2010 Toyota Tundra 4.6 Double Cab SR5. Click image to enlarge

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Review and photos by Jil McIntosh

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2010 Toyota Tundra

Oshawa, Ontario – Truck philosophy used to be simple: if you wanted more power, you bought a bigger V8 engine. And if you were concerned about the price of gas, you settled for a V6.

Now, new technology coupled with the volatile price of fuel has resulted in smaller engines that can do the work that previously required a larger powerplant. At Toyota, that means a new engine for the 2010 Tundra: a 4.6-litre V8, coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the 4.7-litre used in 2009.

The company says that, at 310 horsepower, the new engine is 12 per cent stronger than the old engine, but with a fuel economy improvement of 11 per cent. Torque, the more important number in a truck, rises from 313 lb-ft to 327 lb-ft. The 4.6-litre is available in Regular and Double Cab configuration, and with 4×2 and 4×4 drivelines.

The 5.7-litre V8 carries over, and is also found in the Regular and Double Cab, as well as being the only engine used in the CrewMax. They’re the only two choices for Canada. U.S. buyers can also order a 4.0-litre V6 that’s no longer available in the Tundra here (we still see it in the Tacoma), but the question might well be how long that will stick around south of the border: the gap in fuel economy has become small enough that most buyers probably opt for the extra cylinders. Ford has dropped its V6 engine in the F-150 as well.

2010 Toyota Tundra 4.6 Double Cab SR5. Click image to enlarge

Tundras packaged with the 4.6-litre range from $24,995 to $29,060 for Regular Cab models, and from $31,725 to $35,790 for the five-passenger Double Cab, which features independently-opening, front-hinged rear doors. The 5.7-litre models start at $28,600 in Regular and $35,700 in Double, while the CrewMax models range from $37,315 to the new-for-2010 Platinum trim line, at $51,705.

Other changes to the 2010 models include a standard driver’s knee airbag on all models, upgraded navigation system, and a new Leather and Navigation package on the Double Cab SR5, which adds 20-inch alloy wheels and heated leather seats. The company has also broadened the number of models that receive fog lamps, towing mirrors, and driver-adjustable headlight levelling as standard equipment. That last one, fitted to my 4×4 Double Cab SR5 tester, should be on every truck. It’s more often found on higher-end cars, which are far less likely to have a load in the back or a trailer attached that’s got the headlights pointed skyward and blinding everyone in oncoming traffic.

My tester was further optioned with a TRD Offroad Package, which added an odd mixture of Great Outdoorsy rough-and-tough outweighed by numerous city slicker options: Bilstein shocks, bed rail tie-down system and clearance sonar, plus power driver’s seat, power sliding rear window, auto-dimming rearview mirror, garage door opener, satellite radio, Bluetooth, USB port, and the adjustable headlights. All added considerably to the truck’s appeal, but I couldn’t figure out the moveable cleats in the bed rail system. The triangular-shaped cleats had only one hole available for attaching a tie-down strap, and that was mostly filled with the big plastic knob that you unscrew to move the cleats around.

2010 Toyota Tundra 4.6 Double Cab SR5. Click image to enlarge

Also added to my truck, available as a dealer accessory, is a new rear step, which fits under the bumper corner and swings out for easier access into the box. Similar to the step that Ford puts ahead of the rear wheel, it’s $299 over the counter, or $347 installed. If you’ve ever slipped on a wet or muddy bumper while trying to gain access, it’s money well spent. I also really like that the tailgate is damped: once you pull the handle to open it, you can stand back and let it open without it crashing down when it lands.

This new 4.6-litre V8 is a sweetie. Save for a too-touchy throttle that makes it tricky to modulate, it’s great to drive: quiet, powerful and smooth. Towing capacity increases by 500 lbs over the previous 4.7-litre V8; depending on the truck configuration, the 4.6-litre will haul a maximum of between 8,300 and 8,900 lbs. This engine should be enough for most drivers, unless they’re into heavy-duty towing, in which case the 5.7-litre will pull up to an extremely respectable 10,800 lbs. When you’re comparing trucks, though, you have to remember that those highest-end numbers usually only apply to very specific models – in the Tundra’s case, the three-passenger Regular Cab. My Double Cab 4×4 was rated at 8,300 lbs, which outranked a similarly-configured 4.7-litre Dodge Ram, but was less than a comparable 4.6-litre Ford, 5.3-litre Chevrolet or 5.6-litre Nissan Titan.

The 4.6-litre is also easier on fuel than its 5.7-litre sibling: a published combined rating of 12.9 L/100 km, compared with 14.5 for the larger engine. On the 4.6-litre, that breaks down to 14.9 L/100 km in the city, and 10.5 on the highway. In my week with it, including an event with Toyota that had me towing a trailer and running off-road, I averaged 15.8 L/100 km.

The event was actually the premiere of a new Yamaha dirt bike, but Toyota owns a stake in that company and regularly teams with it, and there’s the obvious tie-in that bike owners often buy pickup trucks to haul their vehicles around. The company hitched up a trailer and Rhino all-terrain vehicle; the Tundra barely felt the 1,900-lb combination. I have towed some 7,000 lbs with the bigger engine, and the truck feels solid; it doesn’t get light in the front end, the brakes are confident, and while the steering is responsive, it isn’t so quick that it feels twitchy. On a downhill grade, tapping the brakes lightly will induce a downshift. The Tundra comes with tow/haul mode, and on my tester, the optional console shifter made it easier to run through the gears in manual mode, as I could push or pull the shift lever, instead of toggling a button as you must on a column shifter.

The trailer hitch is well-designed and placed, so you don’t have to struggle to attach the safety chains. The wiring pin connector is also easy to access, but it’s not perfect: it hangs below the bumper, and one driver crossing a deep ditch on the off-road course bent its bracket in half.

2010 Toyota Tundra 4.6 Double Cab SR5. Click image to enlarge

This is a big truck – too big, as are all of its full-size rivals, and I’m waiting for the first company to call a halt to the testosterone race and come back to a manageable size – but its surprisingly tight turning radius made it easy to weave through the trees on the off-road portion of the event. A locking rear differential further improves its capability, and low gear will take it down to a 2:72 reduction, the same as Jeep Wrangler’s Command Trac system. Instead of a downhill descent control button, you only need to put it in 4Low and in manual first gear, and it will crawl down an incline sans brakes. For all that, though, some rivals boast stronger frames: on very rough ground, it tends to flex more than its competitors.

The Tundra’s metallic dash, while well-fitted quality-wise, is starting to look a bit dated, especially as its domestic rivals have made radical upgrades to their cabins. The piano-black panels look thin and plasticky, as do the control knobs: I love that they’re huge and easy to operate, even with gloves, but they’re spaced so far apart that it’s tough to reach the ones closest to the passenger from the driver’s seat. Power-adjustable pedals would also be a great addition to this big truck to assist smaller drivers. There’s still a lot on the plus side, though: numerous cubbies, including hidden ones in the centre console, a double glovebox, and even pull-out pockets in the door panels; a driver’s side knee airbag, along with side and curtain bags; a huge console box with a holder for hanging files; and comfortable seats.

The truck’s very well-insulated and extremely quiet for the segment. Some reviewers have complained about a rough ride, but while it could have been my tester’s shock and tire package, I found it very pliable, more like a large SUV than a pickup truck, even when empty.

2010 Toyota Tundra 4.6 Double Cab SR5. Click image to enlarge

On a trip to Texas a few years ago, I was very surprised at the number of Tundras I saw on the road; granted, they’re built in that state, but even so, I didn’t expect to see those buyers moving away from domestic brands. Still, Toyota faces an uphill battle, and while it undeniably makes its mark on the truck scene, I expect it will always remain a niche player, and never take the segment the way it has commanded several car markets. For one thing, it’s only offered in half-ton size; you must go to a domestic to get a heavy-duty. And there’s no diesel: Toyota says the fuel is “too dirty.” Instead, its alternative powertrain will be gasoline-electric hybrid, which will probably debut next year to battle GM’s Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra hybrids. Its longstanding reputation and expertise with hybrids will serve it well, but colour me skeptical that electricity will ever play a major role in the work truck segment.

Still, when you add up all the combinations of cab, engine and trim choices, Toyota says it has 15 Tundra models, with bed lengths of 5-foot-5, 6-foot-5, and 8-foot. It runs about mid-pack for MSRP pricing, before any incentives, and offers a wide range of dealer accessories, including bed liners, hard tonneau covers, skid plate, side steps, and a bed extender; it’s also made its mark on the aftermarket industry. Nissan appears to be moving away from the pickup truck segment, and Honda never got any closer than its all-wheel drive Ridgeline. Its numbers may be smaller, but Toyota definitely seems to be staying in for the long haul.

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