2005 Toyota Tundra Pickup Reviews & Ratings

The Tundra is a comfortable truck with a friendly interior. Front-seat roominess is competitive with other full-size pickups. Toyota claims the Tundra provides more front legroom than any of the domestic pickups, though only by about half an inch; and the Nissan Titan has only a tiny edge over Tundra. The others, especially the F-150, offer more hip room than the Tundra, however, and owners notice that.

The Double Cab is slightly roomier than the other Tundra models. It offers an inch more front headroom and a fraction more front-seat hip and leg room.

The 60/40 split-bench cloth seats that are standard in most models are welcoming and supportive. Double Cabs come with bucket seats up front, rather than the split bench.

Climbing in is easy, though the two-wheel-drive model seems to sit higher off the ground than other two-wheel-drive pickups. The Tundra feels tall in the saddle, giving the driver a commanding view over shorter vehicles.

Accessory switches are concentrated in the center cluster for easy operation. The fake wood on the dash is dreadful, but the instruments are straightforward, with a big tachometer on all but base models. A center console with four nice, big cup holders; dual map pockets; and covered storage is shared with the Toyota Sequoia SUV. Its lid holds a pad for note-taking, but it felt flimsy when we tried to use it. Double sun visors with extenders are useful at sunrise and sunset.

Access Cabs add interior storage space and the ability to carry two more passengers. If those passengers are adults, however, the rear seat is a short-term affair. The Tundra does not have nearly as much space in the rear compartment of its extended cab as the other full-size pickups. And the rear seatback is vertical, forcing occupants to sit bolt upright, uncomfortable for traveling any farther than the neighborhood restaurant. A far better use for the extended cab is carrying dry cleaning, groceries, briefcases, outdoor gear, or anything else that should be shielded from the elements. Unfortunately, the rear seat takes up a fair amount of room. The seat bottom on the split bench can be flipped up, but the seat doesn't fold completely out of the way, nor can it be easily removed. Some of the domestic extended cabs offer much better versatility.

Double Cabs, on the other hand, provide genuinely useful space for adult passengers in the back seats. Its 37.5 inches of rear-seat legroom make for comfortable accommodations, though Tundra's back seat still doesn't have as much space as in the Nissan Titan, Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado or GMC Sierra. But Tundra's rear seatback reclines at an angle of 24 degrees, adding to comfort. Each rear seating position has a headrest and three-point safety belt. Rear-seat passengers also enjoy their own heating and air conditioning outlets, and optional audio and DVD entertainment systems. Tundra Double Cab also offers the segment's first vertical power-sliding rear window. At 750 square inches, the Double Cab's rear window offers more than four times the open area of the manual sliding rear windows in the Regular Cab and Access Cab models, making it easier to access the bed especially important with a canopy. When the Double Cab's 60/40 split rear seat isn't occupied, it folds and tumbles to provide lockable, weather-tight storage space inside the cab.

Safety features for all Tundra models include seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters, along with the required dual front airbags. The passenger-side airbag can be switched off with the key when babies or children occupy the front passenger seat. A tire-pressure monitor is now standard.

The Toyota Tundra rides almost as quietly as a luxury sedan, whether it's a four-wheel-drive or two-wheel-drive model. This is the quietest pickup we've driven. There's little wind noise or road noise in the cabin. Ride quality is quite smooth for a truck. It feels truly refined.

Toyota's V8 is silky smooth, quick, and extremely responsive. The Tundra was previously sensitive at throttle tip-in, but it seems like that's been addressed with the 2005 models, so it doesn't lurch off the line. It also puts power to the rear wheels without wheelspin, providing excellent acceleration and stability. It's very responsive in the 45-mph range, so passing on two-lane roads is easy. And it sounds great. Stand behind the Tundra when it is started, revved, or even idling, and you're treated to a classic V8 burble that's pleasant to American ears. Yet, it's super-quiet when sitting inside the truck or standing in front of it.

V8 engines with twin cams and four valves per cylinder are usually associated with imported luxury sports sedans. Toyota perfected this design in its Land Cruiser and its Lexus luxury vehicles. For 2005, Toyota has added electronically controlled variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i) to the V8's long list of state-of-the-art features. So from the same 4.7 liters, it now produces 282 horsepower at 5400 rpm; and 325 pound-feet of torque at 3400 rpm. That's 42 more horsepower and 10 more pound-feet than last year's model, which already delivered quick response around town and strong power for towing and hauling.

Starting from a dead stop, a two-wheel-drive Tundra Limited easily accelerated up a long steep grade while pulling a 3,000-pound trailer. This tow rig was stable going around sweeping turns, and when braking from high speeds on steep downhill sections. There were none of the up and down motions when bouncing at low speed over a rough, lava-covered dirt road that some trucks exhibit when their front suspensions aren't up to balancing the weight on the rear tongue. Transmission and engine oil coolers are standard on Double Cab models.

The new base-level V6 is larger than last year's, at 4.0 liters compared to 3.4. Also equipped with dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, and VVT-i, it produces 245 horsepower at 5200 rpm, and its 282 pound-feet of torque at 3800 rpm represents a 28 percent increase over the 2004 V6.

Ride quality is excellent, maybe the best of the full-size pickups on bumpy freeways in Los Angeles. On rough pavement and bumpy dirt roads, the Tundra's suspension really shines. It damps out unwanted vibration and harshness and controls the movement of the wheels precisely, keeping the tires in contact with the road surface for excellent grip and handling. The 4WD suspension performed amazingly well and was easy to control when bouncing up a steep mountain trail on the Big Island of Hawaii. Bounding over harsh dips and humps, the suspension offered impressive travel and damping. It never hit the bump stops in spite of our efforts to beat it up. While bouncing over moguls, we noticed that neither the cowl nor the front hood shook. The Tundra's chassis is highly rigid with boxed front frame rails. Toyota also claims this truck offers class-leading ground clearance, and that everything underneath is tucked above the frame rails.

In Alaska, we found the 2005 Tundra's steering too slow and too light, and it seemed to require correction to maintain a straight course down the highway. Yet the Tundra was impressively composed in awkward situations. When making a quick Y-turn, then taking off, it doesn't generate the head toss often associated with awkward-handling trucks. It's a difficult phenomenon to describe, but makes the Tundra a very pleasant companion.

For off-road travel, Toyota offers the TRD Off-Road Package, developed with Toyota racing legend Ivan "Ironman" Stewart. Using Bilstein shocks and special progressive-rate springs, this suspension is designed for performance off road and we found it improved the handling on rough unpaved roads. We were surprised to discover it also offers a smoother ride on rough road surfaces than the standard suspension.

A Sport Suspension Package is available that's designed to offer better handling on paved roads.

The brakes felt great even when pulling a trailer, smooth and easy to modulate in normal driving and powerful when needed.

Toyota Tundra is available as a two-door Regular Cab, an extended Access Cab with auxiliary rear doors, and as a true four-door Double Cab. Two- and four-wheel-drive versions are offered, employing similar suspensions and bed heights. Three trim levels are available: base, SR5, and Limited. Access Cab V8 models are available with a full-width or stepside bed.

Two engines are available, and both are more potent for 2005. The base V6 has grown from 3.4 to 4.0 liters. It still breathes through dual-overhead-cam (DOHC) heads, and now uses Toyota's computer-controlled variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i) to produce 245 horsepower, 5 more than last year's V8, and 55 more than the 190-horsepower rating of the 2004 V6. Torque is up significantly as well, from 220 to 282 pound-feet. The optional i-Force DOHC V8 sticks with its previous 4.7-liter displacement, but acquires VVT-i to boost horsepower from 240 to 282, and torque from 315 pound-feet to 325. Transmissions are new, too. The V6 now comes with a new six-speed manual. A new five-speed automatic is optional ($770-$840) with the V6, standard with the V8.

Base models are pretty plain, starting with the V6 Regular Cab 2WD with six-speed manual ($15,955). Bumpers are painted, but anti-lock brakes (ABS) are standard. Air conditioning is optional, either as a stand-alone ($985) or as part of a package ($1620) that includes wheel covers, mud guards, intermittent wipers, tilt steering, and a sliding rear window.

SR5 models offer the option of an Access Cab ($22,410) or Double Cab ($26,120); and two or four-wheel drive. SR5 models come standard with air conditioning; cruise control; tilt steering; power windows, locks and mirrors; remote keyless entry; sliding rear window; AM/FM/cassette stereo; tachometer; color-keyed front and chromed rear bumper; styled steel wheels; and other trim upgrades. The V6 and six-speed manual are standard in SR5 Access Cabs, but the five-speed automatic is available, as is the V8 engine. The V8 is standard in SR5 Double Cabs.

Limited models come standard with the V8, and are available in Access Cab ($27,075) or Double Cab ($29,745). The Limited's long list of standard equipment includes an in-dash CD changer, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, and an anti-theft system. Limited models also get a power rear window.

Four-wheel drive 4WD adds about $3300 to the SR5 and Limited prices above. A Sport Suspension Package for 2WD V8 models features Tokico shocks, springs tuned for handling, a 3.91:1 limited-slip rear differential, and Graphite-tone 17-inch alloy wheels wearing P265/65R17 tires.