With the rare exception of driving a Uhaul about 9 years ago, the largest vehicle I’ve ever driven is my SUV. Normally after testing smaller vehicles, I feel like I’m in a giant ride vehicle far above where I was the previous week. That all changed after Toyota dropped off their 2016 Tundra for me to drive. I will admit, I was nervous when I accepted the truck to review, because it’s more than double the size of my current SUV and I wasn’t use to anything that large. But, I’m always open to a challenge and something different for me.
It just so happens, the week the Tundra was delivered some of our family was moving. In almost the cliche moment – I had a truck and was helping someone move. The truck was even delivered with some moving blankets to help items and keep everything clean and safe. The large truck was ready for us to put it to work.
The Tundra isn’t just large on size on the outside and boasting a full truck bed, but it also seats five adults comfortably. Between the front two bucket seats is a large storage area with additional power ports as well. And below the back row of seats is additional storage that you could fit large items in and hide them completely. While you wont have a trunk inside the truck you can store and secure items in the large storage spots. I found that I could easily drop my tote bag with a full notebook and just close the lid.
And while you’re driving a full truck with an extended cab, you will have a pleasant driving experience like you would in any luxury vehicle. The Tundra was fully loaded with cruise control, satellite radio, proximity detection, parking assistance and even a back up camera. The ride is made comfortable with plush leather seats with lumbar support and even heated seats.
The Toyota Tundra is also loaded with safety features and comes equipped with 8 airbags. It also comes standard with the Star Safety System™, a suite of six advanced safety features that includes Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and Smart Stop Technology® (SST). The Tundra has a low roll over rating, and mixes well with the comfort of the vehicle and the features included.
The first time I drove the Tundra I was surprised at how easy it was for me maneuver, and how comfortable I was. This is in part because the truck has one of the smallest turning radius compared to any other truck in it’s size and class. With the back up camera and proximity detection, I was able to swing the truck into small parking spots and even back straight into areas that I wasn’t able to do in my SUV on a normal day.
I was able to help my family move several loads of their items to their new home with the Tundra and help them cut down the amount they’d have to pay movers to move for them. And with the exception of a couple broken older bungee cords – everything fit and fit in the large bed. While we could load the back seat area with smaller and breakable items.
Packed inside the Tundra is a 5.7 L iForce V8 engine, and each time you start it up you can hear the power packed inside. Not only will the Tundra surprise you with the hidden space inside and with the large bed, but you can also use the full towing options if you need them. Inside the cab you have full control of the hauling options and can monitor everything as well.
I loved how comfortable I was driving the Tundra, but it is more of a vehicle than I would need on a day to day basis. And when it was time for Toyota to pick up the Tundra, it was a very odd sensation for me to switch back to driving my SUV. But having the Tundra was so useful in helping our family move, and was a lot more space than my SUV could have offered.
The Toyota Tundra gets an average of 15 miles in city and 19 on the highway, and the starting price is $28,000.