We know by now that making cars in 2022 is hard. Usually, though, it's hard because parts are tough to come by; this new Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is proof of a different struggle. Everything works like it should, which isn't always a given despite what you'd expect, but it's got a few quality control misses. The worst of them all is the passenger-side TRD Pro hood badge with a backwards letter.
The new off-road Tundra belongs to David Chao, who runs the Automotive Press channel on YouTube. He's an automotive engineer who went to MIT and Harvard, and he even has professional experience in vehicle evaluation. That's why we see him running through the smallest of quality concerns, from the pickup's manually cut weather stripping along the windshield to the alignment of the fuel door.
Most people won't pay any attention to some of the issues Chao highlights, which he's honest and upfront about. That said, the backward "D" on the TRD Pro hood badge is a pretty glaring mistake, especially since the driver-side hood badge is installed correctly. You might not notice it at first glance, but if you're the owner of a new truck that costs nearly $70,000, it's a definite head-scratcher.
Toyota's reputation for solid build quality makes this even more surprising; the automaker publicly prides itself on the principles of QDR, or quality, durability, and reliability. I reached out to Toyota for comment on this snafu but have yet to hear back at the time of publishing. For context, the new Tundra is built in Texas like its predecessor.
Chao seems generally impressed with the rest of the truck, like the consistency of the paint's finish and the quality of the interior. He makes a few nitpicks about slippery surfaces in the cabin that'd be better off rubberized, but hey, there's sure to be an aftermarket fix for that. I've driven a handful of 2022 Tundras and while I can't say I've investigated them to this same degree, I also liked the modern feel and revised infotainment. Almost anything would've been considered a huge leap forward since the truck it replaces stuck around for almost 15 years.
We'll have to wait a while longer to evaluate the 2022 Tundra's durability and reliability. It'd be wrong to make a snap judgment this early on.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
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