2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid preview: What to look forward to

The third generation of the Toyota Tundra is the first to be available as a hybrid. Introduced in September 2021, it’ll receive its second update in a few months when becoming a 2024 model. Here’s everything we expect from the 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid. The details and images presented in this story are reflective of the current model year, and we will update this page as additional information becomes available.

“A new breed of hybrid”

The 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid should feature the same tough exterior that we saw in September 2021. “A new breed of hybrid,” as Toyota calls it, the first-ever Tundra Hybrid spares no opportunity to convey just how strong and robust it is.

Sleek, LED headlamps with a T-shaped LED DRL, a hexagonal grille with large honeycomb openings and two horizontal LED fog lights, a chunky bumper, and a muscular hood are the design highlights at the front.

As compared to the previous generation truck (2021 model year), the sides also carry a whole new look, and the visible improvements are a contemporary greenhouse, beefed-up wheel arches, and more stylish door panels with a slightly deeper recess in the lower section. The regular variant gets a Tundra badge on the front doors and two-tone alloy wheels. While the second-gen model uses five lug nuts, the third-gen model has six lug nuts, and none of these features will change in the 2024 model.

One inference is that this change is related to its improved payload and towing capacity, and we’ll get to that later in the story.

The C-shaped outer edges of the taillights look vaguely similar to the Hyundai Palisade. There will be three different bed options: 5.5-foot, 6.5-foot, and 8.1-foot.

On the 2024 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro

The generational change has given the Japanese truck plenty of talking points. The extra-rugged Toyota Tundra TRD Pro has a more dominating front-end with “Toyota” in block lettering, a wide central LED light bar, and three clearance lights. Moreover, the hood has more aggressive styling with black TRD Pro plates.

On the sides, the marker light on the fenders and the rugged tube steps are unique to the TRD Pro variant. This specification includes 18-inch BBS forged wheels (with a red TRD logo and a red ring) wrapped in wider, 285/65 R18 Falken Wildpeak A/T3W tires. We can safely expect the same features in the MY2024 Tundra TRD Pro.

The three marker lights positioned above the grille indicate that the third-gen Tundra is no less than 80 inches wide. NHTSA’s regulations require vehicles with a width of 80 inches or more to have front identification lamps to indicate the presence of a wide vehicle.

Modern, tech-laden interior

The interior of the 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid should have the same appearance as the current pickup. The cabin is quite upmarket and high-tech for a Toyota, and we have no complaints about the way it looks or the functionality.

Toyota’s designers in Calty have used a horizontal layout theme and integrated the dashboard and the center console. The center console design is less cluttered but practical, retaining the physical controls for essential functions like climate control and volume adjustment. A 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster will be available in higher trims, but the lower trims settle for a semi-analog instrument cluster with a 4.2-inch MID. A 10-inch head-up display will also be among the optional features.

Another highlight of the cabin will be a massive 14-inch Audio Multimedia touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto compatibility, a virtual assistant that responds to Hey/Hi/Hello/OK Toyota wake-up phrases, and savable profiles. In addition to being large, the 14-inch central display will offer a great viewing angle to the driver because it is much less slanted. Lower trims will feature an 8-inch Audio Multimedia touchscreen infotainment system instead.

As in today’s truck, the 2024 Tundra will feature a mobile phone holder-cum-charger on the right side of the gearshift lever. The wireless charger will adhere to the Qi standard, which means that it supports all the latest Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Panoramic roof, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated seats, rear sunshade, and power sliding rear window will be some of the main comfort features of the 2024 Tundra. A 360-degree camera system will allow parking the large pickup with ease.

The third-gen Tundra has large vertical AC vents instead of the second-gen model’s small circular ones. Unlike the second-gen Tundra, it has a chunky A-pillar driver-side grab handle, which drivers would really appreciate when driving off the road. Toyota has fitted an A-pillar grab handle on the passenger side as well, but that’s not a new feature. The company offers the TRD Pro trim with TRD Pro-branded red or black artificial leather seat covers.

Multi-link rear suspension system

The Tundra Hybrid has a new, multi-link rear suspension with coil springs in the interest of ride comfort, and we don’t expect Toyota to change it with the 2024 model year update. The same goes for the Tundra TRD Pro variant, which boasts higher ground clearance with Fox dampers and a red anti-roll bar. A TRD-branded front skid plate is also a part of the TRD Pro variant’s exclusive equipment.

When it entered its third generation, the Toyota Tundra moved on from the TripleTech frame. Previously, it had fully-boxed rails for the front portion, a reinforced C-channel under the cab, and an open C-channel beneath the bed. Now, it has a fully boxed frame, which has brought a significant improvement in rigidity. With a widened rear frame member, the full-size pickup has improved on stability and towing capability aspects.

i-Force Max hybrid system

The 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid will likely have the same i-Force Max powertrain as the outgoing model. This hybrid system teams up a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 gasoline engine with an electric motor and produces 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission channels the power to the wheels.

The battery pack storing energy to run the electric motor will be a 1.87 kWh Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) unit located under the rear passenger seats. It will do most of the power delivery at low engine speeds. Once the speed of the pickup increases above 18 mph, the engine will constantly remain in operation.

As before, Toyota is not planning a Tundra diesel version. The company sees the Tundra Hybrid being fit for potential diesel customers. Mike Sweers, the Tundra’s executive chief engineer, has told Driving.ca that he loves diesel engines and would have liked the line-up to include one. However, following the Volkswagen Group’s diesel gate scandal, certifying a diesel engine in North America takes three years. Plus, the hybrid engine offers a faster response compared to a diesel engine, Sweers said.

The 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid’s maximum EPA-est. fuel economy will likely be the same as that of the outgoing model – 20 mpg (city)/24 mpg (highway)/22 mpg (combined). The hybrid truck should have a payload capacity of up to 1,680 lbs. and be able to tow up to 11,450 lbs.

Manufacturing

Production of the 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid will take place at the company’s San Antonio (Texas) plant, which has an annual production capacity of 208,000 vehicles.

Colors

We’re expecting the 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid in these color options:

• Ice Cap
• Wind Chill Pearl
• Magnetic Gray Metallic
• Celestial Silver Metallic
• Midnight Black Metallic
• Supersonic Red
• Solar Octane (TRD Pro exclusive)
• Smoked Mesquite (Limited and 1794)
• Army Green
• Lunar Rock
• Blueprint

Toyota Tundra Capstone

On January 11, 2022, shortly after launching the all-new Tundra, Toyota announced a new Capstone grade that offers more contemporary styling and sits at the top of the range. The Tundra was an MY2022 truck at this time. The range-topping trim should continue through the 2024 model year.

The Toyota Tundra Capstone flaunts a unique grille featuring a color-keyed outer frame and chrome inner mesh pattern to stand out from other grades. Chrome mirror caps, chrome trim accents, 22-inch chrome wheels, and chrome “TUNDRA” tailgate inserts are also part of its special styling. The driver and passengers can conveniently enter the cabin, thanks to power bed steps.

Inside, the Tundra Capstone features semi-aniline leather-trimmed seats in an exclusive black-and-white color scheme, Dark American walnut wood-grain trim on the center console and passenger-side dashboard, and an illuminated Capstone logo on the dashboard. With acoustic glass used on the front doors, the Capstone grade of the all-new Tundra should offer a quieter ride. No other trim comes with this extra sound-deadening feature.

Price

The 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid will likely start at close to USD 57,000. We expect it to only be available in the Crew Cab version, with 5.5-ft and 6.5-ft bed options. Limited, Platinum, 1794 Edition, TRD Pro, and Capstone will likely be the trim choices.

Toyota Tundra Hybrid sales

The Tundra’s sales in the U.S. increased by 27.2% year-over-year to 104,246 units in 2022 (2021: 81,959 units). In Q1 2023, Toyota sold 27,651 units of the Tundra in the U.S., and 6,989 or 25% of those Tundras were Tundra Hybrids.

TopElectricSUV says

The 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid will be a carryover of what was already an impressive full-size pickup. A hybrid system has become a necessity because of rising gas prices. Offering impressive capabilities, premium features, and a decent fuel economy in a wide range of configurations, the 2024 Tundra Hybrid will continue be seen by customers as a capable Ford F-150 PowerBoost alternative.

Also See: Hybrid pickup truck: 4 current & 6 future models

2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid FAQs

Featured image: Toyota