2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Performance, Review, Dimensions – Every once in a while, fantastic chances present themselves, and you should seize them. This was the situation with not one, but two 2026 Toyota Tundras. Toyota Canada required two of these new trucks in Whitehorse, Yukon, to bring back to the Toronto headquarters after an expedition to Tuktoyuktuk, N.W.T.
Shipping them via flatbed was an option, but one that would’ve cost the company $5,000 per truck, so when Toyota offered to fly me – along with friend and fellow auto writer Derek McNaughton – north to pick the trucks and drive them home, we jumped at the chance. It was a rare opportunity for an epic road trip through a good chunk of Canada’s spectacular Northern Rockies, made better by the fact that one of the two trucks was a 2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro sporting its new hybrid powertrain. 2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Performance
2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Redesign and Update Plan
Exterior and Interior
While ride comfort is rarely impressive for any machine meant to work as hard as a pick-up truck can do, off-road suspensions usually offer some pleasant cushiness on-road (at the expense of handling precision). The TRD Pro is stiffer than expected, but still not harsh. What’s more, the Tundra’s seats are quite good, and while AutoTrader Road Test Editor Dan Ilika found some discomfort after a few hours in the saddle during his recent test, both Derek and I remarked at how good we both felt even after a few 12-hour drive days.
The TRD Pro also gets a set of adjustable tie-down cleats, and a clever release for the damped tailgate hidden in the driver’s side taillight, but no cut-out in the bumper or clever pop-out step to help climb into the box that most of the competitors trucks have. Based on the Limited trim, the TRD Pro is already a well-equipped machine with plenty of creature comforts like a heated steering wheel, plus a giant sunroof.
Both the TRD Off Road and TRD Pro trucks get surround-view camera systems that can be useful for off-road crawling when a spotter’s not available. Engine, fuel tank, and transfer case armour, hill descent and crawl control, and a locking rear differential are added, too. The TRD Pro gets gnarly Fox shocks and a special front stabilizer bar in addition to its styling upgrades.
2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Specs
Engine and Performance
As I began my first day of driving, I studied up on the Tundra SR5, a crew cab version with a longer 6-foot-5 box. Although it was hopelessly thirsty, the previous-generation Tundra’s massive, old-school V8 engine was sturdy and full of vocal character, and I’ve long admired Toyota for that. Although I was somewhat disappointed by the new truck’s twin-turbocharged V6’s inherently greater efficiency, I soon got over my disappointment the moment I slammed on the accelerator and the Tundra sprung forward from a stop with command.
There is no discernible difference in acceleration from a standstill up to around 100 km/h on the hybrid truck, which has to contend with more than 235 kg (518 lb) of additional mass—including the 57-kg (126 lb) battery pack. The hybrid truck’s superior mid- and upper-range power becomes readily apparent as it reaches speed, particularly when navigating slower traffic, in comparison to the non-hybrid vehicle. Even though some of the music is digitally created, the V6 in both trucks sounds powerful under hard booting, and there is even a hint of turbo whistle. Perhaps there’s no reason to feel sorry for the V8 after all.
It is absolutely amazing that the Tundra has a new 10-speed automatic gearbox. You wouldn’t think a gearbox with that many gears would never stop trying to find the sweet spot, but that’s not the case here. When a request comes in for rapid acceleration, the Tundra never appears taken unawares, and shifts are not just smooth and fluid but also swift and decisive. The large Toyota feels incredibly responsive at any speed thanks to this gearbox and the powerful engine.
2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Fuel Economy
Most folks (fairly) associate the word hybrid with improved fuel efficiency above all else – especially when Toyota’s involved. In the case of the gas-electric offering in this truck, the i-Force Max moniker doesn’t hint to any sort of economy, but rather suggests abundant power – and that’s just what this system delivers.
The government rates the TRD Pro at 12.9 L/100 km in the city, 11.6 on the highway, and 12.3 combined, which puts it a little more than a half-litre better around town but a full litre worse on the highway than the non-hybrid truck we also had with us. The official combined figures are virtually identical between the two.
Over the course of our journey – with several fuel stops and more than 5,500 km covered – the Tundra TRD Pro was consistently less efficient than the non-hybrid SR5 trim by 2.0 L/100 km during the earlier part of the trip (when we were travelling at higher speeds), and by roughly 1.0 L/100 km on the latter half in more congested areas. 2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Performance
2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Safety Features
The Tundra is well-equipped with active and passive safety measures, according to Toyota. All models come with automatic high-beam control for LED headlights, but the TRD Pro has better adaptive lighting. Additionally, there are systems that can detect and prevent frontal and rear-end collisions, as well as cross-traffic alerts and blind-spot monitoring.
As is typical for any contemporary vehicle, the adaptive cruise control and front collision warning systems were disabled during a few of mountain squalls due to the sensor becoming covered in snow. Worrying as the warning message regarding the trailer I wasn’t towing was, it’s possible that any programming flaws were still being worked out in the pre-production units. Holding the button down for a few seconds will disable the lane-departure intervention, giving the driver complete control, even when set to the less severe of the two modes.
2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Price and Release Date
I n an age when full-size pick-ups can routinely crest the six-figure barrier, a Tundra fitted with forged wheels, high-end shocks, and all the exterior and interior features of this TRD Pro seems like a pretty good value at $80,000. Those looking for even more luxury can opt for the new range-topping Capstone edition. But with the TRD Off Road package ringing in $11,000 less than the TRD Pro, it forces the buyer to evaluate just how much the TRD Pro’s appearance and fancy shocks are really worth. 2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Performance