2014 Toyota Tundra: Can It Top the American Trucks?

On Sale Date: Late summer 2013

Base Price: TBD

Competitors: Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ford F-150, Ram 1500

Powertrains: 4.0-liter V-6, 270 hp, 278 lb-ft; 4.6-liter V-8, 310 hp, 327 lb-ft; 5.7-liter V-8, 381 hp, 401 lb-ft; five-speed automatic (standard on 4.0 V-6), RWD; six-speed automatic (standard on 4.6 and 5.7 V-8s), RWD or AWD

EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 16/20 (V-6), 15/20 (4.6-liter V-8), 14/19 (4.6-liter 4x4), 13/18 (5.7-liter V-8), 13/17 (5.7 V-8 4x4)

What's New: Not as much as we'd expected, considering the previous Tundra model is pushing 7 years old. Powertrains carry over, as do major chassis components. Nonetheless, a few strategic upgrades to the Tundra lineup should improve Toyota's chances against strong competitors from dominant American-owned makes.

For one, engineers have sought to improve the truck's straight-line stability. Adjustments to the front and rear spring rates mean a bit less rebound, while some fine-tuning to the steering system, which is still hydraulically assisted, improves accuracy and dials out some fatigue-causing modulations.

And then there's the exterior design. What good is a truck that is purposeful if it doesn't look purposeful? That's the primary question Toyota considered as it set about refreshing the Tundra's styling. The previous model, according to research, alienated some potential customers who saw it as "too bubbly." So, designers at Toyota's Calty Design Research centers in Newport Beach, Calif., and Ann Arbor, Mich., set out to make the new Tundra's shape look more like that of a workhorse.

Inside, a redesigned binnacle replaces the former model's recessed gauges in favor of shallower, easier-to-read ones, and adds a central LCD multi-info display accessed via a controller on the steering wheel. Customers had also complained that the previous center-stack layout made reaching some controls a job for Stretch Armstrong. The new interior does away with the previous model's dual-column "command and control" center, in favor of a simpler setup that moves audio and HVAC controls 2.6 inches closer to the driver.

On the Tundra CrewMax version, sliding rear chairs have been replaced with flip-up seats that boost storage volume and drop load-in height by more than 11 inches. There's also a new, premium-model Tundra—outfitted with Lexus-grade leather—to compete with such limo–boxes as the Ford F-150 King Ranch. Toyota calls it the 1794 Edition—no, not referring to the Neutrality Act of 1794 between the Continental Congress and France. It's the founding year of the San Antonio ranch on which the Tundra plant sits. It's a clever enough name, though not particularly evocative of Texas opulence. If you have to explain a product brand, you're already behind the game.

The new generation of Tundra benefits from Toyota's new infotainment media scheme. The company has incorporated its Entune brand across all truck grades, offering more features as a buyer ascends the Tundra ladder. The base SR model gets the Entune Audio Multimedia Bundle, which includes a 6.1-inch touchscreen display; AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback; auxiliary jack; USB 2.0 port and iPod connectivity and control; hands-free phone capability; phone-book access and music streaming via Bluetooth; and voice recognition. Toyota adds more features as you ascend the Tundra trim levels, all the way to the Platinum and 1794 Edition CrewMax models, which get the Entune Premium JBL Audio with navigation and the Entune App Suite (which includes Entune Premium Audio with JBL speakers and amplifier).

Tech Tidbit: Engineers affixed fin-like canards to the side mirrors and rear taillight lenses to reduce air turbulence along the Tundra's sides. The point was to create low-pressure zones to stabilize the truck while in motion, particularly when there's no cargo to weigh down the bed. They're called Aero-Fins, and while there's no particular tell that signals they're doing their job, they're definitely a good conversation starter at aerodynamicist cocktail parties.

Driving Character: Toyota's small tweaks mean more driving comfort for Tundra buyers, many of whom make long-haul runs across vast expanses of land. The new Tundra feels a bit more at ease on the road, requiring fewer minute course corrections to keep it tracking true. It's not quite an engaging drive, but for a truck, its responses are predictable, and it's painless to place and guide through tight winding roads and even along a backwoods course of mud and rocks.

Favorite Detail: Taking into account how often rear bumpers are damaged and must be replaced, engineers redesigned the rear bumpers into a three-piece design. That way, if the center gets damaged by, say, backing into a trailer or tree, only that segment need be replaced, which lowers the cost.

Driver's Grievance: The good news is that a backup camera is standard on all Tundra grades. The bad news is that because the backup camera's lens is mounted to the tailgate, if you happen to be carrying longer-than-standard cargo and need to drive with a gate down—a common occurrence, especially for CrewMax trucks with the smaller, 5.6-foot bed—you'll be staring at the ground instead of whatever's behind you.

Bottom Line: Toyota's taken a conservative approach to the first major update of the Tundra since 2007. Skipping a major redesign this far into a product's life is a calculated risk. But Toyota has chosen smart, tactical improvements that make the Tundra a better value for a particularly finicky and purpose-driven audience. The 2014 Tundra is a bit better looking, a bit more usable, and a bit better to drive than the model it replaces. That alone won't spawn a revolution in trucking, but it will keep the Tundra around to fight another cycle.