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First, they started taking diesel engines away. Now it seems like our beloved V8 options are being taken away. However, the Toyota Tundra dumped its V8 engine with undesirable results. However, emission standards are rising and becoming more difficult to meet. This could kill more V8 engines. 

Does Toyota Tundra regret dropping the V8 engine? 

Remember back in 2021 when you could still get the Toyota Tundra with its reliable V8 engine? The standard 5.7-liter V8 engine cranked out 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque. 

People flocked to it even though it got an EPA-estimated 13 mpg in the city and up to 18 mpg on the highway. It had a reliability rating to help your mind ignore how much you were spending at the pump. 

The 2021 Tundra had a reliability rating of 86 out of 100 from J.D.Power. Scores between 70 and 80 are average while scores between 81 and 90 are above average and great. 

But in 2022, when the i-Force Max V6 engine and its hybrid variant were released, the Tundra’s reliability score dropped to 70. To make matters worse, this engine is failing due to machining debris left in it from production. 

The 2024 Toyota Tundra towing a trailer
2024 Toyota Tundra | Toyota

Every Tundra with the standard engine could face an expensive and time-consuming recall and dealers are rejecting used models for trade-ins. Some worry that the Tundra Hybrid will eventually be included. 

The standard 2024 Tundra engine is the 3.5-liter V6 engine with 389 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. Upgrading to the hybrid variant increases the power to 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque. 

I’ll admit that flooring it in the Tundra is a lot of fun. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, but the Ford f-150 and Ram 1500 feel more athletic and more refined. 

Also, with the V8 engine, the Tundra could only tow up to 10,200 lbs and carry a payload of 1,730 lbs. The current generation can tow up to 12,000 lbs and carry a payload of up to 1,940 lbs. 

Plus, the Tundra Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 18 mpg in the city and up to 24 mpg on the highway. So, not every aspect of dropping the V8 engine is bad, but the Tundra now fails to live up to its reliable reputation.

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Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.