This Is How You Make The 2024 Toyota Tundra A Six-Figure Pickup Truck (2024)

If you turn back the clock just a few decades, pickup trucks were mainly seen as tools, worth nothing more than the work they could put in for their faithful owners. Sure, you could option an '89 F-150 with air conditioning and electric windows, but that was about it. Apart from the two or three creature comforts, pickup trucks were all about working as hard as their owners asked them to, and not much more.

These days, it's quite different. Pickup trucks are the Swiss Army Knives of the motoring world. Buyers get a family hauler, workhorse, luxury car, and toy, all in one vehicle. So, it's no surprise pricing for pickup trucks has exploded. Some trucks at the top of their respective ranges start over $85,000 before you add any options, and you can bet grandpa would be blown away by a $90k-plus F-150. However, he's going to be especially cross when we tell you how you can spend nearly $100,000 on the Toyota Tundra in 2024.

The 2024 Tundra Capstone Can Cost Over $98,000

Yes, you read that right, a Toyota Tundra can cost almost $100k. Of course, it doesn't start off that way: at the entry-point to the Tundra range, the base model has a starting MSRP of $39,965 for the non-hybrid SR. The hybridized Tundra lineup begins with the mid-range Platinum trim, which asks for a much higher $65,705 to start off with. If you want to build the most expensive version of the Tundra, you opt for the top-spec trim and add the hybrid powertrain: That means we work with the $78,845 Capstone.

The Top-End Capstone Is Well-Equipped

The Capstone name gives away this model's positioning in the Tundra model lineup: a capstone is metaphorically used as an adjective for the last finishing touch to a significant achievement or long-winded project. So, as with any range-topper, the Capstone comes with everything Toyota has available in the Tundra lineup; the following features are what set the Capstone apart from lesser models:

The above list is what you get as standard with the Capstone, but it's worth understanding that a large chunk of its standard price is due to the hybrid powertrain beneath the hood.

The Tundra Capstone's Powertrain Is Part Of Its High Price Package

The Toyota Tundra sold more than 125,000 units in 2023, and the figures for 2024 thus far sit at almost 80,000 models sold. At its heart lies Toyota's workhorse crown-jewel: the 3.4-liter twin-turbo i-FORCE MAX hybrid V6. Independent tests report a 0-60 mph time of well under six seconds. The i-FORCE MAX hybrid is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission with standard four-wheel drive to help put that power on the pavement.

Part of the hybrid's appeal is in its frugality, however, where it earns better gas mileage than the non-hybrid variants - and this, together with the performance enhancement, is worth paying for.

You Can Spec Out the Capstone With Nearly $18,000 Worth of Extras

The options menu on full-size trucks is traditionally quite extensive; not only are there various packages and performance enhancements on the GMC Sierra 1500, its Chevy Silverado twin, and the RAM 1500 - both rivals to the Tundra - but all of these pickups can be customized with near-endless lists of accessories. Here we summarize the main options available to buyers, leaving off some of the 161 accessories that range from alloy wheel locks, through floor mats, to first aid kits and a whole host of coolers.

A Fully-Loaded Toyota Tundra Capstone Can Cost You $98,625

Despite the Tundra Capstone's base price of $78,845, Toyota offers an extremely extensive options list. While other trucks in this lineup can be had in varying body styles with longer or shorter beds, the Capstone is only available as a CrewCab with a 5.5-foot bed.

Add CarBuzz to your Google News feed.

Follow On

Google News

To fully kit out the Toyota Tundra Capstone, you'll have to peruse the options list carefully as not all the options can be had together, and some - like the various paint protection options and bed covers - mean you can only select one of a variety. The same applies to the seven different coolers you can buy, their corresponding covers and fridge trays, all ranging in price to as much as $1,550.

We've selected the most logical options and ignored some of the unrelated accessories, such as the likes of Toyota-branded lawn chairs, storage bags, and benches. You should know that if you wanted to, you could spend a further few thousand dollars on accessories alone. Below, we've laid out how we've specced a Tundra Capstone to a total price of $98,625:

It's worth noting that there are various ways you can specify all these accessories, so you can play around on the online configurator and get differing prices every time - we're pretty confident in our ability to get to just under $100k in various ways. And, of course, there's an rooftop tent that you can add on to get over that price point, too, along with overlanding racks and Go Rhino kit.

Rivals Are Just As Pricey

The full-size pickup truck segment is a busy one - and many of these trucks share similarities, not the least of which is the endless customization options available to buyers. Although we deal with the most expensive pickups in a different article, we found the competing trucks in this segment just about add up to the same.

We looked into other brands to try and see how much their light duty pickups cost, and we came away unsurprised that they all exceed $90k with just a few options ticked. Our online build of the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate easily broke the $93k mark, although the automakers offers some incentives to lessen the blow. We've had the top trim on test and felt it worthy of the luxury title.

2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten: $96,470

The 2025 Ram 1500 has a new trim level called the Tungsten, which supersedes the Limited as the pickups' top trim. With it, you receive almost every option as standard, with only a few to choose from, such as an Off-Road package, in-bed power adapters, and a multi-function tailgate. We initially reported this truck would be a $90,000 truck, considering it starts at $87,075 before destination - but we've managed to spec it with as much as $7,400 worth of extras, which comes to $96,470 for that specific build, including destination. And that's before you add licensing and taxes.

2024 Ford F-150 Platinum: $92,440

The most popular pickup in the USA, the Ford F-150 can also cost over $90k - and no, we're not talking about the six-figure Raptor R (yet). Unlike the Ram 1500's top Tungsten trim, the F-150's Platinum grade has been around for over a decade now, serving as the F-150 range's top trim. When building your top-end F-150, you have to spring for the Platinum Plus 703A equipment group, which includes a list of optional upgrades such as the 3.5-liter PowerBoost Hybrid powertrain, upscale wheels, and power running boards. Of the many ways to build your truck, we added max recline seats, a retractable tonneau cover, and an in-vehicle safe to arrive at this figure, all-in.

Sources: Toyota, FuelEconomy.gov, Ford, Ram, GoodCarBadCar.net.