As of 2023, there are a number of hybrid cars & SUVs. But there has only been one true hybrid pickup truck; the Ford F-150 Powerboost. Now Ford has competition from the new 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid. So how well does the Tundra Hybrid stack up against the F-150 Powerboost?
Performance
Engine – On paper, the Tundra Hybrid’s powertrain is a little bit more powerful than that of the F-150’s hybrid powertrain. The Tundra i-Force MAX is motivated by a 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6 that is aided by an electric motor which is in between the engine and transmission. Total output is 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque (326 kW & 790 Nm). The electric motor on its own produces 48 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque (36 kw & 250 Nm). Thanks to the instant torque of the EV components and the quick spooling turbochargers, the Tundra Hybrid accelerates ferociously. Whether it’s off the line or to overtake a slower moving vehicle, the truck sheds its weight and nearly flies. However, because of its 2,765 kg (6,096 lbs) as equipped weight, it is a heavy truck. The lighter F-150 Powerboost out-accelerates it from a stop by almost half a second.
Then again, this is not a sports truck or a sporty vehicle by any means. In day-to-day traffic, the engine effortlessly gets the truck moving with the electric motor taking over to maintain speeds. This hybrid system will allow the truck to accelerate from a stop but you have to be extremely gentle with the throttle pedal. As well, the truck will be accelerating at a snail’s pace. Ideally, the hybrid system works best in heavy rush hour traffic where speeds are barely above a jogging pace, maintaining speed while on city streets, and at drive-thrus while getting your morning coffee. On highways, the electric motor doesn’t have enough power to maintain the truck’s speed. When coasting, the engine will shut off but as soon as you touch the throttle pedal, it fires up again. The electric motor almost never takes over and it only provides an extra boost in power when it’s needed.
Fuel Economy – The only other Tundra hybrid pickup truck that I drove before this one, had the TRD Pro package equipped. The slightly higher ride height and knobby off-road tires hampered the fuel efficiency by a bit. Though this demo truck has the TRD off-road package, it’s not as extreme as the TRD Pro pack. As a result, this truck gets slightly better fuel economy figures. It’s officially rated for 12.7 L/100km (18.5 MPG) in a city and 10.5 L/100km (22.4 MPG) on a highway.
Having said that, it is very difficult to achieve these numbers in the real world. In city traffic, I struggled to get the numbers below 15 L/100km (15.6 MPG). On highways, it was easier to get closer to the official rating but it was still a bit higher at around 11.5 L/100km (20.4 MPG). At the end of my week with the truck, I averaged 13.4 L/100km (17.5 MPG). Not too bad for a pickup truck but nowhere near the rated numbers. Furthermore, the F-150 Powerboost is more efficient and easier to achieve the fuel economy numbers that it’s rated for.
Transmission – Sending the power to the wheels is a 10-speed automatic transmission. The shifts between gears are smooth and quick enough for a pickup truck. You can take over shifting and the transmission reacts quickly enough on the upshifts but is slower on the downshifts. Overall, this is a good transmission.
Braking – The brake pedal has a long travel with a progressively firmer feel the more you push on it. The brakes themselves don’t require much pressure to bring the truck to a stop when unladen.
Handling – While this is a large pickup truck, it doesn’t behave like one while driving down the streets. The steering is light enough to maneuver at slow speeds and firms up just enough on highways to keep the truck stable. Body roll through corners is kept in check without too much lean. It doesn’t give you that feeling of wanting to tip over.
This particular demo truck is equipped with the TRD Off-Road package which adds a locking rear differential (that can only be used in 4LO), downhill assist control, crawl control (which is like cruise control but for slow speed off-roading), Multi-Terrain select, and TRD Off-Road shocks.
Capability – The hybrid powertrain is only available with CrewMax cab configurations of the 2023 Toyota Tundra. But on this Limited trim, it is available with either a 5.5′ bed or 6.5′ bed length. This truck is the latter with a max tow rating of 5,005 kg (11,034 lbs) and a payload rating of 750 kg (1,653 lbs).
The bed is made out of a composite material to reduce weight and prevent corrosion. There are LED bed lights and a power outlet but only 4 tie down points which are bolted on. Also, the Toyota Tundra does not have any sort of trick tailgate like the big 3 truck manufacturers. The only “trick” that it can do is opening via a button on the driver’s side of the taillamps.
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Comfort
Ride Comfort – The 2023 Toyota Tundra is equipped with new suspension that was designed to not only improve driving dynamics but also ride comfort. In the front it has a double wishbone setup while in the back it has a multi-link setup. The ride is smooth for a pickup truck. It’s not Ram 1500 smooth but even with the off-road tuned shocks in this demo vehicle, taking long road trips or driving on rough city streets is not a punishing endeavor in the new Tundra.
Interior Space – The 2023 Toyota Tundra is one of the smaller full-size pickup trucks but it still offers a lot of space, especially in this CrewMax configuration. On paper the F-150 and Ram 1500 crew cab configurations offer more space for passengers but even at 6’4”, I have plenty of space whether it be the front or rear seats. Both front seats are power adjustable and the rear seats can flip up 60/40. However, this version of the Tundra does not have any sort of underseat storage because that space is taken up by the nickel-metal hydride battery for the hybrid powertrain. As well, there is a hump in the middle of the floor whereas other pickup trucks have flat floors.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – The new Tundra is one of the most quiet pickup trucks on sale. Wind, road, and engine noises are very well subdued from intruding into the cabin. You do hear them but they’re not as loud as in some other pickup trucks. As for interior build, nothing rattles and all the trim pieces feel solid.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2023 Toyota Tundra with the i-Force Max hybrid powertrain starts at $70,145 CAD ($56,415 USD). That is a bit more than the starting price of the Ford F-150 Powerboost but you do get more features as standard. This Tundra Limited L TRD Off-road costs $73,260 CAD ($62,945 USD).
Gadgets – This demo truck is not a fully equipped truck but it has almost everything one would ever need from a truck. Heated & ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, a 14” touchscreen, digital driver display, wireless phone charging pad, and surround view cameras with a bed view.
But if you want more features, the fully loaded Capstone trim has it all. It adds a head-up display, ventilated rear seats, rear camera mirror, power running boards, 22” wheels, 12-speaker JBL audio system, and more. Of course, it does cost around $90,000 CAD but still less than some competitors.
Interior Design – The new interior is a welcome update with new styling but the physical controls remain. A lot of the physical buttons and toggles are chunky too so they can be easily used with thick gloves. But when you take those gloves off and start touching some of the panels with your fingertips, it starts to feel a bit on the cheap side. This is a low to mid-range trim level of the Tundra but the plastics in other pickup trucks feel a little bit nicer.
Exterior Design – The exterior has also received a complete refresh and the “chunky” theme continues with a large grille and bold vertical taillights. The truck definitely has a presence on the roads. Some of the panels are now aluminum for some weight savings but others are still steel such as the rear doors and front fenders.
Safety – All 2022 Toyota Tundra models come equipped with standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.5. This includes forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking and emergency steering assist, lane departure warning with lane keep, lane tracing assist, automatic high beam, dynamic radar cruise control, front pedestrian detection and emergency braking, left turn oncoming vehicle detection with emergency braking, and sway warning system.
The IIHS awarded the 2023 Toyota Tundra CrewMax a Top Safety Pick+ with Good scores in every crash test and Advanced or Superior crash avoidance ratings for the driver aids.
Warranty – The 2023 Toyota Tundra Hybrid is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km basic and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. The hybrid components are covered for 8 years / 160,000 km and the battery pack is covered for 10 years / 240,000 km, whichever comes first. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here. (Scroll to bottom of page)
Conclusion – Overall, the new 2023 Toyota Tundra i-Force MAX Hybrid TRD Off-Road is a really good improvement over the previous generation. The way that it drives and the quietness of the cabin are the biggest highlights of this new truck – among a few others of course. However, if you need something with more capability, the big three American truck brands still do a better job. Then again, Toyota is not known for being a truck focused company and as such, their truck customer base is different. This Tundra’s capability is just enough for lighter duty towing or carrying and it is a much better truck to drive than before.
Thank you to Toyota Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Toyota.ca
2023 Toyota Tundra i-Force MAX Gallery
