Photo Gallery: 2006 Toyota Tundra

Toyota has been selling trucks in North America since the 1960s when it first began offering its Land Cruiser and small pickup trucks. While Toyota has never been a powerhouse in terms of truck sales, its trucks have gained a loyal following thanks to the simplicity and robustness of those original designs. Moving into the full-size truck market in the 1990s seemed like a natural move for Toyota, a company whose cars had achieved a near-godlike status among loyalists, who revered Toyotas for their durability.

But the company's first foray into the "big" truck market was anything but a raging success. The T100 pickup of 1993 was smaller than the full-sizers offered by the Big Three domestic automakers, and it was only offered with a V6 engine - a big knock against any truck that dared to call itself full-size.

So for the 2000 model year, Toyota brought its second try at a full-size pickup to market in the form of the Tundra. The Tundra was bigger than the T100, but still had trouble taking any more than a tiny bite of the lucrative market it was competing in, against trucks like the iconic Ford F-series, the Dodge Ram and GM's Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra models.

2006 Toyota Tundra DoubleCab. Click image to enlarge

The first-generation Tundra was powered by either a 3.4-litre V6 making 190 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque or a 4.7-litre V8 good for 245 hp and 315 lb-ft of torque. The 2005 model year brought with it a new base engine - a 4.0-litre V6 with 245 horsepower and 283 lb-ft of torque - and more powerful version of the 4.7-litre V8 that made 282 horsepower and 328 lb-ft of torque. Early Tundras were available with a five-speed manual transmission (only with the V6, though) or a four-speed automatic. The manual was dropped after 2001, and 2005s more powerful motors all got a new five-speed automatic transmission.

Like most pickups, the Tundra could be figured in a number of ways, including V6- and V8-powered regular cab models, an Access Cab model with small rear seats with either engine, or in 2004 and later, in Double Cab form, complete with four full doors, proper rear seats and with a standard V8 engine.

2006 Toyota Tundra DoubleCab. Click image to enlarge

Fuel consumption numbers vary depending on model year; Natural Resources Canada ratings for older trucks show higher consumption. A 2006 Tundra with the 4.0-litre V6 posts the best numbers: 12.7 L/100 km (city) and 9.7 L/100 km (highway), while a 2002 or 2003 4.7-litre V8 model earns the dubious honour of having the highest consumption rating, at 16.7 L/100 km (city) and 12.7 L/100 km (highway). Naturally, engine choice is a major factor here (the old 3.4-litre V6, despite its smaller displacement, uses more gas, and of course, V8s are thirstier than sixes) and a two-wheel drive Tundra will generally be more efficient on paved roads than a 4x4 model, so choose your drivetrain wisely. Do you really need four-wheel drive? And will a V6 engine suffice, or do you need a V8 for, saying, towing a boat or camping trailer?

The Tundra appears to consume less fuel than many comparable domestic-branded pickups, but keep in mind that the added efficiency tends to come at the expense of powertrain options: the first-generation Tundra could only ever be had with a choice of two engines at any given time, and with the exception of the later 4.0-litre V6, which offered decent power, the Toyota's engines tended to be less potent than similarly-sized motors offered by Dodge, Ford and General Motors.

2006 Toyota Tundra DoubleCab. Click image to enlarge

The Tundra appears to be a reliable truck, with just a few items to look out for. Many owners on the TundraSolutions.com forums complain of thin paint on their Tundras that scratches easily.

Early Tundras, particularly 2000-2002 models, seem to be the most trouble prone. There are reports of poor brakes in older trucks, a problem that Toyota seems to have rectified in 2003. Also, those early trucks had transmission troubles related to weak overdrive gears. Many owners also complain of driveline vibrations that manifest at highway speeds.

Some other issues noted on a Tundra FAQ at the website FAQs.org include tire beads that don't seal properly, allowing the wheel to turn independently of the tire, causing the tire to go out of balance; a too-short dipstick in 2000 models that simply isn't long enough to give an accurate reading of how much oil is in the crankcase; and excessive play in suspension bushings, but this is apparently not common to all Tundras.

2006 Toyota Tundra DoubleCab. Click image to enlarge

If crash safety is a concern, focus your search on a 2002 or newer model. 2000 and 2001 models crash tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) earned three and four stars in frontal impact tests; 2002 through 2004 models earned four stars in frontal impacts and five stars in side impacts, and 2005 and newer trucks did better again, getting four stars for driver protection and five stars for front passenger protection in frontal crash simulations.

In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2000-2006 Tundra earned that organization's "good" rating, with a chance of injury to the driver's right leg being the only area of concern.

Buying a used first-generation Tundra will cost you anywhere from about $8,300 for a 2000, V6-powered regular cab model, to $43,150 for a 2006 Double Cab Limited V8 4x4 version. Surprisingly, Canadian Red Book values for used Tundras are only barely higher than those for its domestic competitors.

2006 Toyota Tundra DoubleCab. Click image to enlarge

A 2004 Tundra 4x2 with regular cab and V6 engine is worth about $17,000, while similarly-equipped trucks from Dodge, Ford and General Motors are valued anywhere from $16,000 to $17,000. For those who need little more than a basic truck and don't anticipate towing much, a 2005 Tundra 4x2 looks like a decent buy at just under $20,000 (2005 being the first year for the more powerful and more efficient V6 engine), and a 2004 V8-powered Double Cab 4x4 model is valued at a reasonable $28,000.

Used vehicle prices vary depending on factors such as general condition, odometer reading, usage history and options fitted. Always have a used vehicle checked by an experienced auto technician before you buy.

For information on recalls, see Transport Canada's web-site, www.tc.gc.ca, or the U.S. National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA)web-site, www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

For information on vehicle service bulletins issued by the manufacturer, visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

For information on consumer complaints about specific models, see www.lemonaidcars.com.

Chris Chase is an Ottawa-based automotive journalist.