Testing Toyota's Tough Truck in the Tundra: Part 1

Would you be disappointed to find out that a major auto manufacturer wanted to convey the ruggedness of one of its toughest vehicles by sending it down a mere dirt road?

And yet, it was on just such a road that Toyota expected a group of automotive journalists to test the 2014 Tundra’s off-road capability during a recent press event. For a company that touts quality, durability and reliability above all else, it seemed like a seriously lackluster display of what the all-new Tundra can do.

Upon finishing the day, complaints were heard throughout the gathered media, but none louder than Howard Elmer’s (disclosure: my Father). Surprisingly, Toyota didn’t defend its weak off-road course. Instead they replied with a question: “what would you do with the truck and when are you leaving?”

The first answer that ran through his mind jumped out before he considered the implications. “We’ll run from Toronto to Newfoundland, via the Trans-Labrador Highway, in April,” he said. A few months later, four of us gathered to set off on the journey.

Toyota provided us with a new 2014 Tundra 1794 Edition and a 2007 Tundra Limited with 68,000 miles on the odometer. That way, we could compare old and new side-by-side. We also had a double-axle 24-foot trailer filled with all of our gear, two full-size spare tires and a Yamaha snowmobile. That meant towing roughly 4,000 lbs behind one of the trucks at any given time.

The Trans-Labrador Highway is the main route through the Canadian region of Labrador. In total, the road stretches roughly 700 miles and almost half of it is unpaved. Each year, the harsh winter climate freezes it completely. When spring rolls around, the frost thaws and leaves potholes and mud topped with a layer of stones. And even when there is pavement, it is cracked, broken and usually completely destroyed, providing a daunting task for the tires. Sounds inviting, no?

Setting out from Toronto, it would take us three days of driving before we actually made it to Labrador. During the first leg of the journey we covered mostly flat, straight highways, which demonstrated a few things about the trucks.

Wind noise is substantially reduced in the new generation Tundra. However, the cabin is still noisier than other half-ton pickups.

Highway cruising also highlighted the steering feel of the Tundra, which has been made lighter and easier to handle in the third generation. Keeping the 2014 model between the lines while fighting strong side winds is much easier than it is with the 2007 model, which has comparatively tight turning response. It makes long highway drives less strenuous, which is an important trait when you’re covering as many miles as we were about to.

In order to reach Labrador, we drove along Highway 389. It isn’t part of the Trans-Lab Highway, but the route through northern Quebec has twists, dips and dives all on broken, cracked pavement that offered a real test for the trucks. It also crosses paths with some of the largest hyrdo-electric generating plants in the world, the largest and most impressive of which is the Manic 5 Dam (pictured).

The hills highlighted what would prove to be this truck’s best feature by far: its powertrain. It is a maniac when it comes to cranking out torque and sheer power. The 5.7-liter V8 with 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque is clearly part of the equation, but the 4.30:1 rear-end axle ratio that comes equipped with the V8 is what really makes the magic happen.

The six-speed automatic transmission also plays a key role in Toyota’s torque-laden combo by making sure the engine is always well positioned in its rev range to deliver power. We also learned that the transmission is designed to provide power first and fuel economy second, but more on miles per gallon later. Pulling the trailer up steep grades is a breeze and accelerating uphill is also possible. Long descents are handled well by the transmission, which will downshift and allow the engine to hold back the weight, all by itself once the brake is applied.

The chassis and suspension must also be complemented for trailer control. Never did the big brick of a trailer we had feel like it was in charge. It also carried a hidden bonus: the ride of the Tundra is much smoother with 4,000 pounds on the back. Thanks to all that weight pulling down on the leafs springs, the stiff choppy ride of the empty truck ride feels calmer. Riding over large bumps made the trailer the most noticeable as it would try and push the truck, but the Tundra didn’t succumb to the weight and remained planted.

After two days of driving, our little convoy finally reached the head of the Trans-Lab Highway to find it engulfed by inclement weather. Blowing snow shortened our view to just a few feet ahead of the truck. This was also the first time along the way when cell service disappeared.

Few vestiges of cellular service would surface until our destination; we were completely on our own.

In situations like this, you come to appreciate the warmth and comfort of the Tundra’s interior. Even the 2007 truck came with heated seats that didn’t show any serious signs of wear despite their age aside from run-of-the-mill creases. But it is no match for the 1794 Edition.

Toyota’s new luxury truck has some of the most comfortable seats of any half-ton pickup. The cabin is also fairly practical, offering a massive center console along with a fair number of storage spots. The folding rear seats are also especially useful because they offer plenty of covered storage space.

There’s also a new storage spot on the dashboard well suited for holding light items that need to be accessed quickly, like hats and mitts.

Only two things are missing by our estimation. The first is a 110-volt three-prong plug, which would allow us to charge our phones and other electronics on the road without the need for a 12-volt adapter. The second is a heated steering wheel.

Pulling into the small town of Churchill Falls meant that our cell phone service returned and we got a phone call that would change to the layout of our entire trip….

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