Reviews

The Tundra 4x4 is a tough rig, with proven hauling, towing and off-road capabilities. For 2012, new options packages give it even more appeal. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

of the full-size North American truck market, and become a familiar sight on North American roads. It's a well-deserved success: The Texas-built Tundra was designed specifically for North America, incorporating plenty of thoughtful touches, and it has all the power, payload and towing capacity needed to go head-to-head with its domestic-brand rivals.

The current, second-generation Tundra was introduced for the 2007 model year and was refreshed in 2010 with a modified grille, revised taillights, and a new standard 4.6L engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Changes since then have been minor, so the 2012 Tundra carries on with only a few changes to the options packages, including a new Appearance Package and an available Premium Package.

The Appearance Package features chrome-clad 18-inch steel wheels, power heated chrome mirrors, fog lights and an upgraded audio system. It comes

Good-looking 20-inch alloys come as part of the available new Premium Package. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

standard on the 4x4 Double Cab SR5 5.7L and is available for the 4x4 Regular Cab 5.7L.

The Premium Package, which my test truck was outfitted with, is available with 4x4 Double Cab SR5 4.6L and 5.7L models. It features a whopping $7,420 worth of goodies. Many of these Premium Package features carry over from the existing Upgrade Package (things like a console-mounted shifter, trip computer, auto-dimming rearview mirror, integrated garage door opener, overhead console box, plus an upgraded audio system with Bluetooth capability, satellite radio and USB input), but some of the goodies are exclusive to the Premium Package or are borrowed from the TRD Package: highlights include heated leather seats with power adjustments for the driver, 20-inch alloy wheels, a power sliding rear window, bed rail system, front and rear clearance sonar, adjustable headlamp leveling, and anti-theft system.

Leather seating, available as part of the Premium Package, kicks things up a notch in the Tundra's comfortably appointed, businesslike interior. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

What you won't find in the Double Cab models, even with the Premium Package, is woodgrain and chrome interior trim, perforated leather, seat ventilation, or other truly "luxury" accouterments: That level of luxury comes only with the Platinum Package, which is only available for the Tundra CrewMax Ltd. which, due to the length of its cab, is only available with a 5.5-foot (1.68-metre) box.

Confused yet? It's hardly surprising really, because as Toyota likes to boast in its marketing materials, "Tundra is defined by choice." So there are in fact eleven models of Tundra providing different combinations of drivetrain configuration (4x2 or 4x4), engine size (4.6 or 5.7 litre), cab size (Regular Cab, Double Cab or CrewMax) and bed length (ranging from 5.5 to 8.1 feet, about 1.68 to 2.47 metres). Throw in the different trim levels and options packages, not all of which are available on all models, and configuring your Tundra can become a bit like solving a Sudoku puzzle - fun for some, and incomprehensible to others.

My test truck, as configured with the Double Cab, 4x4 drivetrain, SR5 trim, 4.6-litre engine and Premium Package, was comfortably appointed (the leather

The base engine in the Tundra is a 4.6L V8 developing 310 horsepower and 327 lb-ft of torque -- plenty of power for everyday truck duties. (Photo: Toyota)

seating certainly kicks things up a notch or two) but still businesslike. In previous Tundra reviews I've commented favourably about the chunky, oversize controls that allow easy operation even with work gloves on, and about the very practical, thoughtfully-designed console box that allows the Tundra to serve as a well-organized office on wheels: There's room inside the console to hide a 15-inch laptop computer and hanging files, and there's a good-size lid that serves as a stable platform for writing or working on a laptop. The overhead console box is similarly smart, with the usual drop-down sunglasses holder, plus a drop-down business card holder and a couple of bigger bins for safety goggles and such. This attention to detail carries on outside the truck, with nice touches like available bed rails and a hydraulically-damped tailgate action.

The last Tundra I drove, also a Double Cab, had the 5.7-litre iForce engine, and while that engine makes sense in trucks destined for heavy towing or hauling duty, for everyday use I actually preferred the smaller 4.6-litre engine. Not only

Oversize climate control knobs can be easily operated with work gloves on, and a well thought-out console makes for an effective office on wheels. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

is its fuel economy noticeably better (city/highway ratings for the 4x4 Double Cab are 14.8 / 10.3 L/100km with the 4.6-litre V8, compared to 16.7 / 12.1 with the 5.7-litre engine), but there's also far less tendency to accidentally smoke the tires when coming off the traffic lights in an unloaded state (and let's face it, most trucks spend most of their time running around either unloaded or very lightly loaded). While not quite so tire-punishingly powerful as the 5.7-litre, the 4.6-litre still has plenty of grunt for everyday truck duties, with 310 horsepower and 327 lb-ft of torque on tap, transmitted to the road via a 6-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission.

On the road, the Tundra's double wishbone front suspension and heavy-duty leaf spring rear setup provides decent steering feel and good tracking, but it's unmistakably a truck, which means that without any load in the box it can feel a bit oversprung, and the tail will hop out a little if you hit a bump in mid corner. I also found the brakes a little grabby and difficult to modulate, but as with the spring rates, I'd expect the brakes to be about perfect if the box was loaded full of

The Premium Package includes bed rails and tie-downs to maximize the utility of the Double Cab's standard 6.5-foot bed. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

lumber, dirt bikes, topsoil or what-have-you. Rated payload capacity for the Double Cab 4x4 with the 4.6-litre V8 is 565 kg (1,255 lbs).

Venturing off road is made easy thanks to Toyota's proven one-touch 4x4 system, which uses a simple switch on the dash to select between rear-wheel drive, 4-high or 4-low. My own off-road adventures were limited to some rather muddy trails on otherwise unchallenging terrain - not unlike what you might encounter at a work site - and the 4x4 system worked as advertised to keep things moving even on the greasiest uphill sections.

On the safety front, the Tundra boasts Toyota's standard "Star Safety System" array of features including traction and stability control, antilock brakes (the Tundra 4x4 has powerful disc brakes all-around), electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, and potential unintended acceleration defeating Start-Stop Technology. Passive safety is covered with a

For the safety-minded, Tundra delivers with Toyota's full array of "Star Safety System" features, and segment-leading crash test results. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

full array of airbags, height-adjustable front seatbelts, and segment-leading crash safety ratings.

My test truck priced out at $36,325 plus the $7,420 Premium Package and a $465 bed liner, for a total of $44,120 (not including the $1,635 in delivery charges). Overall, the Tundra range starts at a suggested price of $26,210 for the base two-wheel drive Regular Cab and runs up to $54,140 for a loaded 4x4 CrewMax Limited model. This price range puts the Tundra on the middle road within the full-size truck segment, and represents good value: The Tundra is a carefully thought-out design, with proven hauling capacity, a good level of standard equipment and excellent safety, all backed by a three-year, 60,000 km basic warranty with five-year, 100,000 km powertrain coverage. Whether all that will be enough for it to win more sales from the big three - GM, Ford and Ram - remains to be seen. Because while the Tundra is certainly a solid value in a serious work truck, truck buyers remain a seriously loyal bunch.