2014 Toyota Tundra First Look

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From the auto show floor:At the unveiling of the redesigned2014 Toyota Tundra, group vice president and general manager Bill Fay began his remarks by highlighting the full-size truck market's shift toward crew-cab (4-door) models and premium equipment offerings.

This is why the biggest Tundra news is not just the styling, inside and out, but the addition of two top-tier trim levels.

Last year's Limited trim will be joined by two higher grades: Platinum for the urban, pickup enthusiast and the 1794 Edition, a leather-swaddled, ranch-themed trim level aimed at Ford's F-150 King Ranch line of lux-o-trucks. Platinum and 1794 also receive the swankiest interiors Tundra has ever seen, with textured "Lexus-quality" leather and suede seating surfaces and wood-like accents.

All models receive a hood that's been raised 1.6 inches, a "Tundra" embossed tailgate, and three-piece front bumper (said to lower replacement/repair costs). Along with updates to interior style and ergonomics, Toyota has added three safety "firsts"; the segment's first knee airbags and back-up cameras on all models. A microwave-based blind spot monitoring system with cross traffic alerts, another full-size truck-segment first, is also available as an option.

"No truck has more domestic content that Tundra," Fay also said, in an obvious attempt to connect Toyota's U.S. manufacturing message to a market typically composed of the reddest of red-blooded Americans.

And it's the truth. Toyota has invested heavily in the American truck market. When it launched this generation of Tundra in 2007, it did so by unveiling a billion-dollar, state-of-the-art truck manufacturing plant in San Antonio, Texas, where all Tundras and Tacomas are now produced. The question remains whether the redesigned 2014 Tundra has what it takes to conquest market share in a sector that has recently turned white-hot. Ram's 1500 won our 2013 Truck of the Year award and several other industry accolades, while GM responded with the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size models. Looks like Toyota is going to need to strap on more than set of fancy cowboy boots for the full-size truck battle it has ahead.

Toyota rolled out its new 2014 Tundra pickup at the Chicago Auto Show Thursday, launching its latest salvo in the never-ending pickup war.

This time, it appears Toyota is better prepared than when it debuted its first full-size truck seven years ago and was summarily beaten down by the competition.

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The heavily refreshed Tundra arrives with an overhauled interior and two new upscale models following the success of Detroit's Ram 1500 Longhorn and Ford F-150 King Ranch.

The Tundra 1794Edition will feature a Western theme as a tribute to the ranch where the Tundra's assembly plant was established in San Antonio, Texas. It arrives with a saddle brown leather interior and suede accents, a 12-speaker JBL stereo, Toyota's Entune infotainment system, navigation, a blind-spot detection system, and a rear cross-traffic alert system.

Toyota will also offer a Platinum edition that will cater to an upscale audience and arrive with double-stitched diamond-plate leather, chrome accents and badging, and heated and ventilated seats.

The two newest members of the Toyota family will also include many of the changes Toyota has planned for all 2014 Tundras.

Designers reshaped the front end, giving the Tundra a taller grille and integrating it with the hood to give it sharper lines. The three-piece bumper was added to help differentiate the Tundra variants, and Toyota says it will mean lower replacement costs. Additionally, Toyota squared off the fenders to give the truck a more aggressive stance. Changes were also made to the rear bumper and the exterior of the bed, giving the Tundra a much more pronounced profile.

Toyota will continue to offer three powertrains. The 4-liter V-6 produces 270 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque; the 4.6-liter V-8 creates 310 horsepower and 327 lb-ft; and the 5.7-liter V-8 cranks out 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft. The V-6 is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, while the V-8s are connected to a six-speed automatic.

The biggest changes are inside the cabin, where Toyota cleaned up the center stack and added a number of creature comforts. The idea was to make the cabin more ergonomic and easier to use. Toyota downsized the huge control knobs that resembled safe dials on a bank vault, making them 2.6 inches smaller. The seats were redesigned to provide more comfort. The instrument panel was redone; the gauges have a crisper look; and a small LCD screen is mounted between the speedometer and tachometer. The interior upgrades are noticeable and welcome.

It remains to be seen how well the Tundra will take on the hyper-stiff competition. Last year, Toyota sold 102,000 pickups, gaining more than 22 percent in sales but still remained far behind the top-selling Ford F-Series, Ram 1500, GMC Sierra, and Chevrolet Silverado.

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When Toyota initially rolled out the full-size Tundra, many experts predicted the Japanese carmaker was going to slay the domestics' last bastion of sales supremacy. But that didn't happen. While Detroit may have given away the automobile market through hubris and neglect, it has steadfastly held onto its pickup customers by building good vehicles and continually improving them.

Detroit's pickups have undergone numerous upgrades and remodels over the past seven years. The Ram has had two major remodels; the F-Series pickups have been upgraded and revamped numerous times; and the all-new Silverado and Sierra arrive later this year.

While not good news for Toyota, all of this is great news for pickup customers. Right now is about the best time ever to get exactly the truck you want.

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