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Toyota
Toyota has pulled the curtain back on its 2014
Tundra, showing a truck that has gotten its most significant refresh since its launch as a 2007 model. For better or worse, however, the changes that Toyota has made to the fullsize pickup are mostly cosmetic, with the underpinnings of the vehicle staying unchanged.
The most obvious revision for 2014 is to the bluff front fascia of the truck. There's a new, taller squared-off grille decorating the Tundra's nose, along with a revised, three-part front bumper design. The optional black grille-frame strikes us as an acquired taste, to say the least, but other models, like the Limited above, is all clad in chrome. Fenders and wheel wells are more square than in the out-going truck, too. Perhaps most significant is the revised bed design, which Toyota calls "all-new," with new sheet metal on the sides, a revised tailgate and a very subtle integrated spoiler.
Inside, Toyota has given buyers some new seats and a new-look instrument panel. A backup camera (always handy on big trucks) is now standard equipment on all grades, as is Bluetooth connectivity. Blind spot monitoring is a new, optional feature as well. In all, as with the exterior mods, the changes in-cabin are far more evolutionary than revolutionary.
All of the oily/functional bits of the Tundra carryover from the existing lineup. A 4.0-liter, 270-horsepower 278-pound-feet of torque V6 is still the base engine, while two V8s - a 310-hp, 327-lb-ft 4.6-liter and a 381-hp, 401-lb-ft 5.7-liter - round out the offerings. The V6 hooks up to a five-speed automatic transmission, while both V8s make use of six gears.
Considering Toyota's recent lackluster performance versus the American truck competition, we're not sure this facelift will give the Tundra enough of a push to overtake the likes of
all-new models from GM and
Ram, or the segment-leader
Ford F-150. Time, and shoppers' dollars, will tell.
Continue reading 2014 Toyota Tundra appears with revised styling, same mechanicals
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Chicago: 2014 Toyota Tundra appears with revised styling, same mechanicals
