In a recent interview with The Detroit Bureau, Kevin Hunter revealed why the 2022 Toyota Tundra doesn't have a trick tailgate. Hunter is the president of Toyota Motor Corporation's North American design studio, and his answer was quite simple: it doesn't need one.

According to Hunter, most Tundra customers are from the recreation market and don't buy trucks for work. That means they haul things like ATVs, bicycles, and camping gear. Hunter stated that a trick tailgate would not add any value to the overall package and that a simple traditional tailgate was best for the customer.

We're not entirely sure we agree because both the Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverad0 1500 offer multifunction tailgates. To our eyes, these trick tailgates can be helpful in the recreational market as well. The Ram's tailgate makes it relatively easy to get into the bed, perfect for packing and unpacking camping gear. The same goes for the Silverado with its fold-down step tailgate. That same fold-out step is also a helpful anchor for transporting stuff like ATVs and bikes.

We wouldn't call the lack of a trick tailgate a dealbreaker, however. What some may find difficult to swallow is the new styling. We don't want to call it ugly, but there is a lot of grille up front. Hunter says that his team made the Tundra that aggressive because nobody wants to drive a wimpy-looking truck. The outgoing Tundra's grille wasn't subtle, but this one takes it to a different level.

The Toyota also lacks in the towing department, but, once again, this was a calculated risk by Toyota. The new Tundra has a multi-link rear suspension, which should make it more comfortable. Unfortunately, you do lose some towing capacity, but it's a logical decision, as we said before.