What is the real mpg on 2022 Tundra?

In this video Publisher Tim Esterdahl takes his new 2022 Tundra on a 100-mile MPG test to see what kind of fuel economy it can get in the real world. This is the same drive he takes all his review trucks on to see how they do. The results are shocking for this new 2022 Toyota Tundra fuel economy test, and you aren’t going to believe them.

A truck steeped in controversy

A lot of people are asking about the 2022 Tundra fuel economy, why it’s not much better than the previous year model, why the V-8 went away and how the new turbo engine is going to hold up. We get it. This is all-new. But it’s not all about the fuel economy. Truck makers are working really hard to meet new emissions standards.

The big thing to know here is getting rid of the V-8 and bringing on the V-6 was more about emissions than fuel economy. In fact, the reduction in emissions is 30% with this new truck. That’s a big deal.

2022 Toyota Tundra fuel economy

For this test, Esterdahl is driving his 4×4 truck in 2-wheel drive, and he’s not doing anything special. At the end of the drive the truck’s computer says 22.8 MPG. What will the hand-calculated numbers say?

Hybrid drivetrains have become relatively common in most vehicle classes, but if you wanted a new full-size pickup truck with a gas-electric drivetrain, you didn’t have any choices until recently. Now, however, Ford offers a hybrid drivetrain in its F-150, and Toyota debuted a hybrid powertrain in its redesigned 2022 Tundra.

Related: 2022 Toyota Tundra Capstone: The Nicest Toyota Pickup You Can Buy

The Rides

Combined EPA fuel economy for four-wheel-drive versions of the Tundra hybrid and F-150 hybrid is 20 and 24 mpg, respectively, but when we had the chance to test the Tundra’s top Capstone trim level, which comes exclusively with the hybrid drivetrain, we thought it would be interesting to see how the truck’s real-world gas mileage compares with our 2021 F-150 Limited hybrid, which Cars.com has owned since giving the truck our Best of 2021 award.

The F-150 hybrid and Tundra hybrid drivetrains share a number of design similarities. Both trucks are powered by twin-turbocharged V-6 engines that work with 10-speed automatic transmissions with an integrated electric motor between the engine and transmission. They do, however, take different approaches with their hybrid battery technology, with the F-150 hybrid having a 1.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery versus the Tundra hybrid’s 1.87-kWh nickel-metal-hydride battery. Even so, total system output is similar: The F-150 hybrid makes 430 horsepower and 570 pounds-feet of torque, while the Tundra hybrid is rated at 437 hp and 583 pounds-feet.

The Route

For this test, we drove both trucks on a 200-mile route through northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. The drive consisted of a mix of interstate highways, rural two-lane roads and suburban streets. We encountered some stop-and-go driving conditions during our trip, but traffic was moving most of the time, with the average speed for the entire trip coming in at 35 mph.

Looking at gas-pump-based fuel economy, the F-150 hybrid’s 25.5 mpg calculation was close to its trip-computer estimate, but the Tundra hybrid’s fuel economy jumped to 24.1 mpg. The F-150 used 7.75 gallons of gas, while the Tundra hybrid used 8.26 gallons.

More From Cars.com:

• 2022 Toyota Tundra Review: Better Where It Counts
• 2022 Toyota Tundra Limited: How Well Does It Tow?
• Ford F-150 Lightning Vs. F-150 Hybrid: What We Learned Towing and Hauling With an Electric Truck
• What It’s Like to Live With the 2021 Ford F-150 for a Year
• Research Pickup Trucks

F-150 Active Air Dam Damaged … Again

Our F-150’s active air dam was damaged early in our drive after coming into contact with some unavoidable highway debris. Normally, the air dam lowers at higher speeds to improve aerodynamic efficiency and retracts when you slow down, but when we reached our driver-change point, we noticed it was stuck in its lowered position. When we stopped for lunch and checked it again, the air dam had partially retracted, with the passenger-side portion still lowered and the driver’s side now up, leaving the air dam at an uneven angle. This is how it stayed for the remainder of the drive. This meant the F-150 wasn’t getting the full benefit of the air dam, which Ford says can improve aerodynamic efficiency by up to 4%, but it outperformed its EPA combined mpg estimate nonetheless.

The long-awaited third generation of the Toyota Tundra has finally arrived. Toyota is now manufacturing and selling 2022 Tundras. With actual trucks on the road, we are seeing the first real-world fuel economy, comfort, and reliability scores. The team at TFL Truck bought the first 2022 Tundra from Toyota’s Texas factory and road-tripped it to Colorado. Here’s what the reviewer found.

TFL Truck bought the first 2022 Toyota Tundra off the assembly line

RELATED: No Electric Toyota Tundra: Why Toyota’s Doubling Down on Internal Combustion

The Toyota fans at TFL Truck have been as excited as anyone about the third-generation Tundra. TFL Truck nabbed the first Toyota Tundra of 2022.

Toyota manufacturers the Tundra at its plant in San Antonio Texas. To land the first truck, TFL managing editor Andre Smirnov had to travel to the Toyota World dealership in Spring, Texas.

TFL Truck reports that the dealer sold the brand new truck with no hassle or markups. The 2022 Toyota Tundra starts at $37,645 But TFL Truck bought a 2022 Tundra Limited CrewMax cab with the TRD Off-Road package. It cost $57,105 total. As soon as Andre bought the Tundra, he began driving back to Colorado.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra fuel economy is at least 18.6 MPG

RELATED: Hybrid 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro vs. Fully-Electric 2022 Rivian Truck: Which Is The Most Capable Off-Road?

One of Toyota’s biggest changes to its 2022 Tundra was chucking the old naturally-aspirated V8 in favor of a twin-turbocharged V6. The resulting truck is a hair faster than a Ford Raptor! But many owners of second-generation Tundras are equally excited for the improved fuel economy.

By 2021, the only engine Toyota offered in its Tundra was the 5.7-liter V8. This outdated powerplant gave up both power and efficiency to the similarly sized 5.7-liter HEMI. Toyota also paired this engine with a six-speed automatic that lagged behind every other fullsize truck. The EPA rated the resulting 2WD Tundra at 13 city/17 highway MPG (15 combined) fuel economy. The 4WD version fell to 14 MPG combined.

With such low fuel efficiency numbers, Tundra owners were very excited to hear about a new powertrain. For this reason, Andre filled up his new Tundra in Wichita Falls, Texas. Then he went through 18 gallon of regular, 87 octane gas before calculating his MPG. Much of his trip was high-speed highway driving. According to his calculations, the brand-new Tundra delivered 18.6 MPG. TFL Truck actually thinks Tundra owners will find their own MPG much higher.

The EPA actually rated the 4WD 2022 Tundra at 17 city/22 highway MPG (19 combined). The 2WD version actually achieves 18 city/24 highway MPG (20 combined). TFL Truck pointed out that their Tundra was brand new. The V6 engine needed a few hundred, or thousand miles to “break in” before delivering peak fuel efficiency.

The new 2022 Toyota Tundra proved comfortable for a road trip

RELATED: This Toyota Tundra Was the World’s Fastest Truck for Over a Decade

Andre found the brand new 2022 Toyota Tundra Limited to be reliable, comfortable, and safe. He had no mechanical issues with the truck. In addition, he found the headlights “fantastic.” He has pointed out that the headlights on his own Ford F-150 are weak. The Tundra, however, had good beams.

In addition, Andre found both the steering and suspension “dialed in.” The truck felt stable and safe at highway speeds. He did find the seat was a bit low and uncomfortable for a guy his size (6’2″). That said, he pointed out that the seat back was very supportive. You can see video of this first 2022 Tundra road trip below.

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