The redesigned Toyota Tundra, GR86 and all-new Corolla Cross arrive for the 2022 model year.
Toyota Land Cruiser gone in the U.S., last model year for Avalon sedan.
The 2023 Toyota bZ4X electric crossover will go on sale in mid-2022.
Toyota has long been an industry leader in regards to fuel economy and lower greenhouse gas emissions, as the company has been offering hybrid, and more recently plug-in hybrid, vehicles for two decades now.
However, the industry is shifting to fully electric and fully autonomous vehicles, and Toyota has no choice but to following the trend. It recently revealed the first of about 15 dedicated EVs that will soon hit the North American market. Here’s what to expect from the Toyota brand in 2022.
The first EV introduced under the Toyota bZ umbrella—which means “Beyond Zero”—is the 2023 Toyota bZ4X, a compact-sized five-passenger crossover that is said to be ready for cold climates with heated seats and steering wheel, a heat pump system and front-seat radiant leg-and-foot heaters. The bZ4X will obviously be available with all-wheel drive thanks to two electric motors with a combined 215 horsepower, while a FWD variant with a single 201-horsepower motor will be standard. Driving range with the FWD bZ4X is estimated at 250 miles or 402 kilometres on a full charge. This new EV is scheduled to go on sale in mid-2022.
Redesigned the for 2021 model year, the Toyota Mirai boasts a much more seductive design than the first-generation sedan. Powered by a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain, the rear-wheel-drive Mirai features an output of 182 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, with an EPA-estimated driving range of 402 miles or 647 km. For now, its availability is limited to areas where a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is already in place. Think California in the U.S., and British Colombia and Quebec in Canada.
Another crossover joins the family. The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross is a five-passenger subcompact-plus model equipped with a 2.0L inline-four that develops 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission and the choice between front-wheel and all-wheel drivetrains. A hybrid powertrain will be added next year.
The Toyota RAV4 is celebrating its 25th anniversary on the North American market, and for 2022, the popular compact crossover adds an SE trim level with its 219-horsepower powertrain. Meanwhile, regular versions get a 203-hp 2.5L four with either FWD and AWD, while a 302-hp plug-in hybrid variant called the RAV4 Prime is once again available, although buyers will have to be patient as demand is largely surpassing production at the moment. Toyota also announced new Cavalry Blue paint, new alloy wheel designs, a locking glove box across all trim levels, illuminated interior switches and reworked headlight clusters for XLE variants and above, while the Limited gets an eight-way power front passenger seat.
Browsing through the brand’s line of utility vehicles, we find the Toyota C-HR which received a Nightshade Edition for the 2021 model year, in addition to the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite as standard and some paint colour changes. No changes have been announced yet for the 2022 model year.
Introduced for 2021, the second-generation Toyota Venza enters the 2022 model year with virtually no changes. The hybrid-only Venza is equipped with a 2.5L inline-four engine matched to an electric motor for a combined output of 219 horsepower, along with standard AWD. The Venza targets two-row midsize crossovers with great fuel efficiency and a distinctive design.
The 2022 model year brings several changes and additions to the Toyota Highlander midsize three-row crossover, which can be equipped with a 295-horsepower 3.5L V6 or a 243-hp hybrid powertrain combining a four-cylinder engine and an electric motor for a combined output of 243 hp. A Bronze Edition is offered with the hybrid system, available in one of three paint colours including new Wind Chill Pearl (replacing Blizzard Pearl), exclusive Cement and Midnight Black Metallic. The Bronze Edition is based on the XLE with added features such as a power liftgate, rain-sensing windshield wipers, ambient lighting, a power driver’s seat with position memory and more. XLE trims and above get more power passenger seat adjustments, all trim levels get upgraded interior materials, while more USB ports have been added for rear-seat occupants. In Canada, a heated steering wheel is now found in XLE and XSE variants and the base FWD Highlander has been dropped—meaning AWD is now standard across the board north of the border.
Unlike the brand’s other utility vehicles, the Toyota 4Runner has no environmentally friendly pretentions whatsoever, but appeals to adventure freaks with excellent off-road capabilities. Its 270-horsepower 4.0L V6 and five-speed automatic transmission are prehistoric, but have proven their bulletproof reliability a long time ago. The 2022 4Runner gets new LED high beams, low beams and fog lamps, and availability of blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert has been expanded. Lime Rush paint is new and exclusive to the 4Runner TRD Pro, while the Limited gets a 360-degree camera system, and all trim levels gain rear-seat occupant alert.
The Toyota Sequoia has been around for a long time, but like the 4Runner, its reliability and resale value undeniable strong points. It’s equipped as standard with a 381-horsepower 5.7L V8 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, along with a four-wheel drive system that’s optional in the U.S., standard in Canada. For the 2022 model year, Wind Chill Pearl paint replaces Blizzard Pearl and Super White. An all-new generation of the Sequoia should appear within a year or two.
The 2021 model year was the last for the Toyota Land Cruiser in the United States, and it’s unclear if the new-generation model will eventually return to North America.
The Toyota Sienna was totally redesigned for the 2021 model year, the fourth-generation minivan being equipped with a hybrid powertrain as standard in North America. It consists of a 2.5L inline-four with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack, good for a combined 245 horsepower. All-wheel drive is available as well. For 2022, a new outdoorsy Woodland Edition with standard AWD and increased ground clearance is now available. Second-row ottomans are offered in uplevel trims, while Wind Chill Pearl paint replaces Blizzard Pearl. Cement paint is also new, but exclusive to the Woodland Edition—which can also be ordered in Midnight Black Metallic.
On the passenger car side of things, the Toyota Corolla gets new Ruby Flare and Wind Chill Pearl paint colour options, while the Nightshade Edition the sporty Apex Edition are still available as well. , which will be available on SE and XSE grades of the sedan, equipped with a 169-horsepower, 2.0L inline-four engine. The Corolla sedan is equipped with a 139-hp 1.8L inline-four, a 121-horsepower hybrid system or a 169-horsepower 2.0L four, while the five-door Corolla hatchback gets the 2.0L engine as standard.
The midsize Toyota Camry now offers the Nightshade Edition package on the SE Hybrid in addition to the regular Camry SE. The TRD can be chosen with new Cavalry Blue paint with contrasting black roof, while Ice Edge paint is available on several other grades. Dual-zone climate control and heated outside mirrors are available on more trim levels as well. The Camry is yet again available with a 2.5L inline-four, a 3.5L V6 and a hybrid powertrain, while AWD can be matched to the base 2.5L engine. In Canada, the XLE, XLE AWD and XLE V6 trim levels have been dropped.
It has recently been confirmed that the Toyota Avalon will be discontinued after the 2022 model year, so we shouldn’t expect any changes for the full-size sedan’s final lap. The Avalon keeps its 301-horsepower 3.5L V6 in FWD trims, while a 215-hp hybrid powertrain is on offer in the U.S., but not in Canada.
The popular Toyota Prius hybrid gets a new Nightshade Edition in the U.S., equipped with the XLE trim level’s features. In Canada, AWD-e Technology and AWD-e Technology Advanced variants are available with a two-tone, Platinum White and Celestial Black paint scheme. The Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid soldiers on largely unchanged, although both the Prius and the Prius Prime add a rear-seat occupant reminder system.
The 2022 Toyota Supra continues to offer a 255-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0L inline-four and a 382-horsepower, turbo 3.0L six. Last year’s U.S.-market A91 Edition becomes the A91-CF Edition, limited to only 600 units and gaining a carbon fibre body kit with a duckbill rear spoiler. There’s also a new red leather interior available in the 3.0 Premium trim in the United States.
The Toyota 86 becomes the Toyota GR86 for the 2022 model year, ushering in the second generation of the pint-size pure sports car. The new GR86 packs a naturally aspirated 2.4L engine that cranks out 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, managed by either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic.
The Toyota Tacoma is getting long in the tooth, but for the 2022 model year, the TRD Pro receives suspension revisions allowing for a 1.5-inch lift up front and a 0.5-inch lift at the rear as well as increased approach, breakover and departure angles. New black alloy wheels wrapped with Goodyear Territory tires give the Tacoma TRD Pro a wider track. Otherwise, the rest of the pickup’s lineup goes largely unchanged for 2022, although the newly introduced Tacoma Trail gets new wheels and the availability of Lunar Rock paint. The Tacoma can be equipped with either a 159-horsepower 2.7L inline-four or a 278-horsepower 3.5L V6, while 4×2 and 4×4 drivetrains are offered in addition to Access Cab and Double Cab configurations.
As for the Toyota Tundra, is finally gets a full redesign for 2022. It can be equipped with a standard twin-turbo, 3.5L V6 with up to 389 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission, or an optional hybrid variant booting output to 437 hp and 583 lb.-ft. In addition to the new exterior design, the cabin has been reworked and modernized with an infotainment screen of up to 14 inches, and a slew of advanced safety features have been integrated, too. The 2022 Tundra is offered in Double Cab and CrewMax configurations, with 4×2 and 4×4 drivetrains, although the latter is standard in Canada.
