The automatic transmission is smooth and responsive, communicating well with the engine, and always choosing the appropriate gear.
Starting from a dead stop, a two-wheel-drive Tundra Limited easily accelerated up a long steep grade while pulling a 3,000-pound trailer. This rig was stable going around sweeping turns, braking from high speeds on steep downhill sections and bouncing over a rough, lava-covered dirt road. There was none of the up and down motions some trucks exhibit when their front suspensions aren't up to balancing weight on the rear tongue. Transmission and engine oil coolers are standard.
Ride quality is excellent. On rough pavement and bumpy dirt roads, the Tundra's suspension really shines. It damps out unwanted vibration and harshness and controls the movement of the wheels precisely, keeping the tires in contact with the road surface for excellent grip and handling. Bouncing up a steep mountain trail, barely a path, on the Big Island of Hawaii, the Tundra 4WD's suspension performed amazingly well. Bounding over harsh dips and humps, the suspension offered impressive travel and damping performance.
Both the two- and four-wheel-drive models offer exceptional handling. The 2WD SR5 I drove through Virginia was incredibly responsive. Everything about it felt exceptionally tight. It was easy to control the 4WD version over rough terrain at a fast clip up a steep Hawaiian mountain trail. The suspension never bottomed on the bump stops in spite of my efforts to beat it up.
While bouncing over moguls, we noticed that neither the cowl nor the front hood shook. The Tundra's chassis is highly rigid with boxed front frame rails. Toyota also claims this truck offers a class-leading ground clearance, and that everything underneath is tucked above the frame rails.
The brakes felt great to us, even when pulling a trailer, and Toyota claims the Tundra can stop quicker than the domestic pickups.
Toyota off-road-racing legend Ivan "Ironman" Stewart helped Toyota Racing Development tune the optional TRD suspension. Using Bilstein shocks and special progressive-rate springs, this suspension is designed for performance in extreme off-road conditions; it reportedly rides better on rough road surfaces. Next Page