It’s been a long time coming, but the new Toyota Tundra is finally here.
Toyota
Whether you’re shopping for a new car, SUV or pickup, today’s vehicles are far greater than the sum of their spec sheets. Even so, it’s always useful to compare the numbers to see how candidates for your hard-earned dollars stack up. That’s particularly true when it comes to full-size pickups, because capability is everything. Toyota has unveiled its all-new 2022 Tundra light-duty pickup, and it’s a force to be reckoned with. Here’s how Toyota’s latest lines up against the updated 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2022 Ram 1500 and 2021 Ford F-150 (we’re still waiting on 2022MY specs from the Blue Oval).
The name of the game in full-size, light-duty trucks is choice: cab choice, bed choice, trim choice, but namely engine choice. The Tundra only has two powertrain options: a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 and a hybridized version of the same. Ford has no fewer than six internal-combustion powertrain options (not to mention the forthcoming all-electric Lightning), but other companies aren’t quite as robust. Chevrolet offers four engines starting with a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder and climbs to a huge 6.2-liter V8. Ram has four powertrains available, including two mild-hybrid models.
For the sake of this comparison, I’ve divided the powertrain choices into base, midlevel, upper-midlevel and upper-level specs. I’ve also included a table for the diesel and hybrid models. For towing and payload, I’ve assumed the maximum capability for those particular setups. In most cases, that means those powertrains come on a two-wheel-drive, regular-cab model with a long bed and a max towing package, but not always. For fuel economy, I’ve used these trucks’ two-wheel-drive specs.
Full-size pickup truck: Base engine specs
Sure, most folks will option up, but that doesn’t mean that the standard engines have nothing to offer. The new Tundra’s base 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 blows the competition away with its 389 ponies and 479 pound-feet of torque. The Silverado punches to the ceiling as well with its turbocharged 2.7-liter mill. Ford keeps the numbers of the 3.3-liter V6 the same from last year’s model — a healthy 290 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. The base engine in the Ram 1500 is actually a mild-hybrid V6 with E-Torque technology, giving drivers an extra boost off the line.
Base engine specs
2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Chevy Silverado
2022 Ram 1500
2021 Ford F-150
Cylinders
6
4
6
6
Displacement
3.5 liters
2.7 liters
3.6 liters
3.3 liters
Power
389 hp
310 hp
305 hp
290 hp
Torque
479 lb-ft
420 lb-ft
269 lb-ft
265 lb-ft
Transmission
10-speed auto
8-speed auto
8-speed auto
10-speed auto
Fuel economy (city/hwy/combined)
TBD
TBD
20/25/22 mpg
20/24/21
Towing capacity
TBD
9,500 pounds
7,740 pounds
8,200 pounds
Payload capacity
TBD
TBD
2,320 pounds
1,985 pounds
Full-size pickup truck: Midlevel engine specs
If you want a medium-spec powertrain, well you’ll have to look at either the F-150 or the Silverado, as the Toyota and the Ram are absent here. Ford’s second most-powerful engine is a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, while Chevrolet jumps all the way to a 5.3-liter V8.
Midlevel Engine Specs
2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Chevy Silverado
2022 Ram 1500
2021 Ford F-150
Cylinders
N/A
8
N/A
6
Displacement
N/A
5.3 liters
N/A
2.7 liters
Power
N/A
355 hp
N/A
325 hp
Torque
N/A
383 lb-ft
N/A
400 lb-ft
Transmission
N/A
10-speed auto
N/A
10-speed auto
Fuel economy (city/hwy/combined)
N/A
TBD
N/A
20/26/22 mpg
Towing capacity
N/A
11,200 pounds
N/A
10,100 pounds
Payload capacity
N/A
TBD
N/A
2,480 pounds
Full-size pickup truck: Upper-midlevel engine specs
Here is where Ford has the advantage in the segment, with an extra powertrain for those who want a bit more power. The F-150 jumps to a 5.0-liter V8 with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Chevrolet, Ram and Tundra have no dog in this upper-mid-range engine fight.
Upper Midlevel Engine Specs
2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Chevy Silverado
2022 Ram 1500
2021 Ford F-150
Cylinders
N/A
N/A
N/A
8
Displacement
N/A
N/A
N/A
5.0 liters
Power
N/A
N/A
N/A
400 hp
Torque
N/A
N/A
N/A
410 lb-ft
Transmissions
N/A
N/A
N/A
10-speed auto
Fuel economy (city/hwy/combined)
N/A
N/A
N/A
17/24/20 mpg
Towing capacity
N/A
N/A
N/A
13,000 pounds
Payload capacity
N/A
N/A
N/A
3,325 pounds
Full-size pickup truck: Upper-level engine specs
Now we’re getting into the good stuff, with plenty of power offered across the segment. Since the Tundra’s top powertrain is also a hybrid, I’ve included it in a chart below. Ford’s top engine is a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, but the Silverado is also pretty good here with its traditional 6.2-liter small-block V8.
Upper-Level Engine Specs
2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Chevy Silverado
2022 Ram 1500
2021 Ford F-150
Cylinders
N/A
8
8
6
Displacement
N/A
6.2 liters
5.7 liters
3.5 liters
Power
N/A
420 hp
395 hp
400 hp
Torque
N/A
460 lb-ft
410 lb-ft
500 lb-ft
Transmission
N/A
10-speed auto
8-speed auto
10-speed auto
Fuel economy (city/hwy/combined)
N/A
TBD
15/22/17 mpg
18/24/20 mpg
Towing capacity
N/A
13,300 pounds
11,650 pounds
14,000 pounds
Payload capacity
N/A
TBD
1,940 pounds
3,250 pounds
Full-size pickup truck: Diesel engine specs
We’ve seen a resurgence in diesel offerings lately. Once seen mainly on heavy-duty trucks, diesels have been making their way down to half-ton and even midsize offerings. Unfortunately, Toyota doesn’t offer a diesel for the latest Tundra. Among the rest, the Chevrolet takes the cake for towing here, but only if you have the max towing package.
Diesel Engine Specs
2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Chevy Silverado
2022 Ram 1500
2021 Ford F-150
Cylinders
N/A
6
6
6
Displacement
N/A
3.0 liters
3.0 liters
3.0 liters
Power
N/A
277 hp
260 hp
250 hp
Torque
N/A
460 lb-ft
480 lb-ft
400 lb-ft
Transmission
N/A
10-speed auto
8-speed auto
10-speed auto
Fuel economy (city/hwy/combined)
N/A
TBD
22/32/26 mpg
20/27/23 mpg
Towing capacity
N/A
13,300 pounds
10,080 pounds
12,100 pounds
Payload capacity
N/A
TBD
2,060 pounds
2,980 pounds
2022 Ram 1500 GT models offer TRX-lite performance features for way less money
Full-size pickup truck: Hybrid powertrain specs
Finally, we can get the Tundra back into the mix with its 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 hybrid. In this hybrid chart, note that the F-150 and the Tundra feature a full-hybrid powertrain while the Ram 1500 E-Torque is a less-capable mild hybrid with an electric starter-generator. Ram offers this technology in standard in the 3.6-liter V6 and as an option with the 5.7-liter V8.
Hybrid Engine Specs
2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Chevy Silverado
2022 Ram 1500
2021 Ford F-150
Cylinders
6
N/A
6, 8
6
Displacement
3.5 liters
N/A
3.6, 5.7 liters
3.5-liter
Battery
1.87 kWh
N/A
0.43 kWh
1.5 kWh
Electric motor
TBD
N/A
9, 12 kW
35 kW
Power
437 hp
N/A
305, 395 hp
430 hp
Torque
583 lb-ft
N/A
269, 410 lb-ft
570 lb-ft
Transmission
10-speed auto
N/A
8-speed auto
10-speed auto
Fuel economy (city/hwy/combined)
TBD
N/A
20/25/22, 17/23/19 mpg
25/26/25
Towing capacity
12,000 pounds
N/A
7,740, 11,560 pounds
12,700 pounds
Payload capacity
1,940 pounds
N/A
2,320, 1,850 pounds
2,120 pounds
Size matters with full-size, light-duty trucks
For both interior and exterior measurements, I’m using the popular crew-cab, short-bed configurations of two-wheel-drive trucks across the board. (Note: For the Ram 1500, fields with duplicate numbers indicate the maximum available with the optional air suspension.)
We don’t have any numbers for the latest Tundra yet, but when it comes to exterior dimensions, the 2021 F-150 seems to split the difference nicely between the larger Ram 1500 and the Chevrolet Silverado. The Ford is also one of the narrowest in terms of width without mirrors, but remember, if you want to add towing mirrors, you’ll add a whole lot of width. In the case of the F-150, the larger mirrors add a whopping 26 inches.
Full-size pickup truck exterior measurements
2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Chevy Silverado
2022 Ram 1500
2021 Ford F-150
Wheelbase
TBD
147.4 in.
144.6 in.
145.4 in.
Length
TBD
231.9 in.
232.9 in.
231.7 in.
Height
TBD
75.5 in.
77.5, 79.6 in.
75.6 in.
Width
TBD
81.2 in.
82.1 in.
79.9 in.
Ground clearance
TBD
7.9 in.
8.3, 10.8 in.
8.5 in.
Again, I have no interior measurements for the new Tundra, but historically, the Toyota’s interior has been pretty small, so let’s hope it improves for 2022. For now, the Silverado wins the front headroom and legroom contest, but if you know you’ll have bigger folks in the rear seats, the F-150 offers the most space.
Full-size pickup truck interior measurements
2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Chevy Silverado
2022 Ram 1500
2021 Ford F-150
Front headroom
TBD
43.0 in.
40.9 in.
40.8 in.
Rear headroom
TBD
40.1 in.
39.8 in.
40.4 in.
Front legroom
TBD
44.5 in.
40.9 in.
43.9 in.
Rear legroom
TBD
43.4 in.
45.2 in.
43.6 in.
Front shoulder room
TBD
66.0 in.
66.0 in.
66.7 in.
Rear shoulder room
TBD
65.2 in.
65.7 in.
66.0 in.
Front hip room
TBD
61.2 in.
63.4 in.
62.5 in.
Rear hip room
TBD
60.2 in.
63.4 in.
62.6 in.
Off-road ability
If you’re going to take your truck off road — and you should — ground clearance and angles are paramount. I’ve excluded the Ford F-150 Raptor, Ram 1500 Rebel and TRX, Toyota Tundra TRD Pro and the Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss and ZR2 in these numbers, as they really are different trucks in both design and price. Instead, I’ve assumed a 4WD, crew-cab model with a short bed.
We don’t have any numbers for the Toyota or the Chevrolet yet, but we’ll be sure to update this chart when they come in. Though Ram touts its Rebel for serious off-roading, you can get air suspension on non-Rebel trucks, which results in excellent geometry and ground clearance. (Note: Fields with duplicate numbers indicate the specs with the air suspension.) Finally, even with just a standard steel suspension, the Ford holds its own here.
Full-size pickup truck off-road geometry
2022 Toyota Tundra
2022 Chevy Silverado
2022 Ram 1500
2021 Ford F-150
Turning radius
TBD
TBD
46.2 ft
47.8 ft
Approach angle
TBD
TBD
19.0, 23.0 deg
24.3 deg
Departure angle
TBD
TBD
24.9, 27.2 deg
25.3 deg
Breakover angle
TBD
TBD
19.5, 23.0 deg
20.0 deg
Ground clearance
TBD
TBD
8.3, 10.8 in.
9.4 in.
While it’s tough to make a recommendation without knowing all of the Toyota Tundra’s numbers, it looks like the new truck lines up nicely with the rest of the segment. However, there are a few key new features that can’t be shown in a chart, like Ford’s available Pro Power Onboard that functions as a generator for exportable power on the go, and the newly available Super Cruise hands-free driving assistant on the Silverado. Sure, the new Tundra has an upgraded infotainment system, but that’s small potatoes compared to the advanced features of the rest of the segment.