Revisiting the 2007 Toyota Tundra

Not too long ago, we had the Ford F-150 and new Chevy Silverado take on Toyota’s new full-size Tundra pickup in a Faceoff. The Tundra won, but I’ll admit I had some reservations giving it a complete nod because we tested a larger Crew Max version, and the contenders weren’t perfectly equal.

After driving the Tundra Double Cab (not the larger Crew Max) with the top-of-the-line 5.7-liter V-8 engine, I can now say I’d again go with the Tundra as the winner. Why? Mainly, because the thing is fast — really fast. Zero-to-60-in-6.3-seconds fast. Sure, you’ve probably heard the numbers before, but in real-life driving and merging at highway speeds, the Tundra is actually accelerating with gusto, where the other two trucks just adequately get you there. In that way the Tundra is a fun truck. I never thought I’d say that either, with something this big whose primary function is towing.

The interior is a bit strange, but high-quality. It’s strange because all the buttons are super-sized, supposedly because truck owners wear work gloves routinely when driving. If you’re a truck owner and don’t take your gloves off before driving, please let us know. I think the first thing a glove-wearer does is take off the gloves once he or she gets in a car or truck. Especially if they are work gloves.

The other annoying thing about the interior was all the contrasting colors. There was silver around the gauges, black lacquer-like plastic around the center stack controls and brown and tan everywhere else. Not too appealing. Material quality was good, but not superior to the Silverado.

There were 10 cupholders, for everything from a soda can to a plastic liter bottle. A bit of overkill, but it’s always better to have too much than not enough.

I was glad I got to placate my own internal fears that maybe the Tundra wasn’t quite as good as we thought. There’s still nothing wrong with the other two trucks, but the Tundra seems to have found one category where it definitely stands out: For me, if it’s faster, it’s better.

Related:
Tundra Four-Star Safety Rating Not a Good Thing
How They Made Those Toyota Tundra Super Bowl Ads
2007 Toyota Tundra Review
Cars.comparison: Full-Size Trucks