Introduction

Toyota's full-size Tundra pickup truck has rewritten the rules when it comes to truck refinement. This truck is simply the smoothest, quietest, and most sophisticated truck we've ever driven. It's not quite as big and brawny as the Ford F-150, Dodge Ram, Chevrolet Silverado or GMC Sierra. But it's easy to drive, brilliantly quick and responsive, and it's built to the high-quality standards for which Toyota is famous. The Tundra comes with a truly exceptional 4.7-liter V8 engine that gives it more than enough power to compete with the big dogs. The Tundra can tow a 7,200-pound trailer or haul more than 2000 pounds in its 8-foot bed. Toyota first launched the Tundra as a 2000 model, and there are few changes for 2001. It remains among the best in a field of great full-size half-ton pickup trucks.

Walkaround

Though attractive, Tundra's styling is bland when compared with the aging, but still stylish, Dodge Ram and the more modern looking Ford F-150 trucks. It shares a similar look with the Toyota Tacoma compact-sized pickups. Curving lines give it a sporty look, while bulging fenders make it appear ready to go off road. Access Cab extended cab models come with four doors. The rear doors open in the opposite direction -- they called these suicide doors in the old days. These doors will crash into one another if you close the front door before closing the rear door. Fortunately, the inside of the rear door is padded, so it isn't a big problem. Handles for the rear doors are conveniently located on the outside of the doors, rather than in the door jams, but the handle design isn't the most comfortable. The pickup bed measures 8 feet on the regular cab; it's 6-foot, three-inches long on the Access Cab, which is about 2 inches shorter than the bed of a Ford F-150. Toyota's bed is also a little shallower than Ford's.

Interior Features

This is a comfortable truck with a friendly interior. The 60/40 split-bench cloth seats are comfortable and supportive. Control switches are concentrated in the center cluster for easy operation. Instruments are straightforward with a big tachometer that's optional. A center console box comes with storage space and a pair of good cupholder wells. The latch on the center console on our truck wouldn't stay latched, however, so the lid would flop open whenever the console was flipped up. Ours came with double sun visors with extenders. Climbing in is easy, though the two-wheel-drive model seems to sit higher off the ground than other two-wheel-drive pickups. Even the two-wheel-drive versions feel tall in the saddle, giving the driver a commanding view over shorter vehicles. Toyota claims the Tundra offers more front legroom than any of the domestic pickups, including the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra twins. Overall, however, the domestic trucks offer more room in the front seats. An advanced seatbelt system with pretensioners and force limiters add safety to dual front airbags and side-impact beams. The passenger-side airbag can be switched off with the key when babies or children occupy the front passenger seat. Access Cab models add interior storage space and the ability to carry two more passengers. In terms of carrying passengers, the rear seat is mostly a short-term affair, however. First, the Tundra does not offer nearly as much space in the rear half of the extended cab as the Chevrolet, GMC, Ford and Dodge pickups. Second, the rear seatback is vertical, causing the occupant to sit bolt upright, which is uncomfortable for traveling any farther than the neighborhood restaurant. A far better use for the extended cab is to use it for carrying dry cleaning, groceries or briefcases. Unfortunately, the rear seat itself takes up a fair amount of room. The seat bottom on the split-bench rear seat can be flipped up, but the seat doesn't fold completely out of the way, nor can it be easily removed.