How Are High Mileage 3rd-Gen Toyota Tundras Holding Up?
Toyota rolled out the third generation of its full-size Tundra pickup truck for the 2022 model year. Certain fans of reliable second-generation Tundras were skeptical of the automaker’s choices, namely tossing the old V8 in favor of a twin-turbocharged V6. While Motorbiscuit has reviewed the new Toyota Tundra, we have not yet tested a high-mileage 3rd gen Tundra. But two separate outdoorsmen bought a 2022 Tundra and drove it over 40,000 miles in one year. Here is how those Tundras have performed.
40,781 miles on and off-road with the 2022 Toyota Tundra
Rob Miller operates Revere Overland, selling 4×4 accessories out of Winchester, Kentucky. He bought a third-generation Tundra in 2022. He has spent the past year modifying it and taking it on several long expeditions in the western United States. As of March 2023, Miller had already put 40,000 miles (both on-road and off-road) on his new Tundra. This makes his 2022 Toyota one of the highest mileage 3rd Gen Tundras around.
Miller admitted that even 40,000 miles is insufficient to know much about the truck’s reliability. But he does have some specific build quality complaints. The rubber trim around his back window is “out of place,” and the Tundra’s passenger-side mirror’s in-mirror camera fell out. Miller believes Toyota has fine-tuned the manufacturing process of the 3rd gen Tundra since it built his truck.
Critics of the turbocharged V6 like to point out that some early 2022 Tundras had turbo wastegate malfunctions that caused the truck to go into limp mode. But Miller counters that the thousands of 2022 trucks built only suffered 26 documented failures, and Toyota replaced the component by 2023. He adds that the engine is more powerful than the outgoing V8 and reports “almost constant power with minimal lag.”
Miller chose the Tundra because he considers it one of the best modern trucks to modify heavily. He said, “The Tundra happened to be the best for my wants and needs. It’s not perfect, but no vehicle is.”
Miller admits that his modifications ate into his 3rd gen Toyota Tundra’s fuel mileage. Stock, his Tundra got 22 mpg during some long highway trips. Then he lifted it, put it on 35-inch tires, and watched it drop to 14 mpg. On his current 37s, he says he’s happy to see 13.5 mpg.
You can watch Miller’s full 40,000-mile review in the video below:
42,780 miles towing a boat with a 2022 Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition
Elite Series Bass fisherman Chris Zaldain lives much of his life on the road, towing his 2,400-pound bass boat all over the country. He bought a 2022 Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition. As of January 2023, he had put 42,780 (mostly towing) miles on the truck. He reports no mechanical issues or build quality issues whatsoever with his Tundra.
Zaldain praised the truck’s many driving modes. The Tundra’s Tow/Haul mode is critical for keeping the turbocharged V6 engine spooled up enough to keep his bass boat moving. Zaildain prefers the “peppy” Tow/Haul+, despite worse mpg.
Overall, he is pleased with his 3rd gen Tundra’s fuel mileage. He says after a trip from Florida to Texas–towing for one leg–he saw an average of 13.5 mpg. He noted in Tow Haul+ he sees 9.0 mpg on the highway.
Miller, on the other hand, had an interesting observation on the 3rd gen Toyota Tundra’s fuel mileage while towing: Pulling a 9,000-pound, aerodynamic low-profile trailer, he got 12.5 mpg. But dragging a tall, less aerodynamic 7,0000-pound trailer through a headwind, he got 7.5 mpg. With a tail-wind and this same trailer, the Tundra got 10.5 mpg.
You can see Zaldain’s 40,000-mile review in the video below:
Is a high-mileage 3rd gen Toyota Tundra reliable?
There is little data on the 3rd gen Toyota Tundra’s high mileage reliability. But we know that the 2023 model has half as many recalls as the 2022, so Toyota is improving the truck rapidly.
The turbocharged V6 will require a turbocharger replacement at some point. But if it is good until 150k miles or beyond, then this might be a service you only need to do once to get a truck to 300k, which is not too shabby.
If you are considering an i-FORCE MAX, know that the service brakes and ICE engines in Toyota’s hybrids often last longer because the electric powertrain system takes on so much of the braking and acceleration.
Want to know more? Find out the most problematic Toyota Tundra years or see Motorbiscuit’s Amanda Cline review the Toyota Tundra Capstone in the video below:
