2010 Toyota Tundra Review
Popular Tundra Reviews
From Edmunds.com:
Despite being one of the oldest full-size pickups now available, the 2010 Toyota Tundra's strong performance and excellent utility make it a top choice for a workhorse pickup.
Pros: Strong V8 powertrains, capable six-speed transmission, large extended and crew cabs, comfortable and spacious cabin, numerous safety and convenience features.
Cons: Some interior design missteps, feels bigger than some competitors, relatively rough ride.
From Cars.com:
What We Like: New 4.6-liter V-8 with broad, flat peak torque curve and good fuel economy; 5.7-liter V-8 among best half-ton-pickup engines; Available 10,000-pound-plus tow rating for every cab/bed configuration; Massive front brakes with excellent stopping power
What We Don't: Dark, sterile interior materials; Unloaded ride quality is harsh; Huge CrewMax has no rear captain's chairs in luxury model; Long reach for some controls; Instrument gauges sit in deep barrels in the instrument panel
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2010 Tundra Overview
Several years after a complete redesign saw the Toyota Tundra pull itself up from irrelevance and become contender in the full-size pickup game, Toyota finally decided to make a number of changes to the platform that has helped earn the Japanese automaker serious street cred in the truck world. The 2010 Toyota Tundra features reorganized trim levels as well as some drivetrain surprises for those familiar with what the truck has had to offer in the past.
Trim Levels
The base trim level for the pickup remains the Tundra Grade, which offers a cloth bench seat, new-for-2010 tilt steering, dual zone air conditioning, 18-inch steel wheels and a CD player featuring an AUX input for lining in an MP3 player. This set of features can also be installed on the extended Double Cab version of the Tundra (which seats up to six passengers and offers four doors) as well as the extra-large CrewMax body style (offering even more interior room and the bonus of full-size rear doors). Bed lengths remain the same, with 5.5-foot, 6.5-foot and 8.5-foot options available depending on body style.
A new wrinkle for 2010 allows Regular Cab and Double Cab body styles to be stripped down even further in terms of equipment level and be ordered with the Work Truck package. Swapping cloth upholstery for easy to clean vinyl and whittling the features list down to almost nothing creates a less expensive, and more task-focused version of the Toyota Tundra designed to appeal to fleet buyers as well as contractors interested in a no-nonsense truck.
The SR5 trim level found on 2009 editions of the Tundra has been redefined as a package that can now be ordered on the Regular Cab in addition to the Double Cab and the CrewMax body styles. Its features largely carry over from the year before, and it offers convenience items such as a full range of power accessories, cruise control and a CD player providing six speaker sound. A telescoping steering column and keyless entry are also included, along with a center-mounted shifter and rear heat ducts for extended passenger compartment editions.
New for 2010 is the free inclusion of the Cold Weather Package and the Tow Package with the SR5 package when ordered on Double Cab and CrewMax trucks. The former adds a larger battery and heavy duty starter suitable for use when temperatures drop below freezing, as well as a timer for the vehicle’s windshield de-icing system. The latter comes with a tow hitch and wiring for a trailer brake controller, a tow/haul setting for the transmission, additional cooling for the gearbox and engine oil, a heavy duty alternator, and a larger battery. These packages are also each available individually on certain other editions of the Tundra.
The top of the line trim level for the 2010 Toyota Tundra remains the Limited, which throws in plush heated leather power seats, an upgraded stereo system featuring a six-CD changer in the dash, sonar parking sensors on the front and rear bumpers and Bluetooth connectivity. The luxury provided by the Limited trim can be further enhanced by selecting the new Platinum Package, which essentially installs almost every available Tundra option. 20-inch wheels, a memory feature for the front seats, a DVD navigation system and backup camera, a moonroof (for CrewMax trucks), unique perforated leather upholstery that is both heated and cooled, wood trim and special logos and badges are all included with this package. Many of these items can be selected as stand-alone options for the Tundra.
Rounding out additional the equipment that can be found on the 2010 Toyota Tundra are four-wheel drive and the three TRD packages that were also available in 2009. These include the TRD Off-Road package (tuned suspension system, Bilstein shock absorbers, special 18-inch wheels wrapped with all-terrain rubber, fog lights, a sliding rear window, tow hooks, skid plates and – new for 2010 – the Tow package), the TRD Rock Warrior Package (color-keyed exterior trim with a black rear bumper and a black cloth interior, 17-inch wheels with knobby tires and fog lights, restricted to Black or Super White paint schemes on trucks equipped with four-wheel drive) and the TRD Sport Package (20-inch wheels, a color-keyed exterior trim, heated side mirrors, fog lights, black cloth seats and sporty interior trim, only available in Black or Radiant Red paint schemes). Each package also comes with more than enough stickers to let other motorists know what has been installed on the pickup.
Powertrain Options
In terms of engine choices, the base 2010 Toyota Tundra Regular Cab and Double Cab with short box body style start out with a 4.0-liter V6 that is rated at 236 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. City fuel mileage remains at 15 miles per gallon but highway mileage jumps to 20 miles per gallon, up from 19-mpg in 2009. A five-speed automatic transmission is the only gearbox available with this engine, and its maximum tow rating comes in at around 5,000 lbs.
For all other versions of the Tundra a new 4.6-liter V8 slots in as the standard mill. Offering 310 horsepower and 327 lb-ft of torque, this unit not only significantly improves on the power delivery of the departed 4.7-liter mid-range V8, but it also offers one mile per gallon more in both city and highway measures (city: 15-mpg, highway: 19-mpg). A six-speed automatic transmission also adds an additional forward cog for entry-level V8 Tundra buyers, and its tow rating increases slightly to 8,600 lbs.
The 5.7-liter, VVT-i V8 engine that is available as an option on all 2010 Toyota Tundras is still the best choice for those who require the utmost in output. With 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque on tap, and a reasonable EPA fuel mileage rating of 14 miles per gallon in city driving and 18 miles per gallon on the highway (compared to 17-mpg highway in 2009), this motor is a truly impressive accomplishment from Toyota. Add in a six-speed automatic transmission and a 10,800 lb maximum towing capacity and it is easy to see why the power plant is a popular choice amongst Tundra buyers. The engine can also be ordered in a Flex Fuel edition.