CanadianDriver's New Car Buyer's Guide 2007:
Toyota Tundra
Click image to enlarge Images courtesy: Toyota
For 2007, the full-size Toyota Tundra is all-new, with two V8 engines, three body styles and a choice of 31 possible configurations. It’s also larger than the model it replaces, and when properly equipped can tow up to 10,800 lbs.
The Tundra is available in two-door Regular Cab, four-door Double Cab or four-door CrewMax Cab, in three bed lengths, and in two- or four-wheel drive. All models are considered half-ton.
The 4.7-litre V8 is carried over from 2006, and is joined by an all-new 5.7-litre V8, specifically designed for pickup truck applications with a long-stroke configuration. Both engines meet Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV II) emissions certification standards. U.S. buyers also get a 4.0-litre V6 not available in Canada. The 4.7-litre comes with a five-speed automatic, the 5.7-litre with a six-speed automatic. Trim levels are the Deluxe, SR5 and Limited.
All models come with air conditioning, tow package, CD/MP3 stereo with auxiliary input jack, engine immobilizer, locking glove box, high solar energy-absorbing window glass, stake pockets, cargo tie-downs, bed rail caps, and easy-lift, removable locking tailgate.
Additional standard or optional features include cruise control, premium cloth or leather seats, illuminated entry, power locks with keyless entry, tilt and telescopic wheel, premium six-CD stereo, front tow hooks, power windows, heated mirrors, fog lamps, digital compass, temperature gauge, premium wheels, garage door opener, DVD-based navigation system and backup camera.
The new Tundra is finally poised to take a serious run at the truck market: it’s strong (although its ride is very harsh), aggressively styled, its high-quality interior has all the expected amenities, and it features such niceties as a bed rail cargo system and a dampered tailgate that doesn’t bang when it’s dropped. The Double Cab features front-hinged doors, instead of the more awkward rear-hinged ones popular on some models, while the CrewMax is huge and aimed at the Dodge Mega-Cab. There are still no heavy-duty models, but with Tundra finally sized comparably to its domestic half-ton rivals, expect to see many more copies of this American-designed and American-built truck on job sites, and on the street.
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