Toyota of Muncie

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Driving Impressions

Despite the engines' overhead-camshaft, four-valve-per-cylinder architectures, the Toyota engines tend to make their peak power earlier at lower rpm, where you want it in a truck, than most competitor engines like Dodge's 4.7 and Ford's 4.6 overhead cam and the older-design pushrod setups in GM's V8s and Dodge's Hemi.

The new 4.6-liter V8 delivers plenty of power and torque and commendable fuel economy. Unless you have to pull a trailer, the 4.6 V8 deserves consideration.

On the road, power delivery in the two V8 engines is linear, and commendably strong at low engine speed. This is especially so in the 5.7-liter, where 90 percent of the torque is on tap from 2400 rpm to 5500 rpm. Very impressive is the absence of any discernible surge sometimes associated with overhead-cam, multi-valve engines. We find the 5.7-liter V8 a delightful engine, very responsive when quick acceleration is needed, smooth and powerful when cruising.

Maximum towing capacity of 10,800 pounds applies to an unloaded Tundra regular cab with the 5.7-liter V8. Ford has a regular cab rated slightly higher, GM crew cabs tend to have the advantage in that division, while the Nissan Titan (which offers no regular cab) stays near 9,500 max and Dodge's Ram runs to around 9,000. It's worth noting, however, that tow ratings are affected by legal and marketing considerations in addition to power, weight, equipment and engineering.

We tow trailers in the 4,000- to 5,000-pound range and have found the Tundra does a superb job. We recommend considering a heavy-duty pickup for towing trailers of more than 5,000 pounds. Overkill with tow rigs is nice on long nights, in inclement weather, during strong winds or dealing with hilly country. Many experts advise against towing a trailer that weighs more than the tow vehicle.

Based on towing a variety of trailers from sea level to 5,000 feet, we're here to tell you the 5.7-liter has more than enough pulling power and appropriate gearing. The Tundra frequently outruns the competition while getting better fuel economy. Unlike Ford Super Duty, the Tundra does not offer an integrated trailer brake controller, but a host of aftermarket controllers do the job.

Overall, both the five-speed and six-speed automatic transmissions work well. Gear changes are smooth, though more apparent when trailering. Downshifts during braking on downhill grades are well managed, properly timed and helpful. In sum the Tundra's transmissions are unobtrusive, which in a truck is usually the best compliment, because in a truck if you frequently notice how the transmission is doing it's job, it probably isn't doing it as well as it could. A Tow/Haul mode is available for increased trailer towing performance and improved transmission durability, and we use it whenever towing.

Ride and handling in the Tundra might be the best in class. Steering response is sure and certain. Somehow, Toyota's suspension engineers have delivered a setup that leaves no doubt the driver is operating a truck, and yet by virtually every measure suggests the Tundra is anything but. Over severely uneven pavement, the solid rear axle makes its presence known with a slightly skippy feeling, but the Tundra's unladen rear end feels less skittish than some other pickups, and there is rarely any disruption that even instantaneously moves it off the driver's intended path. As with most pickups, the ride gets bouncy on bumpy freeways with an empty bed.

Braking is solid, with firm pedal feel. The Tundra's standard four-wheel discs are a first for a Toyota pickup and push the technological envelope in light trucks. The ABS includes electronic balancing of brake force.

The TRD Off-Road Package delivers excellent handling on pavement, and it's especially noticeable when Tundras so equipped are driven quickly on winding, two-lane roads; the TRD Sport package does even better if the roads aren't too rough.

For more severe four-wheel-drive use, the Tundra offers decent articulation and good low-range gearing. When enabled the traction control can be intrusive. Unlike most pickups, the Tundra 4WD also has a switch that backs off the thresholds for deploying the side-curtain airbags. This can be helpful on side-angle trails and ditches that might otherwise trigger a side curtain deployment.

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