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| 2005 Toyota Tundra Review | |||
| Whether you're about to spend $40K on a brand new car, or half that on a used car, it is always important to learn as much as you can about the used car. Read these car reviews to learn about all aspects of the vehicle. Each of the usedcar reviews cover interior and exterior features, options, road tests, and more. | |||
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Introduction
| Road Test
| Inside & Out
| Other Thoughts
| Last Word
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| Inside & Out | |||
Back during the Tundra's launch, Toyota sent it into battle with only two variations: a Regular Cab (no cab) with an 8-foot bed and an Access Cab (small cab) with a 6.5-foot bed, both sharing one wheelbase and overall length. Toyota never seemed to care much for the Regular Cab, depriving it of features in accordance with its expected 10% sales volume. Why should they care? The money's in the big cabs.So when Toyota expanded the lineup with the Double Cab (crew cab, a.k.a. big cab), it did things differently. While Ford, GM, and Nissan's crew cab trucks (Dodge adds one next year) come only with the shortest-possible 5.5-foot bed, Toyota stuck a 6.5-foot bed (medium length) to the back of the Tundra. So Tundra wins Best In Class for cargo space, though some of that came at the expense of the cabin (the Tundra's interior volume is lowest among crew cabbers). Still, the Double Cab does bring a substantial interior increase. No more than two humans have been known to survive in the suicide-doored Tundra Access Cab, whose hopelessly upright seatback and cramped quarters make its back seat the worst of a bad lot. But here in this longest, tallest, and widest of all Tundras, five fit fine. Headroom is excessive; leg- and toeroom are a little wanting. Head restraints and shoulder belts are there for all, and the seats are reclined to a comfortable 24 degrees. They also tumble and fold. Overall comfort in all positions is debatable due to the slightly low mounting and the seats' softness. They cause no pain, but more firmness would be welcome, especially in a truck. From the no-talk steering to the anonymous styling to these seats, all the pansiness can really get to you after a while. Isn't this supposed to be the most macho class of transportation? Let me just mention that the driver doesn't get telescoping steering wheel adjustments, the tilt function steps up and down in fairly wide angles, and it's a long reach to the radio controls, and my whining is done. The Tundra made its mark by having Toyota ergonomics, which back in 2000 was an automatic win against Ford, Chevy, or Dodge ergonomics. If the plastics are nothing to write home about, the Tundra's cockpit is still plenty good, with crisp instrumentation, rotary A/C knobs, smart steering wheel controls, sturdy cupholders, a nice dash ignition switch, two 12V power outlets, and a cool new sliding rear window for this year. (Also new: optional rear-seat DVD in Double Cabs.) The $660 JBL stereo sounds fairly good, too. Toyota's layout is so familiar that its superiority is easy to forget. If it's not an easy win over the F-150 or Ram anymore, it's still out of the Chevy Silverado's league. |
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