2021 Toyota Tundra

It’s no secret that the full-size pickup universe is dominated by Detroit. Ford, GM, and Stellantis, the corporation formerly known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, seem to have a lock on big truck buyers and Toyota, no stranger to successful small pickups, has been trying to crack the code for almost 30 years. 

In 2008, it seemed they’d finally gotten there, with an award-winning brand-new full-size pickup powered by a then-class-leading 381 horsepower 5.7-liter V8, two smaller engines, three cabs, and three bed lengths. Then came the great recession, and the Tundra never did dethrone the domestics. 

It’s 2021 now and that 5.7-liter V8 still powers the Tundra, which hasn’t been totally redesigned since. The smaller engines and some of the configurations are gone, but the truck did get a heavy update with new styling and a new interior in 2014. A healthy set of driver-assist features have also been added over time. 

A new Tundra is due in 2022, so changes for the 2021 model year are limited to a pair of cosmetic limited editions.  

Toyota offers the Tundra in six trims starting with the plain-jane SR, which stickers for $38,470 including a $1,595 destination charge. Above that are the SR5 ($40,160), Limited ($47,185) and TRD Pro ($50,520). At the top of the line are Platinum and the 1794 Edition, both starting at $53,690. The higher trims bring plusher interiors, more tech, and larger wheels sizes up to 20 inches.

The SR comes only as a double cab while the Platinum and 1794 come only as a crewmax, toyota’s terms for extended and crew cab configurations. The others can have either, with 5.5 or 6.5-foot beds. SR and SR5 buyers can spec an 8.1-foot box. The Crewmax offers four full doors and a roomy back seat. Rear-wheel drive is standard and four-wheel drive optional.

Regardless of trim, all Tundra models get Toyota’s tried-and-true 5.7-liter V8, returning 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. The engine is smooth and powerful, but the truck’s six-speed automatic transmission is well short of the Tundra’s competitors, some of which feature advanced ten-speed units. There’s a noticeable delay to shifts, as the transmission seems reluctant to up- or downshift when more power or acceleration are needed. 

The V8 can help the Tundra tow up to 10,200 pounds, but that’s far off the 14,000-pound max rating of the Ford F-150 and lagging the GMC Sierra’s 11,800 pound max. The base Tundra tows 8,800 pounds, which is only 1,100 pounds more than the midsize Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon.

Ride quality is another area where the Tundra shows its age. Where competitors like the Ram 1500 and Ford F-150 can both muster a respectable car-like ride, every bump, crack and pothole make themselves known in the Tundra’s cabin. Upgrading to one of the two TRD packages improves the situation, but the Toyota is still quite far behind its rivals in the comfort department. 

That firm suspension helps deliver a payload capacity of at least 1,440 pounds and up to 1,730 pounds, depending on the trim and configuration, also far below most domestic alternatives. 

Where the firmness comes in handy is in dirt and mud, and the off-road themed TRD Pro is one of the Tundra’s best variations. The TRD Pro gets cosmetic upgrades like LED headlights and accent lights, special badging, a power moonroof, and a TRD skid plate, but it also gets substantive mechanical improvements including Fox Shocks front and rear and a dual exhaust system. It’s no Ford Raptor or Ram TRX, but the TRD Pro is a respectable off-road performer.

Inside, the Tundra’s cabin features controls and other details that are supersized but not up to par, in terms of quality feel and materials. Lower trims, such as the SR5, feature a dash layout that is intuitive and easy to use, but it’s one that feels underqualified for a truck in the Tundra’s price bracket. The standard infotainment screen is a 7-inch unit, and the higher-end version is an 8-inch one. Both look tiny in the Tundra’s big dashboard, and are a far cry from the Ram 1500’s optional 12-inch screen.

The truck redeems itself on interior space, especially in CrewMax configurations, where back-seat passengers enjoy an abundance of head and leg room, as well as a reasonably comfortable bench seat. In most areas, the Tundra’s cabin is unremarkable but comfortable, but that changes a big with the 1794 Edition trim, which features premium leather upholstery and upscale wood accents throughout the cabin. Interior storage is also plentiful, but not as cleverly laid out as in other large pickups.

Toyota’s infotainment system, though greatly improved, still lacks the smooth functionality and intuitive menu structures of its competitors’ systems. Menus and options are sometimes a few taps deep, requiring too much brain power to use while the truck is in motion, though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

Every Tundra leaves the factory with Toyota Safety Sense P, which includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alerts, automatic high beams and radar cruise control. That’s a lot more than the domestic full-size trucks provide standard, but Nissan’s Titan is similarly generous with similar safety gear.

All of that safety equipment helps mitigate the Tundra’s mixed report car in crash test evaluations performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

The truck earned Good scores in IIHS’s moderate overlap front, side and head restraint/seat testing, but in the more popular Crewmax configuration it gets a Marginal rating in small overlap front driver-side and Poor for small overlap front passenger-side crashworthiness. Its headlights were also rated Marginal, but the standard crash prevention safety tech earned a Superior rating. NHTSA gave the Tundra four-star overall rating, with results slightly behind GM’s full-size pickups. Big trucks aren’t always known for hitting the highest safety scores, but other trucks have newer and tougher structures.