Safest Truck in America: The 2022 Toyota Tundra
In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the 2022 Toyota Tundra outshone all its competitors.
In the initial months of the pandemic, many communities were under lockdown. As a result, traffic volume plummeted, and plenty of drivers used the open roadways as an excuse to put the pedal to the medal. The result of that risky behavior was that, despite the fact that there were less vehicles on the road, traffic deaths actually increased. And the initial numbers for 2022 indicate fatalities are still headed up.
For many drivers, that makes a vehicle’s safety rating more important than ever — which makes the all-new Toyota Tundra a better choice than ever. Because after being tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Toyota’s big rig earned a better score than any of its competitors — including Ford’s best-selling F-150.
At this point, the Toyota Tundra is the pickup truck in the United States that earned a Top Safety Pick + rating. Nice work, Toyota!
Part of what lead to that accomplishment is the Tundra’s performance in the ultra-scary Small-Overlap Front Test. That’s the one seen in the video below, and the slow-motion sequences highlight just how catastrophic it actually is. After it smashes into the barrier, the Tundra’s chassis twists like a rubber band, and everything in the front of the passenger compartment is completely demolished. Yikes.
That said, the IIHS has been evaluating vehicle safety for more than six decades, and takes into account myriad factors that don’t involve twisted sheetmetal. One area where many vehicles — including the Blue Oval’s pride and joy — come up short is the effectiveness of their headlights. Because until earlier this year, American manufactures were still at the mercy of headlight standards which dated to the Johnson Administration, and they’re still playing catch up. So exceling there is something Toyota engineers can be proud of.
Fortunately, we should see improvement across the board soon. But until then, if you’re looking for the safest truck on sale in America? Look no further than the 2022 Toyota Tundra!
Photos: YouTube