Toyota Puts the Tundra Trailhunter in Front of People Who Will Actually Use It

Toyota brought the Tundra Trailhunter to Loveland for its first public showing, which is a choice worth noticing. The Trailhunter line is aimed at overlanding rather than desert running, and showing it to a field full of people who already own roof tents is a more honest test than a convention centre stand.

Alongside it the company showed a rugged off-road concept built on the global Hilux platform and described as purpose-built for overlanding. The Hilux is not sold in the United States, which makes a concept on that platform at an American show an interesting thing to put in public.

The full-size overland trim is a crowded category now. Ram and Jeep both ran vehicles on the driving course at the same event, and the heavy-duty aftermarket showed up in force with suspension systems for current F-250 and F-350 trucks.

What none of it settles is whether a factory overland trim beats the same money spent on a plain truck and a builder you trust. That argument was being had in the campground all weekend.