Not only did the 2023 Toyota Tundra drop the V-8 engine from its lineup, but it also switched from a leaf-spring rear suspension to a coil-spring setup. Toyota is only the second major truck manufacturer to do this across its full-size pickup lineup, behind only the Ram 1500. (While Ford offers coil springs on the F-150 Raptor, regular F-150s have leaf springs.)
If you’re wondering what this suspension change means from both a design and ride and handling perspective, this suspension test video explains all the details in unabashed nerdy glory. The video also demonstrates how much spring flex the TRD Pro offers through our Ramp Travel Index test and compares its results to other off-road trucks on the market.
During our suspension dive, we see that the rear suspension isn’t the only thing that’s been changed. Among other differences, the front suspension has a stronger appearance against roll bar mounts and no shortage of red paint. We also emphasize the benefits of the rear coil spring suspension, especially the increase in ride comfort.
All that said, it’s clear that the TRD Pro didn’t go as far off-road as the more expensive F-150 Raptor or Ram TRX. For example, its rear shocks are not inverted to reduce unsprung mass, nor do they come with all-terrain tires from the factory. Also consider the TRD Pro’s lower RTI score versus those other off-road monsters.
What other cars and trucks would you like to see undergo a suspension deep drive? Let us know in the comments below.
Technical editor
Dan Edmunds was born into the world of cars, but not in the way you might think. His father was a retired racer who opened Autoresearch, a race car build shop, where Dan cut his teeth as a metal fabricator. Engineering school followed, then SCCA Showroom Stock racing, and that combination landed him suspension development jobs at two different automakers. His writing career began when he was picked up by Edmunds.com (no relation) to build a testing section.
