Toyota accidentally leaked its top trim of the third generation Tundra. The automaker will badge its new luxury pickup as the “Capstone.” The leaked 2022 Toyota Tundra Capstone will set itself apart with exclusive features. But will it be able to compete with the GMC Denali and the Ford F-150 Limited? Will the Toyota Capstone be the Lexus of trucks?

The 2022 Toyota Tundra Capstone leak

2021 has been a fall full of big news for full-frame Toyota and Lexus vehicles. First, Toyota announced it would debut the third generation of the Tundra for the 2022 model year. The truck heralds an all-new coil-spring chassis and drivetrain. However, instead of making a trendy electric truck, Toyota’s doubling down on internal combustion. Top trim Tundras will feature a hybrid internal combustion drivetrain that makes Ford Raptor power.

Toyota also unveiled the Land Cruiser 300 series, built on the same chassis and drivetrain as the Tundra. But sadly, Toyota is not offering the Land Cruiser in the United States. Instead, North Americans are getting a capable and luxurious Lexus LX 600 SUV. The LX 600 will be mechanically identical to the new Land Cruiser.

In October, a Reddit user posted a video taken at Toyota truck’s Texas headquarters. The video shows a row of 2022 Toyota Tundra prototypes lined up by trim level. The last truck is wearing more chrome than the others and an unprecedented badge: Capstone.

When commenters pointed out the truck, the anonymous Reddit user deleted the video and the account. But downloaded videos and screenshots still clearly show the Tundra Capstone. None of this media appears to be photoshopped. Toyota representatives declined to comment but have not asked the press to pull any stories with the Capstone name. Finally, rumors originating at Toyota’s GM meeting in Las Vegas seemed to confirm the Capstone and leak some features.

Everything we know about the 2022 Toyota Tundra Capstone

The 2022 Toyota Tundra Capstone depicted in the leaked images is decked out in trim not available on other Tundras. The truck has a full chrome grille, chrome panels on the doors, and chrome-plated mirrors. The chrome trim on the Tundra doors reads “Capstone.” In addition, the truck has luxury-vehicle-inspired rims with six slim spokes. This is very different than the rugged rims on other upper-trim Tundras, such as the TRD Pro. The Capstone appears to be the top-trim Toyota Tundra.

The Tundra Capstone pictured at Toyota’s Texas headquarters is a four-door truck. It is not a double cab, which has rear-hinged “suicide” doors. This is a proper four-door. The previous top-trim Tundra was the TRD Pro. The TRD Pro, like the Ford Raptor, is only available in one configuration: four-door with a 5.5-foot bed. It will be interesting to see how many designs Toyota offers for the Capstone.

The Tundra Capstone features a familiar chrome engine callout on the top of its hood: iFORCE MAX. This badge is identical to the badges on the other 2022 Tundras equipped with the new hybrid drivetrain. 

All 2022 Tundras will offer a 3.44-liter turbocharged iFORCE V6 that makes 389 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. But iFORCE MAX trucks will have an electric motor sandwiched between this engine and the 10-speed automatic transmission.

Tundras with the iFORCE MAX will make 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. In addition, 2WD models will have a 12,000-pound towing capacity. 4WD trucks will come in closer to 11,000 pounds. 

Does the Lexus LX 600 contain clues to Tundra Capstone features?

The Tundra Capstone rumors from the Las Vegas meeting specify that the luxurious truck will have an ivory-colored interior option. The choice is reminiscent of the Land Cruiser replacement, the safari-themed Lexus LX 600. The 2022 Toyota Tundra Capstone will share a chassis with the luxury SUV; perhaps it will share interior features as well.

The 2022 Tundra is available with a 14″ infotainment screen built into the dashboard. The LX 600 features a horizontal dashboard infotainment screen as well. But a second, 7-inch screen lower in the dashboard controls several vehicle functions, such as HVAC. So perhaps we will see multiple screens on the Tundra Capstone.

The top-trim LX 600 comes with the ultra luxury package. This interior option only seats four because two huge captain’s chairs upholstered in quilted leather dominate the back. With the nickel battery under its back seat, the Toyota Tundra Capstone will have no room for captain’s chairs in the rear. But perhaps we will see quilted leather and massaging seats for the driver and front passenger.

As with previous Lexus SUVs, the LX 600 is just as capable as its Toyota counterpart. The Lexus features adaptive air suspension and even underbody cameras engineered for off-roading. So even if the 2022 Toyota Tundra Capstone is the Lexus of pickups, it will likely be just as capable as entry-level Tundras.