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The 2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Performance Package: More Go, More Roar, Zero Real Gains
When it comes to full-size pickup trucks, power has always been the name of the game. Toyota may not be shouting it from the rooftops, but they have quietly injected a new dose of performance into their tried-and-true Tundra lineup. Enter the TRD Performance package. While the automaker isn’t exactly celebrating this upgrade, they’ve tweaked the engine calibration, tweaked the intake, and tweaked the exhaust to squeeze an extra 29 horsepower out of the Tundra’s already potent hybrid powertrain. The result? A combined output of 466 horsepower, with peak torque holding steady at 583 pound-feet.
The TRD Performance package comes standard on the top-tier TRD Pro and other premium configurations. It’s not exclusive to the hybrid either, as the non-hybrid Tundra also benefits from a 32-horsepower bump. Even the hybrid-only Sequoia SUV has joined the party. We recently put the Sequoia through our rigorous test gauntlet and now, it’s the Tundra’s turn to feel the heat.
Subtle Visual Cues
With the TRD Pro already making its aggressive intentions clear through its styling, you might miss the subtle TRD Performance badge located on the lower-left corner of the TRD PRO-embossed tailgate. Aside from some eye-catching bedside graphics, there’s not much else on the outside to advertise this performance package. Honestly, you might miss it if you’re not looking. Pop the hood, though, and you’ll immediately notice a pair of TRD-branded airboxes, each feeding its own turbocharger.
To help the 3.4-liter engine breathe a little easier, Toyota has fitted a cat-back exhaust system. At the rear, you’ll find a single TRD-branded tip replacing the standard Pro’s dual circular outlets. The shape of this new tip seems to echo the trapezoid-esque geometry of the Tundra grille. Like the rest of the truck, it’s robust and imposing.
A final clue is tucked away inside the gas flap—a label screaming “PREMIUM FUEL ONLY,” complete with the TRD Performance logo. It’s a stark reminder that you spent extra money on this truck just to spend more money at the pump. Thankfully, the modest upgrades don’t seem to hurt fuel economy. We observed an average of 15 miles per gallon during our test, which is right in line with previous Tundra experiences.
Pump Up the Volume
With this setup, the power peak occurs at the same 5,200 rpm, but the max torque, unchanged at 479 pound-feet, is delivered 400 rpm earlier. Compared to an unmodified Tundra TRD Pro, the TRD Performance truck was 0.1 second quicker to 60 mph, the same delta as the Sequoia, achieving a respectable 5.6-second time. Bigger gains are evident in the rolling-start metric, with this test truck clocking 5 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, 0.3 second quicker than stock. Its 14.2-second quarter-mile run at 97 mph is both quicker and faster, again by 0.3 second and 5 mph, respectively. If you’re looking for more grunt, you might need to look into warranty-voiding aftermarket solutions to extract a bigger output boost, and there are plenty of options available.
HIGHS: Quicker than stock in every test, no fuel-economy penalty, a visually stealthy upgrade.
With all that stomping on the gas, the exhaust note can be, well, exhausting. The performance cat-back exhaust is only an improvement if your primary goal is loudness. At wide-open throttle, it hits the same 80 decibels as the standard TRD Pro, but the tonal quality is rather drone-y on the highway, which gets old fast. At a steady 70 mph cruising speed, the performance exhaust pumps 70 decibels into the cabin, three more than the standard setup. Compared to the exhaust that comes on the TRD Performance-ified Sequoia, where only the center exhaust pipe is replaced, taking it from 65 to 70 decibels, it’s more noticeable but less appealing. And even with the exhaust upgrade, Toyota continues to pipe in fake engine noise that can’t be turned off.
LOWS: Aftermarket tuners coax more from this V-6, makes loud louder, will people know it’s special?
The tune does nothing to improve the Tundra transmission’s occasional lumpy shifts. At part throttle, the unit is busy scrambling up through its 10 gears, and with your foot to the floor, the gear changes come fast and furious, but not in a good way. This is one area where the domestic half-tons have a significant advantage.
Chairs with Flair
Though not specific to the TRD Performance package, the quirky IsoDynamic suspension seats that come standard on the Tacoma TRD Pro are now available on the Tundra for 2026 and were included in this test truck. While they eat into the already limited rear-seat space in the Tacoma, the Tundra CrewMax offers more room, and our rear-seat occupants didn’t complain—they just kept asking why there are bike pumps on the back of the front seats.
The TRD Performance pack is available on select Tundra trims and configurations, adding an extra $2,999 to the price tag. It’s a more reasonable $2,299 for the Sequoia, which, coincidentally, makes a more reasonable amount of noise. However, if you simply want your TRD Pro to shout louder, this is the mod package for you.
VERDICT: More power is nice, but the Sequoia with this package ups performance without the yelling.
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Specifications
2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro
Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-motor, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $74,660/$82,388
Options: TRD Performance package (dual air intake, cat-back exhaust, TRD Performance badge), $2,999; TRD cast-aluminum running boards, $1,219; IsoDynamic front seats, $980; Tow Tech package with wireless trailer camera, $850; bed step, $431; dash camera, $375; 2-year Connected Services trial offering, $325; TRD Pro Tow package (heated power tow mirrors with LED turn signals, 360-degree camera system), $290; TRD Pro bed lettering in black, $160; chrome front bumper lettering, $99
POWERTRAIN
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.4-liter V-6, 421 hp, 479 lb-ft + AC motor, 48 hp, 184 lb-ft (combined output: 466 hp, 583 lb-ft; nickel-metal hydride battery pack)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 13.9-in vented disc/13.6-in vented disc
Tires: Falken Wildpeak A/T AT3W
285/65R-18 116T M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 145.7 in
Length: 233.6 in
Width: 81.6 in
Height: 78.0 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 61/55 ftÂł
Curb Weight: 6,270 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.6 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.2 sec @ 97 mph
100 mph: 15.1 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.2 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.4 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.1 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 107 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 190 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.68 g
Interior Sound
Idle: 31 dBA/1 sone
Full Throttle: 80 dBA
70-mph Cruising: 70 dBA/26 sone
SONES EXPLAINED
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 15 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/18/20 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
Headshot of David Gluckman
Reviewed by David Gluckman
Contributing Editor
Ever since David was a wee Car and Driver intern, he has kept a spreadsheet listing all the vehicles he’s driven and tested. David really likes spreadsheets. He can parallel-park a school bus and once drove