2009 Toyota Tundra Pickup Review & Performance

The Toyota Tundra is no longer a 7/8-scale truck as the previous-generation pickup was sometimes called. It's an honest-to-goodness, full-size pickup, whether you measure by load, dimension, or work capacity.

In the stylistic sense, the Tundra is big and burly by design. To that end, it abandons the high-stepping, nose-in-the-air look of Tundras built before 2007 in favor of a more down-to-earth but very large grille, boldly framed in black or chrome, depending on trim level. The grille pulls lines from the deeply sculpted hood into the front end. Some like the black piece of trim designed to look like an air inlet at the top of the grille, some don't; likewise some like the rounded lines and others call them inflated. In any case, it has presence, and we think it looks good.

In side view, the Tundra is blander, and Toyota-like, with understated fender flares tied together by a gentle indent along the lower door panels. Body proportions comfortably accommodate the three bed lengths and wheelbases. Interestingly, gaps between body panels are deliberately wider than contemporary robotic assembly might allow. Toyota's stylists decided that slightly wider gaps better suggest the rugged first impression they wanted the Tundra to make.

Some of the details on Tundra's body add interest, and function. Deep recesses underneath make the beefy door handles easy to grip. The Tundra CrewMax has these big handles on all four doors, while the Double Cab uses vertical grabs on the back doors that are a bit snug for large hands. The optional larger towing mirrors look a little too big on the regular and Double Cab models but function trumps form here.

The rear view is traditional pickup. There are no stand-out styling cues here, save maybe for the backup lights, which are dimensionally almost the equal of the taillights. The tailgate is damped, making lowering and raising it easier and quieter.

The wheels vary with the model, too, but they're all very truckish. The standard 18-inch, drilled steel discs on base Tundras are actually quite attractive in their basic, functional look. SR5's get styled steel, stamped more expressively to resemble mags. The aluminum alloy wheels on the Limited models feature thick, monolithic spokes. The optional 20-inch alloys satisfy the current trend toward lots of wheel, not much tire.

Opening and closing the tailgate is dramatically eased by the tailgate assist (standard). The mechanism starts with a torsion bar in the hinge assembly to make the tailgate feel lighter, and includes a gas-pressurized strut, concealed behind the left taillight, to damp the lowering and assist in raising the lockable tailgate.

ack (the switch panel dropping in the middle toward the floor or center console) split from the navigation/audio/climate and operating controls on the right side of the stack. The narrower left portion, toward the driver, is finished in the same silver-metallic plastic as the gauge package, and rises up around the steering column and into the gauges to create a cockpit-type effect for the driver, but this is compromised by instruments and warning lamps placed in numerous nacelles. Gauges themselves are adequate, and especially easy-to-read on upper-grade models, but compared to more integrated designs from the Big Three the information seems scattered. The slightly wider right half of the center stack is finished with the trim material on that particular Tundra model, either wood-grain or dark plastic. It looks good, but it creates some operational issues.

Most of the knobs and buttons, including the audio cluster, frequently adjusted climate controls and navigation screen, are located in the passenger half of the center stack. In the psychological sense, this moves these controls out of the driver's domain and gives control to the passenger. In a very practical sense, it moves them to the edge of the driver's reach. The Tundra is a wide vehicle, and while drivers below average height will have no trouble getting comfortable to operate this pickup, they might have a harder time operating some of the controls. When the seat is comfortable for driving, they may have to literally lift up from the seat back and lean toward the center of the truck to adjust airflow direction. They'll do the same to get a clear view of the navigation screen.

Pick-up buyers can be like beer drinkers. No one will convince them that another brand is better than their own, and their loyalty can rest as much in image as taste (or performance). We won't even try to convince anyone that the Toyota Tundra is better than any other half-ton pickup on the market. We'll simply observe that by objective measure it is clearly competitive.

Pickup manufacturers, on the other hand, like to tout their different tacks on frame design, materials and construction. There's hydro-formed this, C-channel that, fully boxed the other, welded versus one-piece, high-tensile steel versus quiet steel and so on. For the record, the Tundra is a unibody-on-frame, which is fully boxed in the front half, rolled C-channel in back.

Truth, though, is that what a driver really cares about is how it all comes together under the right foot, at the seat of the pants and at the hitch. And with all six full-size, light-duty trucks in play (counting the GMC Sierra), the Toyota Tundra sits near the front of the bench. In some ways it's tops, and in others it falls a bit short. It lacks some features such as optional rear-end ratios that allow owners to tailor a truck more specifically to their needs. In basic technology and overall refinement, the competitors are catching up.

Examples from the powertrain department make the point. The V6 and 5.7-liter V8 are what have been state of the art for a number of years, as are some of the competition's engines, with features such as variable intake valve timing, sequential fuel injection, knock sensors (allowing in most cases use of Regular 87 octane gas), electronically managed throttle-by-wire and dual-length intake manifolds.

The 4.7 is no slouch either, originally stemming from the V8 used in the first Lexus flagships and having been updated a few years back, it matches GM's 4.8-liter overall but Dodge's same-size V8 bests it by 34 hp and 17 lb-ft.

Despite the engines' overhead-camshaft, four-valve-per-cylinder architectures, the Toyota engines tend to make their peak power earlier at lower rpm, where you want it in a truck, than most competitor engines like Dodge's 4.7 and Ford's 4.6 overhead cam and the older-design pushrod setups in GM's V8s and Dodge's Hemi.

On the road, power delivery in the two V8 engines is linear, and commendably strong at low engine speed. This is especially so in the 5.7-liter, where 90 percent of the torque is on tap from 2400 revolutions per minute to 5500 rpm. Very impressive is the absence of any discernible surge sometimes associated with overhead-cam, multi-valve engines. We find the 5.7-liter V8 a delightful engine, very responsive when quick acceleration is needed, smooth and powerful when cruising.

TRD markets a supercharger package that raises the stock 381 horsepower to around 500 hp. This emissions-compliant system can not be financed with a new vehicle purchase but if bought and installed by the dealer at the time the vehicle is purchased, it is warranted for the balance of the factory warranty.

Fuel economy is competitive, though EPA ratings are not best in class.

Maximum towing capacity of 10,800 pounds applies to an unloaded Tundra regular cab with the 5.7-liter V8. Ford has a regular cab rated slightly higher, GM crew cabs tend to have the advantage in that division, while the Nissan Titan (which offers no regular cab) stays near 9500 max and Dodge's 2009 Ram runs to around 9000. We'd tow such loads only infrequently. We've found the Tundra does a superb job of towing an enclosed car trailer, about a 4,000-pound load. We recommend considering a heavy-duty pickup for towing trailers of more than 5,000 pounds. Overkill with tow rigs is nice on long nights or in inclement weather or strong winds.

Based on towing a variety of trailers from sea level to 5000 feet, we're here to tell you the 5.7-liter has more than enough pulling power and appropriate gearing; it frequently outruns the competition while getting better fuel economy, too. Unlike some pickups, the Tundra does not offer an integrated trailer brake controller, but a host of aftermarket controllers do the job.

Overall, both the five-speed and six-speed automatic transmissions work well. Gear changes are smooth, though more apparent when trailering. Downshifts during braking on downhill grades are well managed, properly timed and helpful. In sum the Tundra's transmissions are unobtrusive, which in a truck is usually the best compliment, because in a truck if you frequently notice how the transmission is doing it's job, it probably isn't doing it as well as it could. A Tow/Haul mode is available for increased trailer towing performance and improved transmission durability, and should be used when combined weight of truck and trailer exceeds 12,000 pounds. We use it whenever towing.

Ride and handling in the Tundra might be the best in class. Steering response is sure and certain. Somehow, Toyota's suspension engineers have delivered a setup that leaves no doubt the driver is operating a truck, and yet by virtually every measure suggests the Tundra is anything but. Over severely uneven pavement, the solid rear axle makes its presence known with a slightly skippy feeling, but the Tundra's unladen rear end feels less skittish than some other pickups, and there is rarely any disruption that even instantaneously moves it off the driver's intended path. As with most pickups, the ride gets bouncy on bumpy freeways with an empty bed.

Braking is solid, with firm pedal feel. The Tundra's standard four-wheel discs are a first for a Toyota pickup and push the technological envelope in light trucks. The ABS system has all the control features, including electronic balancing of brake force, that one expects in a luxury car.

The TRD Off-Road Package delivers excellent handling on pavement, and it's especially noticeable when Tundras so equipped are driven quickly on winding, two-lane roads; the TRD Sport package does even better if the roads aren't too rough.

For more severe four-wheel drive use the Tundra offers decent articulation and good low-range gearing; when enabled the traction control van be intrusive. Unlike most pickups, the Tundra 4WD also has an RSCA switch that backs off the thresholds for deploying the side-curtain airbags. This can be helpful on side-angle trails and ditches that might otherwise trigger a side curtain deployment.

The Tundra Regular Cab 4x2 ($22,490) is powered by a 236-hp 4.0-liter V6, with 266 pound-feet of torque, a five-speed automatic transmission and the 6.5-foot, standard-length bed. The eight-foot long-bed ($330) is optional. Also optional is the 4.7-liter V8 or 5.7-liter V8. (All NewCarTestDrive.com prices are manufacturer's suggested retail prices, which may change at any time without notice; prices do not include destination charges.)

The Regular Cab 4x4 ($27,010) comes standard with the 4.7-liter V8 and an electronically controlled, part-time four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case. The Regular Cab is the workhorse edition Tundra, with a fabric-upholstered, 40/20/40-split bench seat, vinyl floor covering, column shift and manual-crank windows. Standard equipment includes a four-speaker, AM/FM/CD stereo with auxiliary audio input, manual dual-zone air conditioning, tilt steering and Toyota's gas-boosted, tailgate-assist system. The standard wheels are 18-inch steel.

Double Cab Tundra Grade 4x2 ($25,090) comes with the 4.0-liter V6 and standard bed. The Tundra Double Cab features rear side door like on an SUV, and seats for as many as six. The 4.7-liter V8 ($145), 5.7-liter V8 ($1,445), and long bed are optional on Double Cab models. The Tundra Grade equipment basically matches the Regular Cab, adding carpet in place of the vinyl flooring, a tachometer and outside temperature indicator. The Double Cab Tundra Grade 4x4 ($28,140) adds four-wheel-drive and the 4.7-liter V8.

The Double Cab SR5 4x2 ($27,050) and 4x4 ($30,100) add lots of standard equipment, including power front bucket seats, a floor-mounted shifter and center console, power windows and heated mirrors, central locking, cruise control, a stereo with six speakers and an in-dash six-CD changer, heavy duty starter and battery, and mud guards.

The Double Cab Limited 4X2 ($36,010) and 4x4 ($39,070) feature the most luxurious trim package. Both come standard with the 4.7-liter V8, the 5.7-liter V8 is optional. They are only offered with the standard bed. Standard equipment includes heated, leather-trimmed front buckets, JBL audio with 12 speakers, sliding rear glass, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass and programmable garage-door opener and front and rear park-assist.

The CrewMax Tundra Grade 4x2 ($27,915) and 4x4 ($30,965) feature full-size rear side doors and more rear-cab space, with a sliding, fold-flat rear bench seat. They come standard with the 4.7-liter V8, but are only offered with a 5.5-foot short bed. The 5.7-liter V8 and six-speed automatic are optional ($1,190). A CrewMax SR5 4x2 ($29,875) and 4x4 ($38,545), and CrewMax Limited 4x2 ($37,760) and 4x4 ($41,605) are also available. Standard equipment on each trim level basically matches that on the Double Cab models, though the CrewMax adds an overhead console and a vertical sliding power rear window.

Options vary in price and exact content depending on model and region, and include things like a navigation system with back-up camera, rear-seat DVD player, cold-weather features, off-road packages and 20-inch aluminum wheels. There are few factory-installed stand-alone options, but dozens of dealer-installed accessories, such as bed liners.

TRD's Rock Warrior package ($3,177) adds color-keyed body trim on the front and a flat-black bumper on the back, fog lamps, black cloth manual seats, Bilstein shock absorbers, and 17-inch forged aluminum wheels with BFGoodrich All-Terrains for traction, ride and rim protection. It's available on 5.7 V8 4x4 Double Cab standard bed or CrewMax.

The TRD Sport package ($2,408-$3,813) adds color-coordinated trim including bumpers, grille, mirrors and door handles, fog lamps, manual cloth bucket seats, and 20-inch 5-spoke machined-face alloy wheels. Available on 5.7-liter 2WD Regular Cab and Double Cab standard bed.

Safety features that come standard on every model include front- and side-impact airbags for driver and front passenger (the latter with an off switch in Regular Cab models), side curtain airbags with rollover sensor, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution, electronic stability control with traction control and a limited slip differential.