2023 Toyota Tundra

For 2023 the volume SR5 grade gets the full 389-hp tune of the 3.4L twin-turbo V6; only the base SR is detuned to 348 hp, and the i-FORCE MAX hybrid (standard on TRD Pro/Capstone) tops the range at 437 hp.

The SR5's i-FORCE V6 makes 479 lb-ft at just 2,400 rpm, more than the Silverado's 5.3L V8; the hybrid's 583 lb-ft is among the strongest gas figures in the half-ton class.

Multiple instrumented tests of the 389-hp i-FORCE CrewMax cluster tightly at 6.1–6.2 s, quick for a half-ton but behind the hybrid and the F-150's 3.5L EcoBoost/PowerBoost.

The twin-turbo V6 pulls strongly from low revs and is broadly smooth, but reviewers flag a coarse, synthetic-sounding note under load and some off-idle lag; the hybrid's gas-electric handoffs draw more criticism than Ford's PowerBoost.

The 10-speed automatic shifts smoothly and holds sensible gears when towing, but is noted as slow to kick down at part throttle and occasionally busy in traffic.

A properly equipped 2023 Tundra tows up to 12,000 lbs — strong, but short of the F-150 (14,000 lbs) and Silverado (13,300 lbs) class leaders.

Max payload of 1,940 lbs is the Tundra's clearest capability weakness, several hundred pounds behind the F-150 and Silverado.

Standard tow package with integrated trailer brake controller and Tow/Haul modes, plus available Trailer Backup Guidance with Straight Path Assist, Panoramic View Monitor and trailer blind-spot coverage — but no onboard scales or Ford-style hitch automation.

Part-time 4WD with a two-speed transfer case is available across the grade walk and standard on TRD Pro and Capstone; TRD Off-Road adds an electronic locking rear diff, Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control.

The TRD Pro is a genuine factory off-roader — FOX internal-bypass shocks, skid plate, locking rear diff, Crawl Control — and TRD Off-Road spreads much of that down the range, though it stops short of Raptor/ZR2-class desert hardware.

Two distinct powertrains — the i-FORCE twin-turbo V6 in two tunes and the i-FORCE MAX hybrid — with an electrified option, but no V8, diesel or EV.

EPA combined rating for the volume i-FORCE 4x4 configuration; the gas class is scored, and the hybrid only reaches 20 MPG combined in 4x4 form.

EPA city figure for the volume i-FORCE 4x4 — the turbo V6 is thirsty around town for a downsized engine.

EPA highway rating for the volume 4x4 configuration; some 4x4 configurations rate 23 MPG.

The volume CrewMax short-bed carries a 22.5-gallon tank, yielding roughly 428 miles at 19 MPG — short for a full-size truck; the 32.2-gallon tank on longer beds lifts range past 600 miles.

fueleconomy.gov's annual fuel cost estimate for the volume 19-MPG configuration at 15,000 mi/yr on regular unleaded.

Every 2023 Tundra powertrain, including TRD Pro and Capstone hybrids, runs on regular unleaded; held just below top marks for lacking flex-fuel or diesel alternatives.

The volume 2023 Tundra CrewMax 4WD earned a 5-star NHTSA overall rating with 5-star frontal and side results and a 4-star rollover rating. The 2WD CrewMax carries 5-star frontal and side results but no overall rating because its rollover was not rated.

The 2023 Tundra CrewMax and Double Cab both earned the 2023 IIHS Top Safety Pick+. That year's tougher criteria required a Good result in the updated side test, which the Tundra passed. Every other crashworthiness test was also Good. The one blemish is a Poor rating in the later updated moderate-overlap test for rear-passenger protection, which was not part of the 2023 award criteria.

Every 2023 trim, starting with the base SR, comes with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5. That covers AEB with pedestrian detection, full-speed adaptive cruise, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing, and automatic high beams. Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is also standard on every trim, so all five benchmark features need no package.

IIHS rated the standard Pre-Collision System Superior in both its vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime pedestrian tests, with no impact in any scenario. Nighttime pedestrian detection rated Advanced, which is a step below Superior.

Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is standard on every trim, and Trailer Merge Warning extends coverage along a hitched trailer, which matters on a tow rig. The system only alerts: it does not brake or steer to prevent a lane-change or cross-traffic collision.

Lane Tracing Assist gives every trim continuous lane centering, which beats the warn-and-nudge systems standard on base domestic rivals. Reviewers call it usable but say it can wander in a vehicle this wide.

Every trim gets standard full-speed adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, paired with Lane Tracing Assist, so even a base work truck has a competent highway assist. Reviewers note rough edges: it keeps conservative gaps and can brake abruptly.

The 2023 Tundra offers no hands-free driving at any trim: Lane Tracing Assist requires hands on the wheel. Meanwhile Super Cruise was available on the Silverado and BlueCruise on the F-150 for the 2023 model year.

LED headlights with automatic high beams are standard. The volume SR/SR5/Limited trims use LED reflector units that IIHS rates Acceptable; only the upper trims' LED projectors rate Good.

Sightlines are typical of a full-size pickup: the tall hood and high beltline create a large forward blind zone, and the A-pillars are thick. The Panoramic View Monitor compensates, but it is limited to upper trims and packages.

The CrewMax cab is roomy for car seats, with tall rear doors and a flat floor. IIHS rates LATCH ease of use only Acceptable, though: just two seating positions have the full anchor hardware, and the lower anchors sit deep in the seat.

The volume 2023 SR5 CrewMax seats five with front buckets. The SR and SR5 offer a 40/20/40 front bench that raises capacity to six.

Front headroom is mid-pack for a full-size truck, slightly ahead of the F-150's 40.8 in.

Front legroom is the Tundra's clearest packaging weakness. At 41.2 in it trails the F-150 (43.9 in) and Silverado (44.5 in) by a wide margin and sits barely above the segment floor.

CrewMax second-row headroom is low for the class. The sloping cab roofline gives up nearly two inches to the F-150 SuperCrew's 40.4 in.

CrewMax rear legroom is genuinely generous and a core strength of the truck, though it still trails the F-150 SuperCrew (43.6 in). The Double Cab is far tighter.

The volume CrewMax ships with the 5.5-ft bed, the shortest box in the full-size class; even the F-150 SuperCrew's short bed is 67.1 in. Buyers who need length must step up to the 6.5-ft CrewMax or the Double Cab's 8.1-ft bed.

Toyota does not prominently publish a cargo-box volume, and the figure found comes from a secondary bed-dimension guide only. The bed's 22.2-in depth helps make up for its short floor, but the result stays mid-pack for the class.

Storage is competitive but not class-leading. The cab has a large center console, flip-up rear cushions over a lockable under-seat tray and seatback bins. The composite bed adds an integrated deck-rail tie-down system. Bed power is limited to a 400 W outlet, which gives it no answer to Ford's Pro Power Onboard or Ram's RamBox bins.

The roomy CrewMax rear bench, with its reclining seatback, is a standout. The front seats are broad and comfortable. However, the class-trailing front legroom and high hip point blunt long-haul comfort for taller drivers.

The multi-link coil-sprung rear axle is a structural advantage over the leaf-sprung F-150 and Silverado, and rear air suspension is available on upper trims. Even so, the unladen ride on volume trims is firm and a little busy over broken pavement, short of the Ram 1500.

Wind and road noise are well suppressed at highway speed. The 3.4L twin-turbo V6, however, sounds coarse and gruff under acceleration, a recurring criticism against V8 rivals.

Dual-zone automatic climate control comes on mid trims. Heated and ventilated front seats and a heated wheel are standard from Limited up, and heated/ventilated rear seats and a panoramic roof come on the 1794 Edition and Capstone. The base SR is sparse, and there are no massaging seats.

The second year of the XK70 generation opens with a Double Cab SR at roughly the full-size class median, a little above an F-150 XL regular cab but with a bigger cab as the entry body.

The SR5 CrewMax 4x4 is the volume Tundra; with typical convenience/TRD Off-Road packaging it transacts in the low-$50,000s, comparable to an F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4x4 and below a Silverado LT.

Toyota's low service costs and two years of included maintenance keep the Tundra cheaper to maintain than the domestic half-tons; estimate set above CarEdge's figure to allow for full-size tires/fluids and the V35A engine-debris recall exposure on early XK70 trucks.

Tundra resale is class-leading among full-size pickups, ahead of F-150 (~62%) and Silverado (~57%); trimmed slightly from CarEdge's projection given the 2022–2023 V35A engine recall overhang on this model year.

Industry-floor basic coverage, matching Ford, GM and Ram half-tons.

Standard 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain term on the scored gas i-FORCE twin-turbo V6, same as domestic rivals.

ToyotaCare's two years of no-cost scheduled maintenance plus unlimited-mileage roadside assistance beats the roadside-only coverage on Ford, GM and Ram half-tons, though 2 yr / 25,000 mi is a short included-service window.

$52,500 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (70% retained, or about $36,750) leaves about $15,750 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $20,250 in total.

The 2023 Tundra is the second model year of the third-generation (XK70) truck and falls squarely inside the launch window that predicted-reliability panels marked down: Consumer Reports rates it less reliable than the average 2023 vehicle and dropped its recommendation, while J.D. Power calls it only average. That is a clear outlier for a Toyota nameplate and lands at the bottom of the mixed-signals band.

Toyota is the industry benchmark at brand level — consistently top-two or top-three in Consumer Reports brand reliability rankings and in the upper group of J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study, and it reclaimed CR's top brand spot in late 2025 despite the Tundra engine campaign. Brand-level input is scored identically across Toyota nameplates.

The 2023 model year is directly covered by a systemic, repeated powertrain campaign: machining debris left in the V35A-FTS twin-turbo V6 can cause main-bearing failure and engine seizure, remedied by full engine replacement. The original campaign was expanded in 2025 and again in 2026 after Toyota found its revised debris controls insufficient, and the 2023 truck carries roughly a dozen NHTSA recalls overall — firmly the 'major or repeated powertrain recall' band.

The 3.4L V35A-FTS twin-turbo V6 replaced the famously durable 5.7L 3UR-FE V8 and in its 2022–2023 builds has a documented bearing-failure problem severe enough to require wholesale engine replacement; some mechanics argue the issue is partly design rather than purely contamination. A 2023 truck sits in the affected population, which places this in the known-problem band despite the Aisin 10-speed carrying no comparable systemic fault.

The XK70 cabin was a major step up from the second-generation truck, with a modern dashboard, an 8-inch standard / 14-inch optional touchscreen and solid switchgear, but hard plastics dominate the door panels and lower console on volume SR5 trims. Reviewers place it behind the Ram 1500 and upper-trim F-150 for richness at the price.

Built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas in San Antonio, the truck feels structurally solid with consistent panel gaps, but launch-era builds drew scattered rattle, wind-noise and interior-trim complaints, and J.D. Power's quality rating for 2023 is only average.

Toyota's roughly 1,200 US franchised dealers form one of the densest service networks in the country, important for rural truck owners. Service satisfaction is generally above average, trimmed slightly because the engine-replacement campaign produced long waits for parts and loaner trucks at many stores.

Routine maintenance is inexpensive and Toyota's parts distribution is strong, but the Tundra's aftermarket is thinner than the F-150's and Silverado's, and twin-turbo components cost more than the old V8's. Replacement engines for the recall have been supply-constrained, a sign of strain for the most expensive part on the truck.

The volume SR5 ships with the 8.0-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia screen. The 14.0-inch unit is optional on the SR5 and standard only from Limited up. The volume trim's standard unit sits at the floor of the truck band, despite one of the class's largest screens being available higher up.

The 2022 Tundra debuted Toyota Audio Multimedia, which is quick to respond, has shallow menus and keeps physical HVAC, volume and drive-mode controls. The app catalog is thin, some functions sit behind Connected Services subscriptions, and the base 8-inch unit looks small in the wide dash.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come on both the 8-inch and 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia units with no package required. The score is held below the ceiling because wireless phone charging is not standard on volume trims.

The cloud-backed 'Hey Toyota' assistant handles natural phrasing well. Native cloud navigation needs a Drive Connect subscription after the trial, though, so most owners fall back to phone maps.

The available 12-speaker JBL Premium system with subwoofer is a strong showing for a full-size truck and is standard on upper trims. The base SR/SR5 system is merely adequate.

The SR and SR5 keep analog gauges around a small multi-information display. The 12.3-inch fully digital cluster is reserved for Limited and above.

Toyota Audio Multimedia receives over-the-air head-unit and map updates. There is no whole-vehicle, feature-adding OTA program, and in 2023 Toyota had pushed very few updates.

The Toyota app covers remote start and climate, lock/unlock, vehicle finder and guest-driver limits, and Digital Key is available. Remote Connect lapses to a paid plan once the trial ends.

USB-C ports serve both rows, with Qi wireless charging on mid and upper trims, a cabin 120V outlet and an available 400 W bed outlet. Ford's multi-kilowatt Pro Power Onboard sets the bar the Tundra misses.

Smart Key with push-button start is standard from SR5, and Digital Key phone-as-key is available on upper trims. The base SR uses a conventional key.

A backup camera is standard. Front and rear parking sensors and the Panoramic View Monitor are available on mid trims and standard on upper ones, and trailer backup guidance with Straight Path Assist helps with towing. GM's camera suites remain the benchmark.

A 10-inch color HUD is offered on upper trims and is standard on the Capstone, but it never reaches the volume SR5.

The volume CrewMax has generous rear legroom, big rear doors and a flat floor, and its 60/40 rear cushions flip up for in-cabin gear. A high step-in without running boards and only Acceptable IIHS LATCH ease of use keep it short of the benchmark.

The 2023 Tundra earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and a 5-star NHTSA overall rating (CrewMax 4WD). Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 plus blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is standard on every trim. The rear-seat rating in the later updated moderate-overlap test was Poor.

CrewMax rear passengers get generous legroom, a reclining seatback, rear vents and USB-C, and the coil-sprung rear rides better than leaf-sprung rivals. Luggage still lives in an open bed unless an accessory cover is fitted.

Light steering, a smooth 10-speed and the coil rear make it civil for a full-size truck. Turbo lag in stop-and-go traffic and a firm ride on non-air-suspension trims hold it back, along with its sheer size.

Fuel economy in the high teens makes it an expensive commuter, though it runs on regular unleaded.

The CrewMax 5.5-ft bed is roughly 233 in long on a 145.7-in wheelbase, with a 48.6-ft turning diameter and a tall hood. The surround-view camera that makes tight parking tolerable is not standard on the volume SR5.

It tows up to 12,000 lbs with good tow tech, but payload tops out at 1,940 lbs, well below the domestics. Toyota also has no HD sibling for buyers who outgrow a half-ton.

A fully boxed frame, a composite bed and Toyota's service network argue for toughness. However, 2022–2023 trucks are covered by the V35A twin-turbo V6 engine-replacement recall over machining debris, which dents the third generation's durability reputation.

The deck-rail cleat system, LED bed lighting and a dent-proof composite bed cover the basics. Onboard power stops at 400 W, and Toyota's fleet and upfit ecosystem is thinner than Ford's or GM's.

A comfortable CrewMax, a coil-sprung rear and standard full-speed adaptive cruise with lane tracing make it a good mile-eater, and the optional 32.2-gal tank pushes range past 600 miles. It has no hands-free driving system.

Part-time 4WD is available on every grade, and the TRD Off-Road package adds a locking rear diff, Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control. The TRD Pro adds FOX internal-bypass shocks. Full-size width limits tight trails.

There are three bed lengths, plus deck-rail cleats and flip-up rear seats over under-seat storage. It lacks lockable in-bed storage and a multifunction tailgate.

The boxed TNGA-F frame and multi-link coil rear axle give better rear-axle composure than the leaf-sprung Silverado. It is still a heavy, tall half-ton that leans early, so it feels secure rather than agile.

The electric rack is accurate enough but light and numb on-center, with slow gearing that makes for lots of winding in tight spots. Reviewers repeat this criticism across the generation.

Stopping power is adequate for the class, but the pedal is long and soft with vague initial bite. The volume gas i-FORCE avoids the hybrid's brake-blending complaints.

The 389-hp twin-turbo V6 delivers strong midrange thrust (479 lb-ft at 2,400 rpm), and the 10-speed is generally unobtrusive. Off-idle turbo lag and slow part-throttle kickdowns keep it behind the Ram's eTorque V8.

The V6 sounds coarse and synthetically augmented under load, the most repeated refinement complaint against this generation. Cruising noise and vibration are well managed.

A 48.6-ft turning diameter is typical-to-wide for a short-bed full-size crew cab and makes tight parking structures a chore. The 2026 record of this generation lists 44.2 ft from an unverified source; the 2023 published figure is used here.

Big physical climate and volume knobs, commanding sightlines and glove-friendly switchgear are strengths. The class-trailing 41.2 in of front legroom leaves tall drivers knees-up.

The volume i-FORCE V6 is genuinely quick (about 6.1 s to 60 mph), and the TRD Pro is a credible off-roader. However, numb steering and the loss of the old V8's character blunt its appeal, and there is no Raptor-style halo.

Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 (AEB with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise, lane-keep) is standard on every 2023 Tundra, along with an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto and the twin-turbo V6 — more standard driver-assist content than a base F-150 XL or Silverado WT of the same year. The SR is still a sparse work-grade cabin and Toyota packages desirable content on the SR5, so it is competitive rather than generous.

Pricing tracks the F-150 and Silverado closely, standard 389-hp twin-turbo V6 and coil rear suspension are strong content, and class-leading resale returns real dollars at trade-in. Capability per dollar is held back by payload and max tow that trail F-150, and 2023's tight inventory meant many buyers paid at or above sticker.

Seven trims from SR to Capstone (Capstone new for 2022), two cabs (Double Cab, CrewMax), three bed lengths, 4x2/4x4 and gas or i-FORCE MAX hybrid give retail buyers solid choice, plus the new SX appearance package for 2023. No regular cab, no V8, no diesel and no true fleet trim keep it well short of the Silverado/F-150 breadth.

Sales rebounded strongly in 2023 as the new generation's supply recovered, up about 20% to roughly 125,000 units — a healthy rising trajectory, but still the smallest volume among the mainstream full-size half-tons, far behind F-Series, Silverado and Ram.

Toyota's durability reputation and owner loyalty underpin top-tier resale and a buyer base that pays near sticker. Slightly marked down because the 2022–2023 trucks are the ones covered by the V35A engine machining-debris recall, which dented this model year's reliability image specifically.

In the 2023 model year inventories were tight and Toyota ran minimal incentives on the new-generation Tundra; many dealers charged market adjustments, so buyers had little room to negotiate compared with the cash-on-the-hood Ram and GM truck programs.

2023 is only the second model year of the all-new XK70 generation (TNGA-F body-on-frame platform, twin-turbo V6, available hybrid, 14-inch screen), making it the newest full-size truck architecture on sale and with years of runway before any redesign.

The redesigned Tundra was well received for its powertrains, tech and TRD Pro capability, and was a finalist for major truck awards, but it did not win NACTOY or MotorTrend Truck of the Year and generally placed behind the Ram 1500 and F-150 in comparison tests, with criticism of real-world fuel economy and payload.