When the 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro was first unveiled, I predicted it would be a cost-effective Ford Raptor. But now that this third-generation Tundra is released, reviewers can test it against other trucks in the real world. TFL truck bought the very first base-model Tundra and immediately challenged a new F-150 Raptor to a race. The results may surprise you.

The new 2022 Toyota Tundra does not offer a V8 engine

The 2022 Toyota Tundra redesign ushers in the truck’s third generation. Tundra fans waited fourteen years for Toyota to revamp its fullsize truck. The results are nothing short of revolutionary.

Toyota tossed the old, naturally-aspirated 5.7-liter V8 engine. A twin-turbocharged 3.44-liter V6 powers (advertised as a 3.5) every 2022 Tundra. The base engine power rating improves on the outgoing V8: 389 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque.

The 2022 Tundra’s top-trim engine will be a Toyota hybrid drivetrain. An electric motor sandwiched between the V6 and 10-speed automatic bumps the power rating to 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. The result is an incredible 12,000 pound towing capacity.

Other goodies include rear coil springs, an electronically locking differential, and available air suspension. The 2022 Tundra starts at $37,645

The third-generation Ford F-150 Raptor accelerates to 60 MPH in 5.6 seconds

From the street-race ready Ford F-150 Lightning to the desert-race-ready Raptor: Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) has been a leader in performance trucks for years. SVT shocked many when it chucked the 5.0-liter V8 in favor of a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 for its second generation of the Raptor. But with the turbochargers tuned for maximum low-end torque, the resulting truck set a high bar. Like the new Tundra, the Raptor also matches this twin-turbocharged V6 with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The third-generation Ford Raptor offers off-road suspension specially tuned for its 37-inch tires. The resulting V6 truck actually shaves 0.4 seconds off its predecessors 0-60 MPH time. MotorTrend clocked the 2021 Raptor ‘s 0-60 MPH time at 5.6 seconds. In the MotorTrend test, the truck continued on to run the 1/4-mile in just 14.3 seconds.

TFL truck bought the first 2022 Toyota Tundra, then drag raced a Raptor

The Tundra fans over at TFL Truck have been eagerly awaiting the new full-size Toyota. As soon as customer-ready trucks began rolling out of Toyota’s Texas factory, TFL bought one. In fact, TFL bought the first 2022 Toyota Tundra produced. One of the first things the reviewers did with the new truck was to take it drag racing.

TFL Truck pitted its 2022 Toyota Tundra against its Ford Raptor. The reviewers admitted that the Raptor’s 37-inch tires gave it a major road-racing disadvantage. Otherwise, the two vehicles had very similar drivetrains.

During the actual race, the two trucks seemed to accelerate off the line at the same speed. They continued neck-and-neck down the track. Neither driver could tell who was ahead or who had won. But the photo finish showed the 2022 Toyota Tundra beat the Ford Raptor by a bumper.

But here’s the rub. TFL Truck did not buy a top-trim Tundra with the iFORCE MAX hybrid engine. They were racing a 2022 Tundra TRD OffRoad. Their truck has the base engine, the twin-turbocharged V6. What’s more, it cost $57,105. The Ford F-150 Raptor starts at $64,495.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro will with the iFORCE MAX engine will have even more torque than the Ford Raptor. When the iFORCE MAX engine comes out, in the spring of 2022, it will likely be able to beat a Raptor in a drag race–no photo finish needed.