2022 Toyota Tundra Has Simple Tailgate Because Customers Want It

The next-gen Tacoma might have a similar appearance as the 2022 Tundra.

By: Chris Bruce

Sep 22, 2021 at 9:56am ET

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The 2022 Toyota Tundra arrived giving the truck a much-needed new generation after the previous iteration sticking around since the 2007 model year with only a few upgrades along the way. Designing a replacement was a major undertaking for the team at Toyota's Calty Design Research center. Calty President Kevin Hunter offered some insights to TheDetroitBureau.com.

For example, Hunter explains why the Tundra doesn't have a multifunction tailgate, like the various versions on the Chevrolet Silverado or Ram trucks. "Mainly, it’s because our customers use our trucks for hauling simple things like bikes and ATVs. We’re going after a recreation market, not a work market," he said.

Gallery: 2022 Toyota Tundra

This explanation isn't perfect, though. There's no reason that there couldn't be a multifunction tailgate with features specifically making hauling recreational equipment easier.

Hunter also provided some details about why the new Tundra looks the way it does. The design team wanted to make the truck look tougher because "nobody wants a wimpy truck on the boat ramp or hauling their camper into a camp. You want to look solid, strong and capable and that’s part of the whole attitude of driving a truck," he said.

On the inside, the design team consciously tried to make the covers for the air vents have a similar style as the front grille. Also, they started creating the cabins of the high-level trims first, so that some of the parts could show up in the lower grades and make them look nicer.

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Toyota is currently working on the next-gen Tacoma, and Hunter hints that it has design similarities to the new Tundra. "There’s going to be, I think, good linkage between Tundra and Tacoma," he said.

The new Tundra arrives in showrooms before the end of 2021. Pricing isn't available yet, but the general belief is that the cost shouldn't change drastically from the current truck.

Source: TheDetroitBureau.com