As with the T100 before it, the Toyota Tundra concedes size and power to the five other full-size truck brands, forfeiting brutish measurements for a less tangible advantage in overall refinement. For 2005, Toyota has addressed the power deficit with new V-6 and V-8 engines. The V-6 displacement grew from 3.4 to 4.0 liters, an increase that nets an additional 55 horsepower and 62 lb-ft of torque, for totals of 245 and 282, respectively. The 4.7-liter V-8 gained variable valve timing, boosting horsepower from 240 to 282 and increasing torque by a modest 10 lb-ft, for a total of 325. A six-speed manual transmission replaces the five-speed manual in V-6 Tundras. This well-mannered pickup family is offered in regular-cab, Access Cab (extended), and Double Cab (crew) body configurations, with the range earning two 2005 IntelliChoice Best Overall Value awards.
The Tundra is anonymously handsome, its capable components wrapped in sheetmetal better suited for pushing through air than stirring emotions. Within its broad-appeal design, the Tundra is pure Toyota, focused on value, function, and utility. For example, climbing into the Tundra is a bit easier than in most other full-size trucks, due to its slightly shorter overall stature--non-Double Cab Tundras are three to five inches shorter than the Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram--and its light, easy-to-open doors. It's still an ascent, however, so, like most other pickup makers, Toyota provides A- and B-pillar-mounted grab handles for assistance.... Read full article