Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/335762
EquipmentWorld.com | July 2014 63 Platinum Tundras have high-end interiors and a host of creature comforts and electronics that make the rolling of- fice comfortable and well connected to the outside world. Under the hood there're no changes in 2014: It's still the 381-horsepower 5.7-liter i-FORCE V8 and six-speed automatic that outruns all of the competitors 5Ls I've tested to date in a drag race – and out stops them on the other end. I ran the Tundra at Gulfport Dragway on the Missis- sippi Gulf Coast. The 5,800-pound 4x4 hit 60 mph in just 7.2 seconds and crossed the 1/4-mile traps in 15.4 seconds at 92 mph. That's quick for a 4x4 truck. That performance is due to the strong V8 combined with 4.30:1 axle ratios and the close ratio of the six- speed automatic, which work in tandem to give good launch and smooth power transitions during shifts. That smooth, steady power really shows up when towing. Fuel economy is the Tundra's weakest area and it's av- erage at best. Toyota hasn't made any significant changes to the engine since it was introduced years ago, and the 13/17/15 (city/highway/combined) EPA numbers match up with my real-world driving observations. Steering is light, the brakes quick and firm, and vis- ibility excellent to the front and sides. As for overall ride quality, it's a little jitterier than the