Is it time for Toyota to make a debut in the big league? The heavy-duty class is reserved for American manufacturers, for now. The Japanese truckmaker already leads a few segments in the automotive industry, so Ford, GM and Ram are worried for a reason. The 2025 Toyota Tundra HD is still a far-fetched story, but it is nice to hear even rumors about such an upgrade.
Toyota recently updated the half-ton Tundra. The new generation is already drawing a lot of attention, especially with a hybrid configuration. The 2025 Toyota Tundra HD needs to be bigger, tougher, and more powerful. To do so, the Japanese manufacturer will have to bring back a V8 engine to the lineup. And to be competitive with Big Three US truckmakers, diesel is a must.
This is a huge thing. Development requires a lot of time and funds. Production needs manpower and facilities. Toyota will have to invest heavily. On the other hand, the profit generates fast, since there are no too many rivals. But, it will be hard to catch up with American truckmakers.
2025 Toyota Tundra HD Powertrain
Standard Tundra is not such a great starting point, since it is getting power from a V6. It is potent, but truckers won’t take Toyota seriously if the company tries to sneak in with a small engine in the heavy-duty class. it is like a rule – a HD needs V8. The turbo-V6 is producing 410 hp, or 440 with a hybrid system. Again, this is something the heavy-duty segment is not using yet. Ford, Chevy and Ram are using engines with 400-450 hp. So, I Force setup fits in, even with two cylinders fewer.
The return of a 5.7-liter V8 is one of the options. The 2025 Toyota Tundra HD can count on 380 hp and 400 lb-ft if engineers bring it back without updates. This won’t be an impressive output, but more important – the Japanese company would debut in the heavy-duty truck segment. An enhanced version of a V8 mill can do better.
The I Force Max is a hybrid system with 580 pound-feet. It is not at the same level with diesel plants on other HD trucks, but for the petrol segment, this is the best output. This is more than Ford’s 7.3-liter V8 can do (480 hp). Still, a hybrid setup won’t make the truck competitive when it comes to towing. Series 2 trucks haul around 20,000 pounds. Regular Tundra with the I Force Max offers 11,450 pounds, which is less than the standard gasoline engine can do.
Other Heavy-Duty Trucks
This segment is quite popular when it comes to working. Interesting, the 2025 Toyota Tundra HD is not the first heavy-duty truck by a Japanese company. Nissan is producing Titan XD, but it is considered as something between full-size and HD classes. The true heavy-duty models are produced by Big Three US truckmakers. Ford offers F-250, F-350 and F-450; Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 are series 2 and 3 models; and General Motors has the same lineup for Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. So, the competition is not so large, but those few trucks are dominating the market.
2025 Toyota Tundra HD Dually
It will be also interesting if Toyota is going to offer a dual-rear-wheel drive. Dually trucks are popular. Such configurations are required if you want to maximize the towing capacity. Nevertheless, the 2025 Toyota Tundra HD dually is an ultimate upgrade. First, we would like to see the heavy-duty model first.
Release Date
The rumors about the 2025 Toyota Tundra HD are without an official foundation. Fans think the Japanese company is ready to compete in this world. But that is not enough. Sales of the Tundra are not at the same level with Ram, Ford and Chevy. The HD truck market is even tougher to break into. If it happens, that won’t happen in the first half of 2024. The price should be competitive, and one of the things truckers are hoping for is Toyota’s reliability.