Keep on Truckin'

Driven

I WAS RECENTLY questioned about this column: “How come you always like everything you drive?” It’s a fair question. I haven’t liked everything——my negative comments about the largely loved 2006 Miata were a departure——but yes, I’m generally positive about my experiences behind the wheel.

“How come you never drive a Honda? Or a Toyota? Or a truck?” That’s fair too. Understand, I only get six test drives a year with a bimonthly column——so I’m selective. If I can drive a Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Lamborghini or Bentley, chances are I’ll choose the luxury ride over an economical one. Since I’m not writing for Consumer Reports, this column is a subjective driving experience behind the wheel . . . and I choose vehicles I anticipate enjoying.

The Accord and Camry will never appear in these pages. Why? They are two of the best-selling, most-reliable cars manufactured, and I’d be preaching to the choir to tell you that. You don’t need me to describe what it’s like to drive one. Hop in your neighbor’s and take it around the block. They probably own two.

But then there is the truck.

I don’t have a horse, don’t own a construction business and haul nothing bulky other than cases of wine and packages of steak from Costco. Still, the question is reasonable for San Diegans. We have Del Mar, and we are horse country. We lug around boats, Jet Skis and dune buggies.

So I’m driving a truck. And it’s a Toyota, so I’ve finally covered the “Made in Japan” test. But wait——this truck is not built in Japan. It’s built in the United States. Go figure.

Ads for Toyota Tundra were everywhere all year. Tundra was redesigned to take on all the heavy work Ford F150, Chevy Silverado and Dodge Ram have tackled for years. Since I don’t tow more than 10,000 pounds, and my Costco payload isn’t near 2,000 pounds even at Christmas, my question is more about the ride and handling.

My truck is the hulking Crew Max in luxury Limited trim, loaded to about $45,000. With a living room–size rear seat, it’s easy to haul two 6-footers back there comfortably. The seat even reclines. The driver’s seat easily adjusts to my 5-foot-3 frame.

Okay, but will I like driving it?

Motoring on I-8 east over the uneven pavement around El Cajon should tell me a lot. It does. So does the lack of noise and the terrific braking. Smooth and quiet, it’s less truck-like on the freeway than some luxury SUVs I’ve driven. The only conspicuous sound is the roar of the 5.7-liter engine when I hammer the throttle. Dual variable-valve timing is part of the equation here, and pretty soon I’m addicted to the high ride and remarkably smooth horsepower.

My gas mileage isn’t too bad considering the 5.7-liter, V-8 power——21 mpg on the freeway when the automatic transmission hums along in its seventh gear. But I’m even more impressed with the turning radius. At the Fashion Valley mall (yes, I feel strange parking a massive truck at Nordstrom), I can scoot into and out of parking spaces easily, considering the wheelbase.

It’s interesting that a Japanese automaker can be this competitive in a truck dominated by the Big Three for years. Maybe part of that can be attributed to the sticker on the new Tundra’s double cabs that crows, “Built in Texas by Texans!” The Tundra plant in San Antonio builds the Tundra Double Cab, while the Crew Max is assembled in Indiana.

I don’t need a truck, just as many San Diegans don’t. But for the folks who do, the Toyota Tundra has clearly raised the bar for performance and capability in the half-ton truck market. Based on their success and reliability factor with other models, we can probably expect to see many more of them towing horse trailers and ski boats around San Diego. Or we might just see them parked at the mall.

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