Overview

Sometimes you want more than muscle. You want style, sophistication. You want power, handling. You want peace and quiet. If these are things you want in a pickup, then you might consider Toyota's full-size Tundra.

The Tundra may not be as big and brawny as the Ford F-150, Dodge Ram, Chevrolet Silverado, or GMC Sierra, but it's easier to drive, lighter on its feet, and brilliantly quick and responsive. It's also built to Toyota's high quality standards. So you get unsurpassed quality, durability, and reliability.

The Tundra is the one of smoothest, quietest, and most refined pickups we've ever driven. Its 4.7-liter V8 engine is truly exceptional, with more than enough power to run with the big dogs. The V8 Tundra can tow a 7,200-pound trailer or haul nearly 2000 pounds in its eight-foot bed.

For 2002, an optional limited-slip differential is available for better traction in slippery conditions. Launched in model-year 2000, Tundra is still a relatively new model. Changes for 2001 and 2002 have been minor.

Model Lineup

Tundra is available as a two-door regular cab or four-door Access Cab. Two- and four-wheel drive versions are offered, employing similar suspensions and bed heights. And three trim levels are available: base, SR5, and Limited.

The Tundra offers two engines: a sophisticated double-overhead-cam, 32-valve 4.7-liter V8, and a 3.4-liter double-overhead-cam V6. The V8 produces 245 horsepower and 315 foot-pounds of torque. All V8 models come with a four-speed automatic transmission. The standard V6 is rated at 190 horsepower and 220 foot-pounds of torque. It comes with a choice of four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission

Prices vary widely, starting at $15,605 for a regular-cab base model with rear-wheel drive, a V6 engine and five-speed manual transmission. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a V8-powered Limited four-wheel drive Access Cab lists for $30,060.

Base models are pretty plain, and come only with the regular cab and two-wheel drive. Bumpers are painted, and even air conditioning is a $985 option.

Access Cabs and 4x4 versions start at the SR5 level, with air conditioning, cruise control, AM/FM/cassette stereo, tilt steering, tachometer, chrome bumpers, styled wheels, and other trim upgrades.

Limited models are available only with the V8, and only with the Access Cab. The Limited's already long list of standard equipment has been upgraded for 2002 to include ABS, daytime running lights, an in-dash CD changer, keyless entry, and an anti-theft system

Walkaround

The Tundra is an attractive pickup. But its styling is bland compared to the boldly retro Dodge Ram and the windswept Ford F-150. Tundra does share a family resemblance with the compact Toyota Tacoma. Curving lines give both Toyotas a sporty look, while bulging fenders look ready to go off-road.

Access Cab extended-cab models have four doors. The short rear doors are hinged at the rear and open opposite the front doors. We called these suicide doors in the old days, a label manufacturers avoid. The Access Cab's doors will bang into one another if you close the front door before closing the rear door. Fortunately, the inside of the rear door is padded, so it isn't a big problem. Handles for the rear doors are conveniently located on the outside of the doors, whereas most domestic pickups with extended cabs hind the handles inside the door jams. Still, the Tundra's handle design isn't the most comfortable.

The pickup bed measures 8 feet with the regular cab, but only 6-feet, 3-inches with the Access Cab. That's a few inches inches shorter than the short bed of a Ford F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado. Toyota's bed is also a little shallower than Ford's bed

Interior Features

This is a comfortable truck with a friendly interior. The 60/40 split-bench cloth seats are welcoming and supportive. Accessory switches are concentrated in the center cluster for easy operation. Instruments are straightforward, with a big tachometer on all but base models. A center console box comes with storage space and a pair of good, deep cup holders. The latch on the center console on our truck wouldn't stay latched, however, so the lid would flop open whenever the console was flipped up. Our truck came with double sun visors with extenders.

Climbing in is easy, though the two-wheel-drive model seems to sit higher off the ground than other two-wheel-drive pickups. But that means that even the two-wheel-drive Tundra feels tall in the saddle, giving the driver a commanding view over shorter vehicles. Toyota claims the Tundra provides more front legroom than any of the domestic pickups, including the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Overall, however, the domestic trucks offer more usable room in the front seats.