Toyota's Secret of Three

The New Tundra Has Something for Everyone

By Bill Moore   Photos by the Author

The good people at Page One Automotive have just dropped off the longest pickup truck we've ever seen, a 19-foot long Toyota Tundra Double Cab with the 97.6-inch longbed. Going from a Mini to this behemoth would require psychiatric counseling . . . but we've driven a lot of trucks -- so, no sweat.

Long before we can fire up the 381-horsepower V-8, it's the broad bench seat that catches our attention. Whoa! Slide into this leviathan and the first flash of recognition is that it looks a lot like the inside of a 1954 Buick. Yes, the huge bench seat disappears over the horizon . . . but, there are a wide range of seating options.

And, okay, so it's not horizon-stretching big . . . but it is impressive. And, Toyota continues to impress as you fire up the engine and slide the Tundra into the street and move it forward through the 6-speed automatic.

Take a look at the Toyota emblem and what you'll see are three circles, artfully arranged to look like someone wearing a Stetson. Now, we KNOW that there was a more cerebral reason for those circles, but dang it, that works for us! First of all, this truck is built in Toyota's huge new truck facility, planted firmly on 2,000 acres of land in San Antonio, Texas. And, it's available in 31 model configurations, so there's something for everyone. If you can't find a truck at a Toyota dealership . . . you can't find one!

But, what about the other batch of threes? Well, the Tundra comes in three cab styles (Regular cab, Double Cab or CrewMax), with three trim levels. It comes with three different wheelbases (126.8, 145.7 and 164.6 inches). It has three bed sizes, each with a lockable tailgate, and perhaps best of all, it comes with three levels of performance.

Let's concentrate on the power for a moment: The standard engine for the Regular and Double Cab is a 4.0-liter, 236-horsepower V-6. Standard for the CrewMax, and optional for other models, is the 271-hp 4.7-liter V-8. Then -- ohmy! -- there's the engine we had in our test vehicle, the 5-7-liter iForce V-8 that delivers a stunning 381 horsepower.

Smooth! Baby, this engine is smooth. And, considering all of the other parameters, it sips regular fuel, getting 16 to 20 miles per gallon. No one buys a truck only for the engine, but every one of the three engines hums a nice tune.

Connecting the engine to the transmission and along the length of the Tundra is a chassis with fully boxed frame rails for the front half and rolled C-channel members for the rear half. Carrying the load are the largest standard wheels in the segment, 18x8-inch aluminum units mounted with 255/70R-18 tires, with optional 20-inch wheels and tires available.

While the big V-8 will happily cruise all day at 80, Toyota has added spectacular brakes (ABS working on 13.9-inch diameter rotors at the front, 13.6 units out back) to the package to slow it down. Standard at the rear is an automatic limited slip differential, as well as vehicle stability control.

Because the optional tow package for the iForce V-8 will haul up to 10,800 pounds, the Toyota Tundra is the perfect truck for doing a job . . . or taking it on vacation to lug everything from campers to watercraft.

Inside, there's plenty of space for both front- and rear-seat occupants, with lots of cubby-holes to stash your gear. And, while it has big exterior dimensions, the truck handles like a dream -- something you'll have to experience on your own.

Even with it's 97.6-inch longbed, you can't call this thing Godzilla. The Big Lizard  doesn't have the moves of the Tundra. And, since the color on our test vehicle is officially known as Silver Sky Metallic, we call it the Gray Pollywog. You know pollywogs, those aerodynamically shaped critters that inhabit ponds before morphing into frogs. They don't seem a threat -- but we feel obligated to scream from the top of our lungs: Watch Out Ford F-150!

As you probably know, Ford pickups have ruled the roost for the past 30 years. Now, vying for top honors with Ford and the Chevy Silverado is the Toyota Tundra, a vehicle that comes in an incredibly wide range of flavors if you're looking for a half-ton pickup.

So sure, go ahead and check it out!