Tundra's 2027 Refresh Aims Lower To Reach More Overlanders

Toyota's Tundra had a rough go of it in 2025, finishing dead last among full-size pickups and even getting outsold by its smaller sibling, the Tacoma. Rather than throwing everything at the flagship TRD Pro to fix that, Toyota is trying a different strategy for the 2027 model year: build the off-road appeal into a cheaper trim that more people can actually afford.

That new trim is called Trailhunter, a name Toyota fans will recognize from the 4Runner and Tacoma lineups. Instead of basing it on an expensive top-tier truck, Toyota built this one off the SR5 grade, which currently starts around $46,000. Buyers get real hardware for the money, including Michelin LTX Trail tires, an Old Man Emu suspension setup, front recovery hooks, and beefed-up underbody protection to survive rocks and ruts.

Underneath all that gear sits a genuinely capable off-road toolkit: Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, and a locking rear differential all come along for the ride. Bronze wheels and Trailhunter-specific badges make sure nobody mistakes it for a standard SR5 in the parking lot. The whole point is to give buyers a lower-cost doorway into overlanding without forcing them to spring for the range-topping TRD Pro, positioning Trailhunter as the value play beneath it in both price and off-road ability.

Every 2027 Tundra also gets a subtle nose job, though "subtle" might be generous. The changes amount to relocated turn signals and small grille and bumper tweaks, plus an upgraded optional LED light bar and newly available RIGID fog lights. If the current Tundra's styling never won you over, this refresh isn't going to change your mind.

The bigger story is inside the cabin. Every trim now gets a 14-inch touchscreen running Toyota's newest infotainment software, complete with AT&T 5G data, customizable widgets, and "Hey Toyota" voice commands. A built-in Drive Recorder is now standard too, capable of saving 20-second video clips from the truck's exterior cameras, whether triggered manually or automatically after an incident.

Toyota is also rolling out Safety Sense 4.0 across the entire lineup, sharpening the driver-assistance suite truck-wide. Powertrain choices stay familiar, with a 389-hp twin-turbo V6 and a 437-hp i-FORCE MAX hybrid both returning. Toyota hasn't confirmed which engine the Trailhunter will use, but since it rides on the non-hybrid SR5 platform, expect the off-road trim to skip the hybrid setup as well.

Pricing and full specs won't land until this fall, but don't expect a bargain-basement sticker. Toyota will likely nudge the current MY26 base price of $41,260 upward slightly for 2027, even as it hopes the Trailhunter's more accessible off-road pitch finally pulls the Tundra out of the sales basement.