The 2023 Toyota Tundra marks a significant redesign in the full-size pickup truck segment, bringing with it not only updated styling and technology but also a renewed focus on safety. For prospective buyers and current owners of the 2023 Toyota Tundra, understanding its safety ratings is crucial. This comprehensive review delves into the crash test performance of the 2023 Toyota Tundra, drawing upon data from rigorous evaluations to provide a clear picture of its safety strengths and areas for potential improvement. As a leading source for automotive diagnostic information, cardiagnosticnearme.com aims to offer expert insights into vehicle safety, and this report on the 2023 Toyota Tundra is a part of that commitment.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The small overlap front crash test simulates a scenario where the vehicle impacts a narrow object like a tree or pole on the driver’s side. The 2023 Toyota Tundra underwent this demanding test, and the results offer valuable insights into its structural integrity and occupant protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/thigh | G |
| Driver injury measures – Lower leg/foot | A |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra achieved a “Good” rating in the structure and safety cage category, indicating that the vehicle’s frame effectively maintained its integrity during the crash. For driver injury measures, the ratings were also predominantly “Good,” specifically for the head/neck, chest, and hip/thigh areas. However, the lower leg/foot injury measure received an “Acceptable” rating. Driver restraints and dummy kinematics were rated “Good,” suggesting effective performance of the seatbelts and airbags in controlling occupant movement during the crash.
The action shot from the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test of the 2023 Toyota Tundra visually demonstrates the forces involved in this type of collision and how the vehicle is designed to react.
Post-crash dummy positioning in the 2023 Toyota Tundra revealed that the driver’s survival space was exceptionally well-maintained. This is a critical factor in occupant safety, as preserving the space around the driver reduces the risk of serious injuries.
The frontal and side curtain airbags in the 2023 Toyota Tundra functioned effectively in the small overlap test, preventing the dummy’s head from making dangerous contact with rigid structures or external objects. This highlights the sophisticated airbag system designed for the vehicle.
The driver’s space remained intact, and the risk of injuries to the legs and feet of the dummy was assessed as low in the 2023 Toyota Tundra driver-side small overlap test.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side
Complementing the driver-side assessment, the passenger-side small overlap front crash test evaluates safety performance from the other side of the vehicle. The 2023 Toyota Tundra also underwent this test, providing a comprehensive view of front occupant protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Chest | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Hip/thigh | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Lower leg/foot | A |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/thigh | G |
| Driver injury measures – Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra earned an “Overall evaluation” of “Good” in the passenger-side small overlap test. Similar to the driver-side test, the structure and safety cage received a “Good” rating. Passenger injury measures for head/neck, chest, and hip/thigh were also rated “Good,” with the lower leg/foot measure again receiving an “Acceptable” rating. Notably, driver injury measures, assessed in conjunction with the passenger-side test, all achieved “Good” ratings, along with passenger and driver restraints and dummy kinematics.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
The moderate overlap front crash test, a more traditional assessment, involves a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end in the collision. The 2023 Toyota Tundra was evaluated under the original moderate overlap front test protocol.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/foot, left | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/foot, right | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
In the original moderate overlap front test, the 2023 Toyota Tundra achieved a “Good” overall evaluation. The structure and safety cage held up well, earning a “Good” rating. All driver injury measures, including head/neck, chest, and leg/foot (both left and right), were also rated “Good.” Driver restraints and dummy kinematics were again rated “Good,” indicating consistent performance across different frontal crash scenarios.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Updated Test
An updated moderate overlap front crash test was introduced with more stringent criteria, particularly focusing on rear passenger protection. The 2023 Toyota Tundra was also subjected to this more challenging evaluation.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | P |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Thigh/hip | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/foot | A |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/neck | A |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Chest | M |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Thigh | G |
| Rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | P |
In the updated moderate overlap front test, the 2023 Toyota Tundra received an “Overall evaluation” of “Poor.” Despite a “Good” rating for structure and safety cage and mostly “Good” or “Acceptable” ratings for driver injury measures, the rear passenger protection aspects significantly impacted the overall score. Rear passenger injury measures for head/neck were “Acceptable,” chest was “Marginal,” and thigh was “Good.” Critically, rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics were rated “Poor,” indicating issues with rear occupant safety in this demanding scenario.
This image shows the damage sustained by the 2023 Toyota Tundra after the updated moderate overlap front crash test, including the deployment of airbags, which are crucial for occupant protection.
The position of the rear passenger dummy’s head in the 2023 Toyota Tundra after the updated moderate overlap test is visualized here, indicating the level of head protection provided in this crash scenario.
Analysis of rear passenger dummy injury values in the 2023 Toyota Tundra revealed a moderate risk of injury to the head/neck and chest. The image highlights an issue where the shoulder belt moved excessively upwards, potentially compromising the rear restraint system’s effectiveness.
The lap belt’s movement from the ideal pelvic position to the abdomen of the rear passenger dummy in the 2023 Toyota Tundra during the updated moderate overlap test is depicted, raising concerns about increased risk of abdominal injuries.
Side Crash Test: Original Test
Side impact collisions pose significant risks, and the side crash test evaluates how well a vehicle protects occupants in such events. The 2023 Toyota Tundra was assessed using the original side crash test protocol.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | G |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis/leg | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis/leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra achieved a “Good” overall evaluation in the original side crash test. All evaluation criteria, including structure and safety cage, driver injury measures (head/neck, torso, pelvis/leg), driver head protection, rear passenger injury measures (head/neck, torso, pelvis/leg), and rear passenger head protection, were rated “Good.” This demonstrates robust side impact protection under the original test conditions.
Side Crash Test: Updated Test
An updated, more rigorous side crash test, known as Side 2.0, was implemented to further challenge vehicle safety designs. The 2023 Toyota Tundra was also evaluated under this more demanding side impact scenario.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | G |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/neck | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra maintained its “Good” overall evaluation in the updated side crash test (Side 2.0). Similar to the original side test, all individual evaluation criteria, encompassing structure and safety cage, driver injury measures (head/neck, torso, pelvis), driver head protection, rear passenger injury measures (head/neck, torso, pelvis), and rear passenger head protection, received “Good” ratings. This signifies that the 2023 Toyota Tundra provides excellent side impact protection even under more challenging test conditions.
Roof Strength Test
Roof strength is a crucial aspect of vehicle safety, particularly in rollover accidents. The roof strength test assesses the roof’s ability to withstand forces in such scenarios.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 5,625 lbs |
| Peak force | 27,037 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 4.81 |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra achieved a “Good” rating in the roof strength test. With a strength-to-weight ratio of 4.81, the roof demonstrated significant resistance to crushing forces relative to the vehicle’s weight, indicating good protection in rollover situations.
Head Restraints & Seats
Head restraints and seats play a vital role in preventing whiplash and other injuries in rear-end collisions. The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s head restraints and seats were evaluated for their dynamic and geometric performance.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra received an “Overall evaluation” of “Good” for its head restraints and seats. Both the dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry were rated “Good,” indicating effective design in minimizing whiplash risk in rear impacts.
Headlights
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime driving safety. The 2023 Toyota Tundra is offered with different headlight variations, and each was evaluated.
Premium LED Projector Headlights (Limited Premium Package, Platinum, 1794, TRD Pro, Capstone trims)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | G |
The premium LED projector headlights available on certain trims of the 2023 Toyota Tundra received a “Good” overall rating. This indicates excellent visibility and minimal glare, contributing to safer nighttime driving.
Standard LED Reflector Headlights (SR, SR5, Limited trims)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | A |
The standard LED reflector headlights, equipped on lower trims of the 2023 Toyota Tundra, achieved an “Acceptable” overall rating. While still providing good performance, they are rated slightly lower than the premium option.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems are increasingly important in mitigating or avoiding frontal collisions. The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s standard system was evaluated for its vehicle-to-vehicle performance.
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s standard front crash prevention system earned a “Superior” rating in vehicle-to-vehicle tests. The system successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests, demonstrating excellent effectiveness in preventing frontal impacts with other vehicles.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian detection and prevention are vital safety features, especially in urban environments. The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s system was tested for its daytime pedestrian front crash prevention capabilities.
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s pedestrian front crash prevention system achieved a “Superior” rating for daytime performance. The system avoided collisions in tests involving crossing children and adults at both 12 mph and 25 mph. In a parallel adult scenario at 25 mph, a collision was also avoided. At 37 mph, the system significantly reduced impact speed and issued a warning, showing robust pedestrian protection in daylight conditions.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Night)
Nighttime pedestrian detection is particularly challenging. The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s system was evaluated for its pedestrian front crash prevention performance in low-light conditions.
| Overall evaluation | Advanced |
For nighttime pedestrian front crash prevention, the 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s system received an “Advanced” rating. The system avoided collisions with crossing adults at both 12 mph and 25 mph when using high beams and low beams. In parallel adult scenarios, the system significantly reduced impact speeds and provided warnings, demonstrating effective, though slightly less superior than daytime, pedestrian protection at night.
Seat Belt Reminders
Effective seat belt reminders are essential for increasing seat belt usage. The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s seat belt reminder system was evaluated for its front and second-row performance.
| Overall evaluation | G |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s seat belt reminders received a “Good” overall rating. The system provides adequate audible and visual alerts for unbelted front occupants and visual alerts for second-row occupants, contributing to higher seat belt utilization.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchors (LATCH) ease the installation of child safety seats. The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s LATCH system was evaluated for its usability.
| Overall evaluation | A |
The 2023 Toyota Tundra‘s LATCH system received an “Acceptable” overall rating. While the vehicle offers LATCH hardware at multiple rear seating positions, some anchors were noted as being hard-to-find or too deep in the seat, slightly impacting ease of use.
Conclusion
The 2023 Toyota Tundra demonstrates a strong commitment to safety, achieving predominantly “Good” ratings in various crash tests. It excels in side impact protection, roof strength, and front crash prevention technologies. However, the “Poor” rating in the updated moderate overlap front test, particularly concerning rear passenger safety, is an area of concern. Prospective buyers should carefully consider these results when evaluating the overall safety of the 2023 Toyota Tundra, especially if rear passenger safety is a priority. While the 2023 Toyota Tundra offers numerous safety strengths, understanding its performance in all crash test scenarios is essential for making informed decisions.
