It was hard to not wince, glancing out the window at the 2021 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro parked on my driveway, as I read Ford’s breathless announcement of the new F-150 Lightning electric pickup. Comparing any current truck to Ford’s upcoming all-EV flagship may be a recipe for pickup whiplash, sure, but in places the Tundra wears its age more obviously than most. The bones of the present Tundra go back to Toyota’s second-generation launch in 2007, though a refresh in 2014 did update the styling and suspension tuning.
All an equivalent, during a line-up with even just the opposite pickups on sale immediately – instead of the high-tech electric competition that’s still a year out – it’s hard to flee the thought that the Tundra is decidedly dated.
The exterior holds up better than the inside, particularly in Toyota’s pleasing Lunar Rock paint. Somewhere between green and grey, it suits the Tundra’s craggy fascia and deep sculpting well, as do the 18-inch BBS forged aluminum TRD wheels.
With the matching TRD front skid plate, big-logo “TOYOTA” grille, and hood scoop, the Tundra looks stolid and a touch grumpy. Pricing kicks off at $34,355 (plus $1,595 destination) for the Tundra SR, but by the time you reach the TRD Pro you’re at $53,400. Currently Toyota offers that as a Double Cab with a 6.5 foot bed, or because the CrewMax you see here with a 5.5 foot bed. A 5.7-liter V8 engine with a 6-speed automatic and 4WD is standard, too, good for 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque; there’s an electronically-controlled transfer case and automatic limited-slip differential.
In TRD Pro form it’s rated for 1,560 pounds of payload, or 9,200 pounds for towing. That’s down slightly from the Tundra maximum of 10,200 pounds, and almost reasonable within the segment. Sadly you don’t get any of the flamboyant multi-position tailgate cleverness or integrated pop-out steps that newer pickups have introduced, nor in-bed 110V outlets. That’s to not say Toyota hasn’t considered extras, they’re just fairly focused.
The TRD Pro gets independent coil-spring high-mounted double-wishbone front suspension with a 2-inch lift, and a live rear axle with multi-leaf rear suspension. There’s a anti-sway bar, and TRD FOX 107 shock absorbers front and rear with piggyback reservoirs.
From a purely aesthetic point, it gives the Tundra TRD Pro a suitably poised stance. It also – along side the 4WD system – makes for an eminently capable off-road machine. On the road, though, this is often not a truck that rides sort of a coach or maybe an enormous SUV, with some bounce and jostle to travel with the faintly agricultural soundtrack. neither is Toyota’s big V8 exactly frugal: it’s rated for 13 mpg within the city, 17 mpg on the highway, and 14 mpg combined. my very own mixed driving, even biased toward highway cruising, clocked in at under 16 mpg.
The inside is where things really start to come short. Clamber in – the TRD Pro lacks running boards to maximise off-road clearance – and you’ll find the CrewMax cabin earns its name with cavernous accommodations. Even 6+ footers who refuse to require off their helmets and demand to sprawl their legs out are unlikely to complain. Storage is plentiful too, with big uncomplicated bins to fill including a large one under the 60/40 split rear bench.