Recently I had the opportunity to test the Toyota Tundra. On occasion I am asked to do reliability studies on various merchandise; generally household appliances and other products that will soon hit the market place or is currently available. On rare occasions I get to test various vehicles to see if they meet media standards as they are portrayed.
Over the past 5 years J.D. Powers and Associates have claimed that the Toyota Tundra has one of the highest reliability rates of any full size pickup so I decided I would put the truck to the test. The vehicle chosen came equipped with 4-wheel drive, and Toyota’s new 4.0 L V-6 engines which is said to be able to produce 270 hp and 278 lbs of torque at 4400 rpm which makes this a highly efficient work horse.
I live in an area of East Texas where the pickup is an essential tool in any business and this 2011 Tundra met or beat my needs compared to other trucks that I have driven of similar size and capacity. Over a 30 day period it withstood the wear and tear of hauling pallet loads of concrete, paving stones and cinder block. The 4 wheel drive allowed for maneuverability on numerous road surfaces. It even had enough power to pulled several tree stumps free on my property which really amazed me seeing I didn’t have to haul in the heavy equipment (i.e. the neighbors Caterpillar Bulldozer).
I found that the Tundra had an exceptional ride and meet all the claims the manufacturer states in their ads. I was really amazed how it handled with a full load or towing a trailer.
The vehicle that I drove was equipped with the 4.0 liter V-6, 5 speed manual transmission and 4 wheel drive. I had a fifth wheel added in order to pull a gooseneck trailer. The only thing that’s disappointing is the cost of any vehicle today. Accept for that I would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a strong and durable work truck or family vehicle.