Toyota Considers Truck Production Changes – Tundra HD?
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For the second time this year, a senior Toyota executive has spoken about the need to rethink their truck production strategy. With rising dealer demand and customers showing increased interest in more Tundra configurations and powertrain options, Toyota is under pressure to make changes. The company is facing a growing challenge: how to meet the rising demand while maintaining product diversity.
The current production line for the Tundra and Tacoma is struggling to keep up. Located in San Antonio, Texas, the plant has been responsible for building both models for many years. However, with new, unannounced Tundra models reportedly in the works, there's speculation that production might be restructured. Could the Tacoma move to another facility? That’s a question many are asking as Toyota evaluates its manufacturing footprint.
Bill Fay, Toyota’s division general manager, recently told Autonews.com that dealers are eager for more Tacomas and Tundras. “We’re evaluating our footprint and capacity,†he said. The San Antonio plant currently produces 250,000 units annually, operating with two shifts, overtime, and even Saturday work. While it could potentially add around 7,000 more units through minor adjustments, that may not be enough given the upward trend in pickup sales.
Toyota also operates a plant in Tijuana, Mexico, where about 50,000 Tacomas are built each year—but most of those are sold in Mexico and Canada. This means that the majority of U.S. demand still falls on the San Antonio facility, which is already stretched thin.
The issue of limited production capacity is one of the main reasons why Toyota hasn’t offered as many variations or powertrain options as competitors. In a 2013 interview with USA Today, Chief Engineer Mike Sweers acknowledged that while they're always looking into new options, capacity constraints have been a limiting factor. He mentioned considering moving Tacoma production to Mexico and improving production efficiency. At the time, pre-orders were strong, and plans for new, undisclosed variants were in the works.
Those new variants could include an all-new Rock Warrior package (which was discontinued in 2013 but rumored to be returning), a heavy-duty model—possibly a half-ton HD or a stronger variant—and even a long-rumored diesel engine. These ideas first surfaced back in 2007, before the economic downturn, but now, with truck sales nearing 2 million units per year, the business case for these models has never been stronger.
In short, Toyota clearly wants to expand its Tundra lineup. The real question is where and how they’ll do it. If they can solve the capacity issue, the possibilities for new truck models are nearly endless. For now, all eyes are on Toyota’s next move.