Mother Proof's view

On the second day of my two-week test drive in the new Toyota Tundra, my neighbor waved and laughingly shouted as I pulled out of our driveway, “You manly girl.”It made me wonder: Am I woman enough to drive this man-beast, or am I bound to question my femininity as I barrel down the street in such an uproarious brute? That discomfort was only heightened by the occasional glances from the pickup crowd that seemed to say, “Now there’s a REAL woman.”Quite honestly, driving the Tundra left me feeling rather apprehensive, and somewhat imposter-ish. When I trucked through the local drive through, I was greeted with “Hey, I like your Tundra!”Can you say truck poser? No matter where I went, guys salivated over the Tundra Double Cab, including my very own husband and two little men-to-be.

Getting into the Toyota Tundra is hardly graceful, as I have to take a huge step up (no miniskirts, please), grab the handle and swing myself into the driver’s seat. My kindergartener and 2-year-old demonstrated their rock-climbing skills as they scrambled in, which didn’t make for a speedy affair. My poor mother-in-law said the ground was a looooong way down when she tried to slide out of the truck, and even my husband said the Tundra’s step-in height seemed higher than that of his Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, which probably only serves to further glamorize the Tundra in his mind. At least the two weeks of lifting my 30-pound toddler up into his car seat made for a rigorous workout.

Backing up in the Tundra left me desperately wishing for a rearview camera (or binoculars), as the back of the truck bed seems very far away. Speaking of the Tundra’s size, when I got to the airport in need of a quick parking space, I had no choice but to accept one that was much too cramped, making for an absolutely atrocious parking job.

When I left the airport I was able to easily grab my parking ticket out of a handy card holder in the overhead console and my sunglasses from one of the Tundra’s three overhead sunglass holders. Crafty! I had no idea a pickup truck could have so much clever compartment space – there’s even a hidden shelf above the glove compartment that houses the book I wish I were reading. Each of the front doors has a fold-out change compartment, and -the biggest surprise of all – the huge center console includes space for a laptop and hanging files. How marvelous is that? If only it came with a secretary, too. (Wait, I guess that would be me.) No matter where I looked in the Tundra, I came across more storage; even the door handles double as a place to keep pens and pencils. Not surprisingly, there were also plenty of cupholders. Factor in the Tundra’s Bluetooth capability, and you’ve got a remarkable office away from home. Who’d have guessed?

Of course, you’ll have to make sure the “office”is stopped before trying to work, otherwise things will get quite bumpy. In this bouncy behemoth, my kids and I didn’t need the usual dirt road to play our “aaaaahhhhh”game (a scintillating exercise wherein the kids and I say “aaaaahhhhh”and the road makes our voices do somersaults). On the other hand, when I took the family down an actual gravel trail at a nearby state park, the Tundra handled beautifully. I had complete grip on the dirt and the ride was downright smooth.

Returning from our excursion after dark, I was annoyed to learn that the Tundra doesn’t beep at you if you accidentally leave the headlights on once the engine has been shut off. Plus, the rain had rendered the stroller in the back unusable. That’s the downside of an open truck bed, I suppose.

If there is such a thing as a quintessential vehicle for dads, this could be it. It’s manly and has no trouble hauling loads, and the easy-to-access Latch connectors let you buckle your kids in comfortably. And if the dame of the house suddenly needs to shuttle something big, no problem; I can attest to the fact that the Tundra is perfectly drivable, albeit trucky. Of course, it’s less about the drive to me – maybe I’m just too much of a girl to contend with the pickup truck stigma.

*For more information on the Toyota Tundra and its safety features, visit Cars.com. With questions or comments regarding this review, write to motherproof@msn.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

Latch Connectors: 2

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 5

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore (but it’s out in the open)

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Fair -Great

Fun Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Some

Specs

Base price: $31,160

Price as tested: $34,260

Engine: 381-hp, 5.7 liter V-8

Fuel: 14/18 mpg

Length: 228.7″

Width: 79.9″

Ground Clearance: 10.4″

Turning diameter: 44.0′

Cargo space: N/A

NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings

Frontal Impact

Driver’s side: 4 Stars

Passenger’s side: 4 Stars

Side Impact

Front occupant: Not Rated

Rear occupant: Not Rated

Rollover resistance: 4 Stars