Why Did Toyota Stop Selling V8 Powered Trucks?

I was a fan of Toyota trucks even before I bought my first Toyota Tacoma way back in 1996. My 1995 Taco was of the extended cab, six-cylinder, 4×4 variety and the nicest vehicle I’d owned up to that point, and maybe the nicest truck I’ve ever owned. I’ve also admired every generation of the Toyota Tundra since its debut for the 2000 model year. While the newer models are among the best years for the Tundra, I was slightly disappointed when the automaker decided to cut the V8 from its engine lineup for the 2022 model year.

Advertisement

Toyota hasn’t announced an official reason for dropping the V8 Tundra engine option. However, the decision starts to make sense when we compare capabilities of the Toyota Tundra’s new twin-turbo 3.4L V6 engine to the 5.7L V8 last seen in the 2021 Tundra. The Tundra’s turbocharged V6 powertrain, especially the hybrid MAX version, not only offers more power, but it’s also lighter and offers better fuel economy. All compelling reasons to stop selling V8-powered trucks.

Let’s look at the difference in power. The old 5.7L V8 produced 381 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 401 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. The 2024 Toyota Tundra offers one of three twin-turbocharged 3.4L V6 powertrains. The base V6 delivers 358 horsepower at 5,200 rpm with an impressive 406 lb-ft of torque at just 2,000 rpm — already more torque than the V8. Upgrading to the next level V6 provides 389 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 479 lb-ft of torque at 2,400. Adding the hybrid MAX option to the V6 tops the power scale with 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 583 lb-ft of torque at 2400 rpm.

Advertisement

The result of having a more powerful engine in a lighter package is increased payload and towing capacities. The 2021 Tundra maxed out at 1,730 pounds of payload and 10,200 pounds of towing capacity. For the 2024 Tundra, Toyota advertises maximum payload and towing capacities at 1,940 pounds and 12,000 pounds, respectively.

In addition, the newer Toyota Tundra gets better fuel economy ratings. The EPA rates the V6-hybrid MAX Tundra at 22 mpg combined and the standard V6 powertrains at 18 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. Compare those numbers to the estimates for the 2021 V8 Tundra with its 13-mpg city, 17-mpg highway, and 15-mpg combined ratings.

While other automakers — like Chevrolet, Ford, Ram, and Nissan — still offer V8 engines for some of their pickup trucks, Ram Trucks has followed Toyota down the six-cylinder path for its Ram 1500 models starting in 2025. While the 6.7L six-cylinder Cummins diesel has long been a staple of top-level towing capacity found in heavy-duty Ram trucks, the most powerful engine option for the 2025 Ram 1500 is the high-output 3.0L Hurricane, Stellantis’s new twin-turbo inline six-cylinder gasoline engine.

Advertisement

Ultimately, as Toyota, and other automakers seek powertrain arrangements that can deliver enough power to meet their customer’s needs while achieving the required emissions standards, we’ll continue to see fewer V8-powered trucks. While Ram 1500’s lack of a V8 engine option is as surprising as the Toyota Tundra being without a V8, the performance of both company’s six-cylinder powerplants makes us wonder if the loss of the V8 for those half-ton trucks will even be noticeable.