Toyota Tundra Towing Capacity: Which Version Tows the Most?

The Toyota Tundra's 12,000 pound tow rating belongs to exactly one version of the truck, and it isn't the hybrid.

Toyota Tundra towing capacity runs from 8,300 pounds on the base SR to 12,000 pounds on a rear-wheel-drive SR5 Double Cab with the gas V6 and the 6.5-foot bed. Every other version lands somewhere in between.

If you're shopping for a Tundra to pull something heavy, the version you choose matters more than the badge on the tailgate.

How Much Can a Toyota Tundra Tow?

The top rating has climbed since the Tundra's 2022 redesign. These are the highest ratings for each period.

These are top ratings. Other engines, cabs, and drivetrains tow less, so check the exact truck you're looking at.

For the current generation, the tow package is standard on every trim except the SR, where it's optional. The base SR is rated at 8,300 pounds.

Toyota Tundra Towing Capacity by Trim

Cab, bed, drivetrain, and engine all change the rating, which is why one trim can have more than one number.

These figures come from Toyota's 2025 brochure, as compiled by TowingSpecs. The 2026 Tundra keeps the same 12,000 lb maximum. Some dealer pages show figures that differ by a few dozen pounds on certain trims, so confirm yours.

How Does the Hybrid Compare?

The i-FORCE MAX hybrid makes more power than the gas twin-turbo V6, with 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque against 389 hp and 479 lb-ft. It doesn't raise the tow rating, though. On the Platinum CrewMax 4x4, which uses the same cab, bed, and drivetrain either way, the hybrid is rated at 11,020 pounds and the gas truck at 11,050.

The hybrid's best rating is 11,450 pounds, on the Limited CrewMax 4x2. That's 550 pounds below the SR5's 12,000, because the SR5 gets there with a lighter Double Cab, rear-wheel-drive setup that doesn't come with the hybrid.

What the hybrid does cost you is weight and payload. On that same Platinum, it weighs about 475 pounds more and carries about 100 pounds less. Toyota doesn't explain the trade-off, but torque is what does the work when you pull, and the difference between horsepower and torque shows why the hybrid's 583 lb-ft matters more than its horsepower figure.

If you're weighing the hybrid for fuel economy, whether hybrid cars are worth it depends on how often you actually tow.

Payload, Tongue Weight, and GCWR

The 12,000 pound rating only measures the trailer. Three other numbers can stop you first:

• Payload: up to 1,940 pounds on the SR and SR5 rear-wheel-drive trucks, and as low as 1,485 pounds on the Capstone.

• Tongue weight: 1,200 pounds at the top rating, which is exactly 10 percent of the trailer weight.

• GCWR: the most the truck, trailer, passengers, and cargo can weigh together. Toyota lists 17,250 pounds across the 2025 trims.

  

The usual rule of thumb is that tongue weight runs 10 to 15 percent of the loaded trailer. At 15 percent, a 12,000 pound trailer puts 1,800 pounds on the hitch, 600 over the limit.

Tongue weight also counts against payload, so a truck with a full cab can run out of payload before it reaches its tow rating.

What Can a Toyota Tundra Tow?

Most travel trailers, boats, car haulers, and enclosed trailers fit well inside the rating, based on their typical loaded weights. Large horse trailers sit near the limit, and big toy haulers and livestock trailers usually don't fit.

Whatever you tow, go by the trailer's loaded weight, not its dry weight.

How Does the Tundra Compare With Other Full-Size Trucks?

The Tundra is mid-pack for towing and payload among full-size trucks.

Payload is where the gap is bigger. The Tundra's maximum is 1,940 pounds, and the F-150's maximum is higher. The Ford F-150 towing capacity guide shows how its engines and towing packages change the numbers.

If a full-size truck is more than you need, the Tacoma tows up to 6,500 pounds, as the Toyota Tacoma towing capacity guide shows.

What About the 2027 Tundra?

Toyota showed the updated 2027 Tundra on July 21, 2026. It keeps the same two powertrains, the twin-turbo V6 and the i-FORCE MAX hybrid, and adds a Trailhunter package, a standard 14-inch screen, and an available 2.4-kW inverter on hybrid trucks.

Toyota said it would publish full specifications, towing and payload ratings, and pricing in fall 2026. As of late October 2026, 2027 towing ratings weren't yet published, so check Toyota's figures before you assume they match the 2026.

FAQs

Does the Tundra come with a tow package?

On the current generation, it's standard on every trim except the SR, where it's optional. The 12,000 pound rating requires it, so confirm it on the truck you're considering.

Does four-wheel drive reduce the Tundra's towing capacity?

Yes. On the SR5, the 4x2 is rated at 12,000 pounds and the 4x4 at 11,200, a difference of 800 pounds. The 4x4 hardware adds weight.

What's the best Tundra trim for towing?

For the highest rating, the SR5 4x2 Double Cab. If you need four-wheel drive, the SR5 4x4 still tows 11,200 pounds. The Limited and Platinum trims add comfort and tow around 11,000 to 11,450 pounds.

Do the cab and bed size change the rating?

Yes. Toyota publishes a different rating for each combination, and the highest figures are on Double Cab trucks with the 6.5-foot bed. CrewMax trucks with the shorter bed generally rate a little lower.

Know Which Tundra You're Looking At

Toyota Tundra towing capacity isn't one number. It's a range from 8,300 to 12,000 pounds, and the top of it belongs to a rear-wheel-drive SR5 with the gas engine.

Check the trim, cab, bed, drivetrain, and engine, then confirm the rating for that exact truck before you hook up anything heavy.