As opposed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety performs far more demanding safety tests. The nonprofit organization did exactly that with Toyota’s all-new Tundra pickup, which got the highest safety accolade possible.
Top Safety Pick is awarded to vehicles that aced every single crash test and feature at least one good or acceptable headlight system. For Top Safety Pick+ which the all-new Tundra received, the institute demands good or acceptable headlight performance across every single trim, as standard.
“The Tundra’s ratings represent a substantial improvement over the 2021 model year,” notes the institute, “which fell short of an award because of marginal and poor ratings in the driver- and passenger-side small overlap tests as well as marginal headlights." The 2022 redesign is listed with good ratings pretty much across the board. The only exceptions are the advanced rating for the vehicle-to-pedestrian crash pedestrian system’s performance at night and the acceptable rating of the LED reflector headlights that come standard on the SR trim level, the better-equipped SR5, and the Limited.
As for the featured clip, hitting a solid barrier with the driver’s side at 40 miles per hour (64 kilometers per hour) is no walk in the park for a crew cab. The IIHS reports a low risk of injuries to the dummy’s legs and feet, the frontal and side-curtain airbags worked as intended, and negligible deformation of the driver’s survival space. A few years ago, many trucks and cars failed the passenger-side small overlap test, which promoted every automaker in the United States of America to put a little more effort into this part of the vehicle. Not surprising anyone, the Tundra aced this test.
Currently listed on Toyota.com from $35,950 excluding destination charge for the SR double cab with the medium-sized bed and rear-wheel drive, the Tundra will soon make the switch to the 2023 model year. The biggest changes for 2023 come in the guise of the SR5-exclusive SX Package and one fewer engine option. Rather than 348 ponies as standard, the second model year of the all-new Tundra will kick off with 389 horsepower.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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