payload capacities of 13,500 and 2,440 pounds. A power liftgate is available.
The cabin is a good blend of comfort and practicality and is a pleasant place to spend time. While the interior is not as upscale as what you’ll find in the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500, materials have a nice look and feel, and also appear to be durable enough to handle being in a work truck. Seats are spacious, supportive and comfortable. In the crew cab configuration, passengers in both rows get good leg and headroom. Legroom isn’t as generous in models with the double cab so that space is best suited to kids or smaller adults. The infotainment system is on the dash and there’s a large center console with generous storage spaces for small items.
Standard features include keyless entry, push-button start, rearview camera, auto-dimming rearview mirror, automatic climate control with ail filtration, cloth upholstery, 4.1-inch digital instrument cluster, infotainment system with eight-inch touchscreen, navigation, six-speaker audio system in the Double Cab or nine-speaker system in CrewMax models, satellite radio, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, three USB ports, “Hey Toyota” (Toyota’s voice-activated intelligent assistant), Wi-Fi hot spot, automatic high-beam headlights, and trailer sway control.
Available features include a surround-view camera system, multi-terrain monitor (a forward-facing camera for off-roading), head-up display, digital rearview mirror that lets you stream a live view from behind your trailer, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, eight-way power adjustable front seats with two-way power lumbar, heated front seats, ventilated front seats, massaging front seats, leather steering wheel, heated leather steering wheel, 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, infotainment system with 14-inch touchscreen, 12-speaker audio system, two additional USB ports, wireless device charging, two 120-volt household-style power outlets, ambient lighting, universal garage door opener, rain-sensing windshield wipers, bed power supply (400W/120V AC) and a panoramic roof with power sunshade..
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane tracing assist, traffic-sign recognition, and rear-seat alert.
Available driver assistance technologies include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear park assist.
The infotainment system is user-friendly with logically arranged menus. Graphics are sharp on both the standard eight-inch and optional 14-inch touchscreens, and the system responds quickly to inputs. There are handy physical controls for volume and climate settings, but there is not a tuning knob.
The good:
Strong gas-powered and hybrid powertrains
Easy to drive
Smooth ride
Spacious, comfortable cabin
User-friendly infotainment system
Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
Can be equipped for off-roading
The not-so-good:
Can’t tow and haul as much as rivals
Fuel economy is not as good as some competitors
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $51,010. The TRD Rally Package is $8,660 and includes 18-inch TRD alloy wheels with all-terrain tires, tri-color decal on grille, front doors and tailgate, off-road suspension with Bilstein shocks, skid plates, mud guards, red TRD start button, TRD leather-wrapped shift knob, TRD leather-wrapped steering wheel, electronically controlled locking rear differential, Mulit-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, Downhill Assist Control, SofTex-trimmed eight-way power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats with power lumbar, tri-color seat inserts with yellow and orange stitching, heated front seats, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The spare tire lock is $75. Wheel locks are $105. TRD performance air filter is $135. Carpet floor mats are $199. Ball mount is $89. Bed mat is $224. The delivery fee is $1,945, bringing the grand total to $62,442.
Bottom line:
Those who want a more capable full-size pickup are probably going to stick with the Ford or Ram. But the 2025 Toyota Tundra is viable option for those who don’t need to tow and haul as much, and want a truck that’s comfortable as a daily driver and can handle all of the “honey do” tasks as needed. The Tundra comes in a wide variety of trims and configurations, is easy to drive, and has a comfortable cabin and user-friendly infotainment system. There’s no doubt the Tundra will appeal to Toyota fans, but others will probably stick to their tried-and-true brands.
