2027 Toyota Tundra Expert Review
Reviewed by Bob Hernandez
The 2027 Toyota Tundra is easiest to understand as a continuation of Toyota’s current full-size truck strategy: bold styling, strong turbo V-6 power, and everyday usability wrapped in a more modern package than the old truck.
For 2027, the Tundra receives a new face and an overlanding Trailhunter variant as part of a very light refresh. Full-size truck competitors include the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Nissan Titan.
What’s New
Toyota gives the third-generation Tundra its first refresh since the current version of the full-size truck arrived for the 2022 model year, albeit a very minor one. In addition to a new front fascia and a smattering of new features, the off-road Trailhunter package based on the SR5 grade joins the 2027 Toyota Tundra’s trim lineup.
Basics
- Trailhunter package with off-road upgrades
- Updated Digital key functionality
- Available 2.4 kW inverter for i-Force Max models
- Toyota Safety Sense 4.0
Exterior
- Revised front fascia with new grille
- Brighter-output grille-mounted LED light bar
- Available Rigid fog lights
- Available front recovery hooks
Interior
- A standard 14.0-inch infotainment display with the latest Toyota Audio Multimedia tech
- Standard Drive Recorder cash camera
What We Think
The 2027 Tundra remains a strong, spacious full-size pickup, and our First Drive confirms Toyota’s mild refresh brings more substance than its subtle styling changes suggest.
Its twin-turbo V-6 engines continue to provide plenty of low-end muscle, the cabin is roomy and modern, and the newly standard 14.0-inch infotainment screen and Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 give the truck a welcome technology upgrade.
The bigger news is the new Trailhunter package, which impressed us off-road. Even without the available hybrid powertrain, the Tundra had no trouble crawling up steep terrain or carrying speed along loose dirt, and its factory combination of all-terrain tires, underbody protection, Old Man Emu suspension components, recovery hooks, and a locking rear differential gives buyers serious capability right off the showroom floor.
In fact, we’d choose the Trailhunter over the pricier TRD Pro. The TRD Pro’s updated Fox dampers work well, and its hybrid powertrain delivers excellent low-end power, but the Trailhunter packages substantial off-road ability onto the more affordable SR5 grade.
Neither version completely escapes the Tundra’s weaknesses. Its considerable size and weight make it cumbersome in tight spaces, and rough terrain can send sharp impacts and plenty of head toss into the cabin.
The Tundra still isn’t the segment’s benchmark for ride quality, maneuverability, towing, or outright off-road athleticism. But the Trailhunter gives the 2027 lineup a more convincing reason to consider Toyota—especially for buyers who want genuine factory off-road capability without stepping all the way up to the TRD Pro.
Top-Ranked Competitors:
MotorTrend Tested
Both of the Tundra’s powertrains return for 2027. Lower trims continue to come standard with a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 offered in two states of tune: 348 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque in entry-level models, and 389 hp and 479 lb-ft in trims farther up the lineup.
In MotorTrend testing, a Tundra with the higher-output version reached 60 mph in as little as 6.1 seconds. We estimate the base tune would need closer to 6.5 seconds.
Maximum output comes from the i-Force Max hybrid setup, which pairs the twin-turbo V-6 with an electric motor and battery pack for a combined 437 hp and 583 lb-ft. In MotorTrend testing, an i-Force Max-equipped TRD Pro hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds.
By comparison, the Ford F-150 is available with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 hybrid powertrain making up to 430 hp and 570 lb-ft. It narrowly beats the Tundra Hybrid, reaching 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds.
MPGs and Range
Expect fuel economy and driving range to change little for 2027. Gas-only Tundras should continue to return up to 18/23 mpg with RWD and 17/22 mpg with 4WD, while hybrids should again check in around 20/24 mpg with RWD and 19/22 mpg with 4WD. The TRD Pro hybrid would likely remain the outlier, at roughly 18/20 mpg.
Range should stay strongest in hybrid RWD form, at an estimated 708 miles, versus as much as 644 miles for gas RWD models.
By comparison, the Ford F-150 Hybrid is rated at 22/24 mpg with standard 4WD and can travel up to 704 miles on a tank, giving it a likely efficiency advantage over Toyota’s full-size pickup.
Safety Ratings and Features
CrewMax versions of the Tundra earned an IIHS 2026 Top Safety Pick award, but extended-cab Double Cab models missed out on a top designation. Gas-powered crew-cab models are the only Tundras with NHTSA ratings, earning a five-star overall score. We expect the 2027 Tundra’s safety ratings to remain largely unchanged.
Toyota packages several standard driver assist features with every Tundra, including:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane keeping
- Lane centering
- Automatic emergency braking
- Road sign recognition
- Automatic high-beams
Standard Features
Toyota upgrades the Tundra’s suite of active safety technology for the 2027 model year. The Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 system replaces version 2.5 with hardware and detection capabilities.
Standard features include forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assistance, automatic high beams, lane tracing assistance, road sign assistance, and Toyota’s Proactive Driving Assistance.
Payload and Towing
The 2027 Tundra should remain competitive on paper, with max towing and payload expected to stay around 12,000 and 1,850 pounds. Even so, the Ford F-150 Hybrid stays close at up to 11,600 pounds and 1,750 pounds, and the broader non-hybrid F-150 lineup still stretches farther with maximum ratings of 13,500 pounds of towing and 2,440 pounds of payload.
Technology
Infotainment
Lower-level versions of the 2027 Toyota Tundra get a major upgrade in the form of a standard 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, a 4.2-inch driver display remains standard on more basic trims, while higher trims continue to receive a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and can be had with a 10.0-inch head-up display.
Depending on trim, the truck offers three to five USB ports, and upper trims also get a wireless phone charger.
Sound System
Crew cab models are standard with nine speakers, but double cab variants get just six. An available JBL system comes with 12 speakers.
Available Upgrades
Available upgrades continue to center on capability. For towing and work use, the most valuable options are likely to remain power-extending tow mirrors, Toyota’s trailer assist tech, the integrated trailer brake controller, and bed-focused extras such as the deck rail system, bed camera, and power tailgate. There’s also a 2.4-kW inverter for i-Force Max models to supply power to a jobsite or campground.
Off-road buyers will want the TRD Off-Road package, the TRD Pro or the new Trailhunter package. These models bring features such as Crawl Control, Multi-Terrain Select, a locking rear differential, upgraded camera views, and TRD Pro–specific suspension and tire hardware.
Value
The base Tundra should still deliver fair value in 2027, pairing a strong standard twin-turbo V-6 with a modern interior and useful tech. The catch is that its value comes more from overall competence than class-leading specs, since rivals can still beat it in areas like towing, payload, and fuel economy.
Go Off the Beaten Path with the Trailhunter Package
New for 2027 is the Toyota Tundra’s Trailhunter package, which equips the full-size pickup truck with an arsenal of off-road gear. The package builds on the SR5 trim with Michelin LTX Trail 265/70R18 tires, upgraded Old Man Emu suspension from ARB 4x4 accessories, front recovery hooks, and additional underbody armor.
It also outfits bronze wheels and Trailhunter badging. Off-road tech includes Multi-Terrain Select Crawl Control, and a locking rear differential. Pricing has yet to be announced, but expect the Trailhunter package to improve the Tundra’s off-road capability without bringing the pricing in the same territory as the TRD Pro.
Toyota Ready to Drop the (TRD) Hammer?
The expected Tundra TRD Hammer is essentially a more extreme off-road flagship positioned above the current TRD Pro. Reporting points to a truck with long-travel suspension, 37-inch all-terrain tires, wider fenders, high-clearance bumpers, and a more aggressive desert-runner stance, broadly in the mold of a Ford F-150 Raptor.
It also appears likely to use Toyota’s 3.4-liter i-Force Max hybrid V-6, since the Mint 400 “H111” engineering truck highlighted in our story ran that powertrain along with 37s and other hardcore off-road hardware. We’re expecting something heavily influenced by the 2021 TRD Desert Chase concept—a wider, tougher, faster Tundra aimed at serious off-road performance rather than just looks.
