'Whether that's sustainable, we'll have to see': Toyota Australia confident in Tundra, but will declining popularity of big US pick-up rivals like the Ram 1500, Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado hurt it later? 

With the launch of Toyota’s right-hand drive Tundra in Australia very clear in the rear-view mirror, the brand’s local arm is waiting to see what will happen with the segment it lives in.

While the 2025 Toyota Tundra’s order books are apparently quite healthy, according to a Toyota Australia executive, the brand’s confidence in the future of the full-sized American ute market is less certain.

Toyota Australia Vice President Sales and Sean Hanley told journalists at a media preview of the Tundra’s remanufacturing facility — run by Walkinshaw Automotive Group in Melbourne — that the American ute segment's growth (or possible lack of) in Australia will be ‘interesting to watch’.

For reference, the Tundra is the latest of a handful of US-sized pick-ups to enter the Australian market with their brand’s official backing, following the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150, all of which have remanufacturing facilities here in Australia.

“This car, for its market, is very healthy and it’s going to have a good start. No problem,” Hanley said.

“Whether that’s sustainable, we’ll have to see. Whether that market segment keeps growing is interesting."

“But I think Tundra will hold its own.”

Sales for the Toyota Tundra officially launched on November 19th following a trial by more than 200 Toyota customers who leased the Tundras to provide feedback on the quality and suitability of the truck for Australia.

The Tundra is available in one grade for now, the Limited, starting from $155,990 before on-road costs.

Hanley says there’s plenty of interest and a strong showing of customers who have already committed to one of the big utes, adding that supply from the US is uninterrupted.

“We’ve got a healthy order bank already. We’re not going to run into huge wait times like we might have with previous cars.”

In addition, he said the fact it’s not a V8 (like the popular Ram 1500 or Chevrolet Silverado) doesn’t seem to have impacted customer interest in the Tundra, which is powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 with hybrid assistance for healthy 326kW/790Nm outputs.

“We’re not seeing any deterioration in demand right there I’d have to say. Good, strong… [the people at the plant] have got good employment prospects.”

For a while, it seemed like American utes were set to take over Aussie roads, with interest and sales soaring rather quickly when factory-backed remanufacturing for the early Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado kicked off.

With the demise of the V8-powered Ram 1500, its sales have dipped this year (2690 so far in 2024 compared to 5330 during the same period of 2023) while the Silverado maintains a small 14 per cent increase in sales in 2024 vs 2023, but the models both saw greater sales increases last year compared to 2022.

With the segment down as a whole this year so far, eyes are on the Tundra to see how its arrival affects sales figures for the big ute market.