2010 Toyota Tundra 4x4 Double Cab: Dual-Purpose Truck is Brawny and Refined

By Mike Blake, Carlisle Events

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The monster, full-size pick-up with a Japanese pedigree and an American-built work and ethic, is a dual-purpose truck … strong enough for work and refined enough for daily and family use. The 2010 Toyota Tundra is built in San Antonio, Texas and is slightly redesigned for its second generation.

Available in three cab sizes –- Regular cab, Double Cab and CrewMax body styles –three bed lengths – 5.5-foot, 6.5-foot and an 8-foot bed – and three engine sizes – 4.0-liter, 4.6-liter and 5.7-liter – the 2010 Tundra is powerful, productive and as big as Texas.

The behemoth measures 228.7 inches long (with a standard bed), 79.9 inches wide and 76.2 inches high on a 145.7-inch wheel base with the standard bed. Inside bed depth is 22.2 inches, inside bed width is 66.4 inches and ground clearance is 10.4 inches.

Reworked for 2010, the Tundra’s three-bar grille has been replaced by a sturdier two-bar grille, the lower front bumper has a body-color insert and a modified, angular look, rear taillamp appearance has an aerodynamic persona and the cabin is now insulated with sound-absorbing materials for a more sophisticated driving and passenger experience.

My test Tundra 4x4 was a Double-Cab with a 6-5-foot bed. That double-walled compartment with tailgate assist was large enough to accommodate more than 30 boxes and 2,000 pounds of office files, hardware and software that were being shipped from Pennsylvania to the MidWest.
Under hood is where Tundra earns its dual-role status, as its power plant is brawny and cultured. The vehicle I examined was outfitted with a 4.6-liter iForce V-8 32-valve DOHC engine that thundered out 310 horses and 327 lbs.-ft. of torque. As curb weight is a solid 5385 lbs., that’s easily enough torque to attain its maximum tow capability of 6900 pounds and the driver can feel very confident in towing a boat or trailer.
It’s also enough muscle to accelerate with zeal. Taking the Tundra on a track test run, the vehicle lumbered steadily to an 8.2-second zero-to-60 sprint and managed to do a quarter-mile in 16.5 Mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, cruising along the highway, it is easy to pass the speed limit and on the track, 80mph feels like 50, though on the highway, there is some top wobble at high speeds and during quick turns at slower speeds.

With its 26.4-gallon fuel tank full, Tundra drinks fuel quickly. EPA rated at 14/19, the figures were forgiving as real-life tests showed a thirstier vehicle. A quick, but thorough four-day test put on some 650 miles that included several round trips from BWI Airport across Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Those mixed-use drives averaged 13mpg on 87 octane fuel.
This off-road worthy 4x4 proved itself during tests on trails and rugged terrain. Its switchable traction-control system showed well on gravel, mud and sand. Its plentiful low-end torque and body stability make it a viable camping/recreation truck as well as city and work truck.

Tundra’s reinforced chassis under the cab ad bed, automatic slip differential, independent high-mounted double-wishbone front suspension with a front stabilizer bar and low-pressure nitrogen gas shock absorbers and live axle rear with trapezoid multi-leaf springs, mated to an outboard-mounted low-pressure nitrogen gas shock absorbers smooth out city road imperfections and adapt well to wilderness locales.

In the cabin, rear vision and blind spot vision is poor, and the vehicle is difficult to park in tight parking lots, but when asked, Tundra was able to meet any challenge. It steered aggressively and responded generously.
Inside, Tundra is Texas roomy with seating capacity for six and headroom of 40.2 inches in front and 38.7 inches in the second cabin; legroom is 42.5 and 34.7 and shoulder room is 66.6 and 65.7.
Standard interior accessories include 4-way front passenger adjustment center, dual-zone climate control with Sync mode, AM/FM/MP3/CD with 6 speakers and auxiliary input, tilt steering wheel, power windows, door locks and mirrors, cloth-trimmed seats, remote keyless entry, variable intermittent windshield wipers and manual headlamp adjustment.
Regarding safety, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tests awarded Tundra 4 stars out of 5 in roll-over tests, but the vehicle was as yet unrated in crash tests. Safety features include 4-wheel ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, electronic brake assist with vehicle stability control, driver and front passenger advanced air bag system, seat side air bags and knee airbags, roll-sensing curtain air bags, tire pressure monitoring system and engine immobilizer.
My review Tundra 4x4Doubel-Cab had a price as tested of $31,508. That included the base price of $28,690, and the following add-ons: Cold weather package (heavy-duty battery and starter, windshield wiper de-icer with timer and front and rear mudguards) for $160; power heated outside mirrors for $30; daytime running lamps for $40; 18-inch styled steel wheels with P255/70R18 tires for $110; sliding rear window with privacy glass for $345; all-weather mats for $99; underseat storage for $125; chrome tube steps for $534; bedliner for $365 and a deck rail system for $210 as well as the delivery and processing fee of $800.
The 2010 Toyota Tundra is a full-size pick-up that is at home at work or play.
Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

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