2010 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited 4×4
The fact that the full size 2010 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited 4x4 pickup is built in San Antonio, Texas might seem like it has little to do with this truck’s character. But that is where you would be wrong. The 2010 Toyota Tundra, to be frank, is as big, wide and as tough as Texas.
No one knows what turns a full size pickup into a “real truck” like the residents of the great state of Texas. Their vast, wide open spaces and need for hardy utility often times necessitate the use of a pickup. Or sometimes they drive them because they are the only vehicles that have enough headroom for their Stetson hats.
Granted, full size pickup truck buyers are generally extremely loyal to their brand. Toyota made a very bold move by building an American sized pickup truck with grab handles, shift levers, air conditioning knobs and power window switches sized large enough for our generally porky fingers. Or people wearing work gloves. Whichever one you want to believe is fine by me.
But this move into territory previously dominated by Chevy, Ford and Dodge has allowed Toyota to embark on its own subtle reimagining of the American pickup truck. In Limited form the interior of this truck features Lexus-like leather, subtly damped switches and a driving experience that is everything you would expect from a serene Toyota passenger car.
Also, there is the small notion of the 5.7 liter iForce V8 engine that was under the hood of my test model. But I will get to talking about that muscle motor later in this review. So let’s find out if the 2010 Toyota Tundra is a winner or if it will go down fighting much like the soldiers at the Alamo. Sorry, I couldn’t resist another Texas reference.
Exterior Styling
Where other full size pickup trucks are either rather plain looking or ridiculously over the top with their exterior styling, the 2010 Toyota Tundra strikes a happy middle ground. In Limited trim the chrome door handles and side mirrors really help give the truck a touch of subtle class without becoming utterly gaudy.
While the Tundra does have a very large and prominent front grille, it eschews the norm of Big Three pickup trucks by using a much stouter and shorter looking nose. From the driver’s seat there isn’t quite the expanse of hood space in front of you like there is in, say, a 2010 Dodge Ram.
I personally looked at this one design element as the best way Toyota could think of to make me feel like I wasn’t piloting a mobile home on 4-wheels (would that be an RV?). Other full size truck owners I talked to, however, disagreed. My opinion is that choice in the full size pickup market is good and we wouldn’t want Toyota to become too American, now would we?
Interior Styling, Build Quality and Utility
When I first opened the door of my test Limited model I have to admit that I was a bit taken aback by the Tundra’s eye catching “Red Rock” interior color scheme. Toyota is known for being a bit conservative with interior colors and the saddle brown-like hue is possibly their most daring and stylish in years.
Most of the dash is covered in black soft touch plastic with silver effect trim and only the door panels, center console lid and glovebox share the leather’s “Red Rock” shade of reddish brown. Over the course of the week I couldn’t imagine ordering my 2010 Tundra Limited any other way as the unique color scheme successfully gives the interior a comfy, living room feel.
I also loved the placement of all the major controls, the smooth and precise way in which every knob clicking into place and the meaty feel of the transmission shift lever. These are all things you don’t notice until they are done poorly. While some of the climate controls are a bit of a stretch for the driver that is just a side effect of driving such a wide vehicle. The passenger has to reach some controls too! It’s not always about you!
Interior cab space in the Crewmax model is ridiculously ample with rear bench legroom proving more impressive than in the 2010 Ram I tested the same week. The seats were also the perfect combination of soft and firm while the interior featured an overabundance of storage options. Also, the cupholders were big enough even for a Super Big Gulp (important if you have a Texas sized thirst).
But really Toyota, do Tundra buyers really need four overhead sunglass holders? I guess four burly guys going to a work site might all want to store their sunglasses in the truck. Or someone might just like designer eyewear. It’s a bit of overkill but it is a deliciously quirky little touch.
The Bluetooth application in my test Tundra is so easy to use that I didn’t even need to consult the owner’s manual when I was setting it all up. The Tundra Limited model also has an optional navigation/rear view camera screen in the dash which made backing up this rather long truck a much less stressful affair.
Lastly, I do have to say that I have one issue with part of the Tundra Limited’s interior design. The “wood grain style” trim looks cheap and nothing like a material that ever came from an actual tree. It actually looks a bit like the wood trim you would find on a poker table in the VIP room of an Indian Casino.
Pricing, Features and Fuel Economy
Right now Toyota is offering a “blinged” out Platinum Package on top of the Limited trim and this adds some, um, non-work related features. There is a rear seat DVD entertainment unit, moonroof, heated and ventilated power front seats, additional chrome trim and a memory function for the power seats.
This all comes on in addition to my Limited model’s dual zone climate control, navigation with back-up camera, leather seats and trim, towing package, power everything, keyless entry, Bluetooth, steering wheel mounted audio/phone controls, Bluetooth, XM satellite radio, a USB port for your iPod and a 4 CD JBL premium audio system with 12 speakers and a subwoofer.
$45,000 as tested may sound like a lot for a pickup truck but it actually undercuts some rivals when compared feature to feature. And for some reason the 2010 Toyota Tundra Limited CrewMax 4x4 just feels totally worth the price of admission. The Limited trim truly makes this truck feel like a premium class automobile. I dare not say the “Lexus of pickup trucks” but you get the idea.
One thing the Tundra cannot achieve, however, is Prius like fuel economy. For example, this model Tundra (with heavy 4x4 hardware remember) weighs 5,645 pounds and that is before you add in the weight of your four best beer drinking buddies whose bellies are growing faster than their hair.
So, an as tested fuel economy figure of 14.3 miles per gallon really isn’t that bad especially when you consider the performance and capabilities of this pickup. EPA numbers of 13 city/17 highway also seem to be well judged (for once).
Driving Impressions
My driving experience in this 2010 Toyota Tundra was dominated by the 5.7 liter iForce V8 which pumps out 381 horsepower/401 lb. feet of torque through an expertly geared six-speed automatic. Downshifts were prompt and at cruising speed upshifts were imperceptible. This powertrain gives the Tundra muscle car levels of forward thrust and affords the driver plenty of fun behind the wheel.
The thick rimmed and beefy steering wheel gives plenty of feel but is easy to use in tight parking lots thanks to fewer turns lock to lock than you find in some of the competition. The brakes are also immensely strong and make the 2010 Ram’s brakes feel truly inadequate.
The ride can be a bit jittery over freeway expansion joints but hey, it’s a truck. The Tundra, however, never really upsets anyone riding in the cabin thanks to extremely low levels of wind, engine and road noise. If you do want to hear the rorty burble of the iForce V8, however, all you need to do is roll the windows down.
If you plan on using your Tundra as a work or towing truck it is even more important for you to opt for the 5.7 liter V8. Tow capacity for this engine is 10,100 lbs. while payload capacity is 1,555 lbs. Mighty impressive numbers for a mighty impressive full-size pickup.
(Note: The Tundra CrewMax is also available in 2WD form with an all new 4.6 liter variant of the iForce V8 that musters a healthy 310 horsepower/327 lb. feet of torque. More basic Tundra variants can also be equipped with a 4.0 liter V6 rated at 236 horsepower/266 lb. feet of torque.)
How Dog and Kid Friendly is It?
The reclining rear seat in the Tundra Crewmax model makes it very easy to attach a canine seat cover over the rear bench. In addition, the entire rear window of the pickup cab rolls down so when the rear side windows are open (dogs like to stick their heads out the window) there is no wind buffeting in the cabin. Also, the rear seat has so much legroom that the floor of the cab makes for a nice, low entry spot for older dogs to jump into the vehicle.
In addition, rich interior materials and sturdy looking leather trim all make for a truck that is perfect for both kids and children. Also take note that the 2010 Tundra has a front and side impact rating of Good from the IIHS while the NHTSA gave it four stars for rollover protection. Those are all excellent safety marks and manage to better a couple of competitors I could mention.
Final Thoughts
The Stars and Stripes may be big and bright deep in the heart of Texas but there is also a pickup truck being built there with Armadillo levels of toughness mixed in with a heaping dose of slick Toyota engineering. The Tundra also has great crash test ratings, is smartly priced and in Limited form is richly equipped. You get all of this an exterior styling that speaks to the truck’s macho air without ever being brash.
I absolutely loved driving the 2010 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited 4x4 and if I needed a full sized pickup truck I would buy one in a heartbeat. Seriously, I am thinking about buying a boat, becoming a construction worker or starting a landscaping business so I can buy one. Actually, I might just buy it for the interior and that 5.7 liter iForce V8.
Vehicle Tested: 2010 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited 4x4
Base Price: $42,155
Price as Tested: $45,236 (includes destination)
Options on Tester: DVD navigation w/back-up camera ($1,690), Bedliner ($365), Floormats ($181), Tie down hooks ($45)
Engine: 5.7 liter iForce V8
Power: 381 horsepower/401 lb. feet of torque
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Economy: 13 city/17 highway
Observed Economy: 14.3 miles per gallon
Crash Test Ratings (IIHS): Front Impact (Good)
Side Impact: Good (Good is Top IIHS Score)
Rollover: Four Stars out of Five (NHTSA)
Towing Capacity: 10,100 lb.
Payload Capacity: 1,555 lb.
Turning Radius: 44 feet
Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain
Assembled in: San Antonio, Texas
Vehicle Provided By: Toyota Motor Corp.
