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While Toyota is known for its long-lasting vehicles of all types and sizes, the brand may not be the first to come to mind as a full-size pickup. Lots of Pickup Trucks sold here in the USA are considered as American as Apple Pie, and Toyota wants you to add Tundra to that list.

So much so that they have a 1794 edition, named after the year that the factory was built on the ranch in the state of Texas. This 4X4 Toyota Tundra with a CrewMax cabin and 6.5-foot bed has a starting price of $61,020. With options and Delivery Processing and Handling, it stickers out at $66,395. A fairly reasonable price tag for a full-size truck with the power to tow and do everything you want a pickup to do.

Powertrain

This tester came equipped with an i-Force 3.5- liter Twin-Turbo V6 double overhead cam 24-valve engine producing 389 Horsepower and 479 – lb.-ft of Torque. There is an option Hybrid version of the same i-Force Max engine, providing the fuel savings of that technology, though with just a few changes in the other specifications regarding towing or what the driver/owner would see. 

Mileage is what you might expect from a full-size pickup. In our around-town driving and some highway driving, we were getting a pretty solid 18 miles per gallon, on 87-octane or higher fuel, with a 32.2-gallon tank.

While we did not tow anything, the power and performance of the vehicle were solid and dependable for highway and around-town driving.

Interior

Tundra has a very functional interior, and the 1794 edition being a tad more upscale, brings forth a Western Style theme with high-quality saddle brown leather on the seats and steering wheel with contrasting stitching; think fancy cowboy boots. While I like the look of the woodgrain on the dash, it is plastic, and there is no mistaking that. While it is well done, it still looks and feels like plastic.

Switchgear has a solid feel to them. The large 14-inch center display screen is clear and provides plenty of information for the driver and other occupants. Though I would like it to be tilted more towards the driver than just facing dead center to the back of the truck.

Seating is comfortable both front and rear, and the rear seats fold up to provide extra storage underneath and behind them.  Front seats are 10-way power adjustable for the driver and 4-way power adjustable for the passenger.

Pickup Bed & Towing

The business end of any truck is where you put the cargo, and this pickup has a six-and-a-half-foot bed lined with the optional bed mat, ready for almost anything you put into it. Fixed and moveable tie-downs ensure that you will keep that load in one place.

Regarding towing, this Tundra, with its extendable side mirrors and class three hitch setup, is ready for you to pull most trailers, be they boat to camping or work trailers.

Exterior

There is not much you can do to make a pickup truck stand out concerning exterior design. Hood, crew cabin, and bed. While this one is called a Crewmax, with four doors, most pickups today come that way. It is almost impossible to find a two-door, single row, or even with a small amount of rear seating.

Overall Thoughts

While I am not a full-size pickup truck guy, I did grow up on a farm where towing and hauling was the primary use of a pickup truck. Fancy trucks, while they are nice, still have me in a quandary. Do you want to be a farmhand with a nice truck, or do you want a nice truck to be a handy farm tool? Would I buy this pickup truck? If I were in the market for a full-size pickup, it would be high on my list. The Tundra has a lot of positives about it, though I still feel it is too pretty to be a work truck.

Words, Images, and Video by William West Hopper

Mr. Hopper has long been an automotive enthusiast. He has served on the boards of several enthusiast groups and led their publications. He is currently President Emeritus of the Washington Automotive Press Association and a member of the International Automotive Press Association. You can find him on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.