Opinion: Toyota Tundra lines up to become Australia’s off-road king

The stars are aligning for the Toyota Tundra, which could see the forthcoming pick-up propelled to the top of Australian sales charts. Ben Zachariah explains.

The pieces are being laid to bring the Toyota Tundra to market in Australia, with an abnormally high number of evaluation vehicles to be produced before the pick-up is given the final green light by the company’s discerning bosses in Japan.

Australia has a long love affair with Toyota, choosing the HiLux as the country’s best-selling vehicle for six years in a row, while the LandCruiser has remained the top choice for adventurers and country folk alike for decades.

But the timing of the Tundra’s arrival could see the stars align for it to become an off-road favourite.

These digital renderings by artist Theottle provide an idea of what we can expect to see in the Australian bush in the coming years.

The Ram 1500 has already proved there is a healthy (or unhealthy, as some will argue) desire with American full-size pick-ups in Australia, paving the way for the Chevrolet Silverado to be brought to our shores.

Next on the arrivals list is the Ford F-150, which will surely cannibalise some sales from Australia’s second-most popular vehicle, the recently-updated Ford Ranger ute.

But it’s the Toyota Tundra’s off-road credentials that could see it poach sales from the HiLux, LandCruiser 70 Series, and particularly the LandCruiser 300 Series – of which it’s closely related.

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Both the Tundra and the LandCruiser 300 Series are based on Toyota’s ‘TNGA-F’ architecture, with the pick-up fitted with the same 3.5-litre twin-turbo hybrid petrol V6 powertrain found in LandCruiser variants sold in overseas markets, putting out 352kW and 790Nm.

While Australia only gets the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine in the 300 Series, a non-hybrid version of the 3.5-litre petrol V6 is offered in the premium Lexus LX600 locally.

For buyers who insist on diesel, the 70 Series and 300 Series LandCruisers will still be on offer, but the power, versatility, and economy offered in the hybrid Tundra will surely win many over to petrol power – along with a driving range of more than 1240km claimed for highway driving.

Engines aside, the Tundra’s off-road ability could see it become a favourite of social media adventurers and Sunday afternoon television personalities, relegating ute-converted LandCruisers to the past.

The Tundra enjoys the same drivetrain as the 300 Series, with a 10-speed automatic and low-range, along with a host of gizmos designed to get you to where you’re going.

So why hasn’t the Ram or the Chevrolet become an off-roading favourite here? A recent trip across the Simpson Desert saw one new Silverado among the sand dunes, with a handful of Rams (and even one F-250) hovering around Birdsville, suggesting their popularity in the scene is growing.

MORE: 2023 Toyota Tundra: Everything we know so far

However, these vehicles don’t have anywhere near the same kind of dealership network that Toyota Australia can boast about.

Almost every major town in Australia has a Toyota dealer, making the prospect of owning a Tundra far more appealing to farmers and those in the rural and remote areas.

Australia’s love of modifying our machines will also do the Tundra no harm, thanks to the large number of companies in the US developing and manufacturing aftermarket parts for four-wheel-driving and ‘overlanding’, as they like to call it. We tend to refer to it as ‘touring’.

The Tundra could arrive just as Australia’s love of the American full-size pick-up reaches fever pitch, helping to fan the flames of a cultural shift that results in them taking a large bite out of regular dual-cab ute sales.

What do you think? Will the Toyota Tundra become an off-road favourite when it arrives in Australia?

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