'Tundra is go': 2025 Toyota Tundra on sale date in Australia at last confirmed as HiLux's big brother takes aim at Ford F-150, Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado

The right-hand-drive Toyota Tundra has at last been put on sale in Australia, with Toyota in Japan signing off Walkinshaw's remanufacturing efforts and approving the Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500 rival for sale in our market.

It's big news for Toyota in Australia, with the Tundra the first vehicle in the company's history to be remanufactured for sale, with the brand having been nervous it could hit the quality targets required to get Japan's sign off.

But the six-year project, which included putting close to 300 vehicles on the road as part of a customer-driven, real-world testing phase, has at last been green lit, with the Tundra to go on sale November.

"Tundra is go," says Toyota Australia's VP of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley.

"Our parent company has given Toyota Australia official approval to launch Tundra to retail customers in Australia. As a result, the Tundra Limited will go on sale from mid November this year.

"That will be a momentous day for Toyota. Not just in Australia, but for our US affiliate, our parent company, and of course our local partner We have achieved the Walkinshaw Automotive Group.

"Right-hand-drive Tundra meets Toyota's global standard for quality durability and reliability, and these are the same standards that apply to vehicles produces 100 percent in the Toyota eco system."

Toyota is being coy on sales expectations for now, with the brand instead confirming it will play a smaller, but still important, role in its dealerships.

"It will play its role," Mr Hanley says. "It's not going to be the number-one seller, but it will play its role."

While we don't yet know pricing – though leaks seem to point to a $145,990 (likely before on-road costs) starting price – we do know what Tundra customers are in for.

Billed as Toyota's "ultimate towing machine" the Limited arrives with a monster 4.5-tonne braked towing capacity (less than it gets in the USA, but able to be driven in Australia without the need of a special licence), making it the most tow-friendly vehicle in the Toyota stable.

Providing the pulling power is Toyota's i-Force Max engine, which pairs a twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor and a 6.5Ahr nickel metal hydride battery to produce a total 326kW and 790Nm.

That power is fed through a 10-speed automatic and sent to the rear or all four tyres thanks to the Tundra’s part-time 4WD system with a two-speed transfer case and automatic limited slip differential.

It's also a sizeable beast, coming in at 5955mm in length, 1985mm in height and 2040mm in width, and riding on a 3700mm wheelbase.

And, Toyota says, the Limited is just the beginning.

"The good news is that we're not stopping there. From next year, we will expand the Tundra lineup by introducing a new grade with even higher spec. It will appeal to buyers looking for a full-size pickup truck with upscale comfort," Mr Hanley says.

2024 TUNDRA LIMITED FEATURES AND EQUIPMENT

• 326kW, 790Nm 3.5-litre turbocharged V6 i-Force Max powertrain
• Ten-speed automatic transmission with Eco, Normal and Sport modes
• Dual-range 4WD system with limited slip differential
• Front double wishbone and rear multi-link suspension
• Ventilated 354mm front and 335mm rear disc brakes
• 122-litre fuel tank
• Electric power steering
• LED lights, daytime running lights
• 20-inch Sports Alloy wheels with 265/60R20 tyres
• Heated, power folding exterior mirrors with reverse tilt-down
• Active front spoiler
• Tub management system with side and back rails and moveable tie-down points
• Towbar, 3500kg towball and tongue
• 12-pin trailer wiring harness
• Nine colour options with solid, crystal pearl, and metallic paint finishes
• Black synthetic leather seats
• Heated and ventilated front seats with 8-way power adjustment
• Leather-accented steering wheel with controls for multimedia and driver assist systems
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 60/40-split rear seat back
• Front and rear carpet floor mats
• Toyota Safety Sense
  • Pre-collision system with day and night pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection
  • Active cruise control
  • Lane departure alert with steering assist
  • Lane trace assist
  • Automatic high beam
• Blind-spot monitor
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Panoramic view monitor
• Four front and four rear parking sensors
• ABS, vehicle stability and traction control
• Trailer brake controller
• Trailer reversing guide
• Eight airbags
• Two rear ISOFIX points
• Dual zone climate control with rear vents
• Smart entry and start
• Automatic lights
• 5 x USB ports and 1 x 12V accessory socket
• Wireless phone charger
• Power windows and back glass
• Door pockets with bottle holders
• 14.0-inch touchscreen
• 12-speaker JBL audio system
• AM/FM/DAB+ radio
• Bluetooth compatibility
• Wireless Apple CarPlay / wired Android Auto