2000 Toyota Tundra

Toyota proves it can be done. Truck ruggedness and versatility with car-like smoothness. It's true, others have not gone far enough.

Styling is usually the first thing one notices about a car or truck, and I have to say this is the only area the Tundra falls a little short. I am not a truck person, but I would guess that truck people want a truck that looks as tough as it really is. I'm guessing. Truck people often like to APPEAR tough. Frankly if I were buying a truck on styling alone, I'd buy a Dodge, and in all fairness I have not driven a Dodge truck in over 7 years. However they do look cool. Even the Ford looks a little more rugged than the Toyota.

That being said, the Tundra beat the competition in all other areas.

First the interior: Toyota (and many other Japanese cars) has a way of making the driver feel comfortable. The oval center pod which houses most of the HVAC and stereo controls works well. Each symbol or word is clear and simple to understand. No hunting to find that certain button. As with most Toyota products, the climate controls are big and well placed, very easy to understand and very easy to operate. Stereo with optional CD player sounds very good, The gauges are well placed and easy to read, even on bright day. At night the dash glows in a unexciting green, functional is the rule. If you want to see really cool dashboard lights, check out almost any Nissan, they seem to have a knack for that. The seats are as comfortable as in any car I've driven. Several levers allow the driver to find that certain position that suits just him or her. Getting to the back seats is a breeze with the extra cab, 4-door option. Rear doors open facing forward, often called "suicide" doors, these really work and make the prospect of riding in the back of a pickup cab not so dreadful. The rear seats themselves are fairly comfortable, and I was able to sit in them without jamming my knees into my chest (I'm 6'1"). Not sure I'd want to ride more than an hour or so in the back, but it could be worse. In fact the rear seat room IS much worse in many CARS.

The real joy comes from getting into the drivers seat (as in any car). At first it seems rather funky grabbing a steering column mounted shifter in a modern car, but it's easy to get used to. Once on the road, I couldn't help but be amazed by the silky smooth power. The ride was the best of any truck I've driven, and frankly better than some cars. Under the hood resides a 250hp V-8. On suburban streets I found myself driving 60mph without even knowing it. The Tundra feels fast, it has lots of grunt in the low revs and is an absolute dream to drive. On mild off road trails, I could swear I wasn't even in a truck, and yet I had the ground clearance to prove I was. Even with mildly aggressive tires, there is very little road noise. Although 4x4 is an option, the 4x2 sits plenty high, giving the driver that safe "above it all" feeling. Handling, although not sports car like, is very predictable and surprisingly little body roll for a truck.

Toyota reliability and full size truck versatility make this an obvious addition to anyone's truck shopping list. If you are in the market for a truck, at least drive the Tundra. If you've already decided on another brand, at least drive the Tundra. This is a vehicle you could live with everyday as your only car.

My main problem is spending close to 30K on a TRUCK of all things, but people do it everyday. Besides, I know for certain that some people have bought a new Tundra 4x2 for just under $25,000 not including tax and license.